A Wave of Change - from John Edwards

[Triana]

Dear Triana,

It was a strong night for us - we finished second in Iowa, beating out the Clinton machine. Change won tonight - the status quo lost.

But now the fight is on - and they're going to come after us, trying to drown out our message of change with their hundreds of millions of dollars. That's why I need you to make a contribution to my campaign today.

https://johnedwards.com/action/contribute/mail">Click here to make a contribution.

What we saw in Iowa was two candidates who thought their money would make them inevitable.

But what the Iowa caucus goers have shown us is that if you're willing to have a little backbone, to have the courage to speak for the middle class, to speak for those who have no voice, and if you're willing to stand up to corporate greed, then that message and the American people are unstoppable, no matter how much money is spent to prevent that message from getting out.

That's why I need your support today, so those who believe in the status quo will not stop our message of change that this country so desperately needs.


https://johnedwards.com/action/contribute/mail">Click here to make a contribution.

I am so proud of this cause - and so grateful for your support. It is your support that has sustained Elizabeth and me as we have campaigned across this country. You have created a tidal wave of change that will sweep from Iowa to New Hampshire, to Nevada and South Carolina.

Continue to stand with me, so that when this wave of change is done, every one of us will be able to look our children in the eye and say, "We did for you what our parents did for us - we left America better for you than we found it."

Thank you for your support - the wave of change has begun.

Sincerely,

John

[Kira]

1. I am an Edwards supporter

but I felt he had to win last night to stay viable in the race. Do you think he still has a shot in NH?

[Stop Cornyn]

2. I've said all along that Edwards (and Obama) didn't need to win Iowa, they only had to beat Hillary

Here's why.

Hillary (not Obama) has a huge lead in the Super Tuesday states.

If Hillary had won Iowa, there is every reason to believe she'd have had momentum going into New Hampshire, and -- given her pre-Iowa standing in New Hampshire she likely would have won, and with two early wins -- and given her wide pre-Iowa lead in Nevada -- she likely would have won there, too, and with all three wins, she'd likely run the table. That scenario would have effectively ended the campaign for everyone.

If Hillary came in second and either Edwards or Obama came in third, the media would spin it as a two person race in New Hampshire between Hillary and whoever won Iowa (the MSM would ignore the third place finisher the same way they are currently ignoring Richardson who's getting ZERO credit for finishing in fourth place ahead of some excellent opponents). That scenario would have effectively ended the campaign for the third place finisher.

Because Edwards beat Hillary, the MSM is emphasizing the race as a three way race. Edwards has gotten good face time on the news last night and this morning. This is keeping his campaign in the voter's mind.

By Super Tuesday, the race will be down to two candidates (I don't mean that literally because there will probably be three or four candidates in the race for the next month, yet if there is a pattern in the early contests of two candidates performing better than the others in more states than not, all but those two candidates will likely have devolved into "also rans"). If Hillary came in second in Iowa, it is clear that those two candidates would be her and the winner in Iowa, but because she came in third, there remains the possibility that the two candidates who will vie on Super Tuesday will be Edwards and Obama.

In order to be one of the two candidates who goes into the head-to-head of Super Tuesday, Edwards needs to continue to beat Hillary in most of the early states.

If Edwards can finish ahead of Hillary in New Hampshire or Nevada or South Carolina (he probably needs to beat her in two of these three), he goes into Super Tuesday as the alternative to Obama.

And if this is an election about change, Edwards offers a different and much more detailed model for change as compared to Obama.

[Triana]

3. Good analysis and I agree with it. And I believe beating Hillary makes him VERY

VIABLE!