John Edwards schedules news conference for noon today to make announcement (MORE: WIFE’S CANCER RETURNS, BUT EDWARDS *WILL NOT* SUSPEND CAMPAIGN)

It’s not just an ordinary run-of-the-mill presser, either. It has something to do with his wife’s health. The blogosphere and newsosphere is abuzz with speculation as to what he might say. Edwards’ wife Elizabeth, as many of you know, was diagnosed with cancer shortly before the 2004 elections, but the cancer has been in remission. Via the Associated Press:

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards accompanied his wife, Elizabeth, who has been treated for breast cancer, on a doctor’s visit Wednesday. His campaign said they would hold a news conference in their hometown Thursday to discuss her health.

Campaign officials refused to answer any questions about what the Edwardses learned at the doctor’s appointment or how it might affect his candidacy. Edwards had cut short a trip to Iowa Tuesday night to be with his wife Wednesday but still attended a barbecue fundraiser later in the evening in their hometown of Chapel Hill, N.C.

The campaign had said that Elizabeth Edwards, 57, had a follow-up appointment to a routine test she had Monday. The campaign explained that she had similar follow-ups in the past but they always resulted in a clean bill of health.

The campaign refused to elaborate Wednesday. Family friends said Wednesday night that they didn’t know of any new complications to her health.

“Her health has been so good for so long,” said Kate Michelman, an Edwards adviser who was planning to work closely with Elizabeth Edwards to appeal to female voters around the country.

Obviously, the biggest rumor floating around is that she’s suffered a setback, and that Edwards will announce he’s dropping out of the presidential race. As much as I don’t care for John Edwards, I hope his wife’s health hasn’t taken a turn for the worse. I’m with Ed Morrisey when he says:

I’ll have the Edwards family in my prayers, and I hope you will, too. I understand what it means to have a spouse with a serious illness and how it impacts everything one does — and how one has to make that a priority. If his wife has had a recurrence of the cancer, it would be almost impossible for him to campaign effectively. Let’s hope the news isn’t quite that dire and that Elizabeth Edwards will quickly regain her health, if she has lost any ground.

Update I 11:21 AM: Ben Smith reports that Edwards will be suspending his campaign due to his wife’s health:

John Edwards is suspending his campaign for President, and may drop out completely, because his wife has suffered a recurrence of the cancer that sickened her in 2004, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, an Edwards friend told The Politico.

“At a minimum he’s going to suspend” the campaign, the source said. “Nobody knows precisely how serious her recurrence is. It’ll be another couple of days before there’s complete clarity.”

“For him right now he has one priority which is her health and the security of the two young children,” said the friend.

My prayers are with the Edwards family. Let’s hope Elizabeth can once again beat the cancer.

Update II 12:56 PM: Contrary to Ben’s scoop, Edwards is NOT suspending his campaign.