"There's a rhetoric gap with Obama," says Executive Director of Iowans for Sensible Priorities

[Karmadillo]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3840606&page=1

DES MOINES, IA -- Iowans for Sensible Priorities, a group seeking to redirect spending from the Pentagon to domestic needs, plans to endorse John Edwards Friday in Des Moines.

The decision to endorse Edwards over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama came down to "courage versus caution," according to the group's executive director.

"There's a rhetoric gap with Obama," executive director Peggy Huppert told ABC News. "He told me personally: 'Trust me. Ideologically, I'm with you.' But people have told him to be afraid of being pushed too far to the left. He doesn't bring up on his own. He doesn't incorporate it into his speeches. He skirts around it. He talks around the edges. He never gets to the heart of it in strong, bold language."

Edwards, by contrast, won over the group with his harder edge.

Edwards boosted his chances of winning the endorsement Oct. 26 when Huppert asked him at an Iowa town hall meeting how he would respond to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the GOP's national front-runner, saying the day before that Democratic support for reducing Pentagon spending amounts to a lack of concern for defeating what Giuliani calls "the terrorists' war on us."

[Bitwit1234]

1. I can't help but being upset at Obama

They say you need experience to run for president, but a lot of people have with no outstanding experience. I think Obama right now, lacks that certain maturity. I really truly think if he had not been goaded into running he would have made a damn good candidate next time. With the silly mistakes he is making it shows his immaturity in dealing with the public. this thing about younger generation, the gay singer etc, not a really big deal, but attention calling none the less. Now, like Edwards he is going to be branded a looser and it will hurt his chances another time. I am really really sorry he ran too soon .

[laugle]

4. How was BO goaded into running? I missed that!

And I wouldn't worry to much about the public's impression, as they have a short memory......

I don't support BO, but I think his ability to raise money and his impressive grass roots support, bode well for his future.....

But I too, never felt he was qualified to be president at this time.

[Karmadillo]

2. Kind of like his saying he opposes Mukasey, but when it's time to vote, he's nowhere to be found.

nt

[HuckleB]

14. Clinton and Dodd also missed the vote.

[Karmadillo]

15. My bad. While I think the original quote makes a good point, I was certainly off base

in using the Mukasey vote as a supporting example.

[polichick]

3. Maybe Edwards' hardball is working in Iowa. nt

[Jim Sagle]

5. Obama's an empty suit.

[Texas_Kat]

6. Pot, meet kettle

[Jim Sagle]

7. No, Edwards takes clear stands on issues.

Except for the war, Obama doesn't.

Game, set, match.

[Texas_Kat]

8. Yes, in 04 they were just different stands than now

So which makes the non-empty suit....?

[Jim Sagle]

9. That was then, this is now.

None of these guys (and gal) are saints, after all.

[zulchzulu]

11. Edwards is like a boxer who's about to fall on the mat

His campaign is sputtering... he's almost out of money... people can see through him.

Saying Obama is "an empty suit" is utter nonsense. He has done more by leagues over what Edwards did. And his record backs up what he says now. It's not diametrically the opposite of what Edwards says now versus when it really counted.

Edwards should just stick to knawing on Hillary Clinton's leg if he knows what's good for him in his waning days of his campaign.

[zulchzulu]

10. What a laughable load of bull plop

Someone who is backing the co-sponsor of the Iraq War Resolution who now tells everyone they should end the war he had a major hand in starting has a lackey saying that Obama has a "rhetoric gap"?

A guy who voted for China Most Favored Nation Status thus giving away many more jobs than NAFTA is now for the "working people"?

OMFG! That's funny!

:rofl:

[calteacherguy]

12. This group's sole aim is to reduce Pentagon spending by at least 15%.

They are a special interest group Edwards is pandering to. I'd be interested to know what 15% Edwards is going to cut.

I don't making absolutist statements on cutting 15% of the Pentagon budget in the current climate will help win the General Election.

[HuckleB]

13. Once again we get more non-specific swipes at Obama.

I've yet to see any honestly serious criticism of what he actually says, at least here at DU.