I took the "John Edwards '08" sticker off the minivan last week. I had originally wanted to keep it as long as it wasn't tattered, like those old Dean or Kerry/Edwards stickers I still spot on occasion in NH. But something came over me while I was sitting on the back bumper with the rear door open. I looked down at it and started peeling. (It came off easy, as promised, no damage, no residue.)
Why?? I'm still trying to figure that out.
At the time, I had not yet received my way cool round Obama car magnet that I got for donating a small amount of money. Part of me didn't want to peel & immediately replace; that would feel cold and disloyal. As it turned out, the magnet arrived about 5 days into my empty bumper and now has a place of honor. The kids put it on & took off the PrioritiesNH pie chart magnet, reminding me that John Edwards is no longer running. No matter how much I try, they still associate the pie chart with JRE. It was a close fit.
Then, admittedly, there's the whole rumor thing very quietly circulating the blogosphere about an Edwards affair. I'm not one to jump on rumors or innuendo until they are reported by reputable person or institution (Fox does NOT count). So I wait, but I'm so off-line for the summer that something would have to come into my mailbox for me to hear about it. I have not conducted any searches or gone seeking info. If it's to be known, I will find out.
To be honest with myself, I know I had a bit of doubt the moment I started the peeling. What if rumors are true?? Again, I wouldn't want to be peeling my old sticker off once news got out, and make it obvious that I am withdrawing my support for specific reasons.
I can't imagine that anyone who was so public could ever pull off anything such as what is being suggested. been known to be naive in my lifetime, so I'm aware of my shortcomings. If it proves to be true, it would have taken some co-conspirators. I think maybe that's why I don't buy it. I trust(ed) the JRE staffers I met even more than the candidate. And I like and respect them; I trust their judgement. I don't think any of them would put themselves through what they did if they weren't 100% behind the man. I just don't think you can fake that kind of respect, admiration, and dedication for as long as this primary dragged on.
And yet, I did remove the sticker...
But, I did to leave the tiny oval on the rear windshield that Mike Alfoni custom made for me: "JRE, OMG." And that's not going anywhere.
