CNN BREAKING: Second Edwards Blog Staffer Quits (AP Article Added)

[Hissyspit]

Melissa McEwan Via The Situation Room

http://www.wcnc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8N95HC81.html

Second blogger quits Edwards campaign

02/14/2007
By MIKE BAKER / Associated Press

A second blogger working for Democratic presidential prospect John Edwards quit Tuesday under pressure from conservative critics who said her previous online messages were anti-Catholic.

Melissa McEwan wrote on her personal blog, Shakespeare's Sister, that she left the campaign because she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the level of attention focused on her and her family.

"This was a decision I made, with the campaign's reluctant support, because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign," she said Tuesday night.

Kate Bedingfield, a spokeswoman for the Edwards campaign, said McEwan left the campaign under her own terms. "She resigned from the campaign today — that was her decision," she said. Both Bedingfield and McEwan declined additional comment.

MORE AT LINK


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251824,00.html

Second Blogger Quits John Edwards Campaign
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

RALEIGH, N.C. — A second blogger working for Democratic presidential prospect John Edwards quit Tuesday under pressure from conservative critics who said her previous online messages were anti-Catholic.

Melissa McEwan wrote on her personal blog, Shakespeare's Sister, that she left the campaign because she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the level of attention focused on her and her family.

"This was a decision I made, with the campaign's reluctant support, because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign," she said Tuesday night.

[Hissyspit]

1. Will post updates. n/t

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

2. Not a surprise, most people are 'quitting' the Edwards campaign

All of the Edwards '04 people I know and even the people who were supporting Edwards '08 are 'shopping elsewhere' these days. Just remember that Joe Lieberman was polling at 40% at this point in 2003. Don't be surprised if Edwards meets a a similar fate as Joementum.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I don't think that's a very fair comparison. Anyway, it's early.

I wouldn't read too much into this.

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

26. Indeed it is early

Two weeks before Iowa, Kerry was losing to Carol Mosley-Braun in South Carolina. Then again, in 2004 people were unfamiliar with the candidates. Most people don't know much about Obama, but they know a lot about Edwards and Clinton. Those two don't have anywhere to go but down.

[Warren DeMontague]

38. Everyone who isn't traveling to Utah or Thailand right now

isn't necessarily going to Belgium, either.

Get my drift?

[WilliamPitt]

4. Mmmmm...

Subtle as a sledgehammer.

Nice turf.

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

27. Like a Donkey In A China Shop

That's my style: all out truth.

[tkmorris]

6. Nice one

Just make some stuff up and post it. It's gonna be a long 21 months.......

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

24. Right I just made that up

Many of my friends who supported Edwards in '04 and were excited about his '08 run have changed their minds. Don't believe me? It's happening all over the nation. Just look at Edwards' recent poll numbers. In some states he is at the same level he was at in 2004 but usually he is lower. Nowhere is he higher. It's not like he has room to grow either. He isn't unknown to people.

Look, I'm sorry if you are backing the wrong horse. Don't take it out on me though. Take it out on Edwards or pick a new candidate.

[TheWatcher]

19. Good Choce of User Names

It displays the level of intelligence you have.

Although I think most Donkeys could probably out think you any day of the week.

Now, get back to your reality TV and Fast Food scarfing while the adults chat, hmm?

[DonkeyInChinaShop]

22. Hahaha

That's the best you have? Pretty sad to see how thin Edwards' support his. Not even his defenders have anything to back him up.

[Bluebear]

23. "All of the Edwards '04 people I know" LOL

[blogslut]

31. uh huh

I noticed you posted that 40% figure in a thread about Obama.

[Hissyspit]

5. Link added

[Hissyspit]

7. Sorry, can only find Fox News link. I'll keep looking.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251824,00.html

Second Blogger Quits John Edwards Campaign
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

RALEIGH, N.C. — A second blogger working for Democratic presidential prospect John Edwards quit Tuesday under pressure from conservative critics who said her previous online messages were anti-Catholic.

Melissa McEwan wrote on her personal blog, Shakespeare's Sister, that she left the campaign because she was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the level of attention focused on her and her family.

"This was a decision I made, with the campaign's reluctant support, because my remaining the focus of sustained ideological attacks was inevitably making me a liability to the campaign," she said Tuesday night.

[Adelante]

8. I fucking hate this nt

[Truthiness Inspector]

9. It's just as well she stepped down

Edwards doesn't need this kind of shit being associated with his campaign. These bloggers appear to have caused more harm than good from what I've seen. Why should John Edwards spend time trying to dig them out of holes they created themselves (and for him)?

[Dhalgren]

10. Edwards chose them for a reason. He chose them for their lefty, progressive

edge and creds. He would have been better off if they had stayed on board. Oh well, this won't matter much in a couple of weeks...

[BlueAlert]

11. I was under the impression

That Edwards did not PERSONALLY choose them.

[Truthiness Inspector]

12. Of course he chose them for a reason

I agree with you on that. But I highly doubt he chose them to cause upheaval and grief for his campaign.

[etherealtruth]

13. Gee ... you mean he didn't hire them ...

... to be the focus of media attention, instead of his candidacy:sarcasm:

I imagine Edwards populist message will resonate well with many Catholics ... why piss Catholics that may support you off?

[Dhalgren]

14. They didn't "cause" the upheaval. Conservative critics caused the upheaval.

I still think it would have been better if they had stayed, but that's water under the bridge...

[adigal]

16. If they had not written offensive and disgusting things

about the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, who many millions revere, there would have been no outrage.

Now, I certainly support her right to say whatever she wants. But with that right comes the responsibility to accept the consequences of your actions. And her actions offended many people, so she had to go.

Yes???

[Truthiness Inspector]

17. Absolutely correct. n/t

[Bucky]

29. There's no substitute for respect and common decency.

My first reaction is that both of the bloggers folded their tents mighty quick there. Edwards deserves kudos for trying to bring some name bloggers onto his campaign. But he should have vetted the final candidates a little better. I still think established bloggers are a bad mix in a campaign staff. Mainstream liberal bloggers hang too close to the crowd who (like many DUers) throw around shallow Nazi comparisons.

But tossing brickbats when you're powerless and receiving them when you're in the public shooting gallery of modern politics are two different matters. At least the two bloggers got out quick before they did any damage to Edwards. This story seems to have run its full course in under a week. I'm thinking our friends lacked the stomach for the main arena.

[Dhalgren]

41. So this IS Edwards screw-up? If he had looked at what these bloggers had written in the past

he should have known that they were too "controversial" for his staff? Either he wasn't paying attention or he didn't realize that drawing cartoons of the Prophet...oh, wait, wrong offense...dissing the Virgin would cause him problems.

I don't agree with that. I think that he made a choice to select these two popular and edgy bloggers and because of a SUPPOSED or ANTICIPATED thin-skinned reaction from Catholics (suggested by Republic commentators) it caused a tempest in a teapot. I think that Edwards was right in not firing the bloggers and, again, I don't think this will negatively effect Edwards in any way. Next week this will be forgotten...

[Canuckistanian]

15. So, are we happy now?

Has the line been drawn with sufficient thickness?

Thou shalt not cross the line of right-wing "discomfort".

Are we all clear now?

[etherealtruth]

18. Or ... perhaps, it's ...

"Why piss off potential voters."

No, Edwards is never going to get the votes of the nuts that make up the the "Christian" rightwing; however, Catholics tend to vote for Dem's at least 50% of the time and Edwards populist message resonates with many Catholics ... so why piss them off?

[Canuckistanian]

25. You assume that "all" Catholics were pissed off

I can tell you that several Catholics here on this site were NOT "pissed off" and furthermore that Bill "Jew Hater" Donahue does NOT represent their views or opinions.

It's all a question of *exactly who* was "pissed off".

[etherealtruth]

35. No I don't assume that at all ...

I do assume that there are Catholics that will not be pleased about this coming out of a campaign. They seem to be present on threads r/t this

Donahue is an evil ass, I will never understand how he came to represent anyone.

I don't believe it is politically wise for staffers to bring negative attention to a campaign ... the issues here aren't that these bloggers held positions that are contrary to Catholicism .... Edwards is pro-choice and though he is not a proponent of gay marriage he is at least for civil unions ... both positions contrary to the Catholic Church's position ... but not the position of many , many Catholics ... the issue to me is why alienate any segment of people that may reasonably vote for you? It's become very apparent that a candidate needs every single vote she can possibly get.

I don't see this as caving to the religious right wing (that would be changing positions on abortion ...) I see it more as political intelligence.

Like many I don't have any problem with these women expressing their views on any subject ... I understand a candidate not necessarily wanting to be associated with these public views; I have no problem with Edwards handling of the situation

[tsuki]

30. Especially the Catholics that call Asians "gooks," equate Jews with

anal sex, and advocate a genocidal war against Muslims.

This is beginning to backfire on the Catholics down here. Of course, the south has always had a prejudice against Catholicism.

[Bucky]

32. I'm sorry, but "equate Jews with anal sex"? Do you have a cite for that?

What an odd thing to write. Is that something that Pandagon's critic said, or is that hyperbole? Free association? Honestly, I really only associate one Jew with anal sex and I haven't seen her since college.

[americanstranger]

34. Actually, the dork from the Catholic League sort of said that.

Bill Donohue has said that 'Hollywood is run by secular Jews' and 'Hollywood likes anal sex' (sorry - no link handy but if you Google 'Hollywood likes anal sex' it's all part of the same hateful paragraph).

So wouldn't it follow that it's equating Jews with anal sex?

- as

[tsuki]

36. Check out crooksandliars. That's where I saw the video clip. And

he said these things on national TV, not on a blog.

[Canuckistanian]

39. Jon Stewart mentioned it on his show

Although I don't think Donahue was targeting Jews specifically, just "hollywood libruls".

[etherealtruth]

37. WTF?

Well it's unfortunate that you are aquainted with such people ... do you run into them from all faiths/ atheist and agnostics , as well ... or is it just Catholics?

I'm glad I live where I do and am aquainted with the people that I am.

[Adelante]

20. Pretty sad, sad, sad

Isn't it?

[Canuckistanian]

28. Sad that an extremely slim minority gets to decide who speaks

Sad that a major political campaign gets bullied so easily.

[Adelante]

33. Sad that so many of our fellow DUers

Don't seem to give a shit. That's the third Sad.

[madrchsod]

21. a part time tech adviser "decides" to quit

because some people do not like what she thinks. i wonder who they will go after next? i guess everyone that works for any democrat has pass the christian right wing purity test. that is disgusting

[trumad]

40. Bottom line--- Bill Donahue wins.