One big plus that Edwards has in my book

[xray s]

He went up against Jesse Helms in North Carolina and won. That is really something to consider. Helms represented worst aspects of the Nixon southern strategy, but Edwards found the key to defeating it right in its back yard.

The scars he received in that fight will serve him well.

[rumguy]

1. He trounced them on the "trial lawyer" issue

[AP]

2. He went up against the Helms machine (he beat Faircloth).

A good quote about chosing to run in that race came from Elizabeth Edwards (in the GQ article, I think): "we decided we had to take that guy out."

[rumguy]

3. What kind of rethug was Faircloth?

[AP]

5. The worst kind. The Edwardses were disgusted by him because of his

enthusiasm for the impeachment. But it wasn't just that. It was the whole wealth-transfer project, and the lies about values.

[ewagner]

7. Saw Elizabeth Edwards twice today

On CSPAN and Wolfie's show.

She is brilliant, articulate and dedicated.

[Torrey Pines]

4. Of all the candidates,

he is clearly the best on his feet. ;-)

[HFishbine]

6. Might want to study up a little more on that. (nt)

[Lex]

10. The Helms political machinery

was what was behind Faircloth's campaign for re-election. Plenty of money and nasty Repug smear tactics were used (of course) against Edwards.

He still beat Faircloth (even with Helms money & backing behind him).

[xray s]

13. He defeated the heart of the VRWC

BUZZFLASH: We've had two interviews with David Brock. We've interviewed Joe Conason. And this is something we keep coming back to because it's one of those factoids that gets lost in the nanosecond of news coverage that we're subject to now: Early on in the Clinton administration, before you joined the the White House staff, Robert Fisk was the Independent Counsel. And he was going to close down the Whitewater investigation and the Vince Foster investigation. He said there was nothing there.

And it was at that point that Jesse Helms and Lauch Faircloth met with Federal Judge David Sentelle, who headed the panel of judges that oversaw the Independent Counsel. And they, according to the story, replaced Fisk with Ken Starr for the purpose of continuing an investigation until something was found. And so it went on for years and years. Was there a point, in retrospect, even though you weren't with the administration at that time -- that this assault on democracy could been stopped?

http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/03/05/23_blumenthal.html

[Lex]

8. He is the only candidate with the experience

of beating of an incumbent southern Republican.

Yes, that's right. Edwards is only candidate who took out a southern (of course Bush isn't *really* southern), Republican incumbent.

Lauch Faircloth was one of the main Repug Senators involved in getting Ken Starr in place to try to destroy Clinton. During Faircloth's campaign for re-election, he had scores and scores of money to use (by the Jesse Helms political machine). They all tried to smear John Edwards in the worst way.

Yes, they tried "inexperience" then they tried "trial lawyer"--none of it worked against Edwards.

[LEW]

9. As more and more info comes out on Edwards

I like more and more what I'm learning. Saw his wife on Wolfie she was great and very gracious. Would love to see her take on pickles!!!

[rumguy]

11. take on pickles! LOL - what kinda contest are you thinking of?

[beaconess]

12. And, once in the Senate, stared down Helms and Bush on rightwing judges

and won.