I am watching John Edwards suspend his campaign and I am sad.
I’m sad that his relentless voice for the poor and against the two Americas in which we live is leaving this race.
I’m sad because we live in a self-obsessed and materially-obsessed culture that doesn’t give a rip about the poor.
I’m sad because we are happier debating and talking about the political ramifications of Edwards leaving the race than we are about the moral ramifications.
I’m sad because pundits and critics found it so neat and tidy to pick on Edwards wealth and his expensive haircuts as ways to suggest he didn’t really care about the poor. By that same standard they should be picking on Hillary for being healthy and talking about health care.
I’m sad because I’m not sure I see how things change. It sure isn’t going to change on the Republican side where the conversation is pretty much about who is more likely to kill more people than the other guy and who is more likely to make more people rich. I am not sure how likely it is to change on the Democratic side when candidates see concerned only with sucking up to the biggest special interest groups intent on sucking in more power for themselves.
I’m sad and I’m ticked.