Where's the love for John Edwards?

[GumboYaYa]

I'm a Dean supporter and have no intention of switching, but I was very impressed with John Edwards last night. Edwards has true appeal to the working class in America. He has a thoughtful and reasoned manner in addressing issues and making his case and did not descend into the attacks of other candidates that Kerry, Lieberman, and Gephardt resort to in order to solidify their positions.

While I understand the necessity for Kerry, Lieberman, and Gephardt to attack the frontrunner, sometimes they come off a little desperate by doing so. I detect no desperation in the Edwards campaign.

I was impressed by all of our candidates, but John Edwards is a shining star in the Democratic party IMO. I would be very pleased to see Senator Edwards on the ticket or involved in the future Democratic administration in some way.

[MissouriTeacher]

1. TNR seems to really like him.

They praise his policy initiatives quite a bit.

[GumboYaYa]

4. I haven't seen that article yet.

I will look for it unless you have a link.

[MissouriTeacher]

6. I wasn't thinking of a particular article...

more their primary coverage where they rate the candidates.

You should be able to find that stuff on their website, www.tnr.com

[StopTheMorans]

2. I'm a Dean supporter

but I like him, and he has really proven me wrong. I thought that he would be at least in contention for a front-runner spot by now, but he's not even close. It's weird.

[eileen from OH]

3. I'm with ya, Gumbo

I especially LOVE his economic message - taxing those who work to give breaks to those with unearned wealth (capital gains, etc.). It's a very strong message.

I'm also a Dean supporter, but Edward's is definitely next on the list and the debate reinforced that.

eileen from OH

[GumboYaYa]

5. I think every Democrat should frame the tax issue

exactly the same way Edwards did. His message of workers versus corporations will resonate in states like Ohio and North Carolina.

[AP]

23. If you believe Kevin Phillips, this is THE critical issue this election.

If the Democrats want to avert economic disaster, we need a candidate who is perfect on this issue.

Nobody is more perfect on this issue than Edwards.

[PurityOfEssence]

33. Absolutely

It's all tidily layed out and it adds up.

Reality's not such a cruel and foreboding thing if you just embrace it on occasion. We can't do and have everything, but we can get a lot. Unfortunately, we've got to grapple with our financial obligations, and we're not doing it.

It's all very cute for the Republicans to deliberately starve the system of revenue, so they can then throw up their hands and dispense with social programs and oversight out of poverty, but we will have destroyed the financial footing of the country in the process.

[spooky3]

9. I agree Eileen.

If the Congress really wants to "eliminate double taxation" they should allow corporations to deduct dividends the same way they deduct interest, but recipients would pay income tax on them. That would lower demand for loans, and lower competition for money should lower interest rates. There is NO reason why unearned income should be free from tax while every cent you earn from your employer is subject to tax.

[spooky3]

7. I like him alot

and I agree with you. I can't explain why he hasn't emerged to date but maybe he will later. My guesses are that he was not at the forefront of taking on Bush when others feared to do (which Dean did do), so he doesn't get the kudos for that, and that he appears younger/less experienced and is less well known than Kerry, Lieberman, & Gephardt, and doesn't have the unique appeal of a general who is opposed to over-militarism. And, people who are quiet, well-reasoned, and genuinely nice people (his wife's introduction of him at his announcement of candidacy was really sweet) also sometimes lose out to the more colorful personalities in this MTV culture.

I'm sending him and Moseley-Braun $ on principle. I appreciated Moseley-Braun's being the only candidate who indicates an awareness that the battle for workplace fairness has NOT been won.

I watched the debate on tape delay last night and agree with the DUers who posted that we are extremely fortunate to have SO many good candidates this year. I thought Kucinich did an excellent job of articulating how he was different from others. I also appreciated Al Sharpton's leadership in welcoming Clark but also in helping to defuse the tension ("right, Brother Dean?") and reminding all of those on stage that they have to remember their common goals. I will have no problem supporting my favorite candidate, ABB.

I would not have as much difficulty with Lieberman and Kerry re: supporting business if they would come out firmly in favor of strong regulation of business wrongdoing and limitations on executive compensation. The current environment punishes honest busiiness leaders; Sarbanes-Oxley and corporate governance changes will NOT suffice.

[NNN0LHI]

8. I still say Edwards is the one to watch...

...even though I have no dog in this fight. I will settle for any candidate who can beat Bush.

Don

[LittleApple81]

30. ditto n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

10. There's a lot right here

The media opts to never mention him. On occasion they will sling a smarmy barb about how he had early buzz, but has fizzled, or refer to him offhanded as one of those others trying to pussyfoot around with a centrist stance. That last part's just laughable.

It's all very frustrating to me, since I think he's got the mix of heart, soul, brains and looks to be a statesman for the ages and really help provide a rallying point for the many decent people and politicians.

I'm also bummed by the cheery hacks at CNBC who showed the debate live at 1 p.m. on a Thursday and didn't repeat it. Here in Los Angeles, there was no repeat on at 6 (9 p.m. eastern) in favor of a Wall Street Journal Editor's fascist gloatfest.

It's still early, though, so there's time. His website leaves much to be desired, too.

The real corker is that I ordered a T-shirt and a bunch of bumper stickers on September 8th from the Dem Store, and when I called two days ago, the recorded message said that orders from the 8th hadn't shipped. I guess it's true what Republicans say: Democrats are shiftless losers who can't get out of bed. Oh well, a long row to hoe...

[GumboYaYa]

12. Edwards has been successful in

raising money. That should ensure his survival long enough to see others leave the race first. As the field narrows, I am hopeful that he will get the attention he desrves.

After last night a Dean/Edwards ticket looks awfully appealling to me.

[topdog08]

20. All the media cares about is image, conflict, and name recognition

Edwards, "failure to catch on" is a self-fulfilling prophesy from the press. For one thing they can not get past his "looking too young." If that's the worst someone can say about you, you're doing fine. Dean used the internet to build his own name recognition. We need to connect with other supporters via the web and do the same. The other ones getting buzz are established TV commentary regulars who the self proclaimed "chattering classes" (how obnoxious can you get?) are familiar with talking about. Edwards is unfamiliar to them and has not forced them to change their view of him yet. If he is unfamiliar to "the chattering classes" clearly he can not be President, right?
(Sarcasm). I think his firm resistance of the temptation to running a negative campaign will work out very well for him in the long run.

Stay tuned.

[bushisanidiot]

11. Edwards May Be The Pick For VP

I think he'd be a good compliment to any democratic ticket since it doesn't look like he's gonna be able to get into the top 2 or 3.. That would at least set him up for a possible presidential run later on.. with maybe Hillary as his VP. (?)

There are so many good democrats to choose from. So many good possible pres/VP match ups! I'm so excited for our party next year!! :)

[JanMichael]

13. I can't understand it either. He's made some fairly Populist...

...and Progressive statements and has still been ignored.

My prediction? Very good chance he'll be the VP candidate and probably President in the future.

[Wickerman]

31. you as usual

are right on. Hope for the future

[tabasco]

14. Absolutely Right

Edwards is very impressive. Seems very sincere and concerned about working people. This is a very strong field of candidates. I am hoping we are seeing not only the next president on that stage, but the next three or four presidents as well. Edwards is young, and will still be around in 2012, if he doesn't get the nod this time.

[redwitch]

15. I like him

I would be pleased to see him on the ticket- on either spot. He is calm, compassionate, intelligent, good natured, and a hard worker for democratic ideals. I wouldn't count him out either, it really is early days.

[fujiyama]

19. I think he'd make a good VP

choice, also I think others would consider him, considering he doesn't seem to have any problems with the other candidates. Obviously this campaign has at time got pretty dirty and there are some rivalries of sorts that have formed -- Dean v Gephartdt, Dean v Kerry, Dean v Lieberman (come to think of it most of the so called front runners have come to dislike him)... Edwards on the other hand really hasn't participated in this. He's kept to himself, and has articulated an especially appealing economic message.

So, my guess is he wouldn't make a bad compliment to anyone on the ticket -- whether that be Kerry, Dean, or Clark (I think it's starting to come down between these three). Still, if he picks up some steam come time for the southern primaries, good for him!

I always thought he was a decent guy. He's like Clinton, without the personal baggage.

[RichM]

16. I agree that he doesn't get nearly the attention he deserves.

I definitely see him as a (perhaps "future?") shining star, & like him a lot. He's not quite left enough for me, especially on Iraq, but I've been impressed with him anyway. If I compare my impressions of the Dem field now with those I had 6 months ago, Edwards is the one who's risen the most in my estimation.

At first, I saw him as just someone who could be marketed because he's good-looking & has a Southern accent. But I've come to see that there's far more to him than that. He has a lot of quiet dignity and a great earnestness & decency. When he does his shtick about his working class roots, he really means it. It's not an act. (I agree with your comment about his true appeal to the working class.)

In an earlier debate, he had to follow Sharpton, right after Sharpton had brought the house down with one of his incredibly witty zingers. This was an unenviable position for ANYONE to be in, and I admired how Edwards handled it. He smiled ruefully and said, "Oh, no, you mean I've gotta follow THAT?!" and there was something terribly appealing about how he said that. He was giving Al full credit for his wit, and at the same time, was reacting with grace & humor re the difficult situation it placed HIM in.

A little thing, perhaps - but it revealed some very admirable inner qualities, IMO.

[GumboYaYa]

17. Down South we have a name for guys like Edwards.

Edwards is a "smiling assasin." He has the ability to make a scathing comment that cuts to the bone and still be a gentleman in his manner of delivering the message. He has a intelligence and grace that makes Bush pale in comparison.

[PurityOfEssence]

25. Hell, for finesse alone, it'd be nice to have him as the front man

for the operation. Propping up Junior is (regardless of morality, politics or anything) just a showmanship nightmare. Junior has shockingly little grace, subtlety or presence.

My sadistic alternate self thirsts for a Bush-Edwards debate...

[PurityOfEssence]

29. You keep saying this, and I keep agreeing

Character and personality are huge issues with presidential choice and should be brought into the light of day. If done properly, it's a crushing, 24/7 job of such complexity and possibilities that great intelligence are necessary, but character is the inescapable bottom line.

There's also that issue of the "right person for the times", and I think his openness, niceness and genuine semi-clunkiness are a breath of fresh air. Whoever takes the reins in '05 has a whole world community to reorient the country to; it's important that it's someone they can trust. He will play well in the rest of the world, and present the good face of what America has stood for on occasion. There are deep dark and light undercurrents to this country's character, and it's important that the good hold sway and be reintroduced to the world.

[RichM]

32. Well, ya know...

It's not entirely a coincidence. You helped bring him to my attention. // My wife did as well -- she has very accurate intuitions. She watched one or two of the debates, & kept saying that she particularly liked Edwards. FWIW, she also liked Gephardt -- which made sense to me, because they both have this sincerity about their own working class backgrounds.

[poskonig]

18. Too Many candidates.

NH is Kerry and Dean's backyard, and Edwards was unable to make a dent in Iowa, an organizational state.

Now the strategy is difficult. Edwards can try to make a reasonable showing in NH and Iowa and do well on SuperTuesday, or cut his losses and focus exclusively on SuperTuesday where he could do better (South Carolina, Oklahoma, etc.) However, not doing well in at least NH or Iowa can be death for a campaign.

[topdog08]

21. Again, his detractors talk process, or looks, not substance

The top ten criticisms I hear of Edwards have nothing to do with the substance of his character or his position on the issues. It's crazy.

-Too young (he's fifty)
-Breck girl (is that sexist?)
-Big hair (yeah right, okay)
-Inexperienced (sure doesn't show it)
-Lawyer (fighting for regular people)
-Dean and Iowa (he only needs to place in Iowa)
-Dean and NH (he only needs to show in NH)
-Sharpton and SC (give me a break guys)
-National polls (no one has heard of him)
-NC polls vs Bush (doing as well as most are against Bush nationally)

These are not good criteria to choose the leader of the free world.

[AP]

26. His numbers were from 7 to 11 percent in last Iowa poll and they say

he gets the biggest crowds. He still has a chance for a strong finish there, and I will be surprised if he doesn't win SC.

[GumboYaYa]

28. Unfortunately, the media whores have to write a new

script if they plan on talking about Edwards. He doesn't fit into the New Dems v. Old Dems storyline. Edwards hasn't attacked anyone and simply stays on a positive message.

I hope the voters of Iowa closely watched his performance last night. If they did, I expect Edwards to go up in the polls.

[HFishbine]

22. Edwards

is my senator. I've had a few gripes, but if he's going to leave the senate, there are plenty of places where his goodness can make a difference: Attorney General or Vice President come to mind.

[GumboYaYa]

24. If Edwards is not on the ticket,

he would be a perfect AG. I wonder if that thought had anything to do with his direct attack on Ashcroft in the debate.

[HFishbine]

27. Hmmm

Good point. I hadn't made the connection.

[Liberal_Andy]

34. or if Dean fades....

the top spot, agreed?

[HFishbine]

37. Arggh Andy

I have to agree now? What are your thoughts on Clark?

[Liberal_Andy]

44. Arggh,... what is this, "talk like a pirate" day?

HF, I like Wes. I think obviously he's the antidote to what they did in 2002 to the likes of Max Cleland.

That said, I still think JE has more on the ball policy wise. Also he should be able to outlast CMB, DK, BG, AS, and others with less success raising $. At that point, his positives should become more apparent.

IMHO.

LA

[im4edwards]

36. we need that accent to win the White House

it seems to be the ticket in.

[CBHagman]

35. I sent him a thank-you letter for mentioning tax policy

Edwards was the one who pointed out that a large portion of the Bush tax cut proposals concerned passive income (i.e., dividends, capital gains, inherited estates), rather than wages, salaries and tips. In short, Bush has focused on those who have a good deal of disposable income and owe much of their earnings to investment and/or connections, not labor.

It was refreshing to hear a candidate mention that right in the middle of a major debate. Bush's tax policies are so regressive and have not been subjected to the scrutiny they deserve.

[prolesunited]

38. Edwards has definitely been

popping up on my radar screen lately. I think he has done quite well in the last two debates. I would love to see him on the ticket and hope he remains as the field is winnowed down. How do Edwards and Dean feel about one another? Could there be a pairing there?

[Myra]

39. Uh, I've been very impressed w Edwards lately, *BUT*

He did vote *for* the Iraq war.
That was an act of cowardice and treachery
that should haunt him. So as much as I've
liked him since...that's a show-stopper for me.

[GumboYaYa]

41. I am strongly opposed to the invasion of Iraq, too.

Initially I did not feel that I could support any candidate who voted for the war. I am slowly getting past a litmus test for a candidate on that issue alone. Victory must be concern number one and I think Edwards on the ticket would be a threat to George Bush in the South and the Midwest industrial states. Not to mention the fact that he is a true blue populist and that means alot to me.

I have decided to forgive Edwards on the war issue because of his other strengths.

[AP]

48. Clinton didn't commute a retarded man's deat sentence and he

went after Sister Souljah for being too militantly black. Clinton did these things because he didn't want to be Dukakis/Willie Horton'ed on crime, and he didn't want to appear to be too far left on race. The fact was, he reduced crime a ton with liberal policies once elected (which took away a huge RW wedge issue -- the fear of the (black) criminal), and he was great on race.

Did you vote for Clinton? Are you happy he was elected.

[dolstein]

40. I like him a lot

Edwards, Lieberman and Clark are the only candidates I can muster any enthusiasm for.

Edwards seems tailor made for a populist campaign, and I like his "Bush wants to tax work, not wealth" message. But I'm not sure he'd fare any better in the South than Gore did.

[ronzo]

42. Where Y'at, gumbo...

I'll tell you what, If there's a candidate who should stay in through the primaries, it's Edwards. I can honestly see this guy picking up momentum through the stretch. Love the intangibles.

Hey, Edwards did a helluva job yesterday and we've got a long way to go.

cheers,
ronzo

[GumboYaYa]

43. Yeah you right....

Did you see the beautiful female Senator from Louisiana chewing Republican ass today? Mary has been on a tear since the last election.

I obviously concur in your judgment of Edwards. With his performance yesterday, he leaped several contenders for me. I put Edwards no. 2 on my list now.

[ronzo]

45. I missed Mary...

I was trying to get somebody to tell me what she was talking about as I'm a big fan of Mary Landrieu, she's a rising star. I was a little worried when she first got into office, I can't specifically recall, but she crossed the aisle on some issue only to get seriously hosed by bushco. She's been a good Dem since.

Her brother Mitch is running for Lt. Governor, ya know...

[GumboYaYa]

46. I've got a friend from high school

who is on Mary's staff. He says the Repuke campaign against her in 2002 really pissed her off and she has an ax to grind. I say go girl, kick some ass.

I saw Mitch was on the ticket. What I'm really hoping is that Ieyoub gets enough votes to be number 2 on the govenor's runoff. It would be great to ace the Repukes out of the runoff. So far he is polling close to second. GEAUX Ieyoub.

[ronzo]

50. Heh.

Yeah, every time (seriously) that I call her office to weigh in, I speak to a male staffer. Makes me grin...

Dems need to pick up Louisiana's governor's office. The way it's looking to me, It'll be Blanco v Jindal (sounds like a bout) after the first election. I'll take Rich Iyeoub (pronounced 'eye-oob' for those wondering) or Kathleen Blanco. http://www.blancogovernor.com/

Either one should cut bobby jindal off at the knees in the big one.

[GumboYaYa]

51. Based on 2002 and the current govenors race,

Louisiana looks like it is shifting to the Dems. I wasn't there, but I bet the whole French bashing thing did not play well in the Acadiana Parishes.

<ON EDIT> LOL about the guys on Mary's campaign. She is definitely a beautiful lady, plus she's smart, strong, articluate, .....Where do I sign up?

[ronzo]

53. Oh, i get what you're saying...

I haven't seen a poll recently, but I'm under the impression that those two (Blanco and Jindal) we're really running close. But, you're saying it'd be great to run-off two Dems, I getcha.
You may call me MOTO. :)

[tjdee]

47. Edwards deserves much more than he's gotten.

It seems to me that some in the party feel that he should "earn his dues" and "get more experience", which is another way of patting him on his head and sending him on his way while they focus on the grownups.

He has great ideas, he's likeable, and he can express himself in clear terms. It is very frustrating as an Edwards supporter to have to watch all the bickering and the nonsense press that results when Edwards gets minimal press. His message has been somewhat co-opted by Clark in that Edwards has always been optimistic and talking about "together" and "all of us" ,etc. It's been a running theme of his. Edwards has been the most consistent in his message, and hasn't had to explain/change/clarify/misspeak ....

I'm fairly disappointed, alright. Not in Edwards though.

[ryharrin]

49. I like him, but where the hell is his campaign?

Just SC? His campaign doesn't seem to have done anything yet. I really liked him on the Daily Show though. And one big plus is that he seems to have stopped mentioning his daddy working at a mill every five seconds.

[GumboYaYa]

52. He only announced a week ago....

:)