On March 22, John and Elizabeth Edwards announced that her breast cancer had returned, in an incurable, metastatic form. In spite of this, the Edwards campaign would continue, and Elizabeth would be right alongside her husband, supporting him every step of the way.
It wasn't long before the wingnut commentators attacked, accusing Edwards of using the announcement to "jump-start" his campaign, and dropping disgusting gems like this one from Rush Limbaugh (emphasis mine):
Most people, when told a family member's been diagnosed with the kind of cancer Elizabeth Edwards has, they turn to God. The Edwards turned to the campaign. Their religion is politics and the quest for the White House.
Even "mainstream" journalists like Katie Couric rushed to criticize the Edwardses:
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
Fast forward to today. In an unfortunate twist of irony, it appears that my former Senator and possible GOP 2008 presidential candidate, Fred Thompson, has been diagnosed with lymphoma.
Now, despite the fact that he's done absolutely nothing for the state of Tennessee, either in the Senate or outside of it, I wish him well and am glad to hear that his cancer is in remission. But I'm wondering if we'll now hear the same criticisms of him for staying in the race that we heard of the Edwards family. What do you have to say, Tennessee GOP?
The head of the Tennessee Republican Party said former Sen. Fred Thompson's announcement today that he is being treated for cancer shows that he is the kind of straightforward person who would make a good president.
"To me it takes a big man to be totally honest with American people and I think that's the kind of leadership that America is thirsting for," said Bob Davis, chairman of the Tennessee GOP and a friend of Thompson's.
Yeah, that's what I thought. The same old, blatant hypocrisy.
The parallels are there. It will be impossible to say what will happen to Fred Thompson in the future, considering his age, but right now he's in remission and has no symptoms. Likewise, Elizabeth Edwards' breast cancer may not be curable, but she has no symptoms either.
There you have it, folks. John Edwards stays in the race after his wife is diagnosed, and the media blathers on and on about how it's "callous," a case of "insatiable ambition", and how "their religion is politics."
The same thing happens to Fred Thompson...and not a peep. The hypocrisy is mind-blowing.
UPDATE 1--As Bill in Portland Maine pointed out, the media has also been fairly silent concerning McCain and Giuliani's cancer histories. And unlike Thompson, they're already in the race.
UPDATE 2--My first ever recommended diary. I wish I didn't have to be writing about this, but thanks everyone!
UPDATE 3--Some people have been saying that this diary is premature, since Thompson is not a candidate yet. I've been active in Tennessee politics for some time now, and everyone I've spoken to back home has said that it's all but certain. So I think it's perfectly valid to look at Thompson in that context now.