On the mortality of our leaders and their loved ones, our collective unwillingness to entertain such considerations normally, and what the reaction to the Edwardses says about how we react to illness in this country. It’s all here.

Ezra Klein is a former Prospect writer and current editor-in-chief at Vox. His work has appeared in the LA Times, The Guardian, The Washington Monthly, The New Republic, Slate, and The Columbia Journalism Review. He’s been a commentator on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and more.