Reply #12: As well it should be: he's got WHOPPER IMAGE PROBLEMS [View All]

[PurityOfEssence]

Hey, I like the guy, but he's got a presence that's almost soporific at times. He's like a cross between James Lipton and Ben Stein.

America hates intellectuals. The heartland doesn't like Boston Brahmins. Dry rectitude irritates the hell out of the bumpkin suckers who support the monarchists who feed off them.

Voting against the '91 Gulf War will be a HUGE, HAUNTING ISSUE with which the junta will harangue him no end. Votes against funding of the military will be distorted in a way they simply can't be for Edwards' short career.

He is not as electable as John Edwards. He isn't even close to being as electable as John Edwards. The only demographic Kerry may be able to carry more of than Edwards is the veteran vote; some disgruntled conservative veterans may stray to Kerry, where Edwards wouldn't have that cachet. The net there would be small, though. Edwards will get all of the other voters Kerry can, PLUS he's get the South, rural voters (look at his platform; it explains Oklahoma) non-voters, left extremists (they'll each lose some, but Edwards will lose less) and the all-important facile idiots who simply think he's cute. Edwards has less negatives to explain away, and he's deft at dispatching them and moving on.

He's electric to watch; one likes him and is fascinated by him. He's got novelty going for him. Joy and optimism exude from him, whereas rectitude and stolidity come from Kerry.

I'll close with this thought: Kerry supporters and fans have repeatedly told me of late how strong he looks up there surrounded by firefighters and veterans, and how this reassures them about his strength and human warmth. Kerry himself said of Dean when Dean said that he'd overcome his lack of foreign experience by having the right people with him: "we're not electing a committee, we're electing a President". The principal moments are going to be where the guy's there alone, and I dare anyone to tell me that Kerry would do as well against Junior in a debate as Edwards will. The pshawing of "pointy headed intellectuals" will be heard far and wide with a Kerry performance, whereas Edwards will out folksy him and defy the premise of being a man of the people.

Edwards is infinitely more electable, and when you listen to the pundits, the righties are TERRIFIED of him.