Rolling Stone - The Real Liberal: John Edwards... Don't Count Him Out

[jsamuel]

Here is a bit, but you should really read the whole thing...

The Real Liberal: John Edwards is Third in the Polls, But Don't Count Him Out



by Tim Dickinson

If he weren't rich, handsome and so well married, you might feel a little sorry for John Edwards. Never before in the 231-year history of our republic have the inalienable traits that Edwards possesses -- his fair skin and a Y chromosome -- been anything but a prerequisite for presidential politics. Today, his race and gender stand a chance of derailing his campaign altogether. "There's a lot of democrats who would like to make history," says Markos Moulitsas, founder of the influential online forum Daily Kos. "The party is anxious to nominate a black or a woman," agrees Dick Morris, the former adviser to Bill Clinton. "You have to sign off on either of those two options before you even get to voting for Edwards." Indeed, Edwards has been all but eclipsed by the celebrity candidacies of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama: He ranks a distant third in national polls, and his $12 million cash on hand is barely a third of Hillary's and Obama's hauls.

But counting Edwards out would be a big mistake. Flying below the radar, the former vice-presidential candidate is pulling off a feat that Democratic consultants have long considered impossible: staking out the most progressive platform among the viable candidates while preserving an aura of electability. In head-to-head polling against the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, Clinton and Obama have managed to post only modest leads. Edwards, by contrast, not only bests every Republican candidate in the race, he trounces them -- by an average of twelve points.

"Edwards' message is more left than it was in '04, and it's attracting the right kind of people for the primaries," says Bill Carrick, a veteran party strategist. "But the general electorate still sees him as mainstream. He's doing a good job of threading that needle."

...

[pennylane100]

1. He's my choice.

[venable]

2. the true hope for our party and country

k&r

[robinlynne]

3. happy to be the first to rec. Heard him speak last night at the 15.00 fundraiser.

yes, a 15.00 fundraiser. The line went through the venue, outside and around the block, so he went to see the people outside personally who couldn't fit inside. My favorite moment, when he quoted Bobby Kennedy, and said he wanted to continue the work that Bobby started.

[mod mom]

4. Al gore is my 1st choice but I just sent $ to Edwards. I would certainly work full hearted

for his campaign.

[jsamuel]

5. Thanks mod mom!!!!

[Yael]

6. Another k&r

[kestrel91316]

7. Edwards is my first choice (of the declared candidates).

He represents my views and outlook most accurately. Plus, he's a major babe.

:evilgrin:

[mantis49]

8. I like Edwards, myself.

I voted for him in the '04 primary and I'll do it again unless Gore enters the race.

[SKKY]

9. Of the current options, I'd take Edwards...

[Longhorn]

10. I've always liked him.

But I won't get much say in the primaries, living in Texas. :shrug:

[jsamuel]

11. It is entirely possible that Clinton, Obama, and Edwards split the first states

You will be very important if that happens.

[Longhorn]

12. That would certainly be exciting!

I remember the days of staying up all night watching the conventions to find out who the nominee was going to be! :)

But I fear that the longer the primary campaign, the meaner it could get. I want to see us united and working hard to elect the Democratic nominee, whoever it is!

[Kurovski]

13. If I had to vote today, I'd vote Edwards.

And I bet Kucinich would finally be--forgive me--"electable" as Edwards' vice-president.

I think the time might be right for a team like that.

[Vidar]

14. I'm for Kucinich, but I'd vote for Edwards, which is more than I'd do

for Hillary o Obama, at this point.