John's Disses

I saw John Edwards speak in downtown LA about two weeks before he dropped out of the Democratic Primaries in 2008. Right before he came out to speak, they played Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” over the PA. I was a bit taken aback, but was way in denial, thinking that he would never have been the one who picked the song. The populist candidate, and humble man I thought he was wouldn’t have allowed them to play such a self-congratulatory piece before he took the podium. Knowing what I know now, I’m almost certain he had everything to do with the choice to play it. I don’t think I’ll ever believe in a politician again.

When the rumors were confirmed about Edwards’ affair, after his Nightline appearance where he admitted to basically being nothing more than a narcissist, I wrote the song “Bulletproof”. I got the title from a friend of mine who was commenting on the gall the guy must have had to risk handing such an important election to the Republicans over an affair. Everyone knows that stuff comes out eventually. I honestly don’t think he cared.

I wrote the song out of humiliation and anger. I was angry at myself for believing in the guy enough to give him money, and was humiliated by the fact that I had been bugging everyone I know to vote for him. I felt like I had to address it.

Today I read this article at NYMag.com and it made me angry all over again. There is no way I could have imagined Edwards being what he really is, which is the polar opposite of the impression I had of him. I gave more money to his campaign than I have ever given anyone running for office, or any cause. I really thought he was a hero. His message was as populist as Nader’s, and Ralph Nader even endorsed him (as well as Martin Luthor King III and Dennis Kucinich). I should have known it was too good to be true. Apparently, he was known by Democrats in Washington as being an extremely shallow politician.

Some interesting things I learned from the article:

• Elizabeth Edwards is the one who pushed him further to the left. She often called him a dumb “hick” who never read books (I imagine him repeating words like a parrot on the campaign trail, not understanding or caring about their meaning).
• After Obama beat him in Iowa, Edwards called him immediately to make a deal to be his running mate. Up until even after his Nightline interview, he thought he had a shot at being Attorney General. That is the only reason why he didn’t admit that Reille Hunter’s baby was his.
• He decided to run his second campaign for the Presidency just days after learning that his wife’s cancer had come back and was terminal.
• When asked why she clung for so long to the belief that the baby was not John’s, Elizabeth answered: “I have to believe it. Because if I don’t, it means I’m married to a monster.”

Read: An Excerpt From John Heilemann and Mark Halperin’s ‘Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime’ — New York Magazine

Get a free download of “Bulletproof” on my website, here. The song is from my Anticipation EP available on iTunes and CD Baby.