I hope that Edwards wins in Iowa by a landslide for one particular reason

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

The fact that he and the other candidates (aside from H & O) are given almost no mention whatsoever by the MSM who have decided on the behalf of all of us that this entire primary is a 2 person race between Hillary and Obama.

I watched Hardball last night which showed graphic after graphic of Hillary and Obama tightening with Edwards coming up fast on the outside. Did I hear them mention Edwards or anyone else at all? No. Even though the polling they were discussing on the show showed that up to 1/2 of all Iowans have not made a choice as of this moment. 50%!!!! So, since not one vote has been cast and half the electorate is undecided - it could be anyone.

I used Hardball as an example, but this pretty much summarizes the coverage I am seeing almost everywhere.I want Edwards to win just to enjoy seeing all the "pundits" bathed in eggwash.

(To be truthful, I would like Edwards to win anyway because I like his populism, but this would be icing)

[cali]

1. I hope he doesn't.

It's not just his Senate record- that I could live with, but the hypocrisy of working for a Hedge fund of all things, in 2005, and then claiming he was doing it for research about poverty, really sticks in my craw. He earned $500,000 for his part time consulting work, and made millions in investments with them. The only reason I can figure that people aren't troubled by this, is that they don't know how fucking awful hedge funds are. They're essentially unregulated, and they are the least transparent part of the investment world. Fortress is a criminal operation in my book, and Edwards attached himself to an organization with NO redeeming social value, and then lied about why he did it.

[Apollo11]

2. He admitted to Charlie Rose that he did it for the money

You can watch the interview at www.charlierose.com

[cali]

4. As if that makes it all A-OK

And for months he insisted it was to learn about poverty. Fortress and all other hedge funds should be strictly regulated- at the very least. Does Edwards call for that? No. Do people even understand how much money they control? Over a trillion dollars.

[Apollo11]

12. Not for me

It's not a deal breaker but it adds to the impression of Edwards as some kind of chameleon.

Personally I think Biden and Obama are the most credible and trustworthy candidates.

[Armstead]

24. he said he did it to earn money and to learn about business from the inside

If he gets involved with a corporation doing awful things, it's cited as hypocracy.

When Hillary hires a campaign official whose company has long been known for terrible things, that's okay.

I share the unease about some of Edwatrds' inconsistencies. But I am coming to the view that he's addressing them honestly.

He said in the same interview that when he was a Senator, he bought into the same crap he is criticizing. That's a fairly honest statement -- as long as he means it when he says that is one of the reasons he has changed.

[cali]

33. nope. both are worthy of criticism.

but the Fortress deal is a much bigger problem. He did it himself, not a campaign official.

[glowing]

9. I think we've learned a lot more about Edwards in negative light

than we have Clinton or Obama.... The media is scared of his message, and I really believe he has had an epiphany, a re-organizing after being out of Washington and working very closely with very poor. If you don't grow a pair after that, then you are a monster.. Bush wouldn't learn.. I think Edwards is open to change and learning. I think he went to Washington and got snowed... he was also from North Carolina, and I will tell you, there were very few people who didn't want the war. It was a different time... and people forget how bad it really was.. there were so few of us... I learned to shut my mouth at certain times.... I think my views led me to losing one of my jobs because I couldn't believe so called educated scientists could actually believe these lies... and it all went downhill from there. If I understand it, you are in VT. Its a different world up there. I was lucky to grow up there... its the reason I can recognize what is so wrong with everywhere else. I was living in Charleston, SC when 9/11 happened. People were scared we would be next... one of the largest arms holding places is outside of Charleston. The next reaction was lets get them back. Conversation was done. Cause, reaction.

Anyway, I think Edwards has learned how it feels to be screwed because he built his career and wasn't handed it or the money. I think he tried to play the D.C. game, but he was expendable. I think between dealing with a wife who has cancer and remembering his roots and working with the poor, he listned, learned, and reached back into his past to do the honorable thing. People change... if they don't, why would we now have 70% of the pop. now against this war. My new neighbor nosed into my politics already, and I found out that most of her children and grandchildren are serving in the military...she wants it over. Who knows where she was back in 02? Kucinich is my favorite.. he's never sold out and always works for the people, but will it be many years of nothing getting done and assassination attempts... Perhaps if Edwards and Kucinich were running mates they'd be in a better position to push a progressive agenda. I have to admit that I was one of those people who said I wish Edwards was the first name on the Kerry/ Edwards ticket. I lived in the south long enough... He's being honest. You can tell when they aren't. He's got his mojo on and he's ready to fight for what is right. I could tell everytime he was faking something back in 04 when he was plugging Kerry. He really didn't want to be his VP, and I could tell.

[cali]

11. I hope you're right. I love what JE says but I have a really hard time

jibing that with some of the things he's done in the recent past.

I can't tell if he's being honest. All I can do is weigh his rhetoric against his record and try to square it. To date I haven't been able to do that.

And yes, I realize that having lived in Vermont for over a quarter of a century distorts how I see things. Out of the hundreds of people I know, I knew only 4 who supported going into Iraq, or believed any of the hysterical bullshit being put out there by bushco.

[Dawgs]

15. Great post.

That's exactly how I feel.

Specifically this part, "I can't tell if he's being honest. All I can do is weigh his rhetoric against his record and try to square it. To date I haven't been able to do that."

[glowing]

22. My mom says the same thing... She thinks he's like a my old roommate's

dad. I tell her she's lived in the north too long. A tan, hair cut, rings on a hand, and a cheesy smile is not something that is bad. Having lived in S. Carolina and finally removed the flannel and sorels, you realize that all those "bad" things you have feared living in the North are pretty much B.S. Sure there's things to work on, but really, I had less interference dating a black man from my southern friends than I did from my friends who lived in New York... "blue jays date blue jays, not black birds"... Anyway, I have a southern husband.. its nice to have someone who compliments my style (and yes, I finally have style). Southern gentlemen can be just that.

When he was running with Kerry, he was faking some things.. he didn't agree with all those policies, I could tell when he was insincere. I can also tell he really doesn't like Clinton. That smile is so overly fake...

[Hieronymus]

25. Hillary and Bill have been caught in whoppers, just this last week.

[glowing]

34. Ahh, I didn't think you were a Vermonter... An import. Takes a while

to figure us out... Liberal and conservative.. open minded, but plenty of bigotted statements. Farmers and hunters and big trucks and chopping down trees and on the down time smoking trees... I loved growing up there. I thought the rest of the USA had town meetings and real in your face democracy... I thought everyone knew who their reps were... shoot, one of my teachers was a state rep. One of my classmates ran against him his senior year... he placed well. It was such a cool place.. so many children should be able to grow up like that... they seriously wouldn't be so fucked up.

[grmamo]

18. I agree with you, from what I understand Edwards is a real fighter. He

(from what I heard) had a yelling match with Kerry when Kerry didn't want to fight for the election. I remember John Edwards saying they would fight after the election only to see Kerry throw in the towel less than 24 hrs later. I lost all resect for Kerry.

[ChiciB1]

32. Very Very Nice Comments... A Parade Is Beginning To Swell For

Edwards, I really think it is, yes I do!!

[Apollo11]

3. You know what would really bug the pundits?

If Joe Biden would win the Iowa caucuses B-)

[Bluzmann57]

5. Or Richardson or Dodd...

or anyone else besides Obama or HRC. I am supporting Dodd because I truly believe he is a good candidate. Does he have a chance? We shall see. It won't be from lack of effort.
And it does appear that Biden is closing fast. He isn't afraid to beat the bushes either. We need a hard working candidate.
on edit- I just realized what I said. Of course Biden wants to beat the Bushes (the evil empire), but that isn't what I meant at all. Oops. Let's just say that Biden isn't afraid to come out and meet the people.

[ellacott]

6. That would be great n/t

[NCarolinawoman]

26. Ha! Apollo11, I would love that!

I heard Chris Mathews say at the Miami Book Festival (C-Span) that Biden isn't in the "top tier" because the press doesn't consider Biden to be one of the "Elite". Yep, that's the term he used.

He went on to explain that Joe doesn't own a townhouse in DC, and doesn't go to the fancy parties in Washington where you schmooze the press and get in good with them. Instead, he takes the train home every night to be home with his wife who is a school teacher. Tweety looked embarrassed and almost apologetic when he said this.

Since Joe never used his long years in the Senate to get rich--- he's 99th out of a 100 Senators in net worth; I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for him to do well in Iowa. The MSM would hav a conniption!!!

[glowing]

7. I would love it if Kucinich won just to shut them all the hell up.... Now,

that would be fun.

[LWolf]

8. Even better:

One of the other candidates. One not from the "top 3."

Of course, the best result would be a DK win, which would turn the entire primary on its head, but any of the others would be good, as well.

[fasttense]

10. Edwards is a fighter.

You can use the right wing talking point on Edwards supposed hypocrisy all you want but the bottom line, is that he would fight back.

What candidate doesn't have some contradictions in their past? Even Kucinich seems to enjoy having a trophy wife (though I doubt that Kucinich married her to have a trophy). But unlike Kucinich, Edwards has a real chance at winning.

I trust Edwards to fight when the repukes take the 2008 presidential election to the dancing supremes. When the black robed junta selects our next repuke president for us, he will be out in the streets with the protesters. I can see him fighting right along side us. Will Obama? Will Hillary?

[cali]

13. there is NOTHING right wing about criticizing Edwards

for his record in the Senate or for his ties to Fortress. And why are you calling Elizabeth Kucinich a trophy wife even as you state that you doubt Dennis married her to have a trophy?

And I highly doubt the 2008 election will go to the SCOTUS.

[Dawgs]

16. I'm sorry, but Edwards has a lot of RECENT contradictions.

[grmamo]

14. I totally support Edwards, the more I hear him speak on issues, I reviewed his

voting record and I felt he was on right side of many issues (ANWAR, Roe v Wade, Free Trade, Internet Tax, even voting against Ashcroft for AG, etc.)and he walks the walk with helping those less fortunate. Anyone can say what they want. I believe what I research myself. Go check it out yourselves. I don't care about how he spends his money, that is his business. More power to him for being a democrat and having lots of money to spend.

Interesting how I continually see some trying to undercut Edwards. He is a presence to deal with or they wouldn't bother.

I wish I could say I want to vote for the first woman or first black in this primary. But, I can't - not because of gender or race, but because I do not believe them or the way they posture themselves before they take a stand on issues (verbally and voting in senate). I have had enough of people not being honest about issues.

[cali]

17. Some of us criticize Edwards because we don't view his voting

record through rose colored glasses, because the Fortress business makes us very uncomfortable, and not because we support another candidate or "fear" his agenda. That's a silly meme that for reasons I can't fathom gets trotted out with monotonous regularity. And no Edwards supporter has any grounds on which to criticize other candidates voting records. They're all better than Edwards was- though on some issues I cut him some slack for being from NC.

[grmamo]

21. Sorry no "rose colored glasses" here, but nice try....

I am watching, I am listening and do my own researching - that is how I pick. I don't go by what others say.

[Dawgs]

19. I'm sorry, he supported Bush's war more than any other Democratic candidate.

"or the way they posture themselves before they take a stand on issues (verbally and voting in senate)."

Obama was against the war from the beginning; and that was only 5 years ago. Edwards read the intelligence and still voted for the war.

I'll go with Obama until he does something really stupid. Edwards is my second choice because of his record in the Senate.

[Snotcicles]

27. Good post . I did my own digging also. nt

[Nutmegger]

20. Me too!

I can't wait for the "surge" to occur, and for Edwards to come out victorious in Iowa and putting himself in a very good position for New Hampshire.

Everyone will be surprised! Edwards 2008!

[asdjrocky]

23. MSM-

Like a lot of people, know how much Edwards will shake things up when he takes office.

He's got em running scared.

Do yourself a favor, dig a little and see the money the pugs get from individuals in the media, now take a look at how much Clinton has received. Now try to find Edwards numbers.

See what I mean?

[Gloria]

28. Frankly, I think Edwards is "steelier" than either O or H, so that's one

reason I'm with him. I think he's as tough as nails under that drawl... Hillary is like Bush, and Obama is a mystery to me in many ways.

The recent Esquire mag article on Edwards had a comment with regard to how some of the GOP call JE pretty boy...it might have been a comment on a Huckabee shot....anyway, the writer said that Edwards, in light of some tough personal hits, showed more guts by just getting up in the morning compared to the jerks in the GOP.

[Mark Twain Girl]

29. This get me too -- why does the CorpMSM have to force a 2 person race on us? Biden?

Richardson? Why aren't we hearing more? This is precisely the time to have a robust debate among multiple candidates. When it comes to a general, I'll vote for whoever has the D, but for now... this is the time for diversity and debate.

Ah, this one is a hot button for me. It makes me even angrier because the "bottom tier" (and I dislike that term more and more, because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy) are ignored because they aren't media celebs.

[ChiciB1]

30. This Has Benn MY Mantra For Way Too Long!!! We Need A Big

push for Edwards, run the tables with email to them or snail mail. We can also CALL THEM!

[ChiciB1]

31. OOOPs.. Spelling Error... This Has Been...okay n/t