John Edwards sizes up his presidential prospects

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Monday, January 29, 2007
Edwards sizes up his presidential prospects

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards touted his prospects of winning the Democratic presidential nomination Monday, a day after Sen. Hillary Clinton, the race's perceived front runner, made her first foray as a presidential candidate into the key caucus state of Iowa.

"I've got a lead in Iowa, I'm in basically a tie in New Hampshire, which is a few places that at least in the past have been the most critical in the nomination process," Edwards told CNN's Miles Obrien on the heels of Sen. Hillary Clinton's successful visit to the Hawkeye state.

Edwards also sized up another formidable candidate for the nomination, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, calling him "very smart," but saying the campaign will reveal whether he is qualified to be president.

"This will be a test for him, just as it was for me the last time around -- if people will be looking for his depth, his maturity, and whether he has the kind of judgment that we need in the Oval Office," Edwards said. "

"That's a test that ought to be applied to him," Edwards added.

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/edwards-sizes-up-his-presidential.html

[foo_bar]

1. it sounds like one of those Southern compliments

"This will be a test for him, just as it was for me the last time around -- if people will be looking for his depth, his maturity, and whether he has the kind of judgment that we need in the Oval Office," Edwards said."

Well bless his shallow, newborn weakling heart!

[Moloch]

6. Southern racists often say "he's very smart" or he's very articulate"

about a black man, as if they don't expect a black person to be smart.

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. No doubt. But that doesn't apply here

Southern racists also put their pants on one leg at a time. So do I. That doesn't make me a Southern racist, and John Edwards isn't either.

Unless of course you are making the argument that all Whites are intrinsically racist due to subliminal sociological influences beyond our conscious control. In that case, OK Sure, we have a couple of hundred million racists in this country, and tens of millions of them live in the South.

[LittleClarkie]

12. Fascinating. How does that apply here though?

Edwards is talking about the perception of inexperience and youth. He is comparing himself two years ago to Obama now. Unless Edwards is secretly a black man, I don't see your point.

[foo_bar]

15. looks like you scooped the news cycle by one day

[Clark2008]

17. Joe Biden is Southern?

Wow... that must be an old... really old... Mississippi accent he has there!

WTF are you talking about?

More South bashing?

[foo_bar]

19. this was an Edwards thread

Look at the timestamp on the post you replied to: it's the day before Biden's big announcement. "Articulate" came up serendipitously, which speaks to its prevalence as a term of not-endearment.

[LittleClarkie]

11. I think comparing Obama to himself last time around is fairly accurate

Obama appears more youthful than he actually is, just as Edwards did. There were questions about Edwards experience and capability, just as there are with Obama. Obama will be tested just as Edwards was, and the proof will be in how he comes out of the primaries.

I see nothing offensive.

[foo_bar]

14. I didn't find it offensive, but I wouldn't call it flattery

"That's a test that ought to be applied to him,"

Mental emphasis on "ought". I doubt we'll be seeing an Edwards/Obama ticket or vice versa, if only because the party would be suicidal to choose a pair of "fresh faced" one term Senators, so they're competing for air in Hillary's wake. I think Edwards is a long shot, since he needs to win it all or bust (his swoon factor as veep candidate being a known quantity), but no one can predict the future of the American psyche, or they'd run for president and finance the campaign by picking stocks ("You will elect me in six months, and then there will be a great famine.")

[FrenchieCat]

2. and Geeze, all this time many thought he was the underdog because

he wasn't getting any media coverage.

Guess CNN doesn't count....:shrug:

Hillary, Obama AND Edwards are all the corporate media's candidates.
Who it will boil down to? Time will tell!

But none are real underdogs....and in fact, the underdog may being kept there for now...cause we've got such a long way to go.

[Skwmom]

3. Re Obama since when does being a politician equal being qualified

to be president (for example, one need look no further than Bush). Since the media plays a large part in "helping" the American public determine who is "qualified" unfortunately, those most qualified to lead this country often do not win the nomination.

[Mass]

4. It seems to me this is a test that should be applied to everybody, not just Obama!!

[Catchawave]

5. They only ask the top 3 about the other top 3

I've noticed that a lot during the interviews recently. The rest either haven't declared or are still polling in single digits. I'm sure that will change!

Otherwise, I agree with you.

[Skwmom]

13. Well based on Edward's judgment on co-sponsoring the

Iraq War, I'd say he'd fail his own test miserably.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Obama had the maturity and the clear judgment to oppose the Iraq War

very early on. While Edwards did not join Russ Feingold in opposing the Iraq War Resolution, he has repudiated his war vote and has worked hard to redeem himself since.

[BluegrassDem]

9. Exactly! It seems Obama has the right judgment!

I'm not sure why Edwards used that word cause his judgment was horrible in voting for IWR. Obama is the one who makes the right decisions.

[IndianaGreen]

10. Edwards also referred to Ariel Sharon as a great man

and made incredibly ignorant remarks about Israel's recent military actions in Lebanon and in Occupied Palestine. Edwards was either ignorant, in which case he needs to be educated about the Middle East, or he was just pandering to his pro-Israel audience. We can forgive the former, but not the latter.

[JohnLocke]

16. He didn't say that

"Throughout his career and public service Sharon has shown courage, including his historic decision to evacuate Gaza"

True.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Edwards_Iran_must_know_world_wont_0123.html

[Skwmom]

18. Could you please explain to me how Edwards has worked

hard to redeem himself? I just don't see it. He said he was wrong when support for the war plummeted to an all time low and now he just espouses whatever rhetoric he thinks is supported by the latest poll (doing so only in an attempt to get elected the next commander in chief). I guess political redemption must be easy to achieve. What the heck... it's only trillions of dollars plundered, thousands dead and injured.....