wallydownundy

Dear John,

I believed in you.

You said you were different and I believed you. In the primaries of 2004 I was so excited by your youth and energy I voted for you. I even became an advocate and told friends to support you. During the long, cold years in-between I kept the faith. And again in this year’s primaries I voted for you again. A friend bought me a T-Shirt from your campaign. I wore it with pride.

Now I learn you’re not so different. In fact, you’re as common as dirt. While your wife tries to survive cancer you’ve been unfaithful. You had a mistress and gave her a paying job to video your campaign. Did the camera come in handy after hours? Then she had a baby - and you had a married member of your campaign staff confess to being the father. Your lies snowballed.

Now we’re both caught up in the aftermath. I’ve been bruised. You’re suffering deep wounds from which you may not survive. Your wife will spend her life holding the pieces of your family together. Your mistress will suffer deep guilt from ruining your career. Her child (your child) will wonder why father was never involved. And your children will have trouble trusting you again.

You said you were acting out of hubris - you believed you were larger than life. Now you’ll have to chew through that hard nugget called shame. I know that will take years. And years.

You must be in the depths of despair. And take no solace as that will continue for years to come. Perhaps in the end you’ll emerge a different man. It would be nice to think so.

Until then, dear John, farewell.

Yours (un)faithfully,

An American Voter