Just reporting. No need to repeat last week. Just reporting.

[beachmom]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/archive/s_472459.html

Terry Kerry rides again: Elizabeth Edwards (wife of John Edwards) says in a new book that after Teresa Heinz Kerry (wife of John Kerry) dissed one of the doctors treating Mrs. Edwards for cancer, it "sent me into a real valley." She says Mrs. Kerry's assessment proved to be "wrong." But: "If you had hit me in the face with a two-by-four, I don't think my expression would have been much different than it was listening to Teresa." Gee, we understand other people have had the same reaction to Her Ketchup Highness.

[Democrafty]

1. I really wish the Trib had given more context.

But in matters concerning Teresa, they are always unnecessarily provocative.

[beachmom]

2. Guess we'll have to wait until the book comes out

Perhaps, she wrote something really nice before or after that remark. We'll find out soon if the MSM has once again tried to create a riff where there isn't one.

[Mass]

3. Another hit job by the Tribune. Talk about selected words.

No way to judge what it was about from what they write.

[sandnsea]

4. On the reverse of that

Years ago, a doctor who treated my husband was known to be less than competent. A friend of mine told me about a year after his treatment that she had kept an extra eye out because she worried about the doctor. Well I don't think my expression would have been much different if she'd hit ME in the face with a two-by-four. When I asked her why she didn't tell me before, well, she would have lost her job. So I wonder what Elizabeth's take would have been if Teresa had been right. It's hard to know exactly what to say when people are sick, but I'm not surprised Teresa says what's on her mind. I thought Elizabeth preferred that kind of honesty, maybe the rest of the book will put that remark in context.

[karynnj]

5. I agree that we need to wait to hear the context

John Edwards spoke in the past the past about how caring both the Kerrys were during that time. Putting your story together with the papers, it could make sense - and not reflect badly on either. The Kerrys were credited with getting Elizabeth a good deal of information and helping them with contacts.

One possible scenario -

Elizabeth mentioned the doctor and Teresa told her something she knew or heard from someone that was not positive. Elizabeth felt like she was hit in the face because it IS scary when you have a major problem but you want to feel you have the best doctor. Elizabeth looked into it and she found the doctor was ok. (Teresa mentioning it was appropriate - would it be better to say nothing and later when he proved to not be good - say you were too polite to say anything.)

[TayTay]

6. Terry Kerry??????

The Trib really is a rag that you wouldn't want to wipe your dog's butt with. Honestly, way to rip things out of context.

I prefer to wait for a real newspaper to cover this book, not this piece of Rethug crap.

[Blaukraut]

7. Those are some seriously loaded expressions

And it doesn't matter whether they've been culled from the book out of context or if you got to read the entire passage.
"sent me into a real valley." and "If you had hit me in the face with a two-by-four, I don't think my expression would have been much different than it was listening to Teresa." appear to be accurate expressions used by EE in her book, and they alone, without the newspapers snarky commentary, are enough to give a sense of negativity.
I know many of us here want to give Elizabeth Edwards the benefit of doubt. I was willing to wait and see, too, but these phrases leave little room for interpretation, imho.

[karynnj]

9. The NYT had an article, I believe in early spring 2005

About Kerry and Edwards, after the election. In it Edwards spoke of how nice the Kerrys were in the time that Elizabeth went through this. He spoke of having taken the two little ones over to see Teresa a day or so before. He mentioned her sending some pound cake home with them. If the book paints a different picture - that will be a good article to have.

I still think even if that phrase was used - it would refer to her reaction to thinking the doctor might not be good. What you don't see is what is around it. The NYT article sounded like Teresa had helped her. The other piece bothered me, as Elizabeth is a very intelligent woman. She had to know what the RW memes are and her comments framed Kerry exacty as a rich member of the elite and her husband as the poor hard working guy who made good. Neither characterization is totally true.

[Mass]

10. What strikes me is how the media are trying to put in evidence the

few lines that are in the book where she does not give inconditionnal admiration to JK and THK.

As far as I know, this book is not about JK and THK. However, the articles I have read these last few days seem to insist on the few lines that could be interpreted as negative. I think this is sad for the message I understand EE wanted to give.

[karynnj]

11. The first MSM comment on JK was actually very positive

that he was a great cheerleader helping her through the early process dealing with it.

[wisteria]

8. This paper is the one owned by Scafe. It is the Repub Rag.

They would never report fairly on Teresa or Senator Kerry.