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April 9, 2007Elizabeth Edwards embraces her inner RosieElizabeth Edwards makes up her mind about people without actually meeting them. Elizabeth Edwards says she is scared of the “rabid, rabid Republican” who owns property across the street from her Orange County home — and she doesn’t want her kids going near the gun-toting neighbor. Edwards, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, particularly recalls the time neighbor Monty Johnson brought out a gun while chasing workers investigating a right of way near his property. The Edwards family has yet to meet Johnson in person. “I wouldn’t be nice to him, anyway,” Edwards said in an interview. “I don’t want my kids anywhere near some guy who, when he doesn’t like somebody, the first thing he does is pull a gun out. It scares the business out of me.” Seems to me if she wants to help her husband become the president of ALL the people - which is what the president is supposed to, btw, not the president of the “right wing base” or the president of the “netroots base,” but left, right, center and otherwise - she might take her giant secret service detail with her for protection from her rabid, rabid neighbor and actually go over and meet him, and you know…try being a little nice, and maybe see what happens. That’s how you show you have the stuff to be the first lady, and not Rosie O’ Donnell’s sidekick on The View. That is how you set an example to the rest of the country that simple disagreements between people do not have to amount to hatred, distrust, vilification and dehumanization. It’s how you demonstrate to the rest of the country what it is like to be a grown-up. It is how you demonstrate to the people that you purport to want to represent that you are capable of doing so. Back when the Edwards campaign was dealing with their “bloggergate” fiasco, they were talking a lot about their faith, blah, blah, blah. But they don’t seem to remember one of Jesus’ wisest (and perhaps slyest) teachings…that when you love your “enemies,” and you treat them well, you “heap hot coals upon their heads.” The shame of animus, then, belongs to them, and not to you. It is a simple lesson, and if you can learn to embrace it, it’s also pretty potent. The Edwards seem not to have learned it, though. Instead, Elizabeth Edwards seems to have embraced her inner Rosie. A few weeks ago, we had Rosie O’ Donnell lecturing us on how using a word like “terrorist” de-humanizes terrorists. O’ Donnell apparently has never figured out that when she says things like “Christian Fundamentalists are as dangerous as Muslim Fundamentalists” she’s “de-humanizing” a lot of people, too. And now, this Edwards woman - a true “Rosie-arian,” it seems - is characterizing someone as “rabid, rabid Republican” and suggesting that it’s perfectly fine and good to dislike people you’ve never met - to decide before you’ve ever tried to meet them that you would not be civil (I assume she means “civil” when she says “nice,”) to them. You know…they’re not like you, they don’t think like you, or believe the things you believe…so you don’t even have to treat ‘em as if they were actually people, or something. I think that meets the criteria for “dehumanizing” someone. It also meets the definition of “bigot” that I was taught as a little girl, by my classically liberal family. There are unreasonable people who do stupid, foolish, bigoted, dehumanizing, unsubtle, ignorant and narrow-minded things to others simply because they disagree with them. These people exist on the left, and they exist on the right, and it’s very sad that these days, in our nation, such extremist bigots seem to be multiplying like mold behind soggy sheetrock…but to see them holding forth in national politics…and to know they have supporters…it’s very sad. And more than a little troubling. Could be the guy is a rabid, rabid Republican? Hey, it’s no secret that a sort of rabies has infected extremes on both sides of the political spectrum. But if you want to be First Lady…and if you think your husband should be the president of all the people…shouldn’t you do a little better than this? I’ve written about Edwards here, and here, and I’ve always tried to be fair. But the more I read what comes out of her mouth, the less I like her. Perhaps she wouldn’t think much of me, either. But if I were to meet her, I’d be “nice” to her. I try to be respectful toward everyone I meet. I’d even pray with her - for her intentions. I wonder if she would pray for me, and mine? I used this quote a short while back: “Be kind - for everyone you meet is engaged in a mighty struggle.” If you can’t feel confident that a man and his wife (or a woman and her husband) would extend a hand of compassion and human-fellowship to you upon meeting you…you can’t possibly vote for them. At least I never could. Related: Ace also notes The Rosiness that is Elizabeth Edwards, while Sensible Mom just romps on her regarding Elizabeth’s rather fastidious sensibilities. Mary Katharine Ham writes: Now, let’s do our favorite exercise, in which we imagine the wife of a Republican candidate admits to being afraid of the “rabid Democrats” who live near their mansion with their “slummy” housing and their propensity for firearm use. What would happen to that presidential candidate? I didn’t think it would take long for someone to start calling her Queen Elizabeth, and it didn’t. Gaius thinks perhaps Mrs. Edwards did not realize how she sounded. Perhaps not. But she’d better get up to speed quickly. We can’t have too much authentic revelation too early in the campaign, can we? Also: Snapped Shot. http://theanchoressonline.com/2007/04/09/eliz-edwards-embraces-her-inner-rosie/trackback/ 22 Responses to “Elizabeth Edwards embraces her inner Rosie” |
April 9th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Up until today, Elizabeth Edwards was regarded far more positively than her husband, here in North Carolina (in the last presidential election, Edwards couldn’t carry his own county, much less the the state), much in the same way Tipper Gore is regarded with more credibility than her lesser half.
Up until today.
For someone who lives in a 28,000 square foot mansion- the largest residence in Orange County, NC (and the servant staff no one talks about)- John and Elizabeth Edwards have a hell of a lot of nerve attempting to portray themselves as the part of the ‘victimized little people.’
April 9th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I wasn’t impressed with her the last time John Edwards ran for the presidency. She’s just confirmed my feelings.
Yeesh!
April 9th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
E. Edwards Doesn’t Like When Things Aren’t Posh…
Slummy, huh. I would think she would be immune to that type of distinction being such a compassionate democrat. I wonder what those people in the other America, the one the Edwards claim to champion, will think of her description of Mr. Johnson’s pr…
April 9th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
How can I pass up red meat?…
I know, I know. We over here in the rightwingnutsoFASCISTosphere are mindless drones, incapable of thinking for ourselves. We run our daily lives off of a canned set of talking points, which we each receive via telegraph from our EVIL MASTER ROVE. B…
April 9th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
I don’t think it is physically possible for anybody to have an “inner Rosie”
April 9th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Wasn’t Elizabeth Edwards heavily involved in hiring those two foul-mouthed bloggers? If so, then perhaps we are seeing a pattern of ignorant bigotry.
April 10th, 2007 at 12:18 am
This campaign can’t implode fast enough for my taste.
April 10th, 2007 at 6:15 am
Elizabeth Edwards Vs. “Rabid, Rabid Republican”…
Are these real people? Talk about two Americas (emphasis mine):Elizabeth Edwards says she is scared of the rabid, rabid Republican who owns property across the street from her Orange County home — and she doesn’t want her kids going near…
April 10th, 2007 at 6:56 am
A, what do you expect from the wife of a candidate too afraid to debate on Fox News because they too are probably rabid Republicans?
April 10th, 2007 at 7:30 am
“Elizabeth Edwards Embraces Her Inner Rosie”…
(The Anchoress)……
April 10th, 2007 at 8:09 am
How would Elizabeth Edwards enjoy being characterized as a rabid, rabid Democrat? She’d be really, really offended and whoever made that statement would be apologizing right, left and sideways. But DEMS can say what they will without penalty - apparently.
And frankly - supporting Rudy G. is far from RABID! Some of us consider that tantamount to supporting a Democrat - just a much smarter Democrat of the Lieberman gland!
April 10th, 2007 at 11:42 am
A
Brilliant comment.
I have lived in a number of places, and I ALWAYS met my new and old neighbors.
That’s the American Way.
April 10th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
The attitude shown here is so sad and really very disturbing. Her unwillingness to associate with her neighbors and others whom she deems unworthy is really childish, What is she afraid of? could it be that she might find out they’re human and possibly even likable? Some of the very best, kindest and honorable people I have ever met I have met in “humble” circumstances. They were doing the best they could in very difficult times and always would share, even though they didn’t have much they shared. They helped me see life isn’t about money or what money can buy, It’s about people and the love and support they bring. 20 years ago we moved into a humble neighborhood, It was all we could afford at the time. when our youngest son was just six months old our house caught fire, the Kitchen and family room were totally destroyed and the rest of the house had severe smoke damage. It was our “slumy” neighbors who came to help, they helped clean out the burned stuff and rebuild. Our insurance covered alot but not everything, many times they would come over after working long hours at their menial jobs, being dog tired, and help at our house. They asked for nothing in return, they just helped. Many brought over food to feed the workers, food which was scarce for them but they said they had more than we did, so they gave freely and with love.They gave and gave and our love for them knows no bounds, I can never ever repay them for the compassion and help they gave. even though we now make a very good living we stay here among our friends in the “slum” because they are good and decent, hardworking and honest and they gave us the shirt off their backs when we needed it. Somehow I don’t see anyone doing that freely for the Edwards family. More’s the pity.
April 10th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Interesting that she uses the word “business” as a synonym for a certain four-letter word. If I were in a snarky mood, I might wonder whether this is an indication of her views of capitialism. But that’s probably unfair…
By the way, it was St. Paul who said the bit about burning coals. He was quoting Proverbs.
April 10th, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Oh, good heavens… and we wonder why the U.S. is so divided along partisan lines.
Dang [fill in the political party]! They’re the root of all evil!
Nice going, Mrs. Edwards.
April 11th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Submitted for Your Approval…
First off… any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here. Die spambots, die! And now… here are all the links submitted by members of the Watcher’s Council for this week’s vote. Council li…
April 11th, 2007 at 8:55 am
[...] The Anchoress goes so far as to compare Mrs. Edwards to Rosie O’donnell. Mr. Neighbor, I suspect you’ll be getting a meet and greet along with an apology soon. [...]
April 11th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
“Perhaps she wouldn’t think much of me, either.”
I wouldn’t worry. According to the Raleigh News & Observer, “you’re nobody until Elizabeth Edwards dislikes you.”
link
April 13th, 2007 at 1:23 am
The Council Has Spoken!…
First off… any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here. Die spambots, die! And now… the winning entries in the Watcher’s Council vote for this week are Don’t Know Your Enemy by Cheat Se…
April 13th, 2007 at 7:40 am
Watcher’s Council results…
And now… the winning entries in the Watcher’s Council vote for this week are Don’t Know Your Enemy by Cheat Seeking Missiles, and Orwell, the Left, and 9/11 by American Future. All members, please be sure to link to both……
April 15th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Watcher’s Council Results…
Yhe winning entries in the Watcher’s Council vote for this week are Don’t Know Your Enemy by Cheat Seeking Missiles, and Orwell, the Left, and 9/11 by American Future. Here is a link to the full results of the vote)…….
May 7th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
[...] the day before the split was made public, the video shows Liz corning Kate and waving the royal scepter at her in a very menacing way. Kate can be seen, cowering [...]