Edwards' Closing Argument: I'm The True Fighter For Middle Class
By Greg Sargent--TPM Election Central
Wednesday, December 26, 2007---
In a new internal memo to supporters, Edwards deputy campaign manager Jonathan Prince has laid out the campaign's closing argument in Iowa.
The closing slogan is, "America Rising: Fighting for the Middle Class," and according to the memo, Edwards will spend every day from tomorrow through January 3 at small roundtable gatherings with Iowans, as well as holding a series of "America rising" rallies.
According to the memo -- which was first leaked to The Washington Post a little while ago and has now been obtained by TPM Election Central -- the Edwards campaign is banking on the fact that his bio as the son of a mill-worker will prove more inspirational to working and middle class Iowans and will enable his message to resonate among them. "America Rising is compelling because it relates the challenges and triumphs of Edwards’ own life to those the country faces right now," the memo says.
The memo also likens Hillary's closing argument to George W. Bush's 2004 message and says that Obama's attacks on Edwards are motivated by the latter's movement in the polls.
"We know that Senator Clinton will spend the week touting her national security credentials in a move that echoes George Bush’s 2004 campaign. We believe Democrats will not be fooled by efforts to play on their fears," the memo reads, adding: "It’s no accident that Obama’s criticisms of Edwards coincide with Edwards' uptick in recent polls."
Full memo after the jump.
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TO: Friends of the John Edwards for President Campaign
FR: Deputy Campaign Manager Jonathan Prince
DT: 12-26-07
RE: The Final PushRACE SNAPSHOT
We enter the final week before the Iowa Caucus in a position of strength. Nearly every poll finds Edwards enjoying momentum that places us in a statistical tie with Senators Clinton and Obama for first place. CNN’s Opinion Research poll captured Edwards at 26 percent; Strategic Vision found Edwards at 27 percent. Edwards has been drawing enthusiastic crowds – larger than those our rivals. Last Saturday night in Mason City, Edwards drew 600 people while nearby Obama’s event had roughly 300 attendees. Last Monday in Des Moines: Edwards drew 400 caucus goers while later that afternoon Clinton drew about 100 people. We expected to draw 125 people for our last event before the Christmas break in Coralville – over 300 showed up.
But increased energy around our campaign is not limited to Iowa. In New Hampshire, we have climbed to 18 percent support in Gallup and other polls. Last Thursday in Manchester we drew over 600 people while Obama’s close by crowd was roughly 500. In Nevada, had our best precinct recruitment week ever since we started recruiting precinct captains in the summer. In South Carolina, two recent polls have us jumping 6 percentage points while both of our opponents slide.
On the web, we are seeing a significant increase in e-mail list signups and in small donors. When people visit the website, they're clicking to our issues page more than any other area. Analysis by Complete found that Edwards saw the highest growth among Democrats in amount of time voters spend on their website in November.
THE EDWARDS FRANCHISE
The theme for Edwards’ final swing through Iowa will be: “America Rising: Fighting for the Middle Class.” While powerful interests get every break imaginable in Washington, middle-class families have to work harder than ever just to get by. From December 27-January 3rd, Edwards will discuss his plans to stand up to corporate greed and make sure hard-working middle class families can get ahead. Edwards will hold small roundtable discussions and community meetings, meet with Iowans at local diners, and hold “America Rising” rallies to encourage Iowans to caucus for him and help change America.
Edwards is closing the campaign talking about the kitchen-table issues that matter most to people: jobs, health care, trade, education, and financial security. America Rising is compelling because it relates the challenges and triumphs of Edwards’ own life to those the country faces right now and calls on Iowans, and all Americans, to rise up and use the power they have to bring the change we need. On the stump, Edwards makes the case that in the face of powerful interests holding the country back, America will rise. Edwards came from nothing but because of hard work, determination, and positive vision, he has been able to achieve the American Dream for himself and his family. But now, because of wealthy interests controlling Washington, the American Dream is out of reach for too many families. On January 3rd, Iowans will rise up make the nation what we want it to be – where everybody who works hard can achieve the American dream.
WHY STICK WITH KITCHEN-TABLE POLITICS
Edwards is focused on the middle class because they have been hurt the most over the last 25 years by the politics of greed. He believes if we don't stand up for them now no one will.
The anxiety felt by working class families is genuine and widespread. Gallup recently found that more than three-fourths of Americans say economic conditions are getting worse, the highest reading since 1991. In December’s ABC-Washington Post poll, just 28 percent of adults say the economy is in good shape, the lowest number since early 2003.
More importantly, we know the message is resonating with Iowa voters. Nearly every Edwards response in the Des Moines Register debate included his core economic message, and the results were extraordinary. Consistently high focus groups dials indicated undecided voters responded with enthusiasm to Edwards’ answers. Frank Luntz found when Edwards talks about health care and the middle class, the scores “can’t get any higher.” A separate CNN focus group of 23 undecided Iowa Democrats declared John Edwards the winner – and were especially impressed by his answer on education which was “one of the debates strongest moments.” Iowa’s prominent Bleeding Heartland blog also declared Edwards won the debate because he “articulated a coherent message that blamed corruption, greed, and entrenched interests for the problems America faces.”
Look no further than our opponents for confirmation that our message is working. Last week Senator Clinton announced a plan to raise the minimum wage to $9.50 – a proposal Senator Edwards has been talking about on the stump since July. Senator Clinton mentioned poverty on the campaign trail. Senator Obama unveiled an ad echoing the same sentiments that powerful corporations in Washington overshadow the interests of working Americans. This messaging shift is no accident.
Many observers have noticed how powerful the Edwards’ core economic message is. ABC News’ Claire Shipman reported, “Among the Democrats, John Edwards has the message that's most consistently appealing to people suffering from economic woes.” Mark Halperin has noted that Edwards stump speech has audiences “rising up,” the Wall Street Journal reports that on the Main Street Express tour through Iowa, Edwards drew “supersized crowds.” ABC News' Raelyn Johnson reports that Edwards' America Rising message is “met by applause and, at times, standing ovations.”
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM OTHERS THIS WEEK
We know that Senator Clinton will spend the week touting her national security credentials in a move that echoes George Bush’s 2004 campaign. We believe Democrats will not be fooled by efforts to play on their fears.
We also expect Senator Obama to continue his attacks on Senator Edwards. As NBC News, ABC News, CNN, the New York Times, and the Des Moines Register have noted, Obama’s recent attacks on Edwards coincide with Edwards' gaining steam on the trial. It’s no accident that Obama’s criticisms of Edwards coincide with Edwards' uptick in recent polls. Paul Krugman observed Obama’s attack on outside labor-funded groups could actually hurt the Democratic Party.
THE LONG HAUL
The results of the Iowa Caucus will kick-off a condensed nomination contest, and we are ready to use the momentum from a strong Iowa finish to propel us in New Hampshire and beyond. We have eight times the number of field staff in the state of New Hampshire than the Edwards campaign had in 2004; we recently added two dozen field staffers in Nevada; and we were the first candidate to run ads in South Carolina – a state Edwards won by 15 points in 2004. Given our support throughout the labor community and our advisors at work in all February 5th states, we will have the infrastructure in place to seize on momentum from strong early place finishes.http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/12/edwards_closing_argument_im_the_true_fighter_for_middle_class.php
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