Edwards Plays Up Charisma (Newsday)

[chimpymustgo]

By Thomas Frank
WASHINGTON BUREAU

January 25, 2004
Portsmouth, N.H. - The day before the John Edwards rally here last week, Bonnie Vadala bought a box of chamomile tea bags and honey sticks, wrapped them in red cellophane and tied the package with curling ribbon.
Then she and her 5-year-old son Nikolai wrote a note.

"Dear Senator Edwards," it began in crayon, "I love you. I hope you are my president. Enjoy the tea and honey sticks to make your voice strong."

Vadala, 37 and married, insisted the wording was her son's as she gave the gift to Edwards' smiling wife Elizabeth before the rally Wednesday night.
But after standing and cheering for more than an hour in the packed local VFW hall, Vadala acknowledged, "I love him, too."

John Edwards is the charm prince of the Democratic presidential primary, the young-looking, easy-smiling North Carolina senator whose campaign has surged from obscurity to viability on his "yes, ma'am" Southern manners and a "We can change America" message of uplift and hope.

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But he is slowly building on his Iowa-induced buzz and drawing new supporters with his son-of-a-millworker humility and personable style that invites hugs and outpourings.

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Edwards turns reflective in his own speech as he recalls growing up in the segregated South and notes the 35 million Americans living in poverty.
Clenching a fist, Edwards pounds on themes of uplift and togetherness: "We are the party that believes you never look down on anybody. We lift people up."

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http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usedwa253641234jan25,0,6503126.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

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This is an insightful, detail-filled piece of reporting. Really captures the magic of JRE on the campaign trail.

[K8-EEE]

1. YEOW!! He's A Rock Star!

Even if a lot of his appeal IS superficial, I don't care. Whatever works, ya know?

I dig Edwards!

[spooky3]

3. the charisma also is important for motivating people to get out and vote

and winning over those who don't want to read all of his (or other candidates') positions on the issues.

[mmonk]

2. Of course

[Loren645]

4. Hey, charisma's important. And he does have it.

Give the man his props.

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. anyone remember RFK

does Edwards have any RFK-like qualities? I'm too young to remember him.