From The Corner (emphasis mine):
I think most Americans, especially given the winning personality of Mrs. Edwards, would rather let John Edwards solve his own problems and not hear about them. But the rub comes from what we might call his trademark preachy mode, transmogrified from the jury summation to the national pulpit. In that sense, Edwards is a sort of a secular version of Jim Baker/Jimmy Swaggert/Ted Haggard—and people long ago tired of him.
Yep. Edwards has always acted like a TV preacher.
Live and let live is our national creed, but Edwards had to lecture us instead about the intimacies of his wife’s medical condition in such a way to highlight his own character, often in the context and in the pursuit of his own ambition. In the same manner, we all didn’t much care whether he wanted to build a 30,000 sq. ft. monstrosity, replete with a self-indulgent playroom: his money, he earned it through litigation, and he was welcome to spend it as he liked.
BUT, when one juxtaposed his tastes for the lavish with his sermons to supposedly uncaring Americans about their heartless unconcern about the poor and homeless, then the contrast between word and deed became, well, sort of insulting.
Yep, as it is here. The most heinous quote there, coming from a guy with a 28,000 square foot house (and a mistress, as it was later revealed), is “I think that Jesus would be disappointed in our ignoring the plight of those around us who are suffering and our focus on our own selfish short-term needs. I think he would be appalled, actually.” Gee, if only Jesus had offered some guidance about adultery and whether or not it was appalling.
Lots of people had Edwards’s number long before his mistress made an appearance. Having a mistress while making a big show of being a family man and supportive husband is another example of his hypocrisy. It isn’t the only one.
Previously:
- John Edwards, TV Preacher
- John Edwards, TV Preacher, Part 2
- John Edwards, TV Preacher, Part 3
- John Edwards Helps Himself to Poverty Funds
- Preacherman Talkin’ on the TV, He’s a-puttin’ Down the SUV
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The word juxtaposition could be used again when you describe his mansion sitting across the street from a trailer park (possible word of the day??). I saw recently some of the people who lived and worked there being interviewed. They pretty much said that Edwards didn’t know a thing about them and was out of touch with working people.