Edwards Lets Staff Heads Do the Talking (Edwards' Staff Vs Clark)

[Khephra]

Edwards Lets Staff Heads Do the Talking

By Howard Kurtz
Wednesday, December 3, 2003; Page A05


Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) is suddenly taking aim at his fellow southerner and presidential rival Wesley K. Clark, citing criticism of the retired general by former military leaders.

Well, not Edwards himself. Publicly, at least, Edwards mainly sticks to his line from last month's Iowa debate: "People are tired of listening to politicians yell at each other."

But that's why candidates have staffs, and Edwards's aides are taking issue with a new Clark ad that says the Arkansan "fought for better schools" and, given his military background, "will make an extraordinary American president."

Jennifer Palmieri, Edwards's spokeswoman, said, "General Clark's ad is begging the question: What kind of leader will he be? Military leaders he has worked with, and who know him best, seem to have a lot of concern about his ability to lead and be a good president." What's more, she said, "he hasn't laid down any sort of education policy."

more.........

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29568-2003Dec2.html

[AnnitaR]

1. Really upset that Edwards is stooping to this level!

I liked the guy. Even gave money to his campaign.

Got something to say Edwards? Have the balls to say it yourself!

Yet, Clark still refuses to sink to the levels of his fellow Dems. That's character folks! Little Johnnie should take note!

[TacticalPeek]

3. Amen to that.

Get your own traction instead of shooting at the other guy's tires.

And don't hide behind your aide's skirts.

[AP]

10. Careful with the sexism. Palmieri's his campaign manager. Not

his mother.

And she might wear trousers instead of skirts.

[PurityOfEssence]

2. Vouchers are a big issue to Edwards: he's dead set against them

Clark's on the other side of that issue.

Let's remember how Mark Fabiani upstaged Edwards' announcement when thinking why this is destined to be a pretty brutal sideshow. They are direct competitors, so we can expect more about this. Stay tuned.

[MidwestTransplant]

4. Upstaged?

Were you unaware that Edwards was running for President?

[AP]

9. Everybody gets their day in the sun when the have their official

announcements.

None of the other candidates stepped on anyone else's announcements. They're planned far in advance, and the candidates schedule around each other's announcement day. I think it's like a courtesy. It's obviously something you have to put on the calendar weeks in advance, which makes them easy to take advanatage of. So everyone tacitly agrees to not exploit the foreknowledge.

So, yes, I think it was extremely crass for Clark to announce at that time. It probably cost Edwards at least 1 million dollars worth of free press time. That Clark must obviously think he's in direct competition with Edwards suggests that this wasn't an accident.

In fairness, I also think it's crass to cite the evidence of PNAC pro-chaos generals promoting a Republicans line about Clark's psychology or leadership skills.

I remember reading about the thing with the Russians (Prstina airport?) when it happened, so I'll listen to those criticisms with an open mind. But all that other shit about him being "too smart" and cold and aloof is just RW bullshit to make his strengths seem like weaknesses and bush's weaknesses (stupidty) seem like strengths.

I'd be more comfortable if Edwards didn't use that stuff. But, then again, if Clark's gonna push (which he did with the announcement) he should expect to get pushed back a little.

Now that I think about it, I think Clark also made a comment about Edwards's poll numbers (something like, "that sounds like something a guy that far back in the polls would do") which was a popular RW line at the time (which they don't say as much now that the SC polls are showing a consistent trend in Edwards's favor). So, perhaps Clark and Edwards are even.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Clark does not support vouchers....

if you saw that somewhere, please let me see it. I know what he has said, and it ain't that!

[robbedvoter]

13. Clark is against vouchers!

"No school left behind" should replace NCLB and teachers empowered. Competition between schools makes no sense - public education is it. Where did you get the voucher thingy? Shelton?

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Can't find the reference, but he's now on the record as against them

For this, I apologize. I just did a little research on it; I remember it from his answering of a question early in his campaign, but I can't find it now.

Yes, he is clearly on the record now as saying that they won't work.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

5. Fuck Edwards and His Staff

I will stay home before voting Edwards, after reading this SHAMEFUL BS disseminated by his staff.

Grow a few more years, Junior, and maybe you'll be ready to run for President. Until then, stop telling your people to badmouth your betters.

DTH

[drfemoe]

7. Maybe now you understand

why Dean supporters got turned off on JE after he went after our guy?

[AP]

11. Nobody's gonna like it when their candidate gets the flashlight

shined on them.

[PurityOfEssence]

16. Dean smeared about tax cutting and speaking about race first

This is ridiculous. Dean is like some religion: anything good he does is lauded, anything bad is sluffed off and minimalized.

Dean has repeatedly slagged "those four guys" for voting for the tax cuts, when they all (the four Senators) voted against both of them. What they did was try to stave off the inevitable on the last one by floating a compromise. For this valiant rearguard action in the face of defeat, they are misrepresented by a deliberate lie from Dean that is continually repeated, and met with dudgeon when called into account. That's disgusting. It's incorrect and he knows it; these people stood up and voted for what was best, taking their political lumps for this courage, and are met by the volleys of derision from some critic who can't even take criticism himself.

Saying that he's the only candidate who talks about race in front of white audiences is a slap in the face to the others, ESPECIALLY Edwards, who has it as an integral part of his stump speech. Edwards didn't go out of his way to attack Dean about this, he was asked a question by a reporter; Dean's response was puerile.

Dean walked into the fray claiming to be more of a Democrat than the others, when he's farther to the right than most of the others; he's called the members Congress "cockroaches", when he shares the stage with three Senators, two Congressmen and a former Senator. Yet it's a crime to ever point out his faults. Are they all to feel so graced by his presence that they shouldn't be annoyed by being told that they're subhuman toadies to the fascists? There are only two other people on that stage who haven't been either a Senator or Congressman.

Not only has Dean and his people no right to claim the sweet moral high road, but they have only themselves to thank for their own viciousness ricocheting back on them.

Let's recap: Dean has initiated the mudslinging, ramped it up many times, often not taken responsibility for his deliberate deception and bellyached like a spoiled child when taken to task for it. His apology for the Confederate Flag crap was great, and beyond what was asked for; this is to his credit, as I've stated elsewhere.

Dean is not "better" than most of those others (a couple, I'll agree...) and should not get some privileged "free pass" like some deity.

Dean is THE ONE WHO DRAGGED THIS CAMPAIGN INTO THE GUTTER BY STARTING THE MUDSLINGING!!! Defend that, dammit.

[JI7]

21. true

edward's did the right thing in responding to it.

[VolcanoJen]

8. John's finished, and I'm definitely finished sending money to him.

I'm also sorry, and saddened, to see Edwards stoop to Republican tactics in discrediting a formidable opponent.

Early in the primary season, Edwards was my first choice, and he received lots of support and $$$ from me. No more... and the next time they call asking for some, I'll tell them to hit up Hugh Shelton for the big bucks.

:-(

- Jennifer

[AP]

12. From the article:

The Edwards team is still miffed at Clark for stepping on the senator's official campaign announcement by leaking word of his own candidacy that day.

[robbedvoter]

14. Is that why he sicked Shelton on Clark?

Sounds like the cheerleadeer mom story. A prom thingy...Ahhhh!

[PurityOfEssence]

18. Please prove that accusation

Do you have ANY proof that Edwards had anything to do with Shelton's statements? ANY?

Edwards has known Shelton for a long time; they went to the same school. Shelton isn't some handy "fixer" just brought on recently, he's an advisor.

[AP]

20. I'm going to say that I don't believe Shelton or any of the others

who criticized Clark. However, it wasn't just Shelton who said something. It's a fact that some people had a problem with him. That part isn't a lie.

The way it's ignorant to make this criticism is that it's very likely that there are politics at the root of the conflict with Clark. I'd like to hear more about that issue. That's what I'm guessing. However it may also be a personality conflict, but I doubt that very much.

[VolcanoJen]

15. If "sour grapes" is the motivation behind this shameless Clark smear...

... then I have lost even more respect for the electoral wizards over at the Edwards camp.

Is there honestly anyone here at DU who didn't know that John Edwards was running for president, almost a year before making his "official" announcement? Sure, John might have missed out on some minimal press coverage that day, but honestly, right up until Clark announced, the political media was "Will-he-or-won't-he" 24/7. Clark was all they were talking about, back in the early fall. It was kinda all we were talking about here at DU, too.

Look, Edwards and his people can attack Clark all they want on the issues, on his policy speeches, on his proposals for an end-game strategy in Iraq. There's plenty of material there. They should get busy, and they should go for it. But to attack a man who served his nation with honor, dignity and valor, by using unsubstantiated, politically-motivated hack-job attacks on his "character and integrity," coming from the likes of Hugh Shelton and his kind, is just shameful.

I guess this is what Shelton has offered Edwards, now that he's officially on-board as a consultant. Nice shot, Hugh. But we all know which side your bread is buttered on, and you do too.

I was proud when Clark, appearing on "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" Sunday, refused to take the bait to attack Howard Dean. He simply said, "I will not attack a fellow Democrat."

Too bad Edwards can't instruct his people to behave in a similar dignified manner. I'm just incredibly disappointed in him, and if this is an example of the kind of leadership we could expect from an Edwards presidency, then I'd really, really like to get my money back.

[AP]

19. When it happened, EVERYONE at DU said, oh, that's mean.

I don't think you can dispute the fact that it wasn't a very classy move by Clark. And now this is Edwards's perhaps not so classy move against Clark.

Perhaps they're even now. Perhaps they'll escalate it.

It's my opinion that this whole thing is going to come down to the two of them. So, you're gonna have to get used to the two of them comparing and contrasting each other. And I wouldn't be quick to say that it's a reason to hate Edwards, because you might find yourself sounding like a hypocrite if you're not willing to criticize Clark if he does the same to Edwards. (And, you can't deny that he already did a little bit by stepping on Edwards's announcement.)

[Justice]

22. Remember September 11 Anniversary and the Friggin Hurricane

Clark did not want to announce the days around Sept 11, and then had the hurricane. The hurricane was 24/7 on the news, if Clark had waited later in the week, he would be announcing during the hurricane.

One would think the son of a mill worker would welcome another candidate.

I have given money to Edwards. The statement by Edwards campaign person is the same as Lieberman's statement regarding Dean not opening his records. If people don't see that these two statements are the same - then they are whacked.

This statement by Edwards' campaign person was insulting to both Edwards and Clark - and Edwards better come out and correct it.