Edwards's edge on economy (Veepstakes per Oliphant, Boston Globe)

[chimpymustgo]

 
THOMAS OLIPHANT
Edwards's edge on economy
By Thomas Oliphant  |  May 25, 2004

WASHINGTON

-snip-

As long as Dick Gephardt was in the race for president, the positions of Edwards and Kerry were not of major significance. But after the Iowa caucuses Edwards filled the void on Feb. 3 with a speech, position paper, and TV ad that powered him to victory in South Carolina, pushed him past Wesley Clark in Missouri, nearly won Oklahoma, drove him past Clark in Virginia and Tennessee, and nearly produced victory in Wisconsin.

Kerry noticed and adjusted his own rhetoric on his way to clinching victories on March 2. It was a lesson he should not forget as he prepares a campaign against a president who sees globalization more as an object of worship than a process that needs mature management.

This is a potent reminder of what a value-added political force Edwards represents. What made the guy such an astonishing force in the primaries translates directly to the general election -- an uncanny ability to reach not only Democratic audiences, but independent and even Republican voters as well. The exit polls demonstrated this in southern Ohio, opinion polls showed Edwards stronger among Democrats in Florida than native sons Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, and last week a Mason-Dixon survey in North Carolina shattered the myth that Edwards was inconsequential at home by showing that Kerry-Edwards is even with Bush-Cheney while Kerry alone trails Bush.

-snip-

The survey in North Carolina last week showed that Edwards remains the only national Democrat with cross-party appeal, even as he represents a step toward the future. The people who moved with him on a hypothetical ticket were white men for whom a fellow Southerner and his identification with economic concerns trumped conservative instincts. The same phenomenon awaits in South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

After campaigning with Edwards last weekend, the Democrat running a strong race to succeed him in the Senate, onetime Clinton chief of staff Erskine Bowles, stated the case: "If John Kerry does not put him on the national ticket he's absolutely nuts."

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kerry/art... /

*******
One man's opinion - but he does back it up with facts.

[spooky3]

1. Thanks!

[Thrill]

2. I;ve said it before

I love Clark but its been clear Edwards appeals to a lot of people. And most democrats what him on the ticket. It will be a letdown if he isn't selected

[AP]

12. The "let down" factor is significant.

I can't remember the last time a VP choice could have been a potential let down as bog as tjhis one could be. Perhaps the failure of the Dems to get JFK on the ticket in '56 (which the dems lost).

Does Kerry want to make a choice which dissappoints so many???

[Padraig18]

3. Good article!

Thanks for sharing.

[Auntie Bush]

4. No Thanks

coming from here. I don't agree with his obvious bias comments.

[chimpymustgo]

6. LOL! Oliphant is spot on. Happy to post this one.

Kerry/Edwards '04. And beyond...

[Skwmom]

18. Totally lacking in any type of logic.

"The survey in North Carolina last week showed that Edwards remains the only national Democrat with cross-party appeal, even as he represents a step toward the future."

This statement is total b.s. Based on some survey in N.C., the writer cannot possibly conclude that Edwards remains the only National Democrat with cross-party appeal. Did he examine the cross over appeal of Clark (which is real and significant)?

Furthermore, local radio shows (which are controlled by the right wing) have been cheer-leading for Edwards (plus lets not forget the Bush supporters who go on the tv singing the praises of the personal injury attorney). Therefore, surprise, surprise, his polls numbers go up. They don't fear momentarily inflating Edwards poll numbers because they know they can make them sink like a rock once a few choice facts about Edwards are pounded home (for example, you can't trust a word he says (if he lied about channeling an unborn child to a jury...), he's a phony populist, he's done ZERO pro bono work (what a guy), etc. Add that to the fact that the American public won't be comforted at the thought of having a personal injury attorney potentially take over as commander in chief and the Republicans know that Edwards as VP will be the anchor that sinks the Democratic ticket. Everyone agrees that there will be another terrorist attack in the U.S. I don't think anyone would be comforted at the thought of having a personal injury attorney step into the role of commander in chief during a time of such crisis. A fact that the Republicans and corporate media will pound home on a daily basis.

Republicans know that Edwards being able to deliver his own state has been a concern for the Democrats. So surprise, surprise, Edwards poll numbers in NC increase. The Republicans are like Richard Hatch from Survivor - totally ruthless and devoid of conscience but brilliant strategists. Hint - they aren't sitting on the sidelines hoping that Kerry will pick a weak VP.

[JI7]

5. i see the North Carolina thing as a bonus

edwards was being looked at for vp with the assumption that he would NOT bring in his own home state. he was seen as a positive addition to the ticket for other reasons. but with the polls out on this, it adds to edwards appeal. and also, the plan to win does not depend on winning north carolina, but the numbers show we have a pretty good chance there.

[Padraig18]

7. NC is an unexpected 15 EV 'present' Edwards seems capable of delivering.

I was surprised at that poll myself, but since it does appear that NC is slowly slipping out of *'s evil grasp, Kerry'd have to be a fools not to factor that in to a VP selection, and Kerry is no fool.

[AP]

11. Edwards could spend all summer and fall in NC and not

step foot in another state, and it could be the difference in the election (remember how Joe spent all his time in FL? -- Edwards could finish the job).

[sundancekid]

8. one man's opinion, not so much with facts -- just the APPEARANCE of facts

Unfortunately, some of the exit polling data given does NOT do justice to the facts on the ground in terms of crossover republican voters where the primaries were indeed open -- now get serious, do you REALLY think that cross-overs by republicans were truly moments of conversion??? Many would say that the cross-overs were more a product of mischief-making in our party's politics. Did we forget Rove's plan this quickly, and got ourselves into revisionist history already?

So, on this one, I respect where Oliphant's heart is, but I wish he hadn't clouded his preference with selective data! It's ok with me for him to be biased in favor of Edwards, but it's not ok with me for him to try to "sell" me HIS choice with "facts."

See this reference from a Feb 17, 2004 article with tables of exit poll results:

http://slate.msn.com/id/2095655 /

TURNING THE TABLES
<snip>
The pattern among crossover Republicans is more lopsided. Kerry has won one contest; Edwards has won six. This month, Edwards has beaten Kerry among Republicans in all six states in which Republican votes were measured.

Remember, Democrats are as likely to vote for Edwards against President Bush as they are to vote for Kerry against Bush. It's far more likely that independents and crossover Republicans will determine the outcome. In states where the choices of these groups have been measured, Edwards is matching Kerry among independents and beating him among crossover Republicans.
<snip>

[Skwmom]

16. The Republicans manipulated the primary

process (and continue to try to manipulate the election process by pushing for the personal injury attorney). Is it really any surprise that the Republicans would do this? The real surprise is how many Democrats are clueless to this manipulation.

[Leilani]

9. This guy has ZERO credibility

Long after the Drudge lie about Clark smear of Kerry had been debunked by all those present, Oliphant continued to spread the rumor.

He obviously has an agenda, & is not to be trusted.

[Skwmom]

20. Wasn't he the guy on Imus the other morning

saying Biden was to hard on Bush (that he was trashing his speech on Iraq because it's an election year). In addition, Imus and his right wing cohorts sang the praises of this guy which should be a big clue that he doesn't have the Democrats best interests at heart.

[AP]

10. Man, it looks like Oliphant has been reading DU.

His reading of the time line, Edwards's appeal to moderates and Republicans, the exit polls in FL ranking him higher than that state's senators, the NC poll, and "step towards the future" -- it all sounds like the stuff the Edwards supporters have been arguing here.

It's nice that we convinced Oliphant. Now on to the rest of America.

[Skwmom]

15. Yes the corporate media has really sold

the public on Edwards. Edwards poll numbers will sink like a rock once people get a better look at him (courtesy of the corporate media which has been cheering on the personal injury attorney).

Edwards appeals to Republicans all right (the ones who are Bush supporters and plan to vote for him in November).

[surfermaw]

13. You have all of it correct

Going to carry North Carolina...

[PurityOfEssence]

14. The guy pulled rural white votes in GA with an affirmative action platform

That's political heft.

[ngGale]

17. North and South Carolina will go Blue with Edwards...

and lots of towns all across the country.

[Skwmom]

19. He backs it up with facts?

Oh yeah, those are some real solid facts in that article (not).