On Elizabeth Edwards

I've got a piece up at The Guardian's Comment is free America about the passing of Elizabeth Edwards:

I cannot say, nor will I pretend, that I knew her well – or, at all, really, except in a professional capacity. What I knew about her, however, was that she was fiercely protective of her image and reputation, and I can only imagine how profoundly irritating it would be to her to have other people defining who she was.

Which, by my estimation, was more complex than any easy narrative of wronged wife, exalted saint or thwarted orchestrator of a political power-grab could hope to convey.

So, I won't tell you who Elizabeth Edwards was, nor will I substitute a list of her accomplishments for a meaningful exploration of her life. Wikipedia's already got that on offer – and, besides, perhaps the most interesting thing about Edwards' list of accomplishments is what isn't on it.

Though John and Elizabeth Edwards were frequently, and quite rightly, spoken about as a political partnership, it was he who had been a United States senator, and a presidential candidate, and it was his name on the ballot when their political partnership secured a vice-presidential nomination in the 2004 election. Elizabeth was largely active behind the scenes, studying policy, shaping the Edwards brand, helping make campaign decisions, calling some – maybe even most – of the shots. And she was at John's side, gracefully navigating the treacherous path of the modern liberal candidate wife, feminist but traditional. She was an invaluable asset. But John was the candidate. John was always the candidate.

Read the whole thing here.

Further reading: Think Progress, New York Times, Raleigh News & Observer. If you've read other things you'd like to share, please feel welcome and encouraged to leave them in comments.