Edwards Campaign Statement on Senator Clinton's Damage Control Efforts

[JohnLocke]

Edwards Campaign Statement on Senator Clinton's Damage Control Efforts
John Edwards for President
Thursday, November 1, 2007
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Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Edwards for President communications director Chris Kofinis released the following statement on Senator Clinton's post-debate damage control efforts:

"All the distractions in the world won't undo the fact that on Tuesday night millions of Americans saw John Edwards speak honestly and directly, while Senator Clinton once again took multiple positions on multiple issues. We understand that the Clinton campaign isn't happy about that, but instead of smoke and mirrors, how about some truth-telling? Forty-eight hours after the debate, we have lots of excuses, but we still don't have a yes or no answer to a yes or no question.

"That's not the 'politics of piling on,' it's the politics of parsing.

"After seven years of George Bush, the American people deserve better — they deserve the truth."

http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20071101-damage-control/

[rinsd]

1. John Edwards speaking honesty and directly? When did that happen?

:shrug:

[ccpup]

2. it's better than whining

and hearing the southern accent of his get deeper and deeper the more desperate he becomes.

[benny05]

3. I wish DU'ers would quit picking on Southern Accents

It comes across as condescending, as though only northern or midwestern accents are the only acceptable ones. John Edwards always says we shouldn't look down on anyone because of the family we were born into or the color our skin.

[ccpup]

7. you're right

we should just stick to taking opportunities handed to us on silver platters by moderators with an agenda to gang up on someone and then go out and take more money from some trial lawyers or a hedge fund, right?

(sorry, nothing personal, but I'm a little pissed about my Senator Schumer approving Mukasey and inappropriately directing my anger. Doesn't make it right, but at least I'm aware of it and tacitly apologizing, for what it's worth)

[w4rma]

10. Better to take money from trial lawyers who fight big buisiness rather than from big buisiness. (nt)

[ccpup]

11. but not so good

when you highlight your opponent's taking of funds while (hypocritically perhaps?) taking similar funds yourself.

[Evergreen Emerald]

17. exactly.

[MethuenProgressive]

16. benny, when you 'put on' the accent, it deserves contempt.

Edwards puts on and takes off his accent depending on the situation.
It's as phony as an Obama y'all.

[goodgd_yall]

20. I've never heard him "take off" his accent

When did that happen? He always sounds very Carolinan to me.

[goodgd_yall]

21. Just to spread the bias around, I can't stand

Texan accents. But if it's someone whose politics I like, I can forgive it (Molly Ivins, for instance).

[AndyA]

5. Whining? I hardly call this whining.

The truth IS what it is.

If you don't like it, you're probably supporting the right candidate.

[Cameron27]

4. Here's an interesting take on Edwards' comments

and video:

"When you compare Edwards' own statement to Clinton's, things get even more complicated. Edwards on Iraq at the Dartmouth debate, when he also said he couldn't commit to 2013, as well as beyond:"

Edwards in MSNBC paid time: "It is time to end this war."

Edwards on "Meet the Press": "Unless we're going to close the embassy in Baghdad, and have the only American embassy in the world that we provide no protection for, there have to some troops in Baghdad for protecting the embassy. ... We do need to maintain quick reaction forces just outside Iraq. ... .. That quick reaction force would be focused on the possibility of Al Qaeda operations."

Edwards at Dartmouth debate: "I think the problem is -- and it's what you just heard discussed -- is we will maintain an embassy in Baghdad. That embassy has to be protected. We will probably have humanitarian workers in Iraq. Those humanitarian workers have to be protected." - John Edwards

Sound familiar?

Is that Edwards' "double-talk" or the "politics of parsing," or did I miss something?

http://www.taylormarsh.com/

[goodgd_yall]

19. He has never said he'd keep combat troops in Iraq

And as for keeping forces outside Iraq as a quick reaction force, if necessary, his idea is that it's a bad idea to keep combat forces to fight Al Qaeda inside Iraq, because, well, it means we're still occupying Iraq. I don't see any contradiction in Edwards saying it is time to end the war and the statements you quote. I DO see a contradiction when Obama and HRC say they will end the war but say they will keep combat troops in to fight Al Qaeda. HRC and Obama have also said they will keep troops in Iraq to continue to train Iraqi forces. Edwards has never said he would do this.

[creeksneakers2]

22. Taylor Marsh is right on, as usual. n/t

[geek tragedy]

6. Once John Edwards opportunistically flip-flops, he's committed dammit! n/t

[ccpup]

8. oh man

:rofl: SNAP!

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Clinton gave an answer over Johnny's head - and it's the high point of his campaign!!

She gave a nuanced, complicated and thoughtful answer to a difficult question - and Edwards nearly shit himself jumping up and down in Ecstasy trying to get the camera's attention. And that's his "debate highlight." How sad for him.

[Inspired]

12. Nuanced? Complicated? Thoughtful? Is this the spin?

What a joke.

[Catchawave]

15. Nuanced + complicated + thoughtful - difficult = Waffle

Simple math :D

Oh, and I am Woman Hear Me Roar....at Hillary pulling the gender card.

[creeksneakers2]

23. The opposite of nuance

is wingnut "its either black or white" droolerism.

[goodgd_yall]

13. What the hell is he talking about?

What multiple positions on multiple issues? I'm supporting JE, but this is BS.

Oh, well...that's campaigning for ya.

[bvar22]

14. You could try these

"Senator Clinton says that she believes she can be the candidate for change, but she defends a broken system that's corrupt in Washington, D.C.

She says she will end the war, but she continues to say she'll keep combat troops in Iraq and continue combat missions in Iraq.
To me, that's not ending the war, that's a continuation of the war.

She says she'll stand up to George Bush on Iran. She just said it again. And, in fact, she voted to give George Bush the first step in moving militarily on Iran -- and he's taken it. Bush and Cheney have taken it. They have now declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization and a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction.
I think we have to stand up to this president.

And then, finally, she said in our last debate that she was against any changes on Social Security -- benefits, retirement aid, or raising the cap on the Social Security tax -- but apparently, it's been reported that she said privately something different than that." ---John Edwards

[goodgd_yall]

18. I would have expected you to give me quotes from Hillary

Quoting from Edwards doesn't mean a thing when I'm questioning his statements to begin with.

[creeksneakers2]

24. How about public financing?

Is that defending a corrupt system?