Huckabee, Edwards take on the establishment - the establishment isn't taking their populism lightly:

[Stop Cornyn]

Huckabee, Edwards take on the establishment - And the establishment isn't taking their populism lightly by By Rex Nutting for MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Iowa seems an unlikely place to launch class warfare against the rich and powerful.
It's not that Iowa doesn't have its share of working-class heroes - farmers, factory workers, nurses and retirees. It's just that the elitist format of the Iowa caucus is stacked against a populist rebellion. ... We're likely to see an intensification of the attacks on these two presidential candidates, not only from their party rivals but also from the political pundit class, that will make the swift boating of John Kerry look like a day at the beach.

Huckabee and Edwards expect the heat to be turned up. "If you're not catching flak, you're not over the target," Huckabee says. "I figure we must be dead center over the target."

"They have an iron-fisted grip on your democracy," Edwards says of the corporate interests. "These people will never give their power away. The truth is, they have too much at stake. They have billions and billions invested in making sure absolutely nothing changes."
Edwards has made his brand of populism the centerpiece of his campaign. He gives his main rivals for the Democratic nomination - Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama -- credit for having their hearts in the right place, but argues that they don't have the fight in them.

"I know them; and I respect them," Edwards says. "But if they don't take it personally, if it's academic, if it's intellectual, or if it's political, the first time the tough fight comes, they will do the political thing."

"You need somebody with a little guts," Edwards concludes. ...

The Democratic establishment has Edwards in its sights for the same reason: He threatens the delicate coalition the Democrats have put together between working-class voters and rich liberal fund-raisers.

Edwards tells those voters that all they've gotten for their years of faithful service to the party is a system that's broken for 90% of the people, a health system that doesn't work, a trade system that costs jobs, and an economic system that rewards the top 1% of the top 1% while leaving most everyone else struggling....

[TwilightGardener]

1. Oh please. Huckabee isn't taking on the Establishment. The Establishment

doesn't want him--so he's all sour grapes on its ass. He'd LOVE to be backed by the money guys.

[MADem]

2. Just because someone is a cheery, ignorant HICK doesn't make them a "populist"

Jeez, no wonder Edwards is pissed off. To be mentioned in the same article as that fucking idiot, as though they are at all "similar' is offensive in the extreme.

[OHdem10]

3. Huckabee did take on the GOP Establishment

Mainstreet versus Wall Street. This is what has the GOP all in
convulstions.

If you get an opportunity to listen to Huckabee for a long interview
he is populist. He challenges GOP on their treatment of the Poor.
Jobs being sent overseas, bread and butter issues. It is wrong
for my party to let Democrats carry the mantle of Health Care.
He challenges Wall Street.