John Edwards must really be a huge threat

[Digit]

Seems there is a concerted effort to thwart his campaign for President...at least judging by all the recent threads criticizing him for various things.

I like his vision for America and believe he has the greatest chance of winning the nomination and beating whomever the Republicans manage to dig up.

We all have our favorite candidates as of right now, so can we stop denigrating the candidates of others?

I would expect it of Freepers, but I expect more from DU'ers than that.

[illinoisprogressive]

1. I don't think people are threatened

I'm not. I just sometimes get alittle tired of the Edwards is god routine. Especially in light of the fact that his record is spotty at best.
If it was Elizabeth running I'd be for her all the way.
I don't trust John edwards. something too slick and used car salesman about him
I love elizabeth Edwards and think she is the better one.

[Digit]

4. Now what did I just get finished saying?

Go sit in the corner!

[GreenArrow]

31. if you want a cheerleading thread where no one denigrates

Edwards, then go read and post on the Edwards candidate forum, where only positive opinions of the fellow are permitted.

Some of don't like or trust the guy, for a variety of reasons, and it's not realistic to assume that those of us who don't will be quiet about it on an open forum like GD Politics.

[Catchawave]

32. Does that apply to your candidate too?

If I know the rules, I'll play the game :D

Many new supporters are arriving at DU everyday, some even coming back hoping it won't be a repeat of the '04 primaries. MANY are not donors and have no access to the candidates' safe rooms.

Constructive criticism should be welcome. If you "don't like or trust the guy" tell us why. We can handle it :toast:

[smoogatz]

46. I don't like him because he's an unctious political opportunist

who accomplished little of note in his single term except to support the Patriot Act and co-sponsor the IWR. I would hope that as a party we could produce a better-qualified, less compromised candidate.

[Catchawave]

53. ...and your candidate would be?

[smoogatz]

59. I don't have one yet.

So far, the declared field of candidates is pretty uninspiring. But it would be a profound disappointment to me if we couldn't do better than Edwards. I'd have a hard time supporting anyone who voted for the IWR, let alone one of its co-sponsors.

On edit: fixed typo.

[renie408]

54. WHY DO YOU THINK SHE MARRIED HIM IF HE IS WHAT YOU SAY HE IS?

I get so fucking sick and tired of people praising Elizabeth Edwards to the skies only then to add something that infers that she had this one teensy little lapse in judgement....that of her choice of LIFEMATE. And don't even...I have listened to that woman talk about him in person. She BELIEVES in him and what he has made of himself. So, how could you say she would make a great candidate if her judgement is so FLAWED that she married HIM??

[spooky3]

62. The first time I became interested in JE as a candidate was

when Elizabeth introduced him during the 2004 campaign. I was so intrigued by her obvious respect and caring for him, and her ability to articulate why he would be a good President, that I thought this was a candidate I wanted to know more about.

I completely agree with your point and have thought it many times myself.

[Catchawave]

66. "something too slick and used car salesman about him"

:eyes: Have you read Four Trials ?

[waiting for hope]

2. Everyone will have their opinion...

right up to the time of the primarys...let's just hope it's Edwards!:bounce:

[JDPriestly]

3. I think it is too early to commit to one candidate,

I am happy that Edwards is running. He has gotten off to a good start in my opinion. I like his focused simple message among other things.

[Catchawave]

69. You'll have to forgive the Edwards enthusiasm...

..some of us have been supporters since he was on Al Gore's short list for V.P. in 2000.

Wonder if that would have been better than Lieberman ?

Just to let you know why some of us are already committed....:toast:

[roody]

5. This place is full of critical thinkers.

[Digit]

6. ...and to think I thought it was people wanting to p*ss in my cheerios

Happy New Year!

[DaveinMD]

7. I think all those that have picked

should do nothing but positively support their candidate for now. It will be a long year and a half here if the negativity starts so early.

[Digit]

8. It makes us look like there is infighting among us otherwise

Thanks for a postive post.

[Trajan]

9. Some people have nothing but bad things to say ....

Good things roll off their tongue like rusty nails ....

Chalk it up to bad manners, and mean parents ....

[illinoisprogressive]

10. One big problem Edwards will have

is his lack of originality. I just read where he has now lifted another of Sen. Obama's words. If he continues to sample this will make for some very embarassing moments for him and may cost him.

[JohnLocke]

12. Um....link?

[Digit]

14. Pls see post #4

Behave yourself

[Ninja Jordan]

17. You "just see" this where?

[Catchawave]

33. Are you sure Obama didn't lift Edwards' words?

The Hope message is from '04, but of course, it's hard to tell without a link.

[Inspired]

47. Not this!

I can't believe I just read this. I believe that John Edwards has been talking about his 'issues' long before Senator Obama was, well a US Senator. If anyone is lifting anything...it might be Obama lifting the message of John Edwards.

I read in another thread that Edwards was stealing Obama's words about his experience in comparison with Bush/Cheney. Yeah, right. I recall Edwards bringing this up in the debate with Cheney...over 2 years ago.

Give me a break. If Obama and Edwards talk about the same thing, it might be because both men are Democrats. I imagine that soon we will be hearing a lot of the same rhetoric. No one candidate has a patent on the issues that most of us Democrats believe in.

Lack of originality? What a silly ploy to take attention away from John Edwards and try to make your candidate of choice the 'injured party'.

[benny05]

64. I think it is the other way around

Senator Obama is my senator, but he parrots JRE all of the time. He was late in getting on board with the Wake-up Wal-mart folks, but yet he got the credit because of the MSM. I'll be interested in seeing how Obama takes on Mayor Daily of Chicago, who wanted Wal-Mart in the city but overturned Wards' vote to make Wal-mart and any big box to pay better wages or provide more health care.

[Pithy Cherub]

67. The Smart Mayor has already fully endorsed Obama!

The Daley machine backs Obama and that is a major coup before Obama even says he's running and the former First Lady was born there.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/179080,CST-NWS-obama20.article

[benny05]

70. So does that mean Obama will recant on Wake-Up Wal-Mart

hmm...:bounce:

[niceypoo]

11. I wouldn't doubt if many of the DU's Hillary haters and Edwards haters.....etc....are freepers

I wouldn't doubt it for a second.

[silverojo]

21. We're barely into 2007

And already some paranoid person is screaming "Freeper". Dems have the right to love or hate any candidate their party has to offer, and that doesn't make them Republicans, let alone Freepers.

There's a little thing called "difference of opinion". Let's value our freedom to have it, before Bush takes it away from us, m'kay?

[Catchawave]

34. They sure frame their attacks like freepers.

Which is a shame, DU is better than that.

[frankenforpres]

43. giving freepers too much credit

they dont have a monopoly on personality politics. i imagine this place will be the same as it was in 04. everyone got on board for the general though

[Crunchy Frog]

13. Yeah, it's not like any other candidates get criticized on here.

:eyes:

[Digit]

16. It is sounding quite snarky around here

It makes us look bad, IMO.

[Crunchy Frog]

18. It's always snarky around here, and primary season is the worst.

It is still very early in primary season. It's unfortunate, but I would expect things to get a whole lot worse before a candidate is finally nominated.

You may have missed the worst of last primary season. I most definitely did not. It takes a very thick skin to survive primary season at a place like this.

[KingFlorez]

15. No one is above criticism

Every candidate gets criticized here, there are no exceptions.

[Crunchy Frog]

19. Damn right.

and the one who is percieved as being at the top at any given moment will get the worst of it. People seem to have forgotten already a couple of weeks ago when all the pile ups were directed against Obama. It will be the exact same thing with the next candidate to make a big splash.

It may be unfortunate, but that seems to be part of the way that human beings operate.

[Catchawave]

35. Nothing is wrong with that, nobody's perfect....

... but it would be nice to have reasons for "empty suited snakeoil salesman" ... which, by the way, if it were true....would still make a better President than Bush:



:evilgrin:

[citizen snips]

40. I don't consider it criticism

it is actually blatant insults and unending muckraking.

[jen4clark]

20. More like scared.

I would be scared to have someone whos judgement I absolutely do not trust leading this country once we finally get rid of the current crop of evil ones.

So in a sense I guess I do feel he is a huge threat. But I have never jumped into a pro-JE thread and trashed him. If speaking my truth is trashing perhaps I don't belong here.

[LittleClarkie]

22. I think that will happen with each new announcement

welcome to primary season on DU. You ain't seen nuthin' yet.

[cleveramerican]

23. Its the political equivalent of kicking the tires

everybody wants to see what kind of a candidate he/she will be, and it will never change.

[lostnotforgotten]

24. He Voted For The War Just Like Hillary - No Dice For Me

eom

[monmouth]

25. Repugs would LOVE to have a candidate like Edwards for themselves.

He's handsome, smart, wealthy and comes off as an honest guy. I don't see car salesman or snake oil guy at all. His plus of course, is Elizabeth. Yep, the Repugs would love to have a guy like him, they're jealous, he's a threat....

[lostnotforgotten]

30. To Each His Own - I'll Vote For Kucinich - A True Progressive

eom

[Catchawave]

73. You might be on to something :)

http://race42008.com/2006/12/31/end-of-year-prediction-edwards-will-be-democratic-nominee/

[JNelson6563]

26. Were you here two years ago?

Cause it is really a continuation of that time. I marvel that all the same players are still here and still getting away with the same stuff.

Intelligent dialogue used to be a common goal here, now, not so much. Pissing contests, vanity posts and rabid zealotry are the order of the day. And it's early yet.

Julie

[citizen snips]

27. It will be the end of the world for some people

if John Edwards wins the nomination.

[seashorelady]

38. It may be the end of the world if he isn't.

[GreenArrow]

52. it may be the end of the world either way.

.

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[citizen snips]

56. I was being sarcastic

[seashorelady]

65. I got that

[TheFarseer]

28. My full support is behind Mr. Edwards

He's my first choice and I think he has the best chance to win - you hardly ever get to say that about a candidate!

[smoogatz]

29. Funny, last week it was Kerry.

Remember? The freepers were conspiring to sink his campaign because he was hot on the trail of the BFEE and only someone with a vested interest in concealing their evil deeds would have anything negative to say about Senator Kerry, who, by the way, is a great guy to sit down and have a beer with. Now we're getting the preemptive "don't say mean things about Edwards" threads. Predictable enough, I suppose--but ultimately pretty silly. DUers have opinions--I assume you've noticed this--and they come here to express them. It's probably going to be frustrating for you if you keep trying to tell people what they can and can't say about Edwards, or any other politician who is currently asking for their support.

[seashorelady]

39. Critisism is fine if it's the truth.

Then again opinion is opinion. I agree we all have the right to an opinion, and yes it is going to get really ugly, and that's too bad.

[smoogatz]

45. Debate is a good thing.

I think we put a false premium on civility and "staying positive" at times, at the expense of incisive discussion. I think a healthy level of skepticism about ALL of the candidates is probably something we ought to value. I've never liked cheerleaders of any stripe, especially the political variety.

[ClassWarrior]

50. I think too many here trash talk and then hide behind...

...the word "debate" as if they've actually contributed to some sort of "incisive discussion," to use your term. And I see that happening much more often than people putting "a false premium on civility and 'staying positive.'"

NGU.

[smoogatz]

51. To some extent, it's in the eye of the beholder.

When I do it, it's incisive discussion. When someone with whom I disagree does it, it's trash talk. Either way, I think trying to stifle discussion--civil or not-- is kind of an un-democratic impulse.

[ClassWarrior]

68. You know as well as I do that I'm not talking about...

...one person "stifling discussion" of another. I'm talking about each individual being responsible in his or her own discourse. And I doubt if any of us here is stupid or myopic enough to not recognize trash talking before we utter it.

NGU.

[smoogatz]

71. Responsible discourse

Care to define that?

[bluehighways911]

36. He is a threat

To anyone that is trying to stay awake through an election.

But congratulations for proving, when you can't defend a candidate, attack the messenger.

Edwards was MIA in 04. In case you weren't alive then.

But don't worry, the netroots will be there for him. As long as Edwards keeps buying ad space.

Isn't it hilarious. Edwards gives a speech, and the netboobs in unison scream out, see he is a man of action.

Huh, he gave a speech calling for action. Wow. Mind Boggling.

So keep suppporting Edwards, he may buy an ad on your sites.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[citizen snips]

42. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[Schema Thing]

44. His Vision?

I like his populist message but his "vision" is pretty fucking suspect. He either didn't "get it" wrt Iraq, or he "got it" but played the lowest form of politics thinking it would pay off. Same thing goes for his involvement with the Patriot act.

So now I wonder if he really "gets it" about America's working class, of if he just realizes it's a popular message that needs to be talked about? IOW, does he have the VISION to lead the way on this or any other matters?

I'm sick of America choosing presidents by their gut.

[wisteria]

48. OH, please. I doubt that is the case mostly, people are saying let him run.

What possible threat is he to anyone really?

[renie408]

58. LOL...who do you think you are kidding??

Be as airily dismissive as you like, it just looks silly. And it is kind of people to 'let him run'. I don't know whether he will win the nomination or not, but to pretend like he isn't a threat to other candidates is ridiculous.

[mtnsnake]

49. If this is the case, then Hillary must be a MONUMENTAL threat

Edwards is no more prone to criticism than any other candidate around here. In fact, probably much much less than most.

[pitohui]

57. i've noticed the same thing EOM

.

[roseBudd]

60. It is not denigrating to point out he will be smeared with "frivolous lawsuit" memme

We should have anticipated Kerry's post Vietnam doings would rankle a lot of voters.

[The Count]

61. Some of us are more worried about the messes Edwards created (war, Patriot Act)

And please don't tell me it's all *'s fault as Edwards co-sponsored IWR and wrote the Patriot Act.
I also feel threatened - I admit - of his bellicose attitude towards Iran - he's ready for another one , boys and girls!

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1149572637421&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

[unlawflcombatnt]

63. It's his pro-worker, anti-Corporate, anti-Globalist Positions

The Corporatists and the Globalists are scared too death of Edwards. He might repeal their tax cuts and subsidies, and he might reduce the outsourcing of American jobs, preventing Globalists from profiteering from the replacement of American workers with impoverished foreign slave-labor.

The Corporatists and Globalists are afraid Edwards might put the interests of American citizens ahead of Corporate profits.

[GreenArrow]

72. "The Corporatists and the Globalists"

Like those Bilderberg fellers that Johnny E. was cavorting around with back in 2004?