I'm stickin' with John Edwards.

[saltpoint]

He's a good man.

I'll support our ticket no matter what.

But I prefer that Edwards heads it.

[begin_within]

1. He's the only one which will talk about the central issue:

The fact that corporations have control of the government, when it should be the other way around. Nobody else that's still running will take this seriously. I won't vote for anyone who won't take this up as a major issue.

[saltpoint]

2. Hi, bob_weaver. Yes. The Edwards team has been unrelenting on this issue

and refreshingly so.

[begin_within]

9. And I believe that issue underlies most of the problems with the U.S. today.

So attacking that issue and changing that balance of power will make all the others a lot easier to deal with.

[saltpoint]

13. Yes. The more pressure that is brought to bear on economic justice in

Denver, the more likely the next administration might reflect that priority.

[MarjorieG]

12. Obama doesn't take PAC, Critical of lobbyists

At what point do we acknowledge our primary populist cycles every election not always helpful to the end run? Also very easy to stoke, and not supported by Edwards voting record when it was harder.

However sincere about the problems we face, where will be his alliances to get anything done?

At some point Edwards will become a spoiler and not a kingmaker, and I hope he recogizes it. From someone very involved with the facts on 2004, some of his campaign is revisionist, a Trippi specialty that didn't any favors to Dean, ultimately.

[Triana]

21. Yep that's true...

..the fact that corporations have control of the gov't is what prevents any substantial progress on any other issues - Iraq, the economy and jobs, the environment, national security, healthcare, and even the retention of our civil rights (see telecom spying immunity crap), and issues of economic and social justice - real substantial solutions to all those issues has been thwarted by the corporate control of our gov't for far far too long.

That issue is at the base of the rest of them. Remedying that problem is prerequisite to being able to do anything about the other issues facing this country.

JOHN EDWARDS is the only candidate who even mentions that, much less intends to do anything about it.

The other two candidates - while they LOOK very different - don't represent and will not implement the REAL SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES we need in our country now. Because they LOOK different (one female one black) - they represent symbolic change - but what they'll DO once in office is the same ol status quo - we've heard and seen that and we know where their money comes from. And while some things will change under their administrations, the biggest problems we face as a nation will still remain essentially unresolved or resolved primarily to the benefit of the corporations that bought a Clinton or Obama administration and NOT to the benefit of the PEOPLE.

An Edwards administration won't be bought. And ironically, HE (the white guy) is the one most addressing the social and economic justice issues facing people of color, vets, and women. (ie: poverty)

[begin_within]

36. Thanks - you said it better than I did.

Obama did mention lobbyists and ethics for about 1/2 second in his interview with George Stephanopolus this morning, but it seems like he thinks of those as merely side issues.

[Triana]

43. Yea, Obama mentioned it as an afterthought...

..whereas John Edwards has made the issue of lobbyists and corporate control a main issue in his campaign.

BIG difference.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. all these people abandoning him cause they want to vote for the winner make me sick.

Just one more way we seem to undercut ourselves every time. :(

I'm with you, JE all the way to the Convention! I refuse to abandon the only candidate who really speaks for us.

[OneGrassRoot]

5. What you said. Everything about this system is largely manipulated...

I refuse to be part of the manipulation. It's the primaries. I, for one, will vote my conscience.

[havocmom]

6. It is a sad condition of much human nature

which one other candidate tried to exploit from before the race really started, with creating the illusion of inevitability.

The good news is, that tactic was anathema to many voters and backfired with some.

[havocmom]

4. Yep

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/26/201956/685/633/443806

...
Objection One: The Sore Loser

To reiterate talking points from a "senior Clinton advisor" this week:

...

One senior adviser to the Clinton campaign said Edwards was "angry" because the primary race isn't turning out the way he had hoped. Now, Edwards just wants to make life miserable for everyone else.

Some think Edwards is playing the role of a spoiler, prolonging the day of reckoning between Clinton and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the Democratic front-runners. They fear the longer the Clinton-Obama battle goes on, the harder it will be to heal the inevitable wounds in the Democratic Party. It's time for Edwards to drop out of the race, they say.


John Edwards being in this race is the tether to Hillary's attacks. She can't go too far out on that limb for fear of alienating folks and sending them his way. An all out flame-war between the Clinton campaign and the Obama campaign does nothing but give the GOP fodder for the general election. This is not in the best interests of the party. Edwards has consistently made his campaign about this issues, and his staying in this race is the best hope we have for the primaries to continue to be about the issues. Hate the flame wars? Keep Edwards in this thing.

...

Objection Two: If Edwards Pulled Out Obama Would Win This Thing

...

1. There is no evidence that all or most of Edwards's supporters would vote for Obama.

2. If Edwards pulls votes from Hillary this only helps Obama in a brokered convention. Edwards has already made several declarations that he and Obama are closer on the issues to each other than they are to Hillary. He has already very publicly called her the "status quo candidate". Therefore, one could reasonably assume that if Edwards were to support anyone in a brokered convention that person would be Barack Obama. Edwards's support may be the deciding factor in such a scenario, and breaking toward Obama would give him the win.

*

* to MODS: I know the 4 paragraph rule, but this is in outline form and not paragraphs from an essay. Please consider that the outline section headers are kinda important to clarity of the paragraphs, which I did limit to 4. Thank you for any kind indulgence you can see your way to lend on this weird format I quoted. -hm

[cboy4]

7. And I wish the annoying "telemarketers" from a certain

other candidate would quit calling at all hours trying to convince me I should throw away my product and purchase theirs.

It's not going to happen.

[saltpoint]

10. Hey there, cboy4. I haven't received any of those calls. But I keep a

paragraph from Gabriel Garcia Marquez' ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by the phone for any telemarketing of any kind. As soon as I see what the call is, I begin reading the paragraph through to the end, and then hang up.

[cboy4]

14. Gasp. Just the thought of such a thing nearly caused

me to stop reading your entire response. lol

[femmocrat]

8. Me too.

Except that I cannot say that I would support the ticket "no matter what." Sorry.

[asdjrocky]

11. Ditto.

[Yael]

15. Sending to the Greatest!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. I would prefer it as well.

To be completely honest, I would prefer Gore. Oh well. Can't always get what I want, but can I please get what I need?

[saltpoint]

19. Al Gore's a good man. He deserves better from History than he got.

He earned the gold medal in 2000 and a cheap thief stole it from him.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. yeah --

~sigh~

[Thrill]

17. Edwards should stay in and continue to pound the Status Quo

which is Hillary

[spooky3]

18. you speak for me too.

[toadzilla]

20. as will I

I have no preference between barak and hillary.

[mathewsleep]

23. would you be happy if

he were promised to be the attorney general?
i know you want him on the top of the ticket, i'd love to see that to, but if that's not possible...
it still is possible, and i don't think any supporter should give up, ever.

[saltpoint]

24. Hi, mathewsleep. Good question.

You're right -- I'd like him in the Oval Office as a first choice.

As a second choice, I'd like to see him in any capacity at all where he could affect the most policy decisions as possible toward justice.

Attorney General -- especially after the 3 consecutive shitheads Bush has appointed to that job -- would be great!

Hope you're doing well. Good to see you.

:hi:

[mathewsleep]

26. i've been around, mostly lurking

and blocking, i've ignored so many people. people on both sides. i ignore anyone who attacks other democrats and doesn't actively supports their candidate.

[saltpoint]

33. You hang in there. A lot of good folks inhabit these boards and it's

likely you and they will discover each other eventually.

We've got us some rotten-to-the-core Republicans to whip come November and I'm glad you're on board for that project.

[OzarkDem]

25. No, he needs to be in the WH

Neither Hillary nor Obama is the kind of candidate who listens to the advice of others, unless they are a tight inner circle (Clinton) or are corporate leaders (Obama). Edwards skills would be wasted in such a position.

[mathewsleep]

27. so no?

all or nothing?

[SammyWinstonJack]

62. The repubs will block that with everything they have. Won't happen and frankly

after the way Edwards has been treated in this primary "race", Americans don't deserve him. Have fun with your Obama or Hillary nomination. Go with the media creation or the status quo. I am sure it is just what we need. :eyes:

[LibDemAlways]

28. I'm pragmatic. I'm continuing to support Edwards for

two reasons. One, I am more in agreement with him on the issues. Two, he has the best chance of winning in the general. I sincerely hope if someone else is nominated that I'm not proved right, but I don't think either Hillary or Obama could win in the fall.

[surfermaw]

30. All the way every day, until C,

[Cassandra]

29. What Old Crusoe said.

[asdjrocky]

31. Economic and social justice, our country cries out for it.

[saltpoint]

32. Hey asjdrocky. Yes. There's been precious little of either under

George W. Bush.

[liberalla]

57. "Economic and social justice, our country cries out for it."

That's it in a nutshell. We need BALANCE of power restored. "We the People" are being crushed by corporate and governmental gorillas. Laws changed to favor corporations and the rich. Access to the courts being narrowed and/or closed to individual citizens. Plus a whole bunch of other crap.

"We the People" need our power back. Balance must be restored.

John Edwards is my best hope, and I'm stickin' with John too.

Onwards, Upwards, Edwards. 2008

[citizen snips]

34. Edwards is in till the convention.

If Edwards does not have enough delegates to win the convention then Hillary and Obama will be begging for Edwards' delegates.

[saltpoint]

35. Hey MATTMAN. You bring up a scenario for Feb. 5th also -- if the

two frontrunners split the big share of delegates and it continues as a kind of tug-of-war between Feb. 6th and the convention, we could wind up with a situation where Edwards, perhaps with fewer delegates, has quite a bit of clout in determining the nominee and/or the planks of our platform.

This could get good.

[citizen snips]

38. This Trench warfare campaign is not going to end pretty.

Edwards will either be the mediator or with luck could be the nominee.

[saltpoint]

40. Yes. I am trying to look down the road to that evening in Denver when

John Edwards walks onto the stage to the podium to address the gathered delegates, many of whom will be his delegates.

I hope a LOT of whom!

I will be tuned in that night to C-Span to hear what The Carolinian has to say to my country.

[Ninga]

37. Edwards has set the benchmark on how to stay focused and not give up. I am not leaving.

[saltpoint]

39. _ _ _ _

Yer durn tootin.

:toast: :thumbsup: :hi:

[Tashca]

41. I hope all Edwards supporters stick with him.

Just as importantly I hope people heed your call to support whomever the nominee is.
My candidate dropped out early. I have chosen to wait for the nominee and support that person....no matter who it is.
In all the years I have been doing this I have never had the person I support become the nominee and it is discouraging. I was so discouraged in 92 when Bob Kerry was beaten out that I voted independent (Perot)....in 2000 I was upset that Bradley wasn't the nominee and I didn't even go to the polls..
Never again....I've learned my lesson. I will not let the press discourage me...I will vote for the nominee come hell or high water!!

[saltpoint]

42. By god, Bellator, I will DRIVE us both to the polls. I like your support for

Bill Bradley, by the way.

He's a favorite of mine.

And would make a splendid Vice President in 08, IMO.

[Rowdyboy]

44. My guy and I are right there with you through our primary March 8th....

I didn't sign on as a supporter expecting an easy campaign.

[saltpoint]

45. Rowdyboy. Good to see you.

You put it very well. It ain't supposed to be a walk through the park.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[Blue_In_AK]

46. Me, too, OC

But you know that already. :)

[saltpoint]

47. I guessed it, yes, you bet, but it's great to hear no matter what.

Happy Sunday!

:dem: :hi:

[Turn CO Blue]

48. I'm stickin' with John Edwards, too!

He's a good man and the strongest on the issues. He is focused and a fighter.

I will vote for the Democratic nominee, no matter what, but it would be best for the country and the party if Edwards were the name on the GE ticket!

[saltpoint]

49. No argument on any of those points, Turn CO Blue. I'm for a long, deep,

blue wave across the country (including Colorado!).

[Wednesdays]

50. Even if he wins only a few hundred delegates

Those delegates will tend to be progressive and have a huge influence on the party platform. :bounce:

[saltpoint]

60. That's a hoped-for outcome if the arithmetic goes for Senator Obama or

Senator Clinton.

A lot of very good people are supporting our 8 candidates this year. Some of the candidates have dropped out (I blame the media mostly for this, not the candidates' campaigns), but the people who supported them remain. They're Democrats. We could all sit down with them over a cup of coffee, a cold beer, or a rootbeer float -- hopefully not all at once -- and have us a terrific conversation on a LOT of common ground.

That's not a bad entrance point for interest in public service and citizenship.

Denver's going to be a really good event, IMO.

[mzmolly]

51. As am I OC. I plan to caucus for him next Saturday.

:hi:

[saltpoint]

59. I say thanks, mzmolly, for the commitment and the high-end citizenship.

I predict you're going to run into some wonderful people on this project.

Supporting a candidate -- the Dean group proved this in 04, IMO -- often opens a lot of wonderful personal windows and doors that flat-out didn't exist prior to someone committing to a campaign. Volunteers meet up and greet up and the next thing you know, both their lives have changed with a startling new relationship.

[Binka]

52. ........

You know where I stand OC. Shoulder to shoulder with John & Elizabeth. If Michelle Obama is Barack's rock, Liz is John's mountain of granite & diamonds.

[potone]

53. I honestly don't know who to support if Edwards can't win.

I feel very depressed right now. It's not that I think Edwards has always been right--some of his votes have troubled me greatly, but he does seem to be the only one who is talking about the economic disenfranchisement of the vast majority of the country, the class war of the rich against everyone else that the media pretends does not exist. I don't think either Hillary or Barack will take on the power of corporations in this country, and until that happens, real change will not take place. I will vote for whoever gets the nomination--all three are very smart and capable-but I wish that I could feel that more radical change was on the way.

[pamela]

54. I'm sticking with John all the way.

I'd rather fight than switch.

[liberalla]

56. Ha! Wasn't that an old cigarette commercial?

Well, Edwards is worth fighting for! All the way to Denver!

[Inspired]

55. He is a good man, isn't he? And you are a great supporter! n/t

[waiting for hope]

58. Love ya OC -

Couldn't have said it better! K&R for Edwards!

[saltpoint]

61. waiting for hope, hello, and as always,

it's a lift running into you on these boards.

We can read the arithmetic and see that Sens. Clinton and Obama lead in the national polling, but we also know how we feel about the domestic proposals John Edwards is running on.

A lot of people who feel alienated and left out of public life and engaged citizenship are stirred back to both when Edwards speaks. He's not speaking Ken Lay. He's speaking wage-earner and night-shifter and single parents moms and dads.