Friday, July 9, 2010

JOHN EDWARDS

I feel about John Edwards the way I feel about Elliot Spitzer, Tiger Woods, and now, Al Gore.

Why must we destroy strong men because they needed sex?

I remember the wonderful, patriotic, affirming way Al Gore bowed out of the election in 2000 --" Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the court's decision, I accept it. I accept the finality of this outcome which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College. And tonight, for the sake of our unity of the people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession."

The work Gore has been doing for our country, and for the world, on Global Warming and preserving the environment is "gold."

Whether the masseuse is looking for the limelight and money or not, if he grabbed the woman in his hotel room out of desire inspired by the thousands of Do It, Get It, sex nagging pressuring ads, remnants of ads in the air ... because he was worn out from a day of working on audiences ... so what?

Tiger Woods has spent most of the years of his life, mastering golf, competing, and winning -- making his father's dream for him come true. He needed sex -- for whatever reasons he wanted 'wicked" sex outside of what he got from his wife. Let him be -- let him strive on, win on, be the amazing, winning golfer that he is.

Elliot Spitzer is a brilliant political leader, who realized he functioned better after quick, casual sex with a hooker (not love-making with his wife that required him revving himself up). He was publicly destroyed and punished, now he's rebounding. Let's use him. He's a sharp-minded, creative, knowledgeable problem solver. The city, the state has problems that Spitzer knows how to solve.

John Edwards -- we don't know anything about his side of the story -- a son killed, a beloved wife with an incurable cancer. I suspect the Edwards family didn't have much of a sex life ... possibly haven't had sex for a long time, and sex is in the air from the moment JE got up in the morning -- after a worry-filled, restless night -- running for election, worrying about his wife, his two kids, his body inviting him during the night to DO it by himself -- unable to because of her, because of him being 57 and what her cancer made him feel.

Why am I am sympathetic, supportive? Because the man needed sex, and despite his belief in loyalty, fidelity, despite his love for wife, reality was hitting him -- he was not going to nominated. And suddenly, out of the blue, a girl-ish babe offered him fun.

John saying the baby wasn't his was a failed rationale. If Rielle Hunter was making-out with another guy, maybe Elizabeth would understand -- John knew she DID understand that he, like she, was frightened about her cancer -- about where they were heading.

When the scandal broke, John Edwards knew he wasn't going to be president, but there was plenty of important, good work to do -- aside from their two children needing both their parents, the poor people in their city, their state, in Haiti, and El Salvador needed the help of Mr. And Mrs. John Edwards.

He's living alone now, wandering, cut off from all his old friends, and people who worked with him and for him. A man with his abilities drifting, not working -- that's cruel punishment.

Yes, I know the wives, Tipper, Elin, Silda, and Elizabeth are deeply hurt, suffering, haunted by what happened.

Yes, I know that a man who cheats on his wife is selfish, disloyal, unfaithful, and can never again be trusted. The love that was once shared is tarnished, and probably the shine, and glow of what it was before, is gone, and can never be restored.

But we aren't married to Gore, Woods, Spitzer or Edwards. We need them to be and do what they can do so wonderfully well.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

maybe the Mormans figured out something we all haven't? So did Ali BaBa? And, King Solomon?

Carola said...

If what the lady says about Al Gore is true (which I doubt), then his situation is different from the others - because he compelled her. That is wrong, perhaps illegal.

Kevin Daly said...

No matter the platform, it's really all theatre. Whether they like it or not, we watch the goings-on of the successful as though it were a reality soap opera. Nobody's perfect, and some folks take advantage of their fame.

I'm not at all condoning their antics, but I get annoyed when these stories take up the headlines - esp. when we're engaged in a financial crisis and two dire wars in the Middle East (a whole post in itself).

On the other hand, if a crime has been committed in any instance - then it mandates our attention and the appropriate recourse of our judiciary system.

Martha Frankel said...

my favorite expression--- let him be. we love these strong guys, then we freak when they have big appetites. enough already. love your blog

Lane Aldridge said...

Yes, the 'theatre' of popular figures is an obsession in this country, and I usually believe that sex between consenting adults should be a private matter, and the unfortunate fallout be dealt with as carefully and privately as possible with all members affected, family and otherwise. My exception to that concerns the political side of this Great American Puritanical Theatre. Even then I don't give a rat's ass who sleeps with whom; what I *do* care about is the lying and hypocrisy that accompanies it--which rears its ugly head (no pun intended, really) most often when self-righteous politicians--and religious figures!!--are caught in homosexual affairs. Every time that happens, you're lookin' at one rankled lesbian here!

As for the pictures we are given concerning political marriages, we must be careful not to believe everything we see and hear. The 'beloved' wife isn't necessarily; maybe, maybe not.

And wanting these male politicians to be able to keep doing the work they are well capable of doing--I agree totally. But I also know that they themselves paint a better picture of themselves sometimes than is true. My NC friends and relatives who know one particular fallen son better than I do, said from the beginning of his foray into public office, "He is nothing but an empty shirt."