UPDATE: More from the NYT
Mr. Edwards canceled an appearance in Iowa on Wednesday, so he could go to a follow-up doctor’s appointment with his wife. Early in the day, associates of Mr. Edwards said they had no reason to believe the check-up was anything to worry about, but late Wednesday evening two friends said they believed the news was bad.UPDATE: AP story is out.
After the campaign announced its intention to hold a press conference on Thursday in North Carolina, concern quickly among former and current aides to the Edwards family. One close family friend reached Wednesday evening declined to comment on the announcement, but said it would affect at least temporarily the future of the campaign.
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards on Wednesday visited the doctor with his wife, Elizabeth, who is recovering from breast cancer. He announced they would hold a news conference in their hometown on Thursday to discuss her health.ABC News is reporting breaking news that John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, are holding a press conference Thursday at noon. No one yet knows why, but you don't mysteriously announce a press conference with your wife if it's good news. This comes on the heels of Edwards canceling a campaign appearance recently in order to attend a doctor's appointment with his wife, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. More on that here.
The campaign refused to answer any questions about what the Edwardses learned at the doctor's appointment or how it might affect his candidacy. Edwards had cut short a trip to Iowa Tuesday night to be with his wife Wednesday but still attended a barbecue fundraiser later in the evening in their hometown of Chapel Hill, N.C.
What does this mean?
1. That everything is okay. Unlikely. You don't announce a press conference with your wife, and not tell the details in advance, if it's the good news that her doctor's appointment went well.
2. That Edwards is dropping out of the race and that his wife is seriously ill. Obviously we don't know, and I don't like speculating about someone's health like this. But this seems the most likely possibility at this point.
3. That Edwards is taking a break from campaigning to tend to his wife. This is also possible, but geez, that's still not good news for his campaign or for his family of course.
4. And finally, it's possible that Elizabeth Edwards' cancer is back, but that John Edwards is trying to decide what to do. He may actually not have decided, and is perhaps giving it until tomorrow to decide. That would explain announcing the press conference, but also explain why the vagueness.
Again, I hate to speculate, but this is very strange and on its face doesn't look good.
