The Repubs don't want any of Edwards!

[Bake]

I was just chatting with an aide to Sen. Thad Cochran (R, Miss.). We were outside our office building for a smoke, and somehow the conversation turned to politics (I don't usually make a habit of talking politics with Republicans, but this guy is actually a decent one). His comment on the Democratic primaries?

"We DO NOT want ANY of Edwards! He's young, good-looking, Southern, and he'd be hard to beat!"

Bake

[hlthe2b]

1. Which makes the story circulating that Kerry's wife and daughter

are pushing for Edwards as a running mate all the more interesting...

'Like em both, but I still feel that Clark has not gotten a fair shake and evaluation by the media and public... (nor obviously did Dean)

[Sequoia]

2. Yea, it's like the media is trying to decide for us

because back in October Dean was king and Kerry was nary.

[Bake]

3. The Pubs were conflicted about Dean

On the one hand, according to this same Republican friend, they were amused by Dean's rapid fall from grace. On the other hand, HE SAID (not me!) Dean v. Bush was the race they WANTED, because they were confident they could beat Gov. Dean.

This guy is a friend, and he had nothing to gain by lying to me or spinning this. Take it for what it's worth.

But they definitely are scared of Edwards, and they're not very comfortable with Kerry either.

Bake

[Cuban_Liberal]

4. he knows a quality candidate when he sees one, sounds like.

He's right, too--- Edwards would be VERY hard to beat, because the 169 electoral-vote South the Repubs use as a starting point wouldn't be safe at all.

[Auntie Bush]

7. Ask them how they feel about Clark?

I just KMOW they must fear him most and be so relieved he isn't doing better.

[AP]

8. They feared him at first, but have probably seen how he has campaigned:

how could they be afraid of someone people seem to find less appealing the more they hear from him?

[Rooktoven]

5. I don't blame them. Who wants to lose in a LANDSLIDE?

my 2 cents...

[AP]

6. Seeing that you have the Clark avatar, I wonder if information like this

influences your thought processes regarding the primaries: how do you incorporate this fact into the way you feel about the primaries?

[Bake]

13. Yes, I still have the Clark avatar

And I still support him. But I''m realistic at this point about his chances of winning the nomination; at this point it's a long shot. And I recognize that he's made some "freshman" mistakes. I could very proudly support any of the other Dems running -- whether Edwards, Kerry, Dean, or Kucinich. Any one of them would be a huge improvement over Smirk. Kerry, for example, was my first choice last year. Edwards is a young, energetic TRIAL LAWYER whom I respect and admire immensely and could easily support.

What pleases me is that this time we have a wealth of good candidates, and our job is not to tear them down, but to select the one with the best shot at unseating the Great Pretender.

Bake

[AP]

15. Thanks.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. You left out that he's very like bush.

Southern.

Conservative.

Pro-war.

Appeals to "moderate" voters.

How about we try running a liberal anti-war Democrat instead. Perhaps someone who actually opposes bush?

[leyton]

10. God forbid he be Southern.

And Conservative? John Edwards is not a conservative - his campaign theme is about the growing divide, a liberal concept; and I believe his voting record is one of the most liberal in the Senate.

Appeals to "Moderates." Well, we wouldn't want that either, because if we get a candidate who appeals only to Democrats, when we lose we'll at least have the satisfaction that our candidate attracted 100% staunch Democrats.

Pro-war doesn't bother me personally, although I understand how it could be an issue with you because it's a matter of controversy. But on the others, I don't see how they're drawbacks to Edwards.

[AP]

11. What about him is conservative?

[efront]

12. Too bad voters don't pay attention

I've heard countless repubs saying Edwards would be the toughest to defeat in November. Oh well, it looks like a Kerry nomination and four more years of junior is very likely.

[mlawson]

14. It's not so much the voters, as the

Dem establishment, which is completely geared up for Kerry. Every day, more prominent Dems endorse him, as if on cue. After all, the DNC has never had winning elections as its primary goal. It's all about whose TURN it is to be nominated...