Cieslewicz (Mayor of Madison WI) endorses Edwards

[maddezmom]

By John Nichols
February 14, 2004


Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will endorse John Edwards for president today, providing the North Carolina senator with an important boost in one of the state's highest voting communities before Tuesday's Wisconsin Democratic primary.

"John Edwards is the only candidate who has talked consistently and before every audience about the issue of poverty in America," said Cieslewicz, who has frequently focused on issues of concern to low-income families since his election last year. "He hasn't said it in so many words but I hope John Edwards is the man who will launch a new war on poverty."

Edwards will come to Madison this afternoon to accept Cieslewicz's endorsement during a 2 p.m. rally at the Inn on the Park, 22 S. Carroll St. And Edwards aides say they believe the Cieslewicz endorsement will give their candidate, who has run well in early primaries but is not particularly well known in Wisconsin, an opportunity to connect with voters in Madison and Dane County, where a substantial portion of the Democratic primary vote is cast.

In addition, says Edwards state director John Kraus, Cieslewicz's statewide reputation as an environmental activist - the mayor is the former director of the 1000 Friends of Wisconsin organization - will help Edwards with Democrats far from Madison.

~snip~

more:http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/68083.php

[ShaneGR]

1. Cool, the target there is 30%

I think we're gonna get it.

[spooky3]

2. Great news! Madison is known to be one of the most progressive

communities in the nation.

[JohnLocke]

3. Kick for Edwards!

[maddezmom]

4. Newspaper Endorsement for Edwards from Capital Times

Editorial: John Edwards best prepared to replace Bush

http://www.madison.com/captimes/opinion/editorial/68084.php

[DjTj]

5. Great News.

We've got the mayor and their progressive newspaper in one of the most democratic areas of the state.

[Baconfoot]

6. RIGHT ON! Now if only Dean would drop out and endorse Edwards... n/t

[PurityOfEssence]

7. If he can rise above expectations in the polls, it might stem the tide

For him to be seen on the ascendancy again after the juggernaut of Kerry (unfortunately, public perception doesn't understand how much damage was done by Clark) may be enough to rekindle interest.

Remember: for many, Edwards is still an unknown.

If he can wade through this--perhaps by doing well in tomorrow's debate, too--and come out undaunted and accelerating, it may make a dent. To the media, this would be a perfect story: the underdog being beset from every direction, and still hanging in against a seemingly invincible opponent. That's a story, and the infotainment boys and girls should seize on that for sheer aplomb itself.

Much as the media's biased, a lot of its actions can be explained with applications of basic showmanship. Enron was obtuse. Cheating blow jobs are salacious. Dean's meteoric rise was fabulous. His fall was tabloidy. This would be a two man race now, which is something everyone understands; it's like a boxing match, and the media would eat it up if there's much of a chance left after the smoke clears late Tuesday. All this will benefit Edwards; Kerry's already been covered. The new dynamic would have to focus on the unknown, and that could be fabulous.

He was certainly great on Leno.

And hell, I'd like my vote in the primary to actually mean something, for once in a very long time.