My heart goes out to Elizabeth Edwards and her family. I am so sorry that they will have to face this struggle again. We all hope she survives decades and we should pray for her to have the strength she needs to fight.

Most people with cancer engage in valiant, private battles to destroy it. Elizabeth Edwards does not live in a private world. She and her husband are in the midst of a campaign to win the most important job in the world- the Presidency of the United States.

The President of the United States is not a CEO of some company. People seem afraid to speak the truth about the seriousness of this situation. A sitting President may ultimately have to deal with a personal crisis like the one facing the Edwards family. When a candidate learns during the campaign that his (or her) family is facing a crisis that will, sadly, play on for years, that candidate has a duty to the country to reevaluate the plan.

This is not to say the world should stop for people facing cancer. It is to say that when people are facing metastasized cancer, and they have two young children, they should reevaluate their priorities. This battle is now different. It will be harder. It will be scarier.

The Edwards may believe that John would be a good president. Many would agree. If the Edwards’ think that John is the only person who can lead this country, they are sadly mistaken.

I do know they are the only people who can parent their children through this difficult time. John Edwards made it clear yesterday that he will be with his wife through every part of the struggle. This is where he belongs.

He can not be the husband and father he should be in this particular set of circumstances, if he is the leader of the free world. He cannot be the President our country deserves if he is tending to his wife and children in the way they deserve. This may be sad, but it is the truth.

Money can buy a lot of things but it can not solve the problems facing the Edwards family. I understand their desire to have the world go on as it is. This is human nature. They need a reality check: No amount of denial will change the test results or the prognosis.

No one wants to take away their hope but everyone should encourage then to take a pragmatic look at the facts before them. As an attorney, Edwards should fully understand the need to honestly assess the facts presented.

The American people need to be very careful about allowing sympathy to cloud their judgment in matters as important as this. The American people, the political pundits, their political advisors, their doctors, their family and everyone else not in one of these groups should make it as clear as possible: John and Elizabeth Edwards should reevaluate their plan and their priorities and withdraw from the campaign.

All of the American people stand with them in their fight against this horrible disease and hope nothing but the best for their family.