Darkside Rainbow

Who are the Edwards? Why, former senator and 2008 U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth.

Why do I love the Edwards? Certainly not for that sad little run alongside John Kerry in 2004 (and we had such hopes, too, but frankly to me Kerry was an indecisive mess who was only the lesser of two evils, and hardly a good choice). Possibly because I agree with some of John Edwards’ stances on key political issues, but not so much that he’s definitely got my vote for 2008 - I’m still watching candidates and the jury’s out on my final selection, so no, it’s not something as simple as that. I sure as hell don’t love them/him for his looks - he’s a funny-lookin’ little boyscout bugger, cute in a down-home way but lacking in Obama’s stately charm. I’m not that shallow.

No, I love them because of this:

Edwards says no awkwardness with wife over split on gay marriage - SFGate.com

There’s a split in John Edwards’ household over gay marriage, but he says his difference of opinion with wife Elizabeth hasn’t created any awkward moments.

“It’s not the only thing we disagree about,” the Democratic presidential candidate quipped Monday on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

“She actually says what she thinks,” Edwards said.

Don’t understand why that would be enough to make me smile favorably on the presidential hopeful and his wife? Read the rest of the article. It’s not so much that Elizabeth Edwards kicked off the S.F. gay pride parade, or even the telling and blunt statement she made of “I don’t know why someone else’s marriage has anything to do with me.” It’s the little things, like the fact that John didn’t even know how she felt about it until he saw her in the paper, or so he says - and yet it still didn’t turn into an issue between them. This could have made the papers as a hot political mess that tabloids and mainstream media alike would have jumped on to make a scandal out of, and instead it’s become just a simple story of marital solidarity that makes you stop and smile for just a few moments.

You’d think that since John Edwards doesn’t quite agree with his wife about supporting gay marriage (or at least getting out of its way), I’d disapprove of him strongly. But a statement in the article explains exactly why I don’t:

“A lot of people I love and care about feel the same way Elizabeth does,” Edwards said. “I’m very strong about ending discrimination against gay and lesbian couples.”

“But I’m not quite where Elizabeth is yet,” he added.

The word there is “yet”. That word makes him more than just the guy who lost with Kerry in 2004; it makes him more than just a candidate with little chance at winning who’s giving it a shot anyway. It makes him human. It makes him real, because he admits where he is but is open to the possibility of accepting more and moving further. He shows that he’s not perfect but he’s willing to take steps and make progress. After living with almost seven years of an administration that not only likes to speak for their god and dictate the lives of a nation according to him, but apparently seems to think they can do no wrong (yes, Cheney, your office is subject to the system of checks and balances, you o’erweening sack of arrogance), just seeing that willing admission of a perceived flaw is enough to warm me towards Edwards as a candidate. It’s things like that that can really mean a lot to public perception, and that can help sway undecided voters because they feel as if they can identify with someone on that level as a flawed human being. So yes, all it takes is the word “yet” to make me like him just a little bit.

Well, that and his sense of humor.

And he used the occasion to mock Vice President Dick Cheney, who is being criticized by Democrats for declaring his office exempt from sections of a presidential order involving matters of national security.

Edwards noted that the Constitution says the vice president is part of the executive branch.

“But it’s just the Constitution,” Edwards said.

Nice to know someone in politics knows what that is.

john edwards, elizabeth edwards, united states 2008 presidential election, presidential hopefuls, democratic presidential candidates, gay marriage, gay pride