Note to Saint Elizabeth:

Come on Elizabeth—“It”?

Okay, I understand you have been deeply hurt and humiliated by your husband, iconic pretty boy, charmer and erstwhile political star, John (I’m all that) Edwards.

In the words of another famous philander, but still political star, Bill Clinton–“I feel your pain.”

But–“it”?

Come on Elizabeth, do you really want to disparage this innocent child, who had nothing to do with orchestrating the circumstances of her birth, by calling her–“it.” The word is so hurtfully, condescending, ugly, demeaning—Hell, just plain MEAN.

“It” brings to mind that oft used term, which I pray has been forever relegated to colloquial trash heap-- illegitimate child.

There is no way to measure the unfathomable damage and pain wrought by those two words. Just as there can be no way to anticipate the psychological hurt and corrosiveness that one word – “it”– will have on this little baby girl when year’s from now she sees, or reads, or is told about the discussion of her birth being viewed by millions on the top rated television interview show.

Lash out at Rielle Hunter, a true video-vixen if there ever was one (move over Karrine Steffans), if you want.

Go on, rip your husband a new ass hole, if you must.

Unleash the righteous (or is it self-righteous, whatever..) fury of a woman-done-wrong on those two, but pull back your demon dogs of vengeance when it comes to the baby.

I’m sure if you had given just a little thought, you would have never have used the word “it” in your conversation with Oprah, when you explained you weren’t sure if the baby was indeed your husbands. “It...” you say to Ophra–“It doesn’t look like my children, but I don’t have any idea...” if the baby is John’s.

I’m sure if there was some way you could appeal to Ophra’s people to edit that word out of the interview, which airs tomorrow, you would.

I’m sure, because Elizabeth I know you are better than that.

I also know it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture when we are focused on ourselves, on our humiliation, on our pain. That’s all too human. All too, each and everyone of us.

And while I don’t begrudge you your right to hawk your new book, Resilience, I question the real motivation.

I fully understand the desire to get back at those who have wronged and hurt us. I can’t imagine battling cancer, fighting for your life and the person, who should be your tower of strength, standing by your side, putting his needs and wants on hold, is getting his freak on behind your back.

John Edwards acknowledged the affair last year, months after dropping his presidential bid, a candidacy he should have never subjected any of us too knowing what was lurking in his closet.

In her recent NYT column Maureen Dowd noted that Resilience has been billed by its publisher as an “inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life’s biggest challenges.”

I hope the book lives up to its lofty billing and is not just serving up titillating, gossipy, behind the scenes details of a private, family tragedy, nor simply providing a clearly wronged woman an opportunity to pillory the two people who hurt her most.

But most of all I hope, that all involved will promise to be mindful to protect the little baby girl at the center of this story – the one truly innocent person in this entire tale.