With the Olympics in full swing, the political conventions around the corner and the election looming, my world is even smaller than usual. In my little Chicago suburb I feel like the campaign trail is running in front of my door. I can almost smell the chlorine in the 'water cube' and just know I could easily wipe off the water from Michael Phelps' brow in Beijing.
And sometimes I think I can just poke my hand through the TV screen and slap John Edwards across the face.
I wouldn't pummel John Edwards because he cheated on Elizabeth Edwards, the ailing mother of his young children. Nope, I'd smack him upside his head for allowing the matter to be made public, and for enticing the media. He's either a glutton for punishment or more narcissistic than any of us ever imagined.
As one who was on the receiving end of a short stick by a less than monogamous husband, I know that once you've made your way past an issue of infidelity, you really need to keep on moving. No one wants to go back and revisit it. When months or years go by the reasons of what and why and how are less important than anything in the here and now. And whether the events of 2006 have brought the Edwards family closer or not is really not the point. The point is, it's none of our business. Yet, TV pseudo-psychologists are analyzing his body language and his laugh. It doesn't take a degree to see that he's embarrassed that he got caught. Well, thank God for small favors. At least he's embarrassed. What I don't understand is why anyone other than his family and close circle of friends even cares.
But we're eating it up like leftover pizza.
Because nothing like this has ever happened before.
John Edwards is a former presidential candidate. And I think that is what's so scary to Mr. Edwards. He knows he's a nobody and that's not easy on the ego. The fact that we shouldn't care or pay attention to him when we're breaking world records on the other side of the globe, when it costs $70 to fill up a minivan with gas and when an African-American is running for President is not lost on him -- although it seems to be lost on us.
He's a regular Joe, folks.
OK, he's a regular Joe with a $400 haircut.