On Thursday night, I posted a large linkfest about the press-conference by John and Elizabeth Edwards and the revelation that her cancer has returned. Those were mostly first responses. There have been literally thousands of blog posts written since then, but I chose to link only to a couple of dozen that really deserve your attention due to quality, novel perspective, or information content (scroll below).
While there were certainly some very nice posts coming form the Right, wishing Elizabeth well and agreeing that the decision to continue campaigning is none of anyone’s but the Edwards’ business, most of the Right-wing blogs voiced their wish that he would quit the campaign (of course – they are afraid of him) and, in the process, revealed a very medieval view of marriage with the husband someone who is supposed to be the decision-maker in the house and the wife as someone who is to be put up on a pedestal and fawned over (especially if she’s sick). They could not fathom that the Edwards’ actually make decisions together and that his word may not always be the last one in the house (they would feel emasculated if that was the case in their own households, I guess). Another underlying emotion there is the profound fear of death (aren’t they mostly religious folks, believing in afterlife and stuff? Why fear?) and the wish not to watch someone they erroneously consider as good as dead every night on TV. Analysing their responses is quite telling about their worldview and their fobias.
Also, try to watch the Edwards’ on ’60 minutes’ tomorrow night.
So, here are the best links of the past two days on the topic:
Jeffrey Feldman: Frameshop: Cancer and Character in American Politics
The Stinging Nettle: The steel orchid
Talk About Cancer: Elizabeth Edwards: The New Face Of Cancer
Jim Buie: Elizabeth Edwards, Living Life to the Fullest
Darksyde: When Good Cells Go Bad
Pharyngula: How many times has Limbaugh hit bottom, only to sink lower still?
AJ WI: The Elizabeth Edwards Debate
Firedoglake: Sick People Make Him Uncomfortable
Nyceve: If you support John & Elizabeth, stop the media distortion now
Ana Maria Cox: Re: Re: The Edwards Question
Persiflage: I was with John and Elizabeth Edwards the night before the press conference
Eschaton: Freak
Dean Barnett (yes, him!): Thoughts on John and Elizabeth Edwards
Dr.Who: The Edwardses: Profiles In Courage
Olvlzl: Elizabeth Edwards’ Choice
Iowa for Edwards: John and Elizabeth Edwards on 60 Minutes
Ollieb: The Politics of Cancer
Movin’ Meat: That didn’t take long
The Carpetbagger Report: The conservative push-back against Edwards starts quickly
Random Thoughts from Reno: Presidential Notes
Corrente Wire: The “Liberal Media” Discusses Compassionate Conservatism
Dominant Reality: About the Edwards Family Decision
Conglomerate: Elizabeth Edwards, or What Would You Do With the Rest of Your Life?
Slate: How Bad Is Elizabeth Edwards’ Cancer
The Moderate Voice: Edwards Doesn’t Withdraw: John Doe Weighs In
Johnalive: Criticism of Edwards backfiring….
Blue Gal in a Red State: John and Elizabeth Edwards
Cold Flute: The Remarkable Elizabeth Edwards
Jo-Ann Mort (TPM Cafe): The Personal and the Political: Elizabeth Edwards as Icon
Linda Milazzo: Why I Love Elizabeth Edwards
Neil the Ethical Werewolf: My Hero
Orient Lodge: ‘There’s a trick to being strong…’
Chaoslillith: Presidential diseases aka Relax about Elizabeth
DC Idealist: Running to be worthy of Elizabeth Edwards: It’s a Whole New Game

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