Edwards Charts New Course With Candidacy – Forbes.com Here’s what I think of John Edwards as a candidate. If you recall the Kerry Cheney debate, Cheney said he never met nor saw John Edwards on the Senate floor or anywhere else for that matter. This was to say that Edwards was just a shallow pretty boy. Edwards stammered and had no real response. And many thought that this guy was a quick thinking attorney. What happened? I think it was the next day that Jon Stewart showed a clip of the two men a month or so earlier glad-handing each other and sitting next to each other at some event like a prayer breakfast. So why didn’t Edwards call out Cheney on this bullshit? You tell me.
Former Sen. John Edwards is charting a different course as he opens his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. He’s claiming an edge in experience over potential rivals who seem to have momentum.
“There’s a maturity that comes with going through and being tested in the spotlight of a national campaign,” Edwards said Thursday, alluding to his experience two years ago as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
His first day as a declared candidate was a study in contrasts.
He launched the campaign in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, dressed in jeans and standing with volunteers – minus the cheering crowds and waving American flags that accompany most such announcements.
Edwards said volunteers working to rebuild a home “show what’s possible when we as Americans, instead of staying home and complaining about somebody else not doing what they’re supposed to, we actually take responsibility and we take action,” he said.
No chance in hell comes to mind when I think of the Edward’s candidacy. What makes these rich lawyers all think they can be President.
In 6 months time, he will be as memorable as the “Breck Girl” – to which he was compared repeatedly during the last campaign….
Correction to my comment above; to WHOM he was compared repeatedly (even though she was a face on a bottle). English does matter…..
Given Hillary or Barry O’bama, I’m picking Edwards every time.
I like Edwards! His focus on poverty makes me like him even more. I take my Christian faith seriously and I can’t think of a more Christian political position than helping the poor.
I find interesting that my conservative friends dismiss both Obama and Edwards because of their limited Washington experience. When did they conservatives start preferring “Washington insiders”? I thought they liked outsiders. This is so confusing!
Democrats would shot themself in a foot by candidacy of either of the three #4 mentions. If general public agrees on anything it is the lawyer hatred. Particularly focused on the type of extortionist lawyer as Edwards was(is?)… Hilary or Obama will manage their way in on PC basis, I just hope as a vice-president candidate with someone of substance in the command. I’d like to see NM Governer Richardson in the lead…
None of them can win, because the democrats can’t get organized. McCain needs to take them all in the back room and tell them “Here’s who we’re running, and the rest of you are going to sit down and shut up this time around. We’ll all do great things together IF we do what’s best for the team.”
Didn’t any of them see “A Beautiful Mind”? If we all go for the blonde, we all lose.
So far Dennis Kucinich and Tom Vilsack have tossed into the ring. With a railroad spike through his head, John Edwards is far more interesting candidate.
It is absurdly early to say who I support, but having no ability to fortell the future but a John Edwards / Barack Obama ticket might have legs… especially since Hillary Clinton can do more to return Republicans to power than anything else…
Before the election when there was the vote on the anti-gay marriage amendment Kerry and Edwards were the only two who just happened not to be there that day. Way to take a stand… That’s when I lost all respect for Kerry and Edwards and I knew that neither one would ever win the election. They are afraid to take a stand and actually be on one side or the other of an issue. If you don’t have the guts to take a stand and vote on a controversial issue that might alienate some people there’s no way I trust you enough to vote for you.
I think a John Edwards/Dan Quayle ticket would be eminently electable.
Better yet John Edwards/John Edwards (the psychic) would really get people going.
John Edwards believes in “two Americas”: Liberals and those who still believe in the American Dream. How about John Edwards/Michael Moore?
OK, I’ll stop now. 😉
Edwards probably didn’t want to get in to a toddler shouting match with the vice prez. That is why he didn’t call him on that bullshit. His staff may have said this to him. “Everyone knows that Cheney lies every time he opens his mouth, so why argue.”
Standing in front of a dilapidated broken house was a great call to announce his candidacy.
Its the physical manifestation of his chances to win.
!0 – You unbiased analysis is always appreciated.
#10 – Your unbiased analysis is always appreciated.
America hates lawyers as much as it hates rich kid coke heads.. Oh wait..
I suppose after ten yars of corrupt, jaded and “everything is for sale” government, a guy like Edwards does seem like a dreamer.
But, that’s what I want!
I want somebody who has a higher vision for America than government-for-the-highest-bidder like we have now.
I’m not naive — I don’t think Edwards is going to single-handedly usher in a new golden era. But I do like that he seems to honestly believe in the American Dream and has a deep faith in the goodness of our country.
That is SO DIFFERENT than who has been in power for the last decade.
I really appreciate the pre-planned photo-op announcement he made in New Orleans. That right there illustrates how vile and disgusting the vast majority of politicians are to me.
Yeah I think that the lawyer issue and maybe a couple of inexperience issues are something . Though he is a hell of a strong candidate, he is male, he is white, he is Christian, charismatic , he is southern,he has set up campaigns for Poverty, he is very much a populist, which should resonate with many voters, especially the ones the democrats need. Though 2008 shouldn’t be too hard, because of the way bush has given the democrats the white house anyway.
My take on Democratic politics is they were better off in the days of the “smoke-filled room” picking a winning candidate behind closed doors rather than letting the electorate on the street vote for one. This improvement of eliminating the smoke-filled room because some dingalings thought they were being marginalized by the good old boys network has resulted in Bush winning twice. The Dems will lose again too despite the Iraq war and the rest of the blunders.
Breck Girl running means nothing to the overall landscape. He can’t cover up his smug mannorisms, which will make Osama and even Hillary look more approchable.
Cheney is a debate god, however. He handled Breck even better than Leiberman.
Does this mean Edwards will reduce taxation to the point that many of us can afford o leave off work and volunteer to help people? Will he eliminate FEMA and the many other bureaucracies that do almost nothing at a very high cost? I doubt it, but I’d vote for him if he campaigns on that platform.
#5 – is it really Christian to rob Peter to pay Paul (and take 50% off the top for the robbers?)
#21 >>is it really Christian to rob Peter to pay Paul (and take 50% off the top for the robbers?)
Caring about the poor is Christian. There are something like 300 bible verses on economic justice.
How Ronald Regan of you to scapegoat the poor for your high taxes.
Look at this chart and tell me where most your high taxes are going. It ain’t the poor:
http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81&Itemid=107
It was the primaries that got Kennedy nominated and Jimmy Carter, and Clinton. The smoke filled room still produces Al Gore, Bush, Kerry, etc.
How can anyone think that a person who was 1 out of 100 senators for one term( actually less) can be president? What’s behind this enthusiasm for Barack Obama? oops, wrong thread.