The one where she gets all political...

I rarely talk about my stance on politics, but this whole John Edwards thing has gotten to the point where I can no longer remain silent. I'm sick and tired of watching "breaking news" on this ridiculousness every other minute.

Let me just say first off that I don't condone adultery. I'm a total believer in the sanctity of marriage, and I think the morals in this country are seriously lacking and I'm appalled by it on a daily...hell, you all know me...HOURLY basis. That being said, John Edwards cheating on his wife is not the greatest scandal to ever hit the American people. It's not a tragedy, it's not a betrayal (to anyone but Elizabeth Edwards and their children). It's a guy who cheated on his wife. Period. I'm on a list-serv of teachers from around the country, and some of them are treating this situation as if John Edwards cheated on them personally.

If you take the number of people in this country and stand that up against the number of people who are infuriated by this situation, the odds are a reasonable percentage of these morally outraged folks were watching the events unfold from their mistress's bed (or their boyfriend's bed...whatever you call the guy of a cheating girl). I know, I know, John Edwards is held to a higher standard because he's a public official. Bullshit. He should do the right thing, definitely. But so should we all, whether we're constantly in the public eye or not. And he's a human being, who made a mistake. Yeah, a biggie. I've made big mistakes too. So have you.

And for that percentage of folks out there who feel personally betrayed by this, ask yourself why. How did Edwards betray you? Because you believed that he was infallible? Because we've fucked things up so badly in this country that he seemed like a white steed coming in to rescue us all and turned out to be twinged with gray? Or because you just forgot that he was a man who has as equal a chance as any other man of fucking up his relationship?

When all is said and done, all John Edwards is still the same guy who shook hands and kissed babies and smiled and won us all over...he was a little glossier than others, a little more hope-bearing than most. But, really, when you take all the dressing off and the loaded words and the "scandal" and the "horror" and the "lurid detail" what you're left with is a politician who didn't tell the truth.

Hm. Imagine that.