John Edwards, Unfiltered...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

"I've come to the personal conclusion that I actually want the country to see who I am, who I really am. But I don't know what the result of that will be. But for me personally, I'd rather be successful or unsuccessful based on who I really am, not based on some plastic Ken doll that you put up in front of audiences."

That's Senator John Edwards on a trip to Iowa in "Plane Truths," the first episode in a new online video series, "Behind the Scenes with John Edwards." See it for yourself at:

http://oneamericacommittee.com/r/4680/250754

After you've watched the video, be sure to forward it on to your friends and family, so they can get to know Senator Edwards without filters or formal settings.

We'll be posting new episodes from behind the scenes on a regular basis. Let us know what you think -- and feel free to offer suggestions for future episodes of "Behind the Scenes."

[sallyseven]

1. Edwards is no Ken Doll. I am thinking

about voting for him. The Ken Doll in this race is Mittens Romney. Weirdo extraordinary.

[iamjoy]

2. Shows Him Eating A Lot

doesn't it?

Gosh he's cute.:9

[Robert P]

20. yeah on TV

no one is supposed to eat or use the bathroom.

I think it was a great episode.

[bobbolink]

22. Welcome to DU, Robert P!

:toast: :hi:

[iamjoy]

34. Hmmm...

Do I WANT to see him going to the bathroom?

:silly:

[Tom Joad]

3. Nice war monger. Thanks for the Iraq War Resolution.

Your support for the war in Iraq means that over 650,000 Iraqis, and nearly 3,000 U.S. service people no longer need to worry about poverty.

You are that *special*, John Edwards. We owe you much.

[elperromagico]

4. Edwards did all that by himself?

A real multitasker, that one.

[Tom Joad]

6. No, of course not. But he was a main cosponsor.

Yeah, he apologized.

But when this man was wheeling-dealing to make sure Bush got the votes on this, many of the rest of us were acting in a sane manner and actively involved in doing everything we could to prevent this illegal, immoral, idiotic war.

We can't let a man with this kind of judgment into the white house. We already have that.

[america_in_08]

28. You can try and use this if you feel so low.

If that is all you have to come up with, then you have nothing.
That tired old angle just doesn't fly anymore.



John Edwards is the candidate for the working people of America.

[Clark2008]

60. John Edwards is the candidate for the working people of America?

Well, no, he's not. But you go ahead and think that!


(I'm working class and I'd rather have a candidate who hasn't spent most of his adult life as a millionaire)

[renie408]

72. yeaah, give me career military any day of the week.

Who would rather have a self-made man who worked their way through college unloading tractor trailers over the summer and then went on to be one of the most successful trial lawyers in the country, whose closing arguments were so cleverly crafted and compelling that other lawyers would crowd into courtrooms to watch them, who has dedicated their rich selves to the betterment of the poor and to public service for the last decade over a sometime-Republican career military general?? Jeez, I would think THAT choice would be SO obvious.

[elperromagico]

56. Would you prefer someone like, say, Murtha? n/t

[venable]

5. give it a rest

Edwards didn't invade Iraq, you know that. or maybe you don't.

the situation is/was complex, and everyone who is honest knows that. he is not a war monger, he did not kill people, he is a fine and honest man.

he voted for a process that was aborted by a lying president under orders from a bloodthirsty veep.

a process that was aborted. he did not vote to invade.

give it a rest. it's beyond stupid.

[Tom Joad]

7. We knew Bush was lying, most of us. Why didn't Edwards?

Was it simply stupidity? Or worse?

I will not forget those that led us into this war. Maybe the war is not a major issue for you, but for many of us it is.

Fatal misjudgment.

[billybob537]

8. 95%

of the american people believed the lies. Pull your head out of your ass and come up for air.

[J Miles]

11. Where did you get that figure?

Provide your source, please.

[Tom Joad]

14. I think he found it inside his....

own file cabinet. (thought i was going to as equally disrespectful, didn't you)

[Tom Joad]

13. How disrespectful can you get. How wrong can you be about the support for the war.

I don't know which is worse.

[Tom Joad]

15. Most House Dems voted against the Resuliton championed by Edwards.

[chimpymustgo]

30. How many times do you need the make the same point in a single thread? Go JRE!

That's a great video. I like the way he is conducting his campaign so far. And he wants to bring 40,000 troops home now. And end poverty in America within 30 years. Universal health care. Trade agreements that promote workers and the environment.

Gives college scholarships out of his own pocket (his foundation). He is a force for good.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

27. Afghanistan maybe

definitely not Iraq.

[venable]

9. of course the war is a major issue

and for the record I fought as hard as i know you must have...praying that the IWR didn't get passed.
the difference between you and I on this is that I believe it was a mistaken vote, no matter what, but it was for a process...

did Edwards cheer on shock and awe? if so, yes, that would be very wrong.

he did not, though.

he knew, as many did, that the process had been aborted, perverted, lied about.

do not put blood on his hands that belongs on cheney's and rummy's and bush's and condi's and feith's and perle's and wolfie's, etc. etc.


he voted for a process, not an invasion.

until you understand that distinction, you are just flat out wrong. sorry for the tone of this, it's just so wrong to blame these horrific deaths and tragedies on someone who believed what the Director of the CIA told him.

[Tom Joad]

16. It took him a long time to apologize. Maybe if he did so the day the bombs

started dropping on Baghdad, in March of 2002, it might be different. war was popular then though. Just as wrong, just as insane, but still popular. So a politician like Edwards says nothing.
I know Kerry cricized Bush for ... failing to carry out a full military attack on Fallujah (Bush did after the election, killing tens of thousands and destroying the city) Kerry/Edwards spoke eloquently for the need to send MORE troops to Iraq.

Until it fianlly becomes clear that the war was being lost, thanks to the brave resistance of the Iraqi people, and that the war would continue to lose support in the US. Then, and only then, he says his vote was wrong. Political decisions, not based on ethics or morality or even thinking ahead (many of us are not surprised that the war would become a political liability, so even as a politician he has failed)

[Catchawave]

10. Maybe North Carolina ?

Home to a coupla' largest Marine and Army bases in the world....hmmmmmmm? As I recall he also consulted with the brassiest of the brass ground pounders and grunts....they Believed too. Even Wesley Clark was waffley at best at this time, and was also weighing in with Congress. But he had no vote. Nor did Gore, Obama, Guiliani, Romney....oh wait...this is only about Democrats?

Look at the constituency of those reps you hold *not responsible*.

The states, the districts? A pretty sad era of our times, that anyone, ANYONE, who did not BELIEVE OR TRUST Bush, was UNPATRIOTIC and HATED AMERICA and SUPPORTED THE TERRORISTS....oh my.

Blame Bush, not Democrats. Happy Festivus :toast:

[benny05]

12. Some have a hard time forgiving JRE for this

and that particular poster is one of them.

I believe Edwards is sincere about his apology. He was among the first to say he was wrong for his vote. That's one of the parts I like in the video.

[Tom Joad]

17. What is his position on forcing an end to the US occupation?

Is he supporting a cut of funds so that US military can leave, or is he willing to wait until we replace bush?

Does he STILL support more troops in Iraq, as he did during the 2004 campaign?

[Carolina Voice]

18. If they can forgive Bush, they can forgive anything.

Most are just talking. No forgiveness is necessary.

[Tom Joad]

19. Again, can you give me a clear full presentation on Edwards current position on Iraq?

[IndyOp]

23. On Hardball Edwards said he would pull out 10,000+ right now -

And bring the remainder home over a period of months. His logic is that with an immediate drawdown political solutions will become the focus.

Also - Tom - while I sincerely, sincerely understand how you can feel angry about any and all Congressmembers who did not recognize Bush as nothing-but-a-liar and vote against this damn war - I also am leaving the door open for Edwards to have truly learned from the experience. George McGovern, of course, voted for the Vietnam War before he became a champion of peace. Senator Robert Byrd, who voted against the IWR, said that he had been fooled once and would not be fooled again. Edwards may have learned a very important lesson.

[Tom Joad]

31. He says a drawdown, when would he like to see the last of the troops removed from

Iraq? 3 months? 9 months? 3 years?

George McGovern became an opponent of the war very early on. He also supported defunding the Vietnam war, which is what finally ended the war (most of the troops were out by 1974, but the bombing continued, and this McGovern also opposed). Mcgovern ran as President on a platform for getting the troops out, not to win in Vietnam. Kerry/Edwards wanted to send more troops to Iraq... but they said eventually the troops would be withdrawn.

Too many dem leaders oppose this, but it seems the only option left to end the madness.

If he does not support Rep James McGovern's (no relation to George!) proposal to defund the war, he still loses my support. The US should admit to Defeat in Iraq. Not think of new ways to "win".

[venable]

42. way to gum up a reasonable thread

get a life

[renie408]

73. Heck YES! Defunding the war is DEFINITELY the fasttrack to the White House!!

Ok, I am just spitballing here, but I am thinking that defunding the war in an effort to leverage the troops out of Iraq might....JUST MIGHT....be viewed as a lack of support for the troops. I'm just sayin', is all...

Ok, Edwards isn't acceptable to you in '08, I got that part. So who is? Though I do like Edwards, I am wide open to a good candidate. Tell me about the person you do find viable and why. I think defunding the war, while I understand the thinking behind it, would be a Presidential campaign killer.

[Clarkie1]

63. Picking a number out of a hat is not a strategy.

It's guesswork from someone who clearly does not have a strategy to counter the lack of strategy by the administration.

[citizen snips]

64. how do you know he picked a number out of a hat?

[Radicalman]

48. IT IS SOMEHOW STRANGE THAT YOU CALL YOURSELF TOM JOAD

I hate to hoist you up by your own petard, but the person you identify with, Tom Joad, is a main character in John Steinbeck's, THE GRAPES OF WRATH. Tom is a symbol of the poor and oppressed. I suppose this is why you chose his name, because you are against the oppression of the poor and neglected. Your unrestrained attacks on John Edwards are ironic, because Edwards who worked along side his father in a textile mill and came from meager circumstances, put himself through college, the first one in his family to do go to a college. None in the democratic party have spoken up for the poor since Bobby Kennedy in 1968. Clinton screwed them over. The needs of the poor are one of the core issues for John Edwards. No one, no one, is on the side of the poor like John Edwards. He is the 2006 champion of the Tom Joads of America.

As far as Iraq is concerned his position is quite clear: AP - The former U.S. Sen. from North Carolina told reporters America should "make it clear (to Iraqis) we are leaving, and the best way is to start leaving. We should take 40,000 combat troops out now."
Edwards, who has said he regretted his vote as a U.S. senator authorizing President Bush to declare war in Iraq, said he would ask the country's military leaders for a strategy "to have the (rest of the) troops out in roughly 12 to 18 months."
"There is no chance other countries in the world will help Iraq as long as we are an occupying force," he said.

He's apologized for initially supporting the war. He's got a solid anti-war stance and a position that puts most democrats in Congress to shame. What is it you want from him. Hillary Clinton won't even admit she's made a mistake you're not going to vote for her. Who will you vote for, that loser Dennis Kucinich in his quixotic quest for the White House?

The democrats need to nominate a winner. And that man is John Edwards.

[Radicalman]

49. Hi Carolina Voice!!

I answered some of Tom Joad's concerns about Edward, 3 or 4 posts below yours, under my name Radicalman. I'm the guy who sent you 4 instead of 2 stickers. Edwards will win!!!!!!

[venable]

24. he is for immediate commencement of withdrawal

and complete withdrawal within 8 months. (I'm pretty sure of this)

he says the United States must make it clear that they are leaving, and there is no better way to do this than to actually start to leave. today.

this in contrast to Clark, bush, Harry Reid, and many others.

He also lobbied hard against, and voted against the first upping of the war chest - the 87billion.

This showed courage as he had voted for the IWR, then had to put his career where his morals were, and vote against the supplemental funds. He did.

[Tom Joad]

33. Twelve to 18 months. And a solid supporter of Israel's brutal attack on Lebanon...

leading the blanketing of Lebanon with over a million (yep, a million) US supplied cluster bombs for Lebanase children to play with.

Way to go Edwards. Lebanese children who get blown to bits don't have to worry about poverty either!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2006/08/05/john_edwards_calls_for_immediate_withdrawal_from_iraq/

[venable]

41. you're getting sick, at this point

go away, fester in your own lies. have you no conscience?

[Tom Joad]

44. Obviously not worth replying to personal attack.

[venable]

46. forgive the personal attack, and please stop the untruths

you are saying things that are simply and empirically untrue, and you are not hearing the answers to your questions, seemingly intentionally.

It would be one thing to make untrue statements about insignificant things, but the murderous and brutal charges you are throwing around seem almost calculated to rile passion and muddy waters when what is wanted is clarity.

Your language is brutal -the image of Edwards callously not caring that Lebanese children get blown up - in fact is far more brutal than the 'personal attacks' that offend you. Don't give it if you can't take it.

You come in and drop ugly bombs, and mind that someone takes humbrage at this?

[Catchawave]

43. How did you get "there"......

...from "here": (from your link)

"On the Israeli-Hezbollah fighting in the Middle East, Edwards noted he was on the Israel-Lebanon border only three weeks ago, and said Israel "has absolutely the right to defend itself," though he said there "needs to be an international security force in southern Lebanon." "

:shrug:

[Tom Joad]

45. He was pushing the idea that "Israel was only defending itself"

when in fact, as most of the world saw, Israel was waging a war of aggression, just as clearly as the US is waging a war of aggression against the people of Iraq.

Edwards never, ever, criticized the overwhelming force used agaist the people of Lebanon. He has never expressed any concern for the need of the people of Lebanon to protect themselves against Israeli aggression.

[spooky3]

51. your quote is NOT what was quoted in the article. Please re-read it.

[Tom Joad]

52. It goes beyond what was stated in the article, but his other speeches and actions.

On lebanon. He was not alone. Most members of Congress never criticized the actions of Israeli aggression (a resolution supporting Israel action, and saying Nothing about the right of Lebanon's right to defend itself, passed 100-0 in the US Senate. Supported by Bush/Blair the poodle/Olmert. but criminal aggression it was, popular in the senate or not. And many died as a result, thousands of homes destroyed, and much hate increased against the US.

Edwards never deviated from the Bush/Olmert line, and never called for a ceasefire until finally Israel saw it could not win, and it accepted a ceasefire.

With the exception of GB and the US and i think Canada, every other nation on earth called for an early ceasefire, and did not, like bush/olmert said, want to wait until "Israel finished the job".

The world cannot afford this kind of belligerence.

He also seems very willing to use military attack against Iran. Seems he has not learned a damn thing.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1149572637421&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

Israel has introduced nuclear weapons to the Middle East, and has a massive arsenal, and he seems very willing to overlook that.

[venable]

47. Even Noam Chomsky allows that Israel has the right to defend themselves

against Hezbollah.

Also, a friend of mine who was held hostage by Hezbollah for two months allows that Israel has the right to defend themselves against bombs.

The brutality of the Israeli response is another thing entirely, and I'd like to see where Edwards egged them on. You can't provide this, cuz it never happened. Just saying it did doesn't make it so. Don't you think there are enough untruths in the air these days. Need you add more?

[Catchawave]

50. Did you mean to respond to me?

Because I don't think I posted an untruth, just a quote from the article.

[venable]

54. No, I didn't mean this as a reply to you

I meant to be replying to the accusations from one poster (Tom Joad), who has come to this thread trying to convince us that Edwards is bloodthirsty, ie he wants Lebanese children to play with unexploded ordnance.

sorry for the confusion. my mistake.

[Catchawave]

55. Whew .... :)

:hi:

[Tom Joad]

53. Did Lebanon have a right to defend themselves. That's whats missing.

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/3381

Edwards is not alone in taking a completely one-sided view of the conflict, but he is part of that.

[venable]

57. of course they do

the mistake that I believe supporters of the over wrought Israeli response have made is that they mistakenly believe they are helping the Lebanese people free themselves from Hezabollah, which is something the Lebanese people should decide for themselves, and do if they want and are able to.

The problem with this Lebanese people/Hezbollah distinction is that it's not so cut-and-dried in any case, and I know you'll agree, you don't help someone by bombing their country.

Edwards has never intimated that Lebanon has no right to defend themselves.

I just feel that your attacks are unfair, and inaccurately characterize Edwards in order to paint him as a bloodthirsty war-monger, which he decidedly is not. If you measure your criticisms, and temper them with real and current positions and behavior, you will likely come to a different conclusion about Edwards. I'm not sure you're interested in that. It seems your mind is made up, reality be damned.

[seashorelady]

59. No he has been calling for redeployment of

40,000 to 50,000 troops for well over a year now. Pay attention.

[america_in_08]

25. Many American were and still are for the war effort

they are only disatified with those in charge that have mis handled it.
Many American were and still are glad that the battles have been fought off of Mainland America. Only some who want to make a vote for authorization a big problem.

The authorization did not mean that BUSH's admin had to move forward, and it did not leave Senator Edwards in charge, nor any other Senator that voted for it.

If you choose to hold that against Senator Edwards you will be denying yourself of the one candidate that is for the Hard Working People of America. The one who really cares about Americans, with minimum wage, unions, universal health care, fixing the donut hole in Social Security, Poverty here and abroad, helping college for those who want it.

"America is better than this" ~John Edwards.

[seashorelady]

58. Very well stated

[citizen snips]

21. that is a load of BS

sorry for the rudeness but after a while it gets old to hear the same thing over again. You should consider Edwards position on the war now before making a statement like that.

[venable]

26. thank you MATTMAN

cut to the chase. well done.

I wish these haters would take a deeper look at things prior to jumping to the keyboard.

[citizen snips]

29. I should also add

that every single Edwards thread that has nothing to do about the war someone has to cut in and call Edwards a warmonger. It is disrespectful and untruthful

[Tom Joad]

32. It is his abiding legacy. Nixon is not remembered for pushing the

Endangered Species Act, and for good reason.
Edwards wants to keep this war going for at least another 18 months and still refuses to support an immediate withdrawal of US imperialist forces from Iraq.

[citizen snips]

35. I am sure you will see anyway you want too.

[america_in_08]

36. He has said immediate withdrawal

of at least 40,000 and the rest soon thereafter!

This one point on the vote is no longer an issue. You need to find something else to harp on, voting for the war as many did, is not the issue as much as how those in charge have grossly mishandled it, which the Bush ADmin.

[Tom Joad]

37. I can harp on his support for the US-sponsored war against Lebanon.

Would'nt that be a refresing change of pace.

[venable]

39. you have no idea what you are talking about

DU needs a truth filter, which would keep your posts floating in the ether.

I really don't like getting riled up, but your stuff is so wrong that I suspect even you know that it is.

[america_in_08]

40. Do you have a link to that one?

[venable]

38. WRONG WRONG WRONG

i am so tired of stupidity or lies, or - as you say of Edwards - worse.

read through the thread. sheesh.

[Clark2008]

61. No it's not. It's a fact. It's not untruthful or disrespectful.

I don't think Edwards is evil, but I do think he's a pandering lightweight.

Still, it's not untruthful or disrespectful to point out the man's record. Geesch.

[citizen snips]

62. it is if you don't include the status quo

[Catchawave]

67. Matt !

Did you see this thread on MyDD ?

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/12/24/17161/584#commenttop

Joe Trippi weighed in on "pandering lightweights" :D

[citizen snips]

75. good find Catchawave.

:hi:

[Catchawave]

65. When it's framed as a right wing talking point

it's disrespectful on DU, like calling him a pandering lightweight? Them there's Rovian words :evilgrin:

[durtee librul]

66. All I know is this...

I want him to run. I don't consider him a lightweight, or a war monger or any of the other names people here today have chosen to bestow on him.

I have my personal reasons I want him to run (and one of them is not that he's 'cute' as one other poster added) and won't bore anyone with them here. All I will say is that everyone, no matter if it is Obama, HRC or Vilsack should have their say as well and let the people decide.

[Catchawave]

68. Thank you....

Well stated and :toast: to you for the holiday season :)

Everyone should run, we have so many wonderful and talented Dems in the field, which just brings strength to the national dialog on issues.

May the best wo/man get the nod !

[durtee librul]

69. Thanks

and I DO want him to run as I think from what I have seen so far, he is by far the BEST candidate for the job. He can surround himself with wise people (Clark would be an excellent SOS and I think he could undo all the damn damage Condi-lies-a-lot has done) and get this country back on track.

And I will NOT be pulled into a discussion on why Clark should be at the top of the ticket so save your typing skills for another day. Clark DOES belong in DC, but not as Pres. imho as he has a lot to offer this great country, just not as Pres.

[Trajan]

70. Now would be the great time to find a quote about forgiveness ...

But fuck all that: ... Edwards will win or lose based on a Democratic party consensus ... not because those of us on the fringes grumble about one aspect of their policy making ...

NO ONE has the entire package of goods ... I would take Edwards over MANY other Democrats, even perhaps someone who may have voted NO on IWR ....

It hard to place ALL responsibility for this war on that one resolution ... It also presumed the executive would act responsibly ....

Hell .. the man apologized ....

IF you cannot forgive him, then I would have to follow him, instead of you, even though I do like your commentary alot ....

Cest La Vie ....

[Catchawave]

71. He can win 2008 too.

Fabulous crossover appeal, you see, I'm only a fan of "likeability" polls, and he continues to score high points on those !

[renie408]

74. I think I love you n/t

[mmonk]

76. Edwards said his vote was wrong and apologized for it.

He is for leaving Iraq. He think the US has lost credibility and moral standing in the world. You can categorize him any way you want to, but after listening to him in person, I don't believe he is playing politics with this. I was very much anti-war and against the resolution, but I feel comfortable with Edwards right now.

[shalomvesalaam]

77. I feel that John Edwards is sort of fakish...if that is a word (np)