I’m trying to find anger or bitterness or shock at all that John Edwards did and didn’t do and said he did and said he didn’t do.
There is, of course, sadness – sadness for all those people who worked so hard for him, sadness for all of those who he let lie to cover his sin, sadness for his self betrayal and more than anything, sadness for his children and for Elizabeth.
Beyond that? I’ve got nothing.
Why should I?
He was just a man running for office – just a politician running for president.
He had an affair.
Stop the presses!!
He lied.
Noooooooo.
He’s narcissistic… really?
One of the dangers of modern politics is the temptation to elevate these frail creatures to super human levels… to put so much hope and faith in them that they become little gods. Look no further than the passion and hope attached to one Obama.
obamahope.jpg
This is both an expectation too great for frail humans and a hope thoroughly and completely misplaced.
Politicians run to be leaders of our government, at most the chief executive of the government. Their power is sublimely and appropriately limited. Hopefully they can deliver on the limited things a government can touch. Beyond that, we are wrong to have ‘faith’ in them.
Faith is a word best applied to our relationship with God. We’d be better served and less angry and shocked at politicians’ invariable foibles if we remember that.

More from Beliefnet and our partners