Why, when a public figure faces real life adversity, do we all seem to have an opinion about the wisdom and motivations behind of each decision? Such is the case with Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards, who has learned that she has a type of bone cancer - just in time for the 2008 election run. (story) This comes on the heals of recovery from breast cancer less than three years ago, the loss of their teenage son in 1996 and becoming parents again after that.
With each of the reports came the special segments in which their decision for John to continue his presidential run came under scrutiny. Why do we do this?