John Edwards says he may have been too inexperienced in 2004

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN/AP: Monday, January 29, 2007
Edwards says he may have been too inexperienced in 2004

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards acknowledged Monday that he may have been too inexperienced in national politics for his White House run in 2004.

The former North Carolina senator was serving his first and only Senate term four years ago when he declared himself a presidential candidate. During a forum at Wake Forest University on Monday, Edwards said he might agree with critics who said he left Congress too soon to seek the presidency.

"They may have been right," Edwards said, adding that the experience he has gained since the election has now prepared him for another run in 2008.

"When I ran in 2004, I spent most of my time thinking about being a good candidate," Edwards told a packed crowd. "These days I think about what I want to do as president of the United States."

Since losing in 2004 as the running mate for Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry, Edwards has traveled the world and the country as an advocate for anti-poverty efforts.

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/edwards-says-he-may-have-been-too.html

[xultar]

1. tee hee hee.

[justiceischeap]

2. Um...

It seems to me that maybe he hasn't gained much experience these last few years being out of office.

Maybe I'm wrong...

[Pithy Cherub]

3. But he has a lot of new shiny travel magnets!

That certainly upped his experience level after being a disaster as a senator.:crazy:

[MonkeyFunk]

6. I think you're exactly right

the biggest career-mistake he made was leaving the Senate after one term.

"Travelling the country and listening to people" isn't perceived as "experience" by voters.

[Clark2008]

22. The questions is, however, would he have won had he run again.

The odds weren't in his favor from the polls I remember - but one never knows what would have happened.

[davidwparker]

7. You mean how politically unwise it is to announce that you might not

have had enough experience to run 2 years ago while you're running today?

I think you're right.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. But he was the perfect running mate for Kerry

and I never thought he was too young.
In fact, I will never forget Kerry's response to suggestions he was too young:

'After serving as Vice President for me he'll be more than ready to be President'.

[theoldman]

5. Though no fault of his own, he just looks too young.

I still think he would make a great VP.

[FrenchieCat]

8. Gee, all this news for John Edwards! And I though he was the media underdog....

But as he never stopped running.....yes, he's got more campaigning experience under his belt in 2007 than he did in 2004-that's for sure!

[BootinUp]

9. I think he's going to regret that comment. n/t

[Texas_Kat]

11. Oh dear lord

My prayer.

Please let me get past this thread without posting a response.

Can't help myself ....
:spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: :spray:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[The Ghost]

10. Obama

dont you think this is more of his way of hitting at Obama?

[Tom Rinaldo]

15. Yes. That was my first thought exactly

Obama has outflanked Edwards on his "new and exciting" flank so Edwards now has to argue that he has more "gravitas" than Obama. It was also a preemptive comment, because many of those running against Obama have a lot more experience in the Senate under their belts than Obama does, and they will certainly play the "inexperienced" card against Obama. It is not much of a stretch to see how that line of attack on Obama can be backdated to tar Edwards, for having run in 2004 after only 4 years in the Senate, with the same brush.

But the big problem with this statement by Edwards, im ny opinion, is that it once again calls his judgment about the most important decisions into question, which is not at all helpful since Edwards already had to apologize for co-sponsoring the IWR. The natural follow up questions to this comment by Edwards would be, "If you weren't ready to take on the critically important job of President of the United States, than why did you fight so hard to win it when more experienced Democratic candidates were available? And if you are now saying that when you decided to run for President last time you were mistaken in thinking that you were ready for the job, what does that say about your judgment, and how can we be confident that it is much better now?

[mopinko]

21. my first thought, too.

whether that was his intent in saying it, or whether that was the intent of whoever picked up and blasted that statement, is a good question.

[beaconess]

12. He'd better be careful with that claim . . .

If Edwards argues that spending two years traveling around the world advocating for anti-poverty efforts is invaluable experience for the presidency, he's leaving a hole wide enough for Obama to drive a truck through . . .

I'm sure Obama would be glad to stack his three years of experience as an on-the-ground community organizer in Chicago against Edwards' two years of anti-poverty advocacy any day of the week.

Someone should tell Edwards not to go there.

[mtnsnake]

13. So traveling the world for 2 years has made him more experienced to be President?

I thought being in politics made someone more experienced.

But in Edwards' case, traveling as a private citizen does? Okaaaaaay...

[Mass]

16. It seems we agree on something at last.

[Clarkie1]

14. Yes, he's gained so much experience since then!

(cough, cough)....

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Joyous hatred abounds

Has any candidate been as candid about his own failings and mistakes?

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

18. Its not really hatred

To state that the dude would've been more useful as a sitting senator than he was traveling around the country. He sure could have advocated for the poor better when he could write laws.

[Tiggeroshii]

19. That just looks like a sneaky way of saying Obama is too inexperienced.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Well, he was willing to stay on and fight, if I remember correctly.

Sometimes the impertinence of youth is what's needed.