Poll Shows Most Support Edwards’ Decision
by Pamela LeaveyA new CBS Poll shows that most “Americans support former Sen. John Edwards’ decision to continue his bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination after his wife was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer — and by a margin of more than 2-to-1.”
According to a CBS News Poll conducted in the two days following the couple’s interview by Katie Couric on “60 Minutes” this past Sunday, 57% of those who were surveyed said Edwards is doing the right thing by continuing to campaign. Less than half as many — 24% — said he should have suspended his campaign or withdrawn entirely.
Democratic primary voters — both those who said they would vote for Edwards and those who said they would not — are especially supportive of Edwards’ decision to continue. Two-thirds of Democratic voters polled said he made the right decision.Those who watched the “60 Minutes” interview as well as those who did not watch said they support Edwards’ decision. Among those surveyed, the more closely Americans were following this story, the more supportive they were of Edwards continuing his campaign.
Jonathan Alter writes about the Edwards’ decision in NEWSWEEK, saying to those judging the Edwards’, “Judge Not, Lest Ye Be Judged.”
In his column, defends Katie Couric’s interview with John and Elizabeth Edwards on “Sixty Minutes” saying, “as the couple themselves said this week, entirely in-bounds.”
Couric was simply airing the issues, which any good journalist must do. This was not “inappropriately harsh,” as one critic on CBSNews.com put it, but an extremely useful contribution to the de-stigmatizing of cancer and the healthy national dialogue now taking place.
Alter goes on to blast Jane Ridley, a New York Daily News columnist for her recent “tripe” on the subject:
It’s hard to know where to begin with this tripe. Maybe Ridley or someone close to her has had cancer, but I seriously doubt it. No one who has been in that awful club would write this.
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I don’t support the Edward’s decision. To me his decision to run, irregardless of his wife’s dire prognosis, exhibits a good deal of arrogance, egomania, and cold heartedness.
I don’t think he will have to be concerned about a sympathy vote. In the long run, his decision to stay in the race will acutally cost him votes.
As we are aware, the Edwards family will not qualify for food stamps anytime soon. They have money. In addition, Mr. Edwards is smart enough to know that his chance of securing the nomination, with Hillary and Obama way out in front, is next to nothing. Perhaps this decision would not bother me as much if they didn’t have two young children at home. Unfortunately I feel this is a decision which is not in his, the country’s, or his families interest. He really needs to get his priorities in order.
Buzz
I hear you about the little ones. Between Hillary and Obama being way out in front as you say and the primaries being one frontloaded shot for whoever, I don’t see Edwards being the whoever at this point.
Humaneness is right, inhumaneness is wrong.
Buzz,
I’ve also had concerns about Jack and Emma. Seems like a pretty big burden for a five and eight year old. Given that he does have long odds, what he may accomplish is getting his ideas and work in poverty into the discussion and debates. And given their wealth, they certainly can afford some stable nannies to maintain a reasonable childhood for the kids.
Compared to the lives of billions of kids who are starving and or living in war zones, I have to admit they are still very well off and less likely to suffer as much emotional, psychological and physical damage.