Elizabeth Edwards Is Standing By Her Man

So it goes without saying that this whole John Edwards sex-scandal really bothers me. I just find it deceitful that a man who was making promises to Americans about what he would do if he were elected to the highest office in our land at the same time was breaking the most important promise he ever made (his marriage vow) to supposedly the most important person in his life (his wife). If he could not keep that promise to someone he supposedly loves why should we think he’d keep his promises to us, the faceless voters? Anyway, I digress.

I, in no way, am casting judgment on Elizabeth Edwards for the decision she has made to stand by her man. That is a personal decision that only someone in that situation can make and really should not be held up to public scrutiny or judgment from anyone else. If she chooses to forgive him and move on that is her decision and she’ll have to live with the ramifications. So, I want to make clear that I am not begrudging her for seemingly forgiving her husband and trying to move forward.

However, I was struck by something she said in her statement. She said, "I am proud of the courage John showed by his honesty in the face of shame." I guess I found it a little strange that in the context of discussing infidelity that she would issue statement praising her husband’s courage and proclaiming that she is proud of him for telling the truth. I just figured it was a common expectation to be truthful. The statement seems to ring false with me. What is she proud of? Proud that her husband admitted he is a cheating liar? Pin a rose on his nose. I guess I don’t get what she is so proud of or what she finds so courageous about him being honest. It would be one thing to say, "I’ve forgiven him, I stand by him, please give us our privacy" which she did say. I just think it was unnecessary and probably politically motivated to proceed with her praise of him for being accountable for his actions.

Mrs. Edwards must be incredibly hurt, angry, and embarrassed. To have to face a spouse’s infidelity I could only imagine would be devastating. To do so in the public eye under much scrutiny must be excruciating. I don’t want to come across as callous or one to kick the poor woman while she’s down. I just really was rubbed the wrong way by her statement. It just seems like an oxymoron: courageous cheating liar.