Edwards to Come Under Closer Scrutiny

[Freddie Stubbs]

By TOM RAUM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) -

While John Edwards comes across as articulate and folksy, his lack of political and foreign policy experience could become a liability in the homestretch for the Democratic presidential nomination.

But the North Carolina senator's supporters say he's been underestimated before, and that he has a way of connecting with audiences, particularly with his stump message about the "two Americas" for the rich and for everybody else.

A self-made millionaire trial lawyer who projects the image of a common man, Edwards has flown mostly under the political radar as most attention focused first on Howard Dean and then on John Kerry.

But now that the Democratic contest is essentially the two-man race long sought by Edwards, his record and background are sure to come under closer scrutiny.

more: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/bw-elect/2004/feb/18/021808033.html

[xray s]

1. as well he should

I would rather have all our candidates run the gauntlet now and show they can defend anything in their past that might come up, as well as agressively defend against smears and unfair attacks. If we give anyone a pass now, it will hurt us in October.

[robbedvoter]

2. Timed so as to knock out kerry as possible and crumble Edwards in the GE

"Close scrutiny" = your teflon coat is due to the cleaners. W will have it now.
Each frontrunners had favorable polls at crucial times and "scrutiny" afterwards...3 times - the same play...
The guys who polled last are now "frontrunners". They decided we don't care about Iraq anymore, and son of a stoolie is some sort of a Christ for the working class...for now.

[robbedvoter]

3. Who me? Go negative? Nooooo!

"Edwards is going to have to go negative, something he hasn't really wanted to do, to draw a contrast between himself or Kerry on jobs and NAFTA," said Doug Schoen, an unaffiliated Democratic consultant who was President Clinton's pollster.

"I'm not sure he has the temperament," Schoen said.
Does Shelton ring a bell? or this:
http://robbedvoter.forclark.com/story/2004/2/19/101820/877