Vice President Joe Biden today announced he will not seek the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States. I can relate.

According to the AP story:

Standing under bright sun in the White House Rose Garden, Biden spoke movingly about mourning the recent death of his son, Beau, a process he said does not match the political calendar.

I know this well myself. My son Bryan committed suicide during my campaign for House of Delegate in 2012.

Bryan had been in trouble. He was just getting home after completing a program at a juvenile correction facility. I hoped to have him help me with the campaign, make introductions, and try to help him get on a good track that would keep him out of trouble.

He was home less than a month when he took his life. I came in to find him just after my father left to get help. The coming months were a nightmare. Trying to maintain the campaign, which was well underway by then, while mourning my son was exhausting. Keeping up appearances at media interviews, group meetings, and all the events surrounding a campaign is hard under normal circumstances.

I know Joe Biden’s son died of cancer. Does it really matter how your child died? No, it doesn’t. Pain is pain.

When Joe Biden says the grieving process doesn’t match the political calendar, he is partially correct. The grieving process does not match ANY calendar. It doesn’t care that you only have three days off work. It doesn’t care that you need groceries. It does not care that Christmas should be happy.

Grief does not care.

Nine months after my son died I was not elected to the House of Delegates. I resigned my position with my party executive committee. I left several groups. Today, I have different priorities.

 

Tags: Biden, campaigning, candidate, elections, politics