Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards died this past week of cancer. I got to meet her a couple of times and talked with her once while she campaigned with her husband, John, here in Iowa. When the presidential candidates tromp around the state of Iowa seeking support at the caucus, they often have their wives and sometimes their children along. Usually the spouses are impressive in their own right, and occasionally you think, she would make a better candidate than her husband. Elizabeth Edwards was a good example of this. She came across as intelligent but down to earth. She related better to Iowan's than I think her husband often did. Some old duffer once told me you should never trust an older man with too much nice hair, or one who wears white dress shoes. In Edwards case that would have been good advice. There was just something about him which seemed a little "slick." Elizabeth didn't have that problem. I helped organize one of his events, and one of the first questions people asked was, "Will Elizabeth be there?"

Another spouse who impressed me was Jackie Dodd, wife of Chris Dodd. They stopped in Wellman on July 4th and my son and I went to see them. While he did his thing his wife kept two kids in line plus schmoozed with the crowd in a way that her husband seemed unable to do, without seeming a bit fake. Or in looking at his head of silver hair, he probably violates "the man with too much nice hair rule." During their short stay in Wellman, I ended up standing next to her while Sen. Dodd doled out ice cream and argued with my son about his mandatory "volunteer service" idea. (Not all that many people came to hear him that afternoon) It didn't take much to realize she was bright, more articulate than her husband, and frankly in my opinion would have made a better candidate.

Others who made a positive impression were Jill Biden and Christie Vilsak, though with the latter, it seemed to me she wanted her husband to be President more than he did. She was the one with ambition oozing out her pores. I didn't get opportunity to see Michelle Obama, and as for Bill Clinton, his wife kept him out of the state if I remember correctly.