My take on why Edwards supporters are Edwards supporters.

[ShaneGR]

A lot of us are actually touched when this guy speaks. Here's a guy who wasn't born into wealth. As everyone knows, his father was a mill worker. His mother was a postal worker. John was the first member of his family to go to college, and eventually went to law school. But instead of taking a big corporate job, John chose to represeent average people who had been wronged by big companies.

Like the family of a little girl who had her intestines sucked out in a pool. Like the parents of a girl who had her head crushed by a set of forceps on delivery, and was braindamaged for life.

There were dozens of cases.

And when Edwards ran for the Senate in 96, the Republicans tried to criticize him for being a lawyer. Edwards had several of his clients produce a commercial on his behalf, and his points shot up 10 points and he won, in a VERY Republican state.

The said he couldn't do it, but there he was in the Senate. You know what they call him in the Senate? The Natural. Everything the guys ever done he wasn't supposed to be able to do it.

Now, another reason people really like him is his message. Some people may discount it, but the 2 Americas Edwards talks about is REAL. I see it everyday. 1 system for the wealthy, 1 system for everyone else.

Edwards has a hopeful message, and some people, like me, are very attracted to that. Some people choose to discount it and ignore what he says (That's fine), and we're not used to being attacked... mostly because if anyone was ignored all this time... it was Edwards. So no one ever bothered to mess with us.

Just thought I'd give a little insight.

[BeyondGeography]

1. The "sour grapes" sig line ruins an otherwise good post

When are you going to get rid of that annoyance?

[brainshrub]

2. Nice plug

Edwards is a good man. I like him better than Kerry.

[AP]

3. I'll tell you why, from first hand observation:

lots of people who worked their asses to keep their head above water, or people who have worked hard, and have seen Bush take away their opportunities look at Edwards and they see someone whom they think understands what that struggle is like.

[SonofMass]

4. From the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/31/politics/campaign/31EDWA.html?ex=1076589662&ei=1&en=8f6793321b95e441

[AP]

5. There is way more complimentary stuff in that article

than stuff they try to spin as bad.

Rather than me pointing out all of it, if anyone wants to cite what they think is damaging, I'll tell you why it isn't.

[mmonk]

6. makes

you almost forget he's a multi-millionaire trial lawyer candidate from the high tech RDU area when all those images float around in your head.

[AP]

7. Reminds you that every penny he ever got was probably earned income or

income on an investment originally made with earned income.

How many can say that all their wealth is product of their own individual labors, and that those labors were totally in proportion to the value they brought to people's lives.

[mmonk]

8. I make no claims

[mmonk]

9. One correction

I wouldn't categorize NC as a very republican state. The governor is a democrat, the legislature divided, as well as Senators and US House members.

[Edwards4President]

10. It's a very conservative state

[Renew Deal]

11. There are more registered dems than pukes.

[Edwards4President]

25. Yes, but the Dems are VERY conservative

I didn't say it's a Democratic state. It is majority Democrat, but North Carolina Democrats are VERY conservative.

[leyton]

26. Democrats have always outnumbered Republicans in NC

and yet we keep sending Republicans to the Senate and to the House. The legislature is evenly split, and Republicans are increasing their numbers at a much faster rate than Democrats.

It's definitely a Republican state. Not Idaho exactly, but it's between leans-Republican and safe-Republican.

[Bombtrack]

12. It kept sending Jesse Helms back to the senate until he retired a year ago

That's conservative. It's getting more to the center though, with all the job growth in all the different metros

[mmonk]

13. have you got your dates mixed up?

[mmonk]

14. also Helms got elected

for his constituent services. Have a problem, contact his office and your problem was resolved. Need a copy of a bill, call his office and it was sent to you.

[AP]

15. He got elected because he shut down the polls at 11pm when there were

enough black people in line to elect Gant.

They were still standin in line at 11pm because their machines were "broken" all day long and they still cared enough to vote.

[mmonk]

20. He ran alot more campaigns than against Harvey Gantt

I'm giving a reason he was re-elected many times. Probably the same way Democrat David Price keeps getting re-elected. And Price and Helms are opposites on many high profile things. Constituent services and working positively on many NC issues.

[AP]

17. since '82, NC has gone REpublican in every presidential election.

Ark has gone Republican in those same elections except the two in which they voted for their own son -- Clinton.

NC has a son running in THIS election. NC is worth more 15 EVs (from memory). Ark is worth 4.

[mmonk]

21. It's not necessarily translating

into other races. This means a Democrat can win the presidential vote in NC again.

[AP]

28. ...especially if they run a NC'ian. Clinton didn't win NC, but he won Ark.

[wabeewoman]

16. I was for Edwards next after Dean

but then I heard him say that not only did he vote for the war but that he still thought it was the right thing to do even if no WMD were found. I'm not a one issue candidate but this really makes me question his thought processes and humanity. Invading Iraq will NEVER have been the right thing to do. At least Kerry says he was hoodwinked by bush.

[AP]

19. Thought process and humanity are actually the qualities that put

him head and shoulders above the rest.

[stickdog]

18. He's new & shiny & purty.

He feels our pain.

He wants to help.

He's a nice man with a sunny disposition.

He's a New American Optimist!

He's media approved.

[D G]

29. I wonder why his optimism is more appealing than

the cynicism of some of his detractors?

Hmmm... food for thought.

[cheezus]

22. He's the real thing

There were two defining moments for me with Sen. Edwards. I saw his stump speech on CSPAN before Iowa and was blown away. He found a legitimate way to use "class warfare" and can explain it in a way that joe sixpack can understand.

The second was his SC victory speech. He just won his must-win primary, he gets on CNN... and talks about POVERTY. Wow.

And he connects - with everyone. That's a pretty special talent.

[MuseRider]

23. Edwards puzzles me.

I really, really like listening to him. I love what he says, his delivery is spectacular. As someone said above he is pretty, bright, shiny and new. However I see a conflict with my impressions of him and his voting record. One seems too conservative for me (voting record), one seems just right (impressions). I get the gut feeling that he may be far more liberal than his record shows but it is only a gut feeling. I hate that he is not also running for his Senate seat, that has not changed has it? I really like him but am waiting to see how this all pans out. I suspect he would govern much more liberally than I think he will. Dunno, anyone want to clarify?

[Cuban_Liberal]

24. You nailed it!

Thanks for posting this! :)

[dcwolf]

27. I've seen those concerns before

I am new to this board but I wanted to weigh in. I was John's
press secretary in the 98 primary, so I've got a few insights.

*I think* that John's heart and head are certainly left of
where he runs. But let's be frank- he's from NC. In this day
and age politics is perception fueled my marketing. He HAS to
run to the center. We're all obviously going to make our own
political judgements about that.


Anyway- I've got another question if there are any fellow
Edwards supporter who can help me out. On this board, I
grabbed a really cool Edwards wallpaper that said "JRE-
Our Time Has Come." But it was too small a pic to blow
up.

Does anyone have links to some high res Edwards wallpapers??
This JRE supporter would greatly appreciate it.

[AP]

31. Which picture was that?

[genius]

30. I'm hoping Edwards does well everywhere. I'm not voting for him

but I like him and he's my second choice because he understands issues like due process and free trade. He campaigned against NAFTA.