Edwards: "I lived through the inevitably of Howard Dean"

[jefferson_dem]

Edwards says Dean looked inevitable, too
By AMY LORENTZEN, Associated Press Writer

CORYDON, Iowa - Democrat John Edwards tried to make light of Hillary Rodham Clinton's big lead in national polls Monday, saying that four years ago it looked as if Howard Dean might run away with the nomination.

Edwards, campaigning in the state that will hold leadoff caucuses in January, said his organization is much stronger than at this point in 2004 when he eventually won a surprise second-place finish.

Clinton now leads in Iowa as well nationally, according to the latest polling. The Des Moines Register on Sunday had her at 29 percent in the state, up from 21 percent previously, with Edwards at 23 percent, down from 29. Barack Obama was at 22.

Asked about a belief among some that a Clinton nomination is inevitable, Edwards brushed the idea aside.

"I lived through the inevitably of Howard Dean," he said.

Dean, now chairman of the Democratic National Committee, was the front-runner in polls and fundraising in the 2004 election cycle before finishing third in the Iowa caucuses behind John Kerry and Edwards.

"I know that what happens, from my experience in 2004, is people look much more intensely at you as a candidate the closer you get to the caucus," he said. "A lot of the celebrity fades away. So, I think as a practical matter, that bodes well."

<SNIP>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071008/ap_po/edwards_iowa_3

[Demeter]

1. Howard Dean Was Character-Assassinated by the MSM

Hillary sees fit to do the job herself....

[madfloridian]

2. Glad I don't have to bother to vote in a primary.

Cause that statement turns me off.

I am pretty much turned off all of them right now about the war, and about Iran.

[tritsofme]

3. Howard Dean was never inevitable.

And the two situations don't jive.

The 2004 group was basically a bunch of nobodies to the average voter, similar to the GOP field this time around sans Giuliani.

For the most part they had no long standing national following, and Dean happened to be the media's flavor of the month.

This time we have Hillary as frontrunner, voters have known her for over 15 years. Obama and Edwards are also much larger political forces than any of the Dem candidates in 2004, everyone's positions are much more entrenched this time around.

Hillary hasn't been leading the polls for months just because the media has nothing else to talk about, it is because she is a well known and respected figure in the Democratic Party with a large, loyal, and growing following.

[cali]

4. It wasn't that he was the media's flavor of the month

it was that he lit a fire under dems.

[madfloridian]

5. So she is inevitable...and I don't have to worry about voting in the primary.

.

[tritsofme]

14. Well assuming you are registered to vote in Florida.

It seems Mr. Dean has seen to it that you will not in fact have to worry about voting in a presidential primary.

[madfloridian]

18. Oh, my don't lie to me. Read this. Dems here on board with GOP since 2006.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1564

Just read it. And quit spreading propaganda that Florida is a victim. They had this all worked out with Marco Rubio, Jeb's boy. Rubio said so in March 2006 and was backed up by the Florida party spokesperson.

There is so much truth out there about this issue now, that Florida is going to get a very bad reputation...deservedly so.

[oasis]

36. Please, settle down. "A bunch of nobodies to the average voter". Don't

get your knickers in a twist over semantics.

[madfloridian]

38. Are we trying to out do each other in arrogance here at DU?

That was a very insulting post to all the candidates who ran in 04.

I am seeing some ugly stuff here.

[madfloridian]

39. Did you reply to the wrong post? I was speaking of Florida's lies..

about the DNC.

[madfloridian]

23. "a bunch of nobodies"???? ""media flavor of the month"

My God, the arrogance here is overwhelming.

What absolutely ugly statements that put down everyone who isn't Hillary.

Sick of it.

[tritsofme]

34. In the 2004 election cycle, Joe Lieberman was probably the only national figure

Of the major candidates.

This year we have Hillary, Obama, and Edwards.

That's all I'm saying, the dynamic is completely different.

[oasis]

37. "......to the average voter". 'Tis true. Who, but pols, knew about Dean then, or now?(eom)

[madfloridian]

41. Nobodies nobodies nobodies.

Yep, nobody knew who Dean was...nobody. And nobody knows who he is now.

He's a nobody just like the rest of us little ordinary Democrats who hate war, who hate having our phones tapped, and who don't think we need a war with Iran anymore than we needed one with Iran.

I am sick to death of the arrogance here toward us little "Nobodies" who worked out butts off for the party in 2004.

But I am done with working my nobody butt off. No more, can't get fooled again.

Nobodies nobodies.

[tritsofme]

42. I think many people here at DU forget that they are in the class of political elites

They know far more about politics and current events than the average voter ever will.

To most people the 2004 crowd was a bunch of nobodies, especially at this point in the game, those are just the cold hard facts.

[calteacherguy]

6. He looks tired. nt

[Turn CO Blue]

8. He's 54 and looks like he's in his late 30s.

Would you also say that Sen. Clinton has cankles or that Al Gore should lose weight?

[Cameron27]

9. Sorry, he does look tired in that pic.

He looks incredibly young, but I think his eyes really do look tired.

[knight_of_the_star]

15. You would be too if you were running

I wonder when was the last time any of the candidates got a good night of sleep.

[Cameron27]

22. No kidding,

I'd never make it through a week of this campaign.

[knight_of_the_star]

29. Just imagine how bad it was in '04

Dear Gods was that cycle nasty!

[MissDeeds]

7. Poor choice of words

I like Edwards, but he could have chosen his words better. I wish we had lived through the inevitability of Howard Dean. Bet we wouldn't be in Iraq now and the Constitution would be regarded as more than "a goddamn piece of paper".

[madfloridian]

10. Amen to that.

:hi:

[Cha]

32. I'll 3rd that,

MissDeeds!

[Lugnut]

40. Hear, hear!

Welcome to DU, MissDeeds. :hi:

[Adelante]

11. Ugh nt

[Peregrine Took]

12. What the hell does that mean? I love Howard and hate how the DLC and the

media ruined his chances. He would have been a brilliant president. What is Edwards talking about???

[waiting for hope]

13. He's talking about the

"polls" and the supposed coronation of Queen Clinton.

[Renew Deal]

17. He's saying that the race changes quickly

especially when people start paying attention. There's no offense to Dean.

[Renew Deal]

16. He's right

It's truly that simple.

[madfloridian]

19. It was tasteless to say it.

.

[Renew Deal]

47. I disagree.

I don't think there's any malice intended. We used to say the same thing about Lieberman in 2004. "Lieberman was the front runner. He looked inevitable."

[truebrit71]

48. I'm sorry but I disagree. I am sick and tired of the Hillary Triumphalists that pollute these boards

..with their gleeful posts about the inevitablity of their candidate's nomination....that they fail to realize that until the ballots are cast NOTHING MATTERS...

At this point in the cycle last time around, NO-ONE took John Kerry seriously and at was all Dean, all the time...and look what happened to him...

That's what Sen. Edwards was talking about...and he's right...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

20. He also lived through the inevitability of John Edwards.

Why does he keep citing 2004? It's weird. He should refer to some race he wasn't in.

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. And just like 2004, Edwards won't win

[incapsulated]

24. lol, that is correct

History will repeat itself.

We all "lived through" the "inevitably of Dean".

Kerry was the one who was left standing, not Edwards.

[madfloridian]

25. Kerry was "electable". Wasn't he.

All the rest were a bunch of nobodies as the poster above says.

[JI7]

27. uh, the poster includes Kerry as one of the nobodies

he was saying that none of the candidates who ran in the 2004 Primary had the recognition or popularity that the top candidates running now have.

and Kerry was electable considering how close the election was.

[Cameron27]

28. I don't believe that. Kerry got the most support, the most votes

and he won, but Dean was certainly not a nobody. He was tremendously significant IMO, because he was able to ignite a massive grassroots support. I think Edwards isn't putting any of this into perspective.

oops, sorry mad, I read your post wrong, but I think I agree with you.

[incapsulated]

30. Meh, Kerry was the predicted winner, long before Dean got started

The party said: it will be Kerry or Edwards. And what did we get? Kerry/Edwards.

He had his chance, and was lucky to get it, for someone who only had a single term in the Senate.

[Cameron27]

26. He doesn't think these things through, does he?

:rofl:

[illinoisprogressive]

31. I read this Iowa blog and the writer thought that maybe

Edwards was down some because he is not running ads much. A neighbor told him they had not seen or heard much about Edwards lately. I thought that was a clue. Look at how he was ignored by the press for so long.
The writer thinks once he gets ads going more he will skyrocket up as he is really well liked in Iowa

[madfloridian]

33. There's a diary at Kos just salivating over this comment.

And most here are. I guess I must see things in different ways. I found what Edwards said a little in poor taste, and not something that had to be said.

I don't think it helped his cause. We have donated to Edwards but won't vote in the primary, so I am seeing things pretty objectively.

That was a dig, it should not have been made. But hey since that post at Kos is loving it...and it is so long and so recommended...I am either totally out of step. or just wrong.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

35. John Edwards lived through the inevitably of Howard Dean... and all I got was this Lousy T-shirt

[Yukari Yakumo]

43. And just how well did you fare in '04, John?

This reeks of desperation. He's run out of ideas as to why he's a better candidate than the others. No wonder his numbers are sinking.

[provis99]

44. what do numbers have to do with "better candidate"?

Methinks you are a Hillbot editorializing.

[The Count]

45. Yeah, John, Lyndon LaRouche also lived through it! And your point is?

Oh, brave little soldier who sponsored IWR and stood by the war until the end of last year! My, my, my - how enduring you are!

[Adelante]

46. Ten candidates in 2004

Maybe he's going down a list. Kerry-check. Dean-check. By the time of Iowa, maybe we'll have heard digs from the Edwards camp on all of our Democratic candidates of 2004.

[FrenchieCat]

49. Poor John......the things one has to do to become President!

Living through the inevitability of a Howard Dean Presidency must have been sheer torture for John "running since 2000" Edwards.

:boring: