John Edwards: the true outsider ?

[JI7]

pretty good article on edwards. talks about his experience coming from his work as a trial lawyer on behalf of the people against large businesses and many other things.

< NASHUA, N.H. — Seeking to sharpen his image as a populist bent on changing the nation's political system, presidential candidate John Edwards urged fellow Democrats on Saturday to support his bid to reinvent a country he said is now divided into "two Americas" — one for the rich and powerful and the other for "everybody else."

Referring to changes in recent cuts in the capital gains tax, he added, "We're going to end the days when million-dollar investors are sitting by their swimming pools getting their financial returns and … paying a lower tax rate than their secretaries are paying."

Edwards told the crowd that his own lack of years in Washington was a good thing. Change, he said, will come from the outside, not from within.

"He came here to talk about hope, to talk about optimism, to talk about the future of America," Edwards said. "He didn't come here to talk about anger. He didn't come here to talk about cynicism, because John Kennedy understood that cynics didn't build America, optimists built America.">

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-edwards4jan04,1,5605230.story?coll=la-home-politics

[JI7]

1. edwards on cspan now

.

[White Mountain]

2. John Who

Is he still running? Dean's the man.

[Brian_Expat]

3. He's invoking KENNEDY?!?

Kennedy was one of those Yankees who, as Edwards said, "comes down here to tell us Southerners what to do."

Can he not make up his mind?

[chimpymustgo]

6. Give me Edwards' sunny optimism ANY day. It is Kennedyesque.

And Kennedy never tucked his chin, pursed his lips, pointed his finger and ignorantly preached to anyone.

[Brian_Expat]

10. Edwards' sunny optimism. . .

. . . unless you live north and east of Washington, DC.

[AP]

4. totally agree.

This is the guy with the real democratic message which will reverse the trend of the upward redistribution of wealth, cultural and political power.

[White Mountain]

14. Edwards???

Too blond

[spooky3]

5. good article; thank you!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

7. Edwards isn't quite an *outsider*

But he's definately on our side.

[cryofan]

8. Great debater, but isn't his voting record rather conservative?

hmmm?

[chimpymustgo]

11. Edwards has a liberal/moderate record - moreso than Dean.

And coming from a conservative state like NC, he's practically a tree-hugging librul.

Check out his website:

www.johnedwards2004.com

Enjoy.

[bearfartinthewoods]

12. huh?

NAACP>>>94%
AFL_CIO>>>94%

[poskonig]

9. Edwards needed this message months ago.

The millworker talk is killing his campaign. Did you know his mother worked at a post office? :beer:

[QC]

13. Believe it or not, some of us

get tired of being asked to choose between two aristocrats every time there's an election.

Speaking as someone who is also the son of a factory worker, I like to see people in politics who have some idea of what it is like to work for a living.

[AP]

16. Anyone read the NYTimes article on Lula's popularity in Brazil?

Working class guy. The people love him. They think he understands where the average Brazillian is coming from. The Times seemed to want to throw some cold water on the idea, but you can't lie about the facts. His approval ratings are higher now than they were when he won in a landslide a year ago.

[QC]

17. That was a big part of Truman's appeal, too.

My grandfathers, a miner and a street department worker, adored the man because they believed he knew what their lives were like.

[Turkw]

18. There are several options to two aristocrats, Edwards, Clark, Kucinich,

Sharpton

[LiberalBushFan]

15. I really can't see Edwards as an outsider

but it sure ain't Howard Dean either.

[Jerseycoa]

19. The outsider thing is off

But Edwards is really very good. He did the best in the Iowa debate tonight, too.