McCain's Finance Chair Tells Elizabeth Edwards To Not Talk About Cancer

First of all, anyone that has or has gone through the ordeal of cancer has the right to talk about cancer. Secondly, if you are in any way political (like Elizabeth Edwards) then you have more than ample justification to have your views heard by whomever wants to listen. For someone on McCain's campaign to tell her to leave it out of the national conversation because they do not like the facts is absurd. That someone is Fred Malek.

From Malek's blog:

Finding a cure for cancer is a vitally important mission for this country. Supporting that mission should unite everyone – and should be off-limits from the political and partisan battlefield.

That’s why I was more than a bit concerned to see Elizabeth Edwards – herself a heroic cancer survivor and inspiration for us all – bring cancer into the presidential race.[...]

I give Mrs. Edwards all the benefit of the doubt in the world on this one, that she really has our best interests at heart by introducing John McCain – who is Honorary Co-chairman, Advisory Board of Directors of the Arizona Cancer Research Foundation — into the political conversation.

I just hope that it doesn’t become a common occurrence on the campaign trail. The cancer conversation is best left to the experts, researchers, and doctors.

Congratulations on completely changing the subject Mr. Malek. Everyone wants to find cures for cancer. One must be pretty sick to try and start a debate about finding cures for cancer. What Elizabeth was saying that when it comes to candidates' positions on health care, both her and McCain wouldn't have been covered under his own plan. It is as simple as that sir. And the man you quoted from Jake Tapper's piece, Douglas Holtz-Eakin is another surrogate for McCain. He says that competition in the marketplace will solve the nation's health care crisis.

Um Fred, we've been doing that competitive thing now for almost forty years now and it has only made the problem of coverage worse.

Elizabeth Edwards Talks Health Care In America

No one does this better than her, not even Michael Moore. This woman truly is incredible:

The Man That Beat Out Clinton

What an amazing speaker, and what a great President he would be for our country:

Edwards Understands The UAW Strike

The UAW strike is getting big headlines because, well, 73,000 people do not go on strike collectively every day. The Presidential candidates, especially the Democratic ones are saying and definitely not doing much except for one. Both John and Elizabeth Edwards are endorsing the UAW's efforts, not just with words, but actions.

From John Edwards' Blog:

John Edwards will walk the UAW Picket Line tomorrow with members of U.A.W. Local 774 in their picket of GM's Powertrain plant in Buffalo.

Elizabeth quoted the labor motto, "Injury to one of us is injury to all of us." She stated that, "When people have to come to the streets in order to provide for job security, to make sure that when they retire they'll have the health benefits they deserve, that's an injury to all of us. And all of us ought to be indicating our support."

Yesterday, Edwards issued a statement of strong support for the striking UAW Members:

Edwards Statement In Support Of Striking UAW Members

I offer my strong support to the striking auto workers and look forward to a fair and speedy settlement that will improve the lives of these hard-working UAW members. And I call on General Motors to do what is right and realize that it has a responsibility to negotiate fairly and move quickly to settle a contract that respects the health, safety and economic security of the auto workers and their families. I also salute the courage of the auto workers to go on strike. Their fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, affordable health care and a secure retirement helps raise standards for workers all across America.

"Sadly, the issues on the bargaining table between General Motors and the United Auto Workers are not unique to Detroit - they represent the larger failures of Washington and public policies that have weakened unions and the middle class. The truth is now, more than ever, it's time for America to go in a new direction and start doing much more to strengthen America's unions and protect the rights of working Americans."

His strong words are being backed by equally strong actions. I have yet to see Hillary or Obama walk a picket line. This is more than just some photo-op, its about changing the status quo in our country today. John's presence tomorrow and Elizabeth's walk already sends a message to corporate America that the middle class deserves better than to be pushed around like commodities that can be bought and sold depending on which worker is cheaper to maintain. Getting business done is important, but people must be put first.

Elizabeth Goes On The Attack, Watch Out Hillary And Obama

The two top front-runners got a verbal beating from John Edwards' wife in the current issue of Progressive Magazine. She hit on a theme that really resonates with me. It is a question of leadership, and what candidate can be a true leader after the terrible disgrace that is George Bush. Now the top three are all good people, and they'll all be miles ahead of the current President, but we need someone that has passion and convictions. I do not see that in Hillary and I'm not so sure about Barack. Elizabeth Edwards certainly has a bias, but there's a lot of truth in her words.

From the ABC News Blog:

Mrs. Edwards praised her husband for apologizing for his vote in favor of the Iraq War, and questioned Senator Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., for not doing the same.

"She even, in the New Hampshire debate said, 'I made a mistake.' People are looking for a mea culpa from her. And when she buried a line like that –- I give her credit for saying that –- but when she buries that line... we're electing a leader of the free world, and just like the votes on this last funding bill, we're looking for a leader," Edwards contended.

And while Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., was in the Illinois state legislature and not the Senate in 2003, Mrs. Edwards equally questioned his motives.

"Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district," Edwards said, "and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way."

"Holier-than-thou," ouch! In a way though, there is some truth in it. Watching Obama and Hillary slip into the Senate to vote against funding the war a couple months ago at the last minute was sad to see. I know they made the right choice, but how they went about it was so cowardly. Of course Edwards has nothing to lose when he speaks out because he is no longer in the Senate, but its more than a political calculation to him.

The two of them, John and Elizabeth, make such a great team together. The leadership that both of them take on the issues that matter to them (like poverty and health care) is inspiring to say the least. It would almost be nice to see the Edwards' on the top of the ticket instead of just John, but as long as they are together, thats what counts.

Until I see any other candidate (thats in the race) stand up the way Edwards does.....I do not know who'd I vote for when the primaries come to New York in February.

Gibson And "Angry Rich" Are Two Sick Bastards

The rightwing radio duo don't have a cold or even the flu, their sickness is strictly inside those small, narrow-minded heads of theirs. Combined with their icy-cold hearts, the combination produces vile comments out of their ugly mouths that can easily offend the light-hearted. Unfortunately I've seen so much of what right-wing radio can produce, so this disgusting attack on the Edwards family and Elizabeth's battle with cancer does not surprise me.

From Media Matters:

On the August 3 edition of Fox News host John Gibson's nationally syndicated radio program, the show's executive producer, who goes by the name "Angry Rich" on the program, claimed Democratic presidential candidate former Sen. John Edwards (NC) "whored his wife's cancer as a fundraising gimmick." He also went on to call him "a fraud" and "a pansy." Gibson referred to Edwards as "the Breck Girl," "Silky," and "the biggest fraud running for president." Gibson and "Angry Rich" were attacking Edwards for saying that Democratic candidates should give back campaign contributions from News Corp., the parent company of Fox News Channel, while accepting advance and expense money from HarperCollins, another News Corp. division that had published a book written by Edwards; Gibson played an audio clip of Edwards stating that money was donated to charity. They also attacked Edwards for his refusal earlier this year to participate in a debate co-sponsored by Fox News.

How low can one go? When it comes to Fox News-employed wingers like Angry Rich and John Gibson, there is no bottom to the abyss in their hearts.

Elizabeth Edwards Talks About Her Exchange With Coulter

Elizabeth talked with Wolf Blitzer on CNN about the well publicized confrontation with Ann Coulter. Ann makes it about money, but Elizabeth wants the hate speech to be toned down. I can't agree more.

Elizabeth Edwards Slams Coulter

I love nothing more than to see Ann Coulter being put in her place (other than being completely ignored, so I will take this for now). Elizabeth Edwards did exactly that tonight on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews. Chris invited her on to talk about the latest hateful spew she let loose on John Edwards. Unfortunately for her she was surprised with a live phone call from a woman who could be our next First Lady.

From RawStory:

"In the South, when somebody does something that displeases us, we like to ask them politley to stop doing it," said Edwards. "I'd like to ask Ann Coulter too. If she'd like to debate on issues, on positions -- we certainly disagree with nearly everything she said on your show today -- but it's quite another matter for these personal attacks."

(snip)

Although Coulter flippantly agreed to a debate, Edwards kept pushing back. "It did not start with [yesterday]. You had a column a couple years ago which made fun of the moment of Charlie Dean's death and suggessted that my husband had a bumper sticker on the back of his car that said, 'ask me about my dead son.' This is not legitimate political dialogue. It debases political dialogue. It draws people away from the process. We can't have a debate about the issues if you're using this type of language."

Coulter later questioned why the presidential candidate didn't phone in himself, to which Elizabeth had a ready answer. "I haven't talked to John about this call. I'm phoning in as a mother," she said to much applause. "I'm the mother of that boy who died. . . These young people behind you are the age of my children. You're asking them to particpate in a dialogue that's based on hatefullness and ugliness instead of on the issues and I don't think that's serving them or this country very well."

Elizabeth hits the nail right on Ann's head....well almost. Not only does this type of discourse have no place in politics, Ann has no place in legitimate political dialogue. Ann contributes nothing but hate and vindicativeness that only serves herself.

The fact that she was allowed to appear on Good Morning America and subsequently Hardball shows that the media is complicit with her game. Instead of having a thoughtful debate on the issues, the media gets to increase their ratings based on ridiculous drama while she gets to sell more books. Shame on Ann and any TV show that puts that troll on camera.

How To Debate Republicans When It Comes To Elizabeth

From Bill Maher this past Friday:

Olbermann Punishes Limbaugh

Hooray for Keith Olbermann! Pointing out the abuses of the wingnuts is no small feat and this man goes after them without abandon. This time he puts the light on Rush Limbaugh for callously attacking Elizabeth Edwards and her Presidential aspirant husband because of the return of her cancer.

Shame On Katie Couric

As everyone knows now, Elizabeth Edwards is suffering from incurable cancer. The breast cancer has spread to her bones and treatment can only slow the process of the disease. Hopefully western medicine can give her a long life but to Elizabeth, every moment counts and she shows it in her personality. She wants her husband to run for office and is committed to the big picture. She is truly a remarkable lady.

However some people do not see it that way. Republicans and their mouthpieces like Rush Limbaugh decry them for continuing in the race. It is not surprising to hear disgraces like Limbaugh to talk trash about the Edwards' family, but for a mainstream media host to parrot his attacks is horrendous. That is exactly what Katie Couric did in her interview of John and Elizabeth Edwards.

From Crooks and Liars:

Katie Couric: Your decision to stay in this race has been analyzed, and quite frankly judged by a lot of people. And some say, what you're doing is courageous, others say it's callous. Some say, "Isn't it wonderful they care for something greater than themselves?" And others say, "It's a case of insatiable ambition." You say?

Katie Couric: Some people watching this would say, "I would put my family first always, and my job second." And you're doing the exact opposite. You're putting your work first, and your family second.

You can find the full transcript and video here. The Edwards' took her 'concern troll' attacks with an honorable approach. Elizabeth seemed horrified at one question but handled themselves very nicely despite her veiled attacks. Couric isn't fooling me, and her fake concern for the Edwards family shouldn't trick anyone else either.