A Battle-Scarred Edwards, Emerging a Fighter

[babylonsister]

A Battle-Scarred Edwards, Emerging a Fighter
Eric Thayer for The New York Times

A seasoned and concise John Edwards has changed not the substance of his campaign, but the style. Unlike in the 2004 campaign, Mr. Edwards, a former senator, is now in attack mode.

By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD
Published: November 28, 2007



MILFORD, N.H. — He has beat his Diet Coke addiction — “too much caffeine.” He no longer shrinks from foreign policy talk and salts his speeches with lines like, “I saw a piece recently in the Guardian newspaper, a British newspaper.” And where he once meandered from topic to topic, the John Edwards of today tries to keep it concise.

“Because I want to take your questions, I am not talking about what I think is a moral crisis, which is climate change,” he told an audience at Dartmouth College in November. “I hope somebody will ask me about it. I think it’s a huge issue facing the world. I am not talking about poverty, which is my personal passion.”

Then it’s on to Iraq and Iran.

Mr. Edwards, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and then ran with Senator John Kerry as his vice-presidential choice, has not dispensed with his old self as he seeks the Democratic presidential nomination this year. Poverty was a central theme in the 2004 primary campaign, with his signature “two Americas” speech on economic inequality, and it is still a focus today.

Mr. Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina, also remains an emotional, wide-eyed campaigner speaking out against injustices, invoking his mill-worker father and the corporations he fought as a personal injury lawyer in courtrooms.

But there have been certain refinements in the four years since Mr. Edwards first stumped through Iowa and New Hampshire, a reporter who has seen both campaigns has found.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/us/politics/28edwards...

[Czolgosz]

1. On Target: "a moral crisis, which is climate change" ... "poverty, which is my personal passion."

[polichick]

2. k&r

Climate change is THE moral crisis of our time, and one that could unite the world ~ I'm glad he's focusing on it.

[asdjrocky]

3. All any doubters have to do is see this man speak.

Thanks for the post, and the pic Sister. I always like the information you bring us.


One of my favorites.

[polichick]

4. That's a great photo...

And the one in the OP too ~ both show such emotion!

[weeve]

5. I think his wife's illness ...

... has helped focus him on priorities, and the realization that time is of the essence. Not just for her, but for this country and the world.

We cannot afford more Bush/Clinton. Too much is at stake.

[polichick]

6. He does seem driven by a true desire to help turn the country around...

I agree that Elizabeth's illness puts things in perspective for him ~ as well as his son's death.

[frogmarch]

7. Thanks, babylonsister

Great piece about Edwards, and the photo of pensive Edwards is great too.

K&R

[saracat]

8. I like Edwards in attack mode.It is a more natural milieu for a trial lawyer

and in the long run, is more effective.Someone has to speak out against corruption and who better than edwards, one of the greatest trail lawyers in the nation? He did take on the corporations and beat them.Now he is taking on the corporations and the lobbyists and he will beat them in the campaign arena! Go John! I cannot seriously believe the State Senator who was allegedly backing him switched to Clinton because Edwards was no longer "warm, sunny and embracing". Really? There is more to that story I am sure.

[asdjrocky]

9. Man, Edwards supporters are some smart people!

[surfermaw]

16. We n eed a fighter to take on mean A. rep. in General Election

Go John

[K Gardner]

10. Do you have links to any video.. or know of any appearances

That are scheduled to be televised? I simply can't make a decision based on sound bites and what we get from the MSM. I campaigned for Edwards last time; but much has changed since then. I'd really like to hear him speak, not just a canned stump speech, but really talk to the people. Know of anywhere I can find something like this to watch?? Thanks in advance !

[asdjrocky]

11. What state are you from?

I'll find out for you.

[K Gardner]

13. Oh, there's nothing here, I've checked. I'm just looking to see if he has

anything coming up anytime soon on C-Span from Iowa or NH, like the places he's campaigning now. Thx !

[asdjrocky]

14. NP

I'm hopeing he comes to the Salinas Straw vote in Ca on Dec 9, so I can see him again.

[Clark2008]

12. I hope they start talking about his piss-poor record more often.

He doesn't deserve any progressive or liberal votes.

Now... if you're a Blue Dog or a DLCer, I can see it.

[asdjrocky]

15. k