Democrat John Edwards will suspend his presidential campaign, and may drop out completely, because his wife Elizabeth has suffered a recurrence cancer that struck her in 2004, a Democratic Party source said on Thursday.
"He is going to be ending or suspending his campaign," said the Democratic source in Iowa, adding Edwards and his campaign had alerted some supporters in the state of his decision. "The big mystery seems to be how serious Elizabeth's illness is."
Edwards, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina and the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, has scheduled a news conference to announce the decision shortly.
I just heard the announcement and this isn't the case at all. The Associated Press has the skinny:
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said today that his wife's cancer has returned and is no longer curable, but is treatable.
But he said he will continue his campaign.
"We are very optimistic about this," he said.
Edwards said Elizabeth Edwards' cancer is "confined in bone, which is a good thing."
The annoucement came a day after Elizabeth Edwards visited doctors who are monitoring her recovery from breast cancer.
Pretty much a mixed bag here. While I'm happy that Edwards will continue, I'm not happy to know that Elizabeth has suffered a recurrence of her cancer. From what I understand, it's inoperable, but treatable. And, apparently, very survivable. Good news.
It's been my opinion that John Edwards is about the best of the frontrunners. In the Wisco poll -- sample, one -- the frontrunners have been Edwards, Obama, and Clinton in that order. He was my primary pick last time around.
I'm glad that he's staying in the race. Although, I can already hear Limbaugh, Hannity, and O'Reilly accusing him of putting politics before his family.
To them, I give this preemptory response
STFU.
