TresSugar

Brave Elizabeth

Double X — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:10:56 PST

We're thrilled to present our favorite Double X story here on TrèsSugar.

In The Politician, the book by a former John Edwards factotum, Andrew Young describes Edwards’ duplicity, his noxious self-entitlement, and the rot at the heart of what was publicly proclaimed to be the ideal marriage between John and Elizabeth. The sad news that Elizabeth Edwards died this week has made me think one tragedy of the Edwards’ story is that Elizabeth was not the one to become the politician. While John had boyish looks and an oily, phony sheen of charm, it was Elizabeth who really connected with the crowds, Elizabeth who had a passion for policy, Elizabeth who had a cause-health care-she truly believed in.

Elizabeth Edwards, 61, met her husband at law school-she was of a transitional generation, one in which women in significant numbers started entering professions once closed to them. The Edwardses raised two children and both launched successful careers. Then their teenage son, Wade, died. She remade her life after that crushing loss. She left the law, had a second set of children, and then joined with John on the quest to make him president of the United States. It all turned sordid when the National Enquirer got onto the story of John impregnating a campaign aide. Elizabeth refused to believe the accounts and helped her husband continue the campaign, but the truth finally came out. Later many ugly truths were revealed about the couple's marriage and Elizabeth’s behind-the-scenes behavior-wrenching private scenes disgruntled aides were only too happy to tell.

But there’s no mystery to the outpouring of love and sorrow for the end of her amazing, tumultuous life. The way she faced her terrible illness was a model of forthrightness, of courage.Your heart breaks for her and the children she won’t be able to raise. Elizabeth’s life is a lesson in the dangers of a woman investing everything-her ambition, her intelligence, her dreams-to be fulfilled by a man. I wish long ago Elizabeth had said to her husband, “Guess what, I’m the one who’s going to run for the Senate.”

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I'm Asking: Do Your Doctors Talk Money With You?

Emily Co — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 13:45:48 PST

The sad passing of Elizabeth Edwards reminds us again of the sobering fact that the cost of cancer is no easy price to pay - emotionally, physically, and financially.

But here's a shocking statistic: over half of cancer professionals refrain from mentioning finances when discussing the topic with their patients, according to a report released this year by the Journal of the American Medical Association. This is slightly alarming as patients should be equipped with proper financial guidance during this draining time.

What have your experiences at the doctor been like - do they address money matters with you?

Elizabeth Edwards Dies at 61

Colleen Barrett — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:43:55 PST

We just heard Elizabeth Edwards, the estranged wife of former senator and presidential candidate John Edwards, decided to end cancer treatment this morning, but today she died at her home in North Carolina.

She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, which went into remission only to return, terminally, in 2007. Her picture-perfect marriage took a turn for the scandalous in August 2008 when John admitted having an affair with Rielle Hunter, his campaign videographer, but denied rumors that he fathered her child. Elizabeth stood by his side until last January, when John confirmed he was in fact the baby's father. The two legally separated in January 2010, Elizabeth filed for divorce, and Rielle took her 15 minutes to GQ and on Oprah.

Elizabeth earned a controversial reputation by spilling details of her marital troubles in her memoir, Resilience and on the talk-show circuit promoting it. Only to later say, she never wanted to talk about it again. That drama aside, friends report John was at her side today.

"Today we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth's presence but she remains the heart of this family," a statement from the family said. "We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life. On behalf of Elizabeth we want to express our gratitude to the thousands of kindred spirits who moved and inspired her along the way. Your support and prayers touched our entire family."

Speed Read - Elizabeth Edwards in Her Final Days

TresSugar — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 09:40:14 PST

Lessons to learn from Elizabeth Edwards, who has halted cancer treatment - Daily Beast
WikiLeak's Julian Assange arrested in London for sex crimes - Huffington Post
Angelina Jolie says she's getting better with age - PopSugar
Wal-Mart may owe damages to millions of women for discrimination - Nerve
PETA mad at Sarah Palin for killing a caribou - The Frisky
Generous donor brings digitally dead celebs back to life - People
What troops are saying about don't ask, don't tell - Jezebel
Recap of last night's Gossip Girl - BuzzSugar

Say What? Elizabeth Edwards Doesn't Want to Talk About Book

TresSugar — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 11:30:07 PDT

"I hope the next time I'm on television, it's to talk about some policy I really care about and not about this part of my life, of which I'm hoping maybe this chapter will close the door."

- Elizabeth Edwards was on The Today Show this morning, promoting the paperback release of her book Resilience. Despite adding an entire chapter about her divorce and details of ex-husband John Edwards's affair with Rielle Hunter, she wishes the media would focus its attention elsewhere.

Elizabeth Edwards Doesn't Want John to Raise Kids; Do You?

LilSugar — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:00:01 PDT

When a family falls apart in the public eye, things tend to unravel quickly. Though Elizabeth Edwards once admitted to creating the image of a father she wanted her children to have, now she doesn't see John Edwards fit to raise their two minors. According to a CBS report, "Elizabeth is looking into whether the couple's 28-year-old daughter, Cate, can assume legal guardianship over their two youngest children, Jack and Emma." The mom of three (the Edwards lost their oldest son, Wade, in a 1996 car accident) is said to be making preparations in case she loses her battle with breast cancer. Do you think Elizabeth's custody wish should be granted, or does John as the dad have a right to raise his 10- and 12-year-old children?

Speed Read! Elizabeth Edwards Disgusted, But Moving On

TresSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:30:45 PDT

Elizabeth Edwards responds to Rielle's GQ interview - People
Sandra Bullock reportedly moves out - PopSugar
Democrats getting closer to passing health care reform - Huffington Post
Larry King asks Betty White if she was easy - The Frisky
New book recalls memories of Anne Frank at concentration camp - AP
California lawmakers to vote on requirement that porn stars wear condoms - LA Times
Important lessons to learn from sex scandals - New York Times

Do John Edwards' Actions Make Him Less of a Daddy?

LilSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:01 PDT

To say that John Edwards surrounded himself by loyal women is an understatement. He recently added one more to the mix by acknowledging his paternity of 2-year-old daughter Quinn with Rielle Hunter. The former vice presidential candidate who rode largely on the ticket of being a "family man" had the public support of both his wife and mistress when news of the love child surfaced. Elizabeth Edwards went so far as to say that she creates a picture of him for their three children - Cate, Emma Claire and Jack. The couple has since separated.

Now, in a recent and eye-opening interview with GQ, Rielle Hunter (who John initially denied involvement with) is singing his praises as she speaks out for the first time. When asked why she remained silent until now, Rielle said:

I feel comfortable talking now, because Johnny went public and made a statement admitting paternity. I didn't feel like I could ever speak until he did that. Because had I spoken, I would have emasculated him. And I could not emasculate him. Also, it is not my desire to teach my daughter that when Mommy's upset with Daddy, you take matters into your own hands and fix Daddy's mistakes. Which I view as one of the biggest problems in all female-and-male relationships.

Despite the chaos of the last few years, Rielle is committed to loving John. This begs the question does a man's actions (however dishonorable), affect his abilities as a dad?

Photo Credit: Mark Seliger/GQ

Are There No Victims in Unhappy Marriages?

TresSugar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:30:41 PST

Elizabeth Edwards, wife of perennial presidential candidate John Edwards, has endured a PR crisis since publishing her book, Resilience, last year. Gone is the saintly image of the woman who does nothing but give and gets nothing but the death of a child, cancer, and a philandering husband in return. In its place are accusations that's she's a crazy fame seeker with the grossest disparity between her public and private image.

Now a new book about the 2008 presidential election is slamming her, calling her “an abusive, intrusive, paranoid, condescending crazywoman,” who regularly puts down her husband, calling him a "hick" and his parents "rednecks" in public. While this may not leave her innocent, does it make her any less a victim when her husband cheated on her? "In unhappy marriages," wrote Judith Warner in Sunday's New York Times, "there are rarely pure victims - even if one spouse’s behavior is grossly more offensive than the other’s."

That's like saying that a nagging woman is asking to be cheated on, which hardly seems fair since you never know what came first - the paranoia or the cheating. We can hardly say if they are happy or not, but, like all couples, they both have the choice of leaving or to staying. Maybe they deserve each other?

Kate Gosselin and Kelly Preston Featured at California Governor's Conference For Women

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:46:06 PDT

It will be a meeting of the motherly minds in Long Beach. California's first lady, Maria Shriver, is putting together quite the mom panel - guests include everyone from Kate Gosselin to Kelly Preston - for her California Governor's Conference for Women in October. It was announced today that actress Kelly Preston who suffered the loss of her 16-year-old son, Jett, in January would sit alongside Elizabeth Edwards on a grief and resilience panel. This will be Preston's first public appearance since the child's passing.

Kate Gosselin, best known as TLC's mom of multiples and star of Jon and Kate Plus 8, will also be participating in the national forum that encourages women to be architects of change. The full list of speakers will be announced next week, but it is said to include quite a few famous mamas - Caroline Kennedy, Madeleine Albright and Annie Leibovitz.