Elizabeth Edwards dies...

and UW Law Professor Ann Althouse gravedances, in a pre-death post and then one after. Here's my comment, highlighting two of Ann's quotes:

She did not apologize to us for participating in the deceit perpetrated by John Edwards, which skewed the 2008 Democratic primaries....

She was one of the new sort of political wives, who had independent career aspirations yet choose to move into a man's shadow.

Shhh... hush now. She's gone, Ann, to a place where even your mean spirited words on a person's deathbed can't reach her anymore...

You know, I'm in my early 40s; you're pushing 60. Not sure how you were raised compared to me, but... why speak ill of the dead? You look particularly ugly here -- why gravedance?

Does it boost your ratings all that much? Can't you find a young bosomy female to aim your angst at? It's just ... unbecoming. At 60, 40 or 20 even.

Not sure how come you never picked up on this in your up American upbringing but, why speak ill of the dead here? She's gone; let her rest in peace already, and perhaps focus internally:

What the heck made you so naive as to support a man like Edwards (or Obama, for that matter?) Not everyone can be as ... independent a career woman as you, raising your lil Co-hen's alone, and now supporting a houseman of your own, who seems to be choosing a "career" very similar to Elizabeth, no?

I'm sure my comment will soon be deleted though -- no mentioning personal issues on the Althouse blog unless... you're secretly celebrating the death of a non-working attorney Mom*, who leaves behind two children at home...

If that don't fire up the snark machine at Althouse, what can??? (BREAST cancer... it was da breasts that did her in, and we all know how any mention of those, positive or negative! baby, can up the blog hits. A dead woman, especially a well known one, drives traffic. And that Althouse woman, she knows how to play the traffic-driving game.)

Still, you think even an out East upbringing would have taught some compassion for the dead, some indication of a time to speak out... and a time to close your mouth, for respect's sake.


* It's my understanding that she quit practicing law when her eldest son was killed in a car accident, and she wanted to be present for every moment possible with the other two, born late in her life. Sounds like, in retrospect, she made a good choice, her time being truly limited and all. But I would NEVER presume to judge her personal family choices, especially now that she is dead.

ADDED:
At least, the good professor is getting some pushback in the comments:

Kathleen said...
"She was one of the new sort of political wives, who had independent career aspirations yet choose to move into a man's shadow."

LOL. or...maybe she didn't want to outsource raising her kids. You're dating yourself, professor.

and

Titus said...
You sound somewhat mean Ann regarding this woman and I don't find it attractive at all.

I don't understand any of the nastiness people display when someone dies-it's weird.

We all die and it sucks for all of us.

thank you and good day.

and

Jason said...
Eh. It's over.

I'm cutting slack.

I have no political foes on deathbeds in America. Only brothers and sisters. Countrymen.

RIP Elizabeth Edwards.

John is paying his own price, one way or another. All that counts now is what he does from now on. Same as the rest of us.

and finally, some perspective:

Daniel Fielding said...
The reason she died so soon was because she made a conscious decision to stop taking the meds that were keeping her alive.
This happens to many a Stage IV cancer patient, especially for those whose have gotten cancer for the second time after the cancer has metastasized. Usually when that happens, there is not much the physicians can do, but make your last days as comfortable and pain-free as they can.
I suppose that this was the scenario Ms Edwards was faced with a few days/weeks back, and she decided to not prolong the inevitable.

RIP, Ms Edwards.