Edwards introduces his universal health care plan with videos sent to 70,000 Iowa homes (link)

[DeepModem Mom]

The Politico: Edwards Sends Video to 70,000 Iowa Homes
By: Ben Smith
March 5, 2007

John Edwards is mailing DVDs to more than 70,000 Iowa households this week, an aide said, introducing the audience of likely caucus-goers to his plan for universal health care with a combination of passion, wonkiness, and implicit comparison with his rivals.

Edwards’ video (which you can watch first on Politico.com) is the first effort this presidential cycle to reach voters directly and in numbers beyond those who tune into announcement speeches on television or on candidates’ websites. The mailing reflects the continuing centrality of Iowa in the presidential primary process, and to Edwards’ campaign in particular.

“I keep hearing people describe me as a ‘populist’,” Edwards says late in the six minute, seventeen-second video, which alternates between the candidate and unnamed Iowans speaking about their health-care worries. “If being a populist means you feel deeply and strongly committed to regular people having a real chance and not getting run over by big, powerful interests – oh yeah, if that’s true, I’m a populist.”

Edwards' ability to stay even, in the key early measures of fundraising and media attention, with his two rock-star rivals, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, has hinged on polls showing him with a lead among Iowa’s caucus-goers. He has paid 17 visits to the state since November, 2004....

Without his rivals' celebrity – or even a platform in government -- Edwards has kept himself in a perceived top tier of presidential candidates by scrambling to stay ahead of his rivals organizationally, ideologically, and in the details of his policy....

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/2976.html

[DemDogs]

1. Edwards is where he is because of who he stands up for

We can all get blown away by MSM's obsession with candidates who are symbols. We can make the symbols be whatever we want them to be if they don't pin themselves down too much with specifics.
Or we can support a candidate who stands for something in Edwards. You keep hearing that Edwards is doing well because he has visited Iowa. He is doing well in Iowa because Iowans care about substance. They pay more attention to policies than to the beauty pageants or the MSM's flavor of the week.
Iowa knows where Edwards stands and they know he has and will fight for and they like it.

[DemDogs]

2. Watch that video!

I replied before I watched the video
<http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0307/2976.html>

OMG, you have to watch it. It is so powerful! WTG, Edwards.

[BayCityProgressive]

3. I like

some of the things he has done lately.

[NDP]

4. Yeah, and look at who gets all of the coverage for doing absolutely nothing. Oh yeah, they spoke in

Alabama on "yesterday," as if the media just began covering them 24/7 on yesterday? Whatever.

[Mass]

5. What do you mean by "doing nothing"?

Edwards made a DVD? So what? This is process, nothing else.

There is certainly a pb with the media not covering issues but process, but no need to attack the candidates on that. They all have their set of proposals. Compare them on the value, not on the process.

I am listening to the video. It is fine, though I do not like too much the plan, but who will hear it, except a few people who are already interested by Edwards.

What I want to hear is a debate between the different plans. Good for Edwards to have a detailled plan. We need the other plans in order to be able to judge.

[DemDogs]

6. Precisely. He has a plan Krugman likes; they don't have any

HRC has already said she wants a "national conversation" about health care and that she wants universal by the "end of her SECOND term". That is not a plan.
If you want to compare the plans, you don't need to talk to Edwards, but you DO need to talk to the others.
You don't have to like his plan, but Krugman said it was good and Ezra Klein, who knows more about it than me and probably you, likes it.
I guess 70,000 Iowans will hear it, since you asked.

[Joe Chi Minh]

9. And probably many, many more who will see this video.

[Czolgosz]

7. K&R. That is GREAT! (please watch the video and then ask your favorite candidate to match this plan)

[Mass]

8. My favorite candidate does better (Kucinich).

[Czolgosz]

11. I love Kucinich. I'd be most happy with Edwards or Kucinich. I'd be happy with Gore or Clark or Dodd

and I'd be moderately satisfied with Obama.

Just PLEASE don't make me vote for a DLCer like Hillary, Richardson, or Biden in the general election. I'll support whoever gets the nomination, but I hope like hell it's Edwards or Kucinich or even Gore, Clark, Dodd, or Obama.

Where does Kucinich set forth a health care plan as good as this one? I'd like to read it.

[Greyhound]

17. More than set out a plan, it is already a bill, it's called Conyers/Kucinich.

Here's a link to the Thomas http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.00676">Library of Congress page for H.R 676. It has all of the information you could want about the bill, its current status, co-sponsors, etc.

[rodeodance]

10. smart move.

[PresidentObama]

12. Edwards is doing well in Iowa.

And frankily it's very smart on his part to send out DVD's detailing his plan to 70,000 people in Iowa. I think people will be very interested in hearing he was the first to talk about universal healthcare in this field, and lay out a detailed plan. I think he's got the best plan, and frankily thats why out of the current field of candidates he's my favorite. Now if Clark or Gore gets in that changes, but I like the direction the Edwards campaign is taking.

[Czolgosz]

14. Edwards 24%, Hillary 18%, Obama 18%, Biden 5%, Richardson 3%

latest Iowa poll: http://strategicvision.biz/political/iowa_poll_022207.htm

Edwards is running a very smart campaign in Iowa.

[robinlynne]

13. Edwards stood up publicly and said he would support a total ban on dres (computerized

voting machines and vote counting machines). This man has a spine!

[high density]

15. Do they even have DVD players in Iowa?

Super8 films might have been more appropriate.

[Czolgosz]

16. Of course they have DVD players in Iowa (they just run 'em on ethanol)

[lovuian]

18. Edwards is right Universal Health is a big issue

that Americans and Corporations want