Edwards growing problem in South Carolina

[grantcart]

Third place in NH is bad enough but he is just fading away in South Carolina - his birth and neighbor state.

Rasmussen shows him losing 3 more points down to 14. Other polls show him consistantly under 17

http://www.pollster.com/08-SC-Dem-Pres-Primary.php

This completely undermines the improvement in the national polls

[Thrill]

1. I live in Charlotte, NC

I keep telling people up here. How unpopular he is in the Carolinas. There is zero excitement for his running for President. The news opens every night, with how exciting Obama is.

[Greylyn58]

28. Well, I live in Charlotte, NC

and I know tons of people who are very excited about his campaign.

....and I hardly ever watch the local "If it bleeds it leads" news around here.

[waiting for hope]

31. I'm in Wilmington -

and it's all Good here - even Repukes are saying they'd vote for Edwards!

[lisainmilo]

32. I am in Missouri....lots of Edwards fans here...and

My Repug uncle wants Edwards!!!!:)

[NCarolinawoman]

34. I live in the Raleigh area and people are just plain tired of him.

He basically did nothing for his constituents and the people that I know don't think he deserves a promotion.

[TarHeelMom]

39. I live in the Raleigh area too

and I see and hear exactly what you said.

[DURHAM D]

41. Same here - I live in Durham and work in Chapel Hill

a couple days a week. I don't find him on anyone's radar screen. Seriously, I know one person who supports him.

He was elected to the Senate and started running for higher office in March of 2000. Why should we care - he went national?

[greguganus]

43. I live in Smithfield and work in Raleigh and it's the same here

People still remember how Edwards used his senate seat to run for president, and felt he ignored them. So now many will ignore Edwards. I don't see him faring well here.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

42. I don't understand why this is.

Quite frankly, I never understood how Hillary polled so highly in SC, considering that Edwards is practically a next-door neighbor, and as I recall he absolutely creamed Kerry in 2004.

[jsamuel]

2. that is two states away give it time

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. How do you figure that? I think Rasmussen is wrong. Polls are often way off nt

[sam sarrha]

8. polls are directly related to media exposure... media has 'Disappeared' edwards

[Sarah Ibarruri]

16. But the people out there are more in favor of Edwards than ever.

Isn't that odd? I talk to people everywhere and people are saying they plan to vote for Edwards.

[frazzled]

21. Now THAT is what I call the audacity of hope

He's sinking like a stone (he didn't have far to fall; his numbers in SC were always distant, distant third to Clinton and Obama). The only thing that could save him is if Barack Obama is found with a dead girl or a live boy. And that isn't going to happen.

[comradebillyboy]

4. looks like he shot himself in the foot today

vis HRC. Edwards is about half as smart as he thinks he is. I'm sure women will overlook his blatant sexism and means spiritedness when they vote, because he is such a pretty boy.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. I see you respect the ability of women to reason. n/t

[comradebillyboy]

9. I see you are incapable of recognizing

sarcasm

[OneGrassRoot]

12. The way this board has been lately, we DEFINITELY require the...

:sarcasm: tag.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :hi:

[comradebillyboy]

15. sorry for the snarky response

[Darth_Kitten]

23. then try the sarcasm smiley........since you were being sarcastic of course

n/t

[Yael]

10. How so?

[comradebillyboy]

14. I think it was a mistake for Edwards to say anything

Hillary's campaign is in trouble and Edwards comments generated some sympathy for her and many viewed his remarks as sexist, fairly or not. I don't think he hurt Hillary and he did not help himself, ergo my comment about shooting himself in the foot. He only helped Obama and nobody else, in my opinion.

[AshevilleGuy]

18. I wish that he had simply said,

"We are all tired, and these things happen. I hope she feels better soon", and LET IT GO at that. Being ungracious to a woman, deliberately or not, will not win him votes from older males.

[Yael]

19. Wait a minute

When confronted, he said that (1) it wasn't right for him to comment and that IN GENERAL that (2) all of them were exhausted and that the process is grueling and (3) the role of the president is very demanding.

How is this 'shooting himself in the foot'?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

17. Okay, I give up. I'm a woman. How do you figure he insulted me?

[Darth_Kitten]

22. ????

LOL

Can't wait until Obama rings up the "president" of Canada and talk about NAFTA.
Just saying......who's the inexperienced one again?

[krabigirl]

36. I'm a woman, and I didn't really like what he said, but he was being honest.

[slick8790]

5. I'm hoping as clinton becomes more and more beat down by losses, John can capitalize

He wasn't expected to win NH by any standard, and now he's pulled within 6 points. A close third to hillary would be a deatknell to her campaign, IMO. With her aura of inevitability gone, I'm hoping John can use his upswing in national polls to pick up some super tuesday states. I know it's not terribly likely, but it's possible.

[jackson_dem]

13. That is likely

As Clinton's support has fallen much of it is going to Edwards.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. I live in Raleigh, and the news highlights his campaign. n/t

[demo dutch]

11. Forget the polls they're always skewed!

[Hieronymus]

20. MSNBC just reported that Hillary is down 20 points in South Carolina.

[MissDeeds]

24. But he's rising in national polls n/t

[jackson_dem]

26. Which is what will matter on Super Tuesday

[MissDeeds]

27. Agreed

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[jackson_dem]

29. Thank you, Mis Deeds

[Two Americas]

25. welcome

This is a novel experience. A new member who is apparently (?) an Edwards supporter, yet brings such discouraging news. Hmmmph.

Consider us to be "completely undermined" - just competely undermined - and woe is us whatever will we do now?

Time for the weeping and gnashing of teeth to begin now I guess. I think I will start rending my garments and pulling out my hair.

What were we thinking being so inspired, motivated and enthusiastic? Thank God someone showed up with a wet blanket before it was too late.

[grantcart]

30. Need to be intellectually honest

I am new, not being much of an internet person, but having worn out all of my democratic friends pestering them about John. I have given the maximum for his campaign and attended the anti war protests organized by our local OneCorps Chapter.

The purpose of the post was not to spread doom and gloom as much as it was to give a heads up so people can prepare themselves because soon, probably after tomorrow, it will be in the news.

It seems species to me to cherry pick the polls as some seem to do especially when they are quoting polls from Rasmussen nationally one minute and then dissing the Rasmussen state polls the next.

Those of us who do support John and are committed to him are likely to start facing pressure from fellow Dems to fall in line for unity sake.

My personal response is that John should continue to the convention regardless of the results because even if he is not winning the primaries he is driving the discussion.

[Two Americas]

35. ok

I can't imagine losing any arguments to any fellow Dems.

Not sure what your concern is. Are you personally getting discouraged?

Not sure what the point about polls is exactly.

Unity is a crock. You should be able to defend that position.

[grantcart]

37. Thank you for your nice reply

1) It is hard to be discouraged in general given that the torture of these last 7 years is about to be wiped away.

2) I am not trying to be negative but while the increase in the polls nationally is a good sign the reality is that it is really driven state by state and Edwards doesn't need to win but he needs to get ahead of Clinton. In that more specific area I am somewhat discouraged and I can see the media really dumping on Edwards with a poor S Carolina showing.

3) On the otherhand if Edwards can move ahead of Clinton then the Media will do everything in its power to keep the race alive as long as it can. They are making a fortune and if it becomes a coronation for Obama media sales and ratings will go down.

So my point is we have to prepare for some possible bad news in the interim.

I now understand the sensitivities of postings better hear and I regret especially the subject line title. I would hope however that we would be able to share clearly factual material without being thought of as being disloyal; which I know you were not suggesting.

[Two Americas]

38. thanks

If you focus on the message rather than the horse race, you will be immune from the roller coaster of personal elation and disappointment.

The news is already bad. Electing just any Democratis not necessarily the answer. There isn't any bad news to prepare for, and no reason to prepare for it. We go forward because it is the right thing to do, not because we think we have a good chance of winning.

No loyalty tests from me. I just ask that I know where people stand. So many people try to disguise where they stand.

I stand for the principles and ideals that Edwards is expressing, not for Edwards the man. That struggle has been going on for 45 years for me, and will go on until the end.

[spooky3]

33. The majority of likely voters in SC Dem Primary are Af-American

(see the links to the SurveyUSA polls other people provided.

Clinton and Obama have always had a strong base in African-American voters, and that is also confirmed in the SurveyUSA polling.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that Edwards lags both of them in the South Carolina *Dem.* primary. However, this is no indicator of how he would do among *all* voters in SC if he were at the top of the ticket in the general election.

[Freddie Stubbs]

40. I'm sure that he will get a bump from his distant third-place finish in NH