WaPo: Edwards Fights to the Finish

[chimpymustgo]

By Dan Balz
DES MOINES -- For the final days in the Iowa contest, John Edwards has shed his blue jeans and open-collar shirt and put on a suit and tie -- and a pair of brass knuckles.

Often the forgotten man in Iowa's three-way Democratic battle, Edwards is on the move. Independent analysts see his support firming up. Advisers to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama believe he might win the caucuses on Thursday -- although their views should be discounted because both Clinton and Obama would rather see Edwards win if they can't.

Four years ago, Edwards closed out Iowa in a rush. Had the campaign gone on a few more days, he might have won the caucuses. His second-place finish was almost as surprising as John Kerry's victory.

Nobody in the race here understands the rhythms of campaigns any better than Edwards and nobody is more ruthlessly focused on closing the deal than the former trial lawyer and senator. This time he's trying to make it all the way, knowing that he cannot afford to lose here on Thursday night.
But it is his message that is most remarkable. No thought here of finishing on a sunny and positive note, as he did four years ago. His "America Rising" theme is not a variation of "Morning in America."

It is a call to arms that is raw and angry, populist and pugnacious. It is a message that is as exhausting and is it confrontational. It is a message makes Al Gore's "people versus the powerful" seem tame and timid in comparison.

One Edwards supporter, departing after a big rally in Des Moines on Saturday night, said he hasn't heard a message as passionate or strong since Bobby Kennedy's 1968 presidential campaign.


-snip-

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/12/30/edwards_fights_to_the_finish_1.html

*******

This is a message that makes the corporate reporters skittish (i.e. WaPo, Des Moines Register) - but the PEOPLE are loving it!

[Yael]

1. Theres some good news

Thanks for posting! Rec'd

[gristy]

2. Good deal

The more I hear comparisons of Edwards to Bobby Kennedy, the happier I am. This summer I was reading Schlesinger's Robert Kennedy and His Times, though my vacation ended before I could finish it. What a man. What a time.

[The River]

3. "..ruthlessly focused"..?

Why can't they just say "focused"?
Why interject "ruthlessly".

The reporter is letting his bias show.

[Snotcicles]

5. I'd like to be there the day they are handing out press passes after Edwards is elected

and watch these clowns waddle up with their tales between their legs leaving a pee pee trail to ask for a pass PLEEEASE.

[weeve]

4. Yep

Yet another big media smear job on Edwards, in the guise of "unbiased" reporting. Their corporate interests are so threatened by John, that they're bending over backwards to make Edwards out to be the unhinged boogeyman. Or the Unabomber ...

"He promises not to fix the system but to blow it up."

They did the same to another populist, Howard Dean, when he started to gain traction with the wider public. Too angry ( the SCREAM ) ... too confrontational ... too willing to rock the boat, and not be a corporate Yes man/woman. He's going to BLOW IT UP, our beloved American system ! ( Sickening terminology, right after Bhutto's death. ) Dang, he's probably Al Quieda !

And then at the end of the article ( probably knowing that Edwards is likely to win Iowa ), they start in with the new spin that it's probably only those rural HICKS in Iowa who can be duped like this. So yeah ... they've got their marching orders. Now that IGNORING Edwards doesn't seem to be working, let's make him out to be the ANGRY unhinged candidate, too dangerous to lead the nation, and Iowa and their crazy, rural caucuses don't know a thing. It worked with Dean ... let's hope it doesn't work with Edwards, because this country needs him more than ever right now.

Go Iowa !! Go Edwards !!

[chimpymustgo]

6. It won't work with Edwards. He's tested and ready and speaking from the heart.

I'd like to see him hold a weekly news conference to beat the bastards down!

[ChiciB1]

7. My BIG Worry Is That THE MEDIA & D.C. Elites Will Do Almost Anything

to stop John Edwards. He's very inspiring and working his heart out for "we the people" as I see it!!

Go, Johnny, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[TexasLawyer]

8. My Mom (Des Moines) says her friends and neighbors

have been "galvanized" recently by the Edwards message. He's been moving a lot of people off the fence.

My mom plans initially to support Richardson in the caucus, but will do so mostly to help Richardson look good (in hopes of getting R considered as a potential VP running mate).

If, as is probable, Richardson fails to achieve "viability level," Mom will be throwing her caucus support enthusiastically to Edwards.

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

[EVDebs]

9. Edwards should be showing the John Sayle's film Matewan

and the documentary The Corporation as a campaign 'double feature'.

[alfredo]

10. If Edwards doesn't get the nod, I want him as AG.

[surfermaw]

11. Edwards lost because of a half republican Wes. Clark

Some thought Clinton put him in to stop Edwards so Hillary could win in the next election...

[laureloak]

12. It was a Clark supporter who coined "Breck girl".

[Kurovski]

13. K&R. (nt)