John Edwards Bills Himself As Most "Progressive, Electable" Candidate During Campaign Stop

[JohnLocke]

John Edwards Bills Himself As Most "Progressive, Electable" Candidate During Campaign Stop
John Edwards for President
Monday, October 29, 2007
----
Concord, NH - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards appeared in New Hampshire on Sunday, kicking off a four-day campaign tour to help shore of up support in the state.

The former North Carolina senator spoke candidly about the issues while campaigning around New Hampshire, accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth, and their children, Jack and Emma Claire. Edwards told voters if elected President of the United States in 2008, he would promptly do three things: end the war in Iraq, enact universal health care and overhaul the American energy system.

Edwards, who calls himself the most progressive and electable of the major Democratic presidential candidates, said he also hopes to initiate education programs designed to allow more low-income individuals the opportunity to attend college.

In addition to pledging to enact a series of New Deal-like programs to fund his "College for Everyone" education plan, Edwards tried to distinguish himself from Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, whom he described as beholden to lobbyists and special interest groups.

"Senator Clinton has over the years has taken millions of dollars from lobbyists and defends the status quo system," Edwards told the audience. "She just basically says the system works and her argument is, 'I'm experienced, I can operate within the system.' "

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008983691

[MethuenProgressive]

1. Fauxgressive, unelectable.

His Republican voting record as Senator (OK, so he's apologized for his entire Senate carrer, big freakin deal...) and huge negatives make him as electable as Mike Dukakis.
But at least Duke was a real liberal, and not a Johnny-come-lately because of focus groups and polling data..



edit: removed a stray s

[Donnachaidh]

2. isn't it marvelous how the Edwards haters crawl out of the woodwork

more and more as the primaries loom. Couldn't be that their candidates are falling backwards?

[MethuenProgressive]

4. I don't hate him, Donna. I pity him, and his bamboozled backers too.

You've been baffled and bedazzled by a professional liar.
He's flipped away from his Senate record so far I expect him to endorse McCain anyday now.
Don't be too ashamed, you've been fooled by a pro much, much, much smarter than you.

[LSparkle]

6. I actually pity YOU -- you wouldn't know a good man if you saw him

People have become so cynical about politics that they can't believe someone like Edwards is genuine. Yep, we deserve the kind of phony, triangulating, lying POLITICIANS we get. People like John and Elizabeth Edwards, who want to give back to a country that has given them so much, get skewered and branded as fakes only because the majority of people have just forgotten that there ARE good people left in politics.

[MethuenProgressive]

10. "we deserve the kind of phony, triangulating, lying POLITICIANS we get"

And so you support one? That's an interesting choice. I don't think we "deserve" smarmy slime like Edwards.
We should be the party that throws hucksters and snakeoil salesmen out with the trash.

[LSparkle]

11. I don't understand why you assume he's lying -- just because he's a lawyer?

Because he went to court and defended the rights of people who had been wronged by corporations? As a legal professional, I get really tired of the automatic assumption that all lawyers are slimebags (when the truth is a lot of them are good people who fight for the right causes). If he's apologized for "his entire Senate career," then so be it; at least he can admit to having changed his mind. Considering how well he's done financially -- and the health problems Elizabeth has endured -- I don't think he'd be in this race unless he wanted to help make some fundamental changes in our country. Unlike some others on the campaign trail -- OK, I'll just come right out and say it -- unlike HILLARY -- I don't think Edwards is in this for ego or power or to avenge some past wrongs or to cement a family legacy. He could go quietly away and have a great life, but I think he's running because he really wants to improve this country.

[surfermaw]

29. You are funny...Old girl from North Carolina

Whe you look at Edwards you are looking at a go getter, by his bootstraps raised his self from a lower class to an educated man, that can become President of the United States...You know sort of like Bill Clinton...way to go Edwards and Bill Clinton...

[madmunchie]

24. We don't have to crawl, like the JE supporters seem to be doing

a good enought job all on their own. Since they can't see somebody's incompetence when it is right in front of their noses.

Bush came into office with all kind of warning signs that he wasn't "up to the job" as POTUS, JE has warning signs as well...like his short and disaterous stint in the Senate and how JE managed to vote wrong on the Patriot Act, Bankruptcy Bill, Free Trade with China, Co sponsored massive increase in H-1b Visas, JE co-sponsored the IWR and then voted for it, to stood by it a year later, and then finally said that he was sorry after the polls turned, three years and one failed election later. Slow on the uptake I'd say - way too slow for the demands of POTUS

Edwards DID NOT generate or champion any poverty legislation during his 6 years in the senate (while he co sponsored the IWR?????) Real humanitarian and champion of the poor huh.

Edwards literally bed down in Iowa and New Hampshire for a couple of years while he nervously wavered because he didn't know if he was gonna run since his wife was sick!!!! He could have stayed in the Senate to help clean up a mess that he helped create. Somebody with a conscince would have done that. But wait a minute, JE probably wouldn't have been re -elected as a Senator in his own state......why is that?

John Edwards (D-NC) took aim at Iran, warning that the "world won't back down." .....John Edwards, who poses as a peace candidate, declares that we will go to war with Iran before we'll let them break Israel's nuclear monopoly in the Middle East, that should tell us that he didn't seem to learn from his disasterous Iraq vote, ya think?

Why let the proof of his actions get in the way of a great sales pitch????? I am personally looking at the candidates ACTIONS.

JE hasn't DONE anything worth supporting.....but guess what????? Dems have their Dimwits to. Sad, but true.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. But His Hedge Fund Specializing In Predatory Lending Was Liberal

Wasn't it?

[MethuenProgressive]

5. It was the vote for the Iraq War that was really progressive and liberal, I guess.

Wasn't it?

[LSparkle]

7. Come on, he apologized for that vote -- more than Hillary has

Despite the example currently squatting in the White House, some people can actually see the errors of their ways and change their minds on issues -- and for the better.

[MethuenProgressive]

9. He apologized for his whole Senate career. And you believe him?

He's still working the jury, imo.
ymmv.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The River]

15. Did You Vote For Kerry In '04?

If so, you voted for John Edwards to be Vice President.
You know, the man a heartbeat away from the Presidency?
Were you wrong then or wrong now?

What has he done since then to earn another chance?
For starters, he fought to have the votes recounted in Ohio while
Kerry folded like a cheap card table.
For the past 4 years he has been working to help the poor.
Yes he made a good living and hedge funds aren't very progressive,
but they are not illegal.
Apologizing for mistaken votes is a sign of maturity and having learned something
from making those mistakes. W never apologizes for anything and Hillary won't apologize for
her war votes either.

If I were on trial for a crime there is nobody I would want more than a smart
lawyer defending me. I bet you would too.
Right now, and for some time to come, America's reputation will be/is on trial in the court of world opinion for the crimes of *bush & co. Come 1/20/09 I want a smart aggressive lawyer defending and leading this country. I want a smart lawyer who isn't afraid to go up against corporations, not one who is in their pocket.
Whether it's filing suit for a child who was injured by a defective product or a new law protecting ALL children hurt by lack of health care, I want a smart lawyer on the job.

[GreenArrow]

17. "he fought to have the votes recounted in Ohio "

He did? He's bitched a little (after the fact) about wanting to count them, but I don't recall him actually doing anything.

"Apologizing for mistaken votes is a sign of maturity..." And sometimes it's manipulative expediency, and about as sincere and heartfelt as a three year old's apology when Mom or Dad makes him.

If I were on trial for a crime, Edwards might be a good guy to have on board. He's an expert at emotional persuasion. If I were choosing someone to run a country, he'd not be on the list.

[Nutmegger]

23. "And sometimes it's manipulative expediency..."

Or maybe just sometimes he is sincere, and has "seen the light" so to speak.

But there's no convincing you, and the others. To you, he's just "playing to the polls".

Good! It's about time someone listens to the polls. Edwards has proven himself to me, and others here. I have no doubt that he will end this bullshit war and implement policies that will help the poor and the middle class.

Frankly, it's insulting that you and the other one up thread insist that supporters of John Edwards are just taken over by his "emotional persuasion". I came to my own conclusion by myself, after looking at each and every candidate carefully. I looked at the negatives, and the positives, and have decided to support John Edwards. I certainly don't agree with Edwards on every single issue, but he has shown strength and maturity in the important areas.

[GreenArrow]

25. it goes without saying

that the choice is yours.

[waiting for hope]

26. That was wonderful - I couldn't

have said it better myself, thank you.

[ihelpu2see]

21. Hillary has not apologized for IWR! big freakin deal Your arguments MP

seem shaky. You call Edwards and his supporters names but have no real proof for your barbs. Has any other candidates stop their campaigns to visit the poorest community's. If you think Edwards did that for votes... please chances are the people he was visiting will not have a chance to vote.

[GreenArrow]

30. of course he did it for votes

He didn't do it simply out of the goodness of his own heart.

It's a sales job.

Roll the cameras!

[ihelpu2see]

20. DUPE deleted

[phen43]

8. Maybe he is

Except I still like Obama

[Think82]

12. does anyone else think this is a contradiction in terms?

the more progressive he is, the less electable he will be in the general, especially if he keeps up the "progressive" rhetoric.

Please consider Bide, if you haven't looked closely at him. Biden supporters are die-hard and there is good reason for it.

[Yael]

14. Not when you add "Populist" into the mix

That trio is the winning combination (unlike the triangulation of left, right and confusion).

[GreenArrow]

18. Biden is the only one on running

who would fall lower than Edwards on my list.

That being said, I do agree with the first part of your post. His newfound "progressiveness" will make a lovely juxtaposition with his actual voting career.

[Think82]

22. Biden and Edwards are at the BOTTOM?

Dude, who's at the top?

[GreenArrow]

27. the smarm quotient in both Biden and Edwards

is through the roof. The other candidates combined can't come close to either one of them.

I like Kucinich, but recognize he's not going anywhere.

[surfermaw]

31. Edwards is going to be President and Biden V.P.

[GreenArrow]

33. Edwards can dream about it

as he sips bourbon and ice cold Cheerwine at Chateau Edwards and wonders where it all went wrong.

Biden at least'll keep his Senate job.

[Zodiak]

13. Yes, a bit of a contradiction in terms.

But if one were to measure progressivity of proposed platform and electability independently and added them up, Edwards would be the top of the list.

But Dennis has him beat in progressivity by a longshot.

Still...if Edwards is within striking distance of the other two, he gets my vote. I feel passionate about populism. If not, then Dennis gets mine at this point, but Dodd is creeping up the charts.

[w4rma]

16. The best choice, & Edwards has never hired a bigot to promote anti-gay slander at a campaign event.

Edwards never will, either.

[Mass]

19. And modest with that...\nt

[FlaxieB]

28. Edwards had his White House chance with Kerry. He's a non-factor this time.

[The Count]

39. He kept mum about our stolen votes - another reason to never give him one.

[surfermaw]

32. Edwards will be another great Democratic President

I have no doubts....We had better elect the right man, I think Edwards and Biden, or who knows even Gore might get in to help straighten out the mess of 8 years of Republican rule.

[LWolf]

35. He worded that carefully, lol.

To be more accurate, he is currently (but not historically) the most progressive of the top 3.

That "electable" qualifier helps, when "everyone knows" that the most progressive candidate "isn't."

I don't agree with that assessment, though. I believe the most progressive candidate IS electable.

[1932]

36. Bless you John Edwards for embracing (not running from) the label "progressive"

[FrenchieCat]

41. Progressive is not the label that takes courage to "embrace" last I checked.....

especially when talking to Dem voters. :eyes:

It is the L-I-B-E-R-A-L label that would take courage to wear.

And so, the question is.....will Edwards show that kind of courage, or will the Progressive label that they all use make him a hero...and if so, why is there courage in that? :shrug:

[1932]

42. Whatever. I just wish more Democrats would do this, and I'm thrilled that Edwards is doing it.

The last person who did it was Kennedy.

[1932]

43. and I'd like to see more of this...

http://johnedwards.com/watch/debate/

[MichDem10]

37. America needs John Edwards!!

[The Count]

38. "Electable" = MSM approved. As for "progressive" - let's see that voting record

shall we? Look - he comes dead last - or maybe after Biden.

[rinsd]

40. LOL and this preening jackass has the temerity to call Hillary's prez run all about ambition?