I don't understand the new love affair with Edwards

[Joe the Revelator]

The ground swell of sudden support for Edwards on DU is weird to me. Where is it coming from?

Second of all, I just read someones comments that Edwards has "pulled Iowa out at the end".My questio is, how has he pulled it out? Most recent polls show Obama and Clinton bumping around at the front while Edwards still lags behind. Aside from one decent week of polling and media attention, what points towards him "pulling it out"?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Maybe it's because people are getting sick of the Hillary-Obama pie fight.

[Joe the Revelator]

4. Maybe, but what FACTS point to the love affair actually occuring on the ground

in Iowa?

[depakid]

13. You have a very funny notion about "facts"

Polls are meaningless as to what's happening "on the ground" -and have little predictive value in the caucus process.

[Joe the Revelator]

24. Are you in Iowa?

What exactly is happening on the ground there that isn't showing up in polls??

[depakid]

37. Don't need to be to do simple analysis

FACT is that very few Iowans caucus- low double digits at best, and with the early date this year, who knows what the mix will be.

You can't peg that with cheap media polls.

[surfermaw]

29. Polls

Edwards was never given the coverage he deserved by corpotate media, however you should take a trip to Iowa and talk to the people , Edwards has never been behind HIllary or Obama, and a fact is that Edwards is the only one of the three that can win a national ticket, the south and other bigots in this nation isn't going to vote for a black man or a woman and one of our candidates was put in play by the republican party knowing they couldn't win a national election, and they are laughting out thir rerars at the dumb democrats. Oh yes I suspect that republican money may be going ot one.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. New?

I don't think it's so much new, but more like people never left him from 2004.

[Joe the Revelator]

7. Well no, thats not true at all...

Just judging by DU pop. polls, Edwards use to hang back in distant 4 or 5th place (depending on peoples feelings on Biden at the current time). Suddenly, he's winning these polls by 2-1 margins. The sudden ground swell of support here on DU is what I'm getting at.

[K Gardner]

10. On DU? Probably people getting sick of the nastiness of the HRC/Obama mess.

On the ground in Iowa? You'd have to be in one of those standing room only crowds to understand it, from what I hear. Usually love affairs aren't very fact-based. It's more about gut instinct and heart.

[Hieronymus]

52. Any reason why you think that Biden ever rated higher than Edwards?

[JohnLocke]

3. People are identifying with Edwards' message - America Rising

[Joe the Revelator]

8. Thats the thing, aside from on DU, I don't see that playing out on the real world.

[PurityOfEssence]

21. I have to disagree on that

Admittely, I'm a long-time Edwards partisan, but I do get around. My work has me interact with a lot of different people from different backgrounds and with very different politics, and there is quite a bit of interest in him.

One of his greater strengths is that he's the type of person many people feel they can do business with. He doesn't come off as an extremist, and he's eminently practical and approachable. This will be key to untangling the partisan mess this country has become, and I think many people sense this.

There is a gentleness to him along with his firmness, and people tend to like that.

Ask around in your neck of the woods, you might be surprised.

[Joe the Revelator]

25. Thanks for the answer.

I'm in a new state, a red one at that, and I can't get a read for anything really, due to lack of contacts (i've been here less then six months) and lack of knowledge of this state political peccadilloes.

[Two Americas]

43. I did

It was in the real word that I saw everyday non-political people suddenly getting interested in politics after hearing Edwards speak. I hadn't seen anything so strong in that regard since the RFK candidacy. It stunned me and I hadn't expected it.

Perhaps the new support for Edwards is coming from lurkers such as me who were inspired to join DU based on what they heard or saw offline, as was the case with me.

The Edwards supporters seem too diverse, sincere and transparent to me to suspect that this new groundswell of support is anything but just that - enthusiasm spontaneously generated by the things Edwards is saying and by the response from the general public to what he is saying.

Edwards is the one Democratic candidate - and the first one in a long time - that I would not hesitate to put in front of any audience, anywhere, any time.

And after all, we are looking for a candidate who can sell us - the Democrats and the principles and ideals of the party - not a candidate that we can sell.

[ccpup]

5. it's simple, really

the need for something new and exciting to talk about and argue over. the clinton-obama tug-of-war was getting boring and, with the little push the media gave him, suddenly John Edwards seemed like as good a change of pace as any to break the doldrums and have something interesting to discuss.

He may do okay in the primaries, but, at the end, we'll still be looking at either clinton or obama as our nominee.

[Joe the Revelator]

9. This makes some sense.

[1corona4u]

6. Wishful thinking I'd say.

[CitizenRob]

11. The media is telling people he can win.

Just like they told us Kerry could win in 2004.

[Mojambo]

14. Some of us believe Kerry DID win in 2004. n/t

[CitizenRob]

22. Well then his Presidency has looked alot like Bush's.

[surfermaw]

36. The ticket should have been Edwards and Kerry and we would have won

if the Clintons hadn't thrown Clark in to play just a few days after Edwards got in. Kerry didn't have enough fire in his bellie to win a national election, John Edwards did, and the republicans knew this so in went the half republican Clark, in fact Clark would hav run as a republican if the republicans would have let him.

[kimmerspixelated]

12. Maybe it's because of all the frontrunners,

He really is the only one that actually intends to bring down corporate america with all it's dirty deeds.

[1corona4u]

18. Yeah, too bad that's not the most important issue

facing the next president. Bringing down the corporations will never happen in any of our lifetimes. Never. He's a fool to claim he can do it. It'll just be another broken promise should he get elected. Mark my words.

[kimmerspixelated]

28. Edwards admits that, too.

Which is why I support him even more. BTW, nothing's really wrong with Biden. I just think Edward's is a stronger candidate.

[1corona4u]

32. Exactly how is he stronger than Biden...

be specific.

[HughBeaumont]

31. And I'll vote for him 1000 times before I'll vote for a neolib free-trader corporate appeaser.

Big Business and the wealthy that run them do not need any more advantages or perks.

[1corona4u]

33. Please provide references when you make accusations...

otherwise, I will just take your comments with a grain of salt.

[HughBeaumont]

34. OK, here you go - the "pro-labor" front-runner's position on free trade and job offshoring:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GC01Df03.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/538674.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/593175.cms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhLBSLLIhUs
Hillary pushes for more h1-b visas and outsourcing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLNOSGM2jK4
Hillary Clinton's hypocrisy (part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgdrh2Bc95M
Hillary Clinton's hypocrisy (part 2)

[1corona4u]

35. I'm not supporting Hillary...

but, I can understand, and there are 2 candidates who will not get my vote.

[HughBeaumont]

38. ABC.

I'll take ANY of the candidates, just so long as it's not her. TOO many negatives and less-than-democratic positions on important issues . . . such as war, labor and trade. We do not need a candidate that will almost guarantee a division of the left and center. Not now.

My top three choices are Edwards, Obama and Biden at this point. Ideally, I like Kucinich, but I'm also a realist. Our own newspaper portrays him as an elfin joke. Of course, our paper is a right-wing fishwrap, but that's besides the point. American perception and big money marginalization are too great to overcome.

[JDPriestly]

42. I don't think he is talking about "bringing down" the corporations.

He just wants them to pay their taxes. He wants to regulate them. He wants to end their total dominance of our government. He is not out to destroy our economic system or our legal system.

[saltpoint]

53. Certainly it won't be a weekend project. But Edwards' message is a social

and political imperative in that it asks for a paradigm shift and demands accountability for corporate misconduct and raw greed.

Not because that is a logical goal but because corporate profits are soaring while wage-earners are struggling. Edwards could have chosen a far sexier campaign theme. He knew this was extremely risky and did it anyway.

There was a moment in the early fall I think, when Biden's schedule crossed paths with Edwards' schedule. I have the photo someplace in the cyberfile. At one point they were within a couple few yards of each other. Biden moseyed on over and said, "Hi, John." And the two talented, dedicated public servants exchanged a very heightened and civil moment. It was one of my favorite moments in this entire election cycle. I like both men and respect what they are willing to contribute to me and my neighbors and our descendants. All that was contained in that greeting that day.

[Beaverhausen]

15. He has had a lot of support here for months - but at this point a lot of people are making choices

A lot of Gore people finally realized he isn't running, and are coming over to Edwards' side.

But I think you are wrong about this being "new." Edwards has been at or near the top here - along with Kuchinich.

[polichick]

19. True, a lot of us have just recently decided...

And have chosen Edwards because he's the one most willing and able to de-throne corporate America on behalf of the people.

[Hekate]

16. I've always hoped for an Edwards-Obama ticket, but don't want to fight about it.

I end up defending both Hillary and Obama from the mindless bashers, so it probably looks like I support one of them more than Edwards.

DU support for Edwards is not new, just shouted down by those who can't stand it that he got a big house.

Hekate

[Trajan]

27. An accurate depiction ....

I have spent the last 10 months here defending Democrats from Democrats ...

I have yet to find a single candidate who is perfect, yet I find a whole slew who are decent and qualified to hold that office ....

I will GLADLY vote for any one of our slate of candidates ....

Edwards support has always been here ....

DU polls are meaningless .....

[sam sarrha]

17. he is the only anti-Fascist in the running..

[Rowdyboy]

20. There's been a strong group of Edwards supporters here since 2003.....

He's led most of the polls that I've seen here this year with a plurality of at least 30%. :shrug:

[AtomicKitten]

23. It isn't new ... Edwards has tremendous support here at DU.

While I am enamored by his current platform, I can't forget his past positions and votes. Still he came out hard against K-L, so that elevates him well beyond you-know-who in my view.

[MethuenProgressive]

26. Anything above 4th in Iowa will be a "Victory!" for Edwards.

DU "support" has nothing to do with the real world, btw.

[elocs]

30. Very little here at DU is representative of the world as a whole

or even an accurate reflection of the U.S. as a whole. So often here we measure ourselves by ourselves, declaring ourselves to be wise and wondering why everybody does not bow, yield, and kneel to our beliefs since we know what is best for everybody. Yes, what this country needs is a benevolent DU dictator (since democracy is to undependable, especially those who disagree with us) to set everything right. That's probably not John Edwards.

As far as Iowa and the polls go, screw the polls. This is a caucus and not a primary and no matter where Edwards may be in the polls I think he is a strong second choice of many who will actually participate in the caucuses where deals can and have been made and somebody who has strong second choice support may actually end up the winner.

I just heard on PBS news that only 1 in 3 of Iowa caucus goers have absolutely made up their minds concerning who their first choice will be. That means that 2 out of 3 are undecided. Yeah, the polls are so very meaningful.

On second edit, still watching PBS new, evidently the MSM has decided for us that the only real choices in Iowa are Clinton and Obama because you don't even hear Edwards name mentioned. That's kind of disappointing for PBS, but maybe not really unexpected.

[derby378]

39. Edwards has been making anti-corporate overtones lately

Stems from his career as a trial lawyer. I think a lot of progressive Democrats are resonating with the idea of making corporations obey the law rather than letting them write the law.

[JDPriestly]

45. Well said, derby378

And may I point out, that making "the corporations obey the law" will actually help those corporations that love America and want to do what is right and therefore obey the law. There are such corporations. They have been the biggest victims of the Bush regime because they have been forced to compete on an uneven playing field in which unscrupulous big corporations like Enron and Diebold and the like bully and cheat out the honest ones.

[balantz]

49. And that's well said too!

[GOPBasher]

40. I've always supported him, mainly because the polls show he always does

better against the Republicans. And winning the general election to me is infinitely more important than which candidate wins the primary.

[LWolf]

41. I think it comes from multiple directions:

Disgust with both Clinton and Obama as the other 2 "top" candidates most likely to "win," and a determination to prevent that,

and a flow from the Kucinich campaign of voters afraid to vote for someone who "can't win," wanting to choose someone they erroneously see as closest to DK but "electable."

Added to, of course, the people who believe that John Edwards is the better candidate, and there are plenty of them, too.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

44. I can only speak for myself...

Kucinich is my Primary Vote choice. I agree with him on most subjects (but I live in Oregon, so my Primary vote doesn't really count.)

That said, I'm endorsing Edwards (with Biden running a close second for completely different reasons.) JE speaks to my Populist American heart, domestic issues. He matches up really well against all the GOP candidates in a GE, he can bring in cross-over and Indie votes that Clinton and Obama just can't. (Disclaimer: My aversion to Clinton and lack of enthusiasm for Obama may be clouding my vision.)
Biden gets really high marks for International policy and experience, very impressive.. but I think Domestic stuff is closer to my heart. He would make an excellent VP or Sec. of State.

[saltpoint]

46. Ain't dissin' y'all's first choices, but John Edwards is mine.

I've never seen anybody as prepared and at-the-ready with the issues as he is right now.

I believe the country under a John Edwards administration would be highly favorable toward expanded health care, concern for the impoverished, wage-earners, and earnest community-building.

I've followed him since he whupped Lauch Faircloth and I hope Iowa Democrats lend him their ears and their votes.

For our household, this appreciation for John Edwards ain't nothin' new.

[JI7]

47. i don't think there is anything new about this

Edwards has usually had more support than Hillary and Obama on DU.

[gristy]

48. I've liked him all along, and I sent him a check a month ago. But love? I don't know...

but then, I'm a guy.

[balantz]

50. I see no better candidate available.

In fact I think we're fortunate to have such a fine choice as Edwards.

[Bill Todd]

51. I can only speak for myself

since today is my first visit to DU in over a year (I don't pay much attention between elections).

I had been holding out hope for a Gore candidacy until very recently, but I happened to meet Edwards when he spoke last month to a very small group at the Alzheimer's facility where my mother resides (fortunately, only for mild dementia rather than for Alzheimer's, but she was initially misdiagnosed and it's turned out to be a pretty good choice for her). I hadn't been at all impressed with his candidacy in 2003-4, but he really seemed to have grown since then (just as Gore has since Y2K) and I began looking at him more closely - and when it became pretty clear that Al wasn't going to run, just like a lot of people in the DFA poll I found Edwards to be my next choice.

The closer I look, the more legitimately progressive he appears - and he has spelled out his positions in admirable detail (kind of reminds me of Howard Dean in that regard - and I still have a DFA sticker on my car, so you might be able to guess that I value that kind of openness). I'm no longer thinking of supporting Edwards just because supporting Dennis seems Quixotic, I'm doing so because he seems a very legitimate alternative and I don't find Obama nearly as solid in that regard (though if he becomes the nominee I hope I'll be pleasantly surprised).

But whether other Edwards enthusiasts here have followed anything like that route I have no idea.

- bill