Slobokan caught an interesting tidbit yesterday… Here’s a clip from the March 25th interview with Katie Couric…

First of all, there’s not a single person in America that should vote for me because Elizabeth has cancer. Not a one. If you’re considering doing it, don’t do it. Do not vote for us because you feel some sympathy or compassion for us. That would be an enormous mistake. The vote for the presidency is far too important for any of those things to influence it.

And then, here’s an article in the Times Union:

As the two campaigned this past week through Iowa and New Hampshire, she became a draw in her own right. Supporters waved signs that said “Iowa Lives Strong for Elizabeth” and “Elizabeth for First Lady,” and staff quickly put up rope lines around her at the end of campaign events to control the well-wishers who mobbed her.

She said if curiosity or compassion bring out voters who will listen to her husband speak, she is happy to be the draw. But Elizabeth Edwards’ influence on her husband’s career runs long and deep.

Slobokan correctly notes that there is a difference between bringing people out for a campaign appearance and having them vote for you. But is there really? When you think about it, what are the campaign appearances for if not to encourage you to vote for the candidate giving the appearance?

It’s funny because the Edwards family has claimed numerous times that they don’t want the sympathy vote and they don’t want to influence people’s votes by dragging out Elizabeth’s illness. The only consistent action, on their part, though, is the consistent reminders that it’s out there and that people should resist the urge to vote for John because of it.

It’s astonishing.

I hope she gets better. In fact, I wish her cancer had never returned in the first place. But between the recent e-mail list kerfuffle, the announcement about nothing, and the Couric interview, all of which contain constant references to Elizabeth’s cancer, you have to wonder if their constant reminders of how they don’t want your sympathy are just a tad disingenuous.

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