I have read numerous "Google Alerts" today about Elizabeth's new book, ooh, aah, a "tell all", she talks about John's affair, this that and the other. Trust me when I tell you, I will buy it and read it and know it came from her guts. And this lady has guts in spades, the kind of guts most of us would pray for. If I am exceedingly fortunate I will see her and ask her to autograph it for me.
You see, I was a die hard supporter of John Edwards both in 2004 and 2008. Was I crushed beyond words when the very thing I had spent months trying to help debunk online turned out to be true? You betcha. Am I peeved beyond belief to read that some blame Elizabeth for covering up John's affair in hopes of gaining the White House? Um, yeah, sorta. But then, I ain't wearing Elizabeth's shoes.
I don't know the pain of losing my beloved son at age 16. I don't know how it feels to have my husband decide to run for the U.S. Senate two years later. I don't know how it feels to leave my job as a bankruptsy attorney due to bereavement over the loss of my son. I have never had children after normal time frames. Hell's bells, I've never had kids. I'm fortunate to have two stepkids who basically love me and treat me as another Mom.
So here is this wonderful woman, thrust into grief beyond anything most of us can comprehend, who seemingly all of a sudden is the national poster child for "wonderfulness".
Now, fast forward from 2004 to 2008. Elizabeth loves meeting the people, regular people, and needs to put her cancer to the side in order to continue the good fight. Crap. She finds out John has had an affair. She so wants to continue that she puts her needs to the side and soldiers on. Hoping against hope to keep John's transgression private. But it didn't work out.
Candidly I am chapped beyond belief that my husband and I did all we did for John's campaign, knowing what we now know. Money donated, time donated, phone calls made, both to ask for money and for votes. The travel from Florida to Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina. We did it because we believed.
We did notice a change in John along the way. He just wasn't as warm as he had been and I suspect he had a lot on his mind. However, Elizabeth continued and never was anyone but herself.
Stan and I worked some of her book signings, in fact Stan spent three hours taking pictures of Elizabeth signing books with each of the folks who wanted her signature, we returned to do it again and have some books signed for our family. I have to tell you, from the first time I met Elizabeth and looked into her beautiful blue eyes what struck me was the honesty, the total humanity in this most wonderful lady. I was volunteering at a reception which Stan and I had driven two hours one way to do and she looked us in the eye and said thank you. Later, after the book signing she thanked us again and we took a few more pictures which I won't post here.
We last met at the Edwards' home, just about a year ago. Elizabeth hugged Stan and me and just said "oh, you guys, thank you".
We thank you, Elizabeth. Don't let the bastards get you down, as John Wayne once advised Barbra Walters. There are loads of bastards out there, they are armchair quarterbacks who think they know you and all there is to know. You know better. You are better.
Thank you Elizabeth for all you do.
With love,
Nan Bozarth