No oNe expected this, says jubilant Edwards in Iowa

[surfermaw]

No one expected this,' says jubilant Edwards in Iowa
JIM MORRILL
Staff Writer

DES MOINES - Even as he celebrated his surprise second-place showing in Monday's Iowa caucuses, a jubilant Sen. John Edwards set his eyes on next week's New Hampshire primary.

"No one expected this to happen," the N.C. Democrat told reporters in his Des Moines hotel. "It's a direct result of people responding to this positive message of hope. It will propel us going into other elections."

With 32 percent of delegates, Edwards trailed only Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. But he ran far ahead of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, both of whom had led polls for most of the past year.

Monday's vote signaled a remarkable turnaround for a campaign that polls as recently as last month showed stuck at 5 percent. But Sunday a poll in the Des Moines Register showed him and Kerry surging.

"What happened in the last two weeks in this campaign is just phenomenal," he said.http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/7750596.htm

[DiverDave]

1. I sent

my email addy to his camp.
I really think he is my choice. But I will support any nominee.
Signs in my front yard soon.

[colonel odis]

2. go, johnny, go

a good man with a good message. given the response to him by the r.n.c. when he announced his candidacy last winter, i believe this is the guy the white house least wants to run against.

[DemNoir]

3. It is becoming more clear everyday

That he is the right choice. I have been watching him a lot and he is a gifted campaigner. He is very much like Bill Clinton but without the drawbacks.

[wryter2000]

4. Congratulations from a Dean supporter

We're not rolling over just yet. But Edwards is a fine candidate, and should he get the nomination, he has my full support.

[Doctor Pedantic]

7. And from another one...

It's kind of a head/heart issue. I really like where Dean stands on the issues, and have supported him for about a year now.

But in terms of electability/likeability, Edwards is a great candidate. Edwards has always been my second choice, and I think that he would be terrific against W. I still wish he had more experience, and hadn't voted for No Child Left Behind and the Iraq war resolution, but damn if he isn't a great politician.

[chenGOD]

5. Congrats. But how many times has the Iowa caucus correctly predicted the

nomination? Something like twice?

Sorry, I don't want to sound like a bitter foreigner (although that's precisely what I am), but I don't see Kerry as being the most positive guy for change in the land where the corporation rules.


Oh well, he can't be worse than ShrubCo.....

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. That was one heckofa speech Kerry gave - here's a LINK to the full text

.
.
.
Finally, my friends, we need a Democratic nominee who can stand up to this President eye to eye, toe to toe, face to face and make it clear: We Democrats know how to make America safer.

George Bush has run the most arrogant, inept, reckless and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country.

Now George Bush and Karl Rove say that in 2004, they want to run on national security. I can see why. They certainly can’t run on jobs or health care or the environment. Well, as I have said, I know something about aircraft carriers for real.

And if George W. Bush wants to make national security the central issue in this campaign, I have three words for him I know he understands: Bring it on.

/snip/



(click on graphic above for full text of Iowa speech Jan 19, 2004)

While I remain undecided on exactly who I'd prefer in the WH, as long as it is an anti-war Dem, I will sleep better.

I read some of JK's speeches dating back to before 9-11, and his position has been consistent. On reading some of those speeches carefully, I see that the media(suprise) and other opponents have taken phrases out of context to paint him as inconsistent.

Anyhoo - congrats to Dems, and right now, specifically "Comeback Kerry". :thumbsup:

I don't want to alienate those that support other Democratic candidates, but ANY Dem that can unseat the Texacutioner, and put the rest of the Republican WarMachine on the back bench sits ok with me!

[DiverDave]

10. I may be wrong

but I think the kerry thread is somewhere else.

[9215]

8. Edwards really nailed it.

His speech was brilliant. He kept it simple saying that this is a two tiered society, though in not these exact words: the haves and the have nots, those who struggle from day to day and those who have their next generation of offspring comfortably taken care of. He hammered this point repeatedly.

He basically said it is class warfare and alot of people agree. This contest could be shaping up for some real fireworks.

I was totally surprised by this. He just let it rip.

[aeon flux]

9. Thank you for voting against $87b funding for Iraq

The more I look at Edwards, the more I like.