Who is John Wade from In the Lake of the Woods and what is their importance?

John Wade is a political candidate who loses by a landslide in his party primary, John shows the signs of being a dedicated husband, although it is obvious that he and his wife Kathy are having problems after the political defeat. Kathy says that she is glad that his political career is over but John seems to have focused most of his life and his plans from a young age on political aspirations. John served in Vietnam and was involved in the massacre of an entire village and the news of that event seems to have played an important role in his political defeat.