Give your assessment of Edward's debate performance here:

[youthere]

I'm looking for honest assessment here folks....so save the petty bashing for elsewhere please. You must list at least one pro AND con...so no fluffing the candidate...OR using it as an opportunity to bash mercilessly.

PRO: I liked seeing the aggressive side of Edwards. He was confident and smooth and didn't let up. I could really see the trial lawyer in him (and I mean that as a compliment). Before last night I had always considered him kind of wishy-washy so I liked seeing the "tough guy" in Edwards.

CON: He seemed so focused on taking Clinton down that I didn't get much substance from him.

[truebrit71]

1. It was his best debate performance so far. He was focused, precise, approachable..

...and offered a clear alternative to the 'inevitable' candidate...

He took no prisoners without being in full-on attack-dog mode, and maintained composure throughout...

[sandnsea]

2. Democrats have been warned

If they want a change and don't get one because they choose Hillary, they can't say the choice wasn't made clear. Edwards, Biden and Obama did that last night.

[quinnox]

3. Did not like Edwards in that debate

I thought he came across as a bully in his what seemed to be an obsession with trying to throw mud at Hillary hoping something would stick.

He seemed desperate and willing to say anything no matter how low or demeaning.
I don't think Edwards won any points with women voters for instance last night (unless of course they already liked Edwards) but for undecided women I can imagine them seeing Edwards trying to man handle Hillary won't like that at all.

In contrast I was proud that Hillary never took the bait from him, and instead turned it around to bash the republicans instead.


Obama was much better in confronting Hillary last night, he did it in a way that was forceful yet still polite and didn't make it seem like he was wallowing in mud like Edwards was.

[ddeclue]

4. Oh give us a break- Hillary screwed up - Edwards was Excellent.

Hillary got shown up as the two faced weasel worder she really is. Edwards showed us that he is the honest straight forward guy we all want for President.

Hillary was the desperate one last night.. She gave two DIFFERENT answers to the same question in 60 seconds.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[youthere]

8. NOw now...play nice..

you still have to find a pro...say he wore nice shoes or something. LOL!
All kidding aside..I had the exact opposite reaction to him (for the record, I'm a female that does not support him). I actually came away feeling slightly better about him. (I always felt he was kind of wishy-washy and HATED that Kerry tapped him in 2004)

The thing I didn't like was that he left me with nothing, no substance. He didn't make himself stand out to me as a candidate.

[quinnox]

11. OK

John Edwards looked handsome and well dressed in the debate.

[youthere]

13. Thank you.

[Ninga]

18. May I kindly suggest you check in with the Political Videos and revisit Edwards positions.

I believe he has an abundance of substance, more so than most candidates.

However, substance is in the ear of the beholder....and perhaps he does not speak to the issues that are important to you. But nonetheless and in my opinion... he was able to separate from the pack last night...and with great substance.

[Rydz777]

5. Pro: he is a highly articulate trial lawyer who showed his skills - as

for Con, I saw none. That said, I like Edwards positions in general, but I remain very uneasy about the way he leaves himself open to attacks on his lifestyle (not his house or his haircuts, but his hedge fund connections.)

[youthere]

6. I agree on the Hedge funds issue..I think that has the potential to hurt him.

[Medical Speaking]

7. Edwards

Got my vote, he speaks to Americans not Corporation like Clinton does, Elect Clinton it will be same as same has. GO EDWARDS

[youthere]

9. Medical Speaking...

I appreciate the input on Edwards but your post is not in keeping with the guidelines of this thread. Please post a PRO and a CON for this candidate. This is not meant to be a thread to criticize other candidates. I want to look OBJECTIVELY at this particular candidate. Thank you.

[msongs]

10. you can tell he is an attorney who learned how to push buttons nt

[youthere]

14. Absolutely..

I have to say that in 2004 I kept saying "THIS guy is an ATTORNEY?!"
When he debated Cheney I kept waiting for it to come out. It didn't (IMO). I saw it last night and I was pleased.

[Ninga]

20. I do not wish to lose it at this point and say "oh for fucks sake" so I won't. Call it pushing

buttons or call it debate skills......Edwards displayed them brilliantly during the debate.

Why wouldn't you want a President with verbal skills and intellectual know-how, sitting at the negotiation table with an enemy?

[Frances]

12. Middle class vs have-nots and/or working class

The reasons I prefer the term middle class

1)The term middle class has positive connotations: hard working; reliable; steady; the backbone of the country

2)The term middle class is inclusive. The voters need to know that the Dems will look after their interests.

Unfortunately, Ronald Reagan and subsequent Repubs persuaded many middle class voters, especially white male wage earners, that the Dems were taking their hard-earned money and giving it to welfare queens.

When voters had secure jobs, they didn't care if corporations made a lot of money. But now the corporations are taking their tax cuts and sending middle class jobs overseas.

One of the Dem candidates in the debate last night talked about the 12,000 (I think) corporations located in one building in the Cayman Islands. He said it was either the largest building ever or else the corporations were just dodging taxes.

[Bennyboy]

15. He had me till the Pot question......

Then he showed that he is willing to keep the statud quo in regards to marijuana. And having another 2.8 million marijuana prisoners in this country during his four year term is unnaceptable to me.

I have the same problem with Biden. When he attached the RAVE Act to the Amber Alert bill,it was all over with him.

[youthere]

16. I agree..

The "it sends the wrong message to our children" just seemed weak, canned and frankly, a cop out..but to be fair it's not a high priority issue for me.

[Bennyboy]

17. It's huge for me....

I smoke and it is the only thing I do that qualifies me a criminal.

The thing is, last 700,000 people were busted for marijuana. that is 2.8 million over four years.

Do the math. every bust costs an everage of $10,000, when you figure in the cops, the public defender, the lighta t the courthouse, the DA, the probation etc. A minimum of 10,000. Some cost MUCH MUCH more.

That is billions of dollars spent every year to do what? Criminalize US Citiznes that are doing nothing wrong.

And Edwards answer seemed so trite and inflexible, that I don't know if I can put an X by his name.

[youthere]

24. I don't want to imply...

that it isn't an important issue. It's just for me personally I would rank health care reform, education reform, the Iraq war and GLBT rights just rank higher for me. I don't personally partake, but I think it's ridiculous and ourtrageous that it's illegal, based only on hysteria contrived from the right. And you're right, his answer on that was trite, with no effort to actual insight on it. Knee-jerk. But for me personally, it's not enough to keep me from supporting him in the GE should he get the nom. Biden is also against decriminalization, but again, his strength on the other issues makes up for it, for me. Dodd is absolutely right on this issue though.

[Bennyboy]

27. Biden..>The RAVE ACT...enough said...

[IndianaJones]

19. Edwards is always impressive. He looks very comfortable. nt.

[Jane Austin]

21. Pro: He articulated the "Hillary = status quo" argument very well,

especially the part about so much big-lobby money going to her.

Con: This is going to sound a little weird, I guess. No one else has mentioned it, but here goes . . . .

I thought Edwards blinked, bobbed, swayed and "mugged" more than he should.

Inasmuch as he is a trial lawyer and has to know the importance of body language, I was surprised at how physically out-of-sync he seemed with his strong statements.

Republicans love to cast male Dems as feminine (the mommy party) and I felt that he was giving them something to work with last night.

As a runner, he keeps very trim, but if I were advising him I'd want him to bulk up some with weights - especially his neck - and I'd tell him to stand still and not be so expressive with his face when he talks.

Disclaimer: I see absolutely NOTHING wrong with doing everything I mentioned above, and having any kind of neck you want to have - UNLESS you are hoping to make yourself look strong, determined, serious, and, well, Presidential.

Please don't think I am picking on Edwards, because I wouldn't take the time to write this if I just wanted to pick. I think he is a credible candidate who is saying all the right things; but, to me, his body language is working against what he is saying.

[Perry Logan]

22. Why bother?

[Mass]

23. Pro: he articulated most of his positions very well and had some of the most progressive views

(pot aside)
CON: body language that makes me uncomfortable and lead me to not trust him.

[BootinUp]

25. PRO: Edwards is a fine debater, possibly the best up there

CON: He is too phony for me, his play to the netroots does not ring true when compared to his record. I also think he overdid the personal stuff against Hillary (of course that plays to his desired audience).

[Hell Hath No Fury]

26. I thought he was very strong...

in making the distinction between himself and the other candidates, particularly Clinton. I also think he stated his desire to change the status quo clearly. I too admired seeing his strength and passion -- it felt like he wa a person I wanted on my side.

My negeative thought: I like the talk, now can I trust him to follow-thru on everthing I am hearing. I fell under the Bill Clinton spell during his first campaign and feel I didn't quite get what was advertised when he was finally in office. Some of Edwards background makes me frankly nervous.

He's not my first choice, but I think he has been strong in the last two debates.

On edit: I wanted to add that I thought Joe Biden was very good last night -- he really stood out for me. :hi:

[youthere]

28. That's good to hear...I think Biden did well too.

Thanks Hell Hath No Fury.