An example of why Edwards should be the Dem nominee found on ABC Forum after today's Debate

[saracat]

This is why Edwards can win the general and some others will have trouble.These are the folks we need to persuade and the Indies!



"As a moderate republican watching this debate, I am heartened. Most of the candidates seem to be living in a fantasy world when it comes to foriegn policy. Kucinich comes off as a socialist. I hope you all nominate Senator Clinton, then the republicans are guaranteed a win. The only candidate I would even consider is Edwards. If he gets the Dem nom and Guliani gets the Rep one, I may vote democrat this election.
Posted by:
lkped 1:26 PMMark As Violation "

[Inuca]

1. Sorry, I disagree

It is this ONE person's oppinion, but I doubt Edwards will have many republicans, moderate or otherwise, voting for him in the general. And given how he changed his positions and emphasis from 04, I do not think too many independents will be swayed either. Of course a lot depends on who will be the rep nominee, huge question mark, it's crazy "over there".

[saracat]

4. Actually most polling backs up this posters statement.And I ,personally

know quite a few Republicans that will vote only for Edwards but not any of the others.There is a scattering that I know that will vote for Obama. No one else. Otherwise they will vote GOP.

[Inuca]

Maybe....

... I do not really know, just my personal impression. I would have thought that he has gone too far the populist route to appeal to many non-democrats, but I may very well be wrong.

[FreakinDJ]

2. Words to remember

I hope you all nominate Senator Clinton, then the republicans are guaranteed a win.

[Triana]

30. That's exactly what Rove said (n/t)

[aquart]

3. This is the PRIMARY. Only what Democrats think matters.

Trying to foist a Republican point of view into a Democratic primary is disgusting.
There are good reasons for Edwards to be the candidate. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

[Inuca]

6. If what saracat says is true

then it IS a good reason to consider. Not the only reason, but one of the reasons, no doubt.

[aquart]

22. 72 million Democrats. 55 million Republicans. 42 million indies.

It does NOT matter what the Republicans want. Even if we get less than half the indies, WE STILL WIN.

The ONLY thing that matters in this election is what WE want.

[saracat]

27. My doesn't that sound like Bushco.We are ALL Americans

and many of those Indies are actually moderate Repugs.We Need as many as we can get and somehow we have got to get the Dems to vote.WE is all of us.

[mrgorth]

46. Do you understand

how the electoral college works?

[saracat]

7. In our primary we should factor who can get "elected' into our choice.

I don't want the "perfect " democratic ideologue to be chosen and go down in flames like McGovern, who I supported as a kid. This is basic election strategy.We always figure the moderate GOP vote and the Indie vote into the equation because we can't win without it!

[venable]

8. yes a Democratic primary to nominate the candidate we want to Preside in the WH

electability must be part at least some part of the consideration DURING the primary.

[JDPriestly]

10. The point of the primary is to select the best candidate

for the election. Whether our candidate is trusted by Republican voters and will draw the votes of disgruntled Republicans is very important. Also, a vote for Hillary means a vote for the continuation of the confrontational politics of the past. Edwards has a manner that can transcend all that nastiness. Just let them try it on Edwards. They will regret it. People are just sick of the nastiness. Edwards has positive policies and is a positive choice. He is our best candidate in any event. The fact that Republicans like him is just one more plus.

[Yael]

18. Actually, I digaree here

The primaries are about voting the issues, but we do need to remain strategic in this. If the vote splits too far, it could hurt us in the GE.

I think Edwards is poised to win the GE over any of our other peeps. YMMV

[AdHocSolver]

40. Au contraire...Being best able to win the general election is the BEST reason to vote for John. n/t

[JDPriestly]

5. One Republican even suggested to me that we should start

a Republicans for Edwards movement. A lot of Republicans are sick of the failed Bush policies and want the kinds of change Edwards stands for. They do not want to vote for someone who makes a weak or overly conciliatory presentation. They want someone who says what he means and means what he says. Edwards presents himself in a forthright manner. He doesn't "act" presidential. He is presidential. He is a sincere, strong man who has proved his ability to face tragedy without becoming bitter. He has the potential to become a truly great president, the kind of great president who transcends party politics. Even Republicans long to get past the pettiness of the Rove years. Hillary in particular is mired in the nastiness of Rovian politics. Edwards is not. Ordinary Republicans sense Edwards' strength and his love of America and the American people and trust him. Quite simple, really. Edwards is the best candidate we have.

[Yael]

20. This is something I would work until my fingers bled to help

I have a lot of elderly (R)s in my family I am working on, and as a market-based economist, I have been working the 'this is why Edwards plans WORK' angle with them.

I would love to find such an organization and assist them with explaining to the koolaide drinkers why they should consider him.

If you see or hear of anything like this -- please notify me so that I can lend my support to the detox and deprogramming that will need to be done.

[JDPriestly]

23. I added you to my buddy list.

[Yael]

26. Thanks!!

[sandnsea]

9. Obama was third in Iowa

Amongst Republicans choosing who they would vote for in the GE. So if that's your criteria, then Obama is the choice.

[saracat]

11. That was fun wasn't it? I think Obama has some support as well.

I am just saying that many GOP moderates support Edwards.

[madfloridian]

12. Our two Republican sons would vote for Edwards, but not the others.

They don't present a reason why. Just that they trust him.

One of them was for Edwards in 04, and we never could get him to consider Dean.

They are staunch Republicans, and the more he talks the more they like him.

[MethuenProgressive]

13. Edwards is the candidate of Republicans?

And you see this as a positive? :eyes:

[saracat]

15. If they'll vote for him, I will gladly take their vote! I want Democrats to WIN!

[MethuenProgressive]

16. The ability to appeal to Repugs is low on my list, sorry.

I want a candidate who will distroy them, not 'appeal' to them.

[saracat]

19. Well, we can't win without moderate GOP votes. You had better get millions of Dems to the polls

because Dems don't vote and moderate Repugs do.That is why we "need" their votes and trhe Indies too!Besides. I want a President that will represent ALL of america, not just one side.We have had that for way too long.and two wrongs don't make a right.

[Yael]

21. No, he is standing out as the alternative to Republicans

within their party base. You know -- the ones that are as sick about how * ran the country as we are? You know -- the ones that will vote against their party because they want a change of direction? You know -- the ones who are detoxing from the koolaide and looking for answers?

I had one in my office reregister from (R) to (D) last month.

I for one would think you would welcome those who SHARE our vision as opposed to our fellow (D)s that are supporting Hillary on the "4 more years" meme.

[calteacherguy]

35. A lot of the Republican support for Edwards is because he is white, male, and southern.

He comes across as a bit of a "good ol' boy." I'd rather work for the more enlightened independent voters form whom gender and race is not so much an issue.

[knight_of_the_star]

37. And?

As long as its the Dems who are voting for him for the right reasons I'm not too worried about the GOP picking him because of where he comes from and makes a pretty package for them, it will be better for all of us anyhow.

[Va Lefty]

14. Edwards is our strongest announced candidate

especially if pukes nominate Rudy or Mitt. "You get a Southerner against a former Gov. of Mass. or a former New York City mayor, and you've got a cultural dichotomy that is tough on the GOP. It's enough to make a republican strategist suicidal."
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/15825410/the_real_liberal

[calteacherguy]

36. And he's a white male! nt

[Yael]

17. I keep saying that

He has the best chance of all crossover votes...

Thanks for the post!

[Colobo]

24. Obama is the man that will bring more Republican and independent votes to our side.

[saracat]

25. I like Obama too but Edwards is the man! You rock Katz!

[kster]

28. I would consider Edwards if he would speak out about the vote counting machine

Sorry the only, and I repeat the ONLY Candidate who will speak publicly about the vote counting machines is Kucinich.

I have to give Kucinich the ULTIMATE RESPECT for that.

K&R

[AdHocSolver]

42. It is too late to do much more about the vote counting machines than has already been done.

The vote fraud has been exposed. It was more than just rigged or broken machines. Voters were denied their chance to vote, paper ballots disappeared, ballot counting was done in secret. It wasn't just the machines.

However, the most important reason the vote stealing succeeded was that the election was close. When the candidates have such even vote counts, it requires the switching of only a few thousand votes to change, and steal, the election. This is why I oppose Hillary Clinton, and the Republicans want her to be our candidate. She is so polarizing, that it is almost guaranteed that they can steal yet another one.

However, with John Edwards as our candidate, there is a good chance that he can pull in enough Republicans and independents to beat the Republican candidate by a significant margin. Not only would this make it more difficult for them to steal enough votes to win, but if they tried it, they would anger large numbers of Republicans and independents to ensure a backlash against the Republican Party. Then, there is every likelihood that any Republican "win" would be exposed as fraudulent and opposed.

[kster]

43. Edwards wants to be my President but it is to late for him to speak publicly about how my vote

gets counted, Kucinich doesn't think it is to late to to talk about the counting of OUR ballots, who are you trying to bullshit.



Welcome to the DU. :)

[AdHocSolver]

44. Edwards has a shot at being the candidate and doesn't need to look like a tin foil hat or ...

"sore-loserman" even before the election is run. Kucinich is not going to be the candidate so he can say anything he wants.

[kster]

45. Edwards has one thing in common with all the other Candidates,

besides Kucinich, he is scared SHITLESS to speak publicly about the secret vote counting machines.

Why do you think that is?

[pamela]

29. Edwards scares the repubs ...

He would get a lot of the Southern (ex?)democrats voting Democratic again. He would get more republican cross-over votes than any other Dem candidate and a larger percentage of independent voters than any candidate with the possible exception of Obama.

I swear, I don't know what I'm going to do if Hillary is the nominee. I have nothing against her but I'll be so disgusted with the stupidity of my party for choosing an unelectable candidate, I might sit this one out in protest. (And this is coming from someone who once drove 7 hours to vote.)

[Colobo]

31. Obama will be the nominee, and he will need your support.

[pamela]

33. I would support Obama in a heartbeat.

I really don't have a horse in this race yet. I personally like all the Dem nominees but my first and second choices are Gore and Clark, respectively. I like Edwards a bit more than Obama but I would be proud to vote for Obama. I do believe that he has a good chance of beating the repub nominee although I think Edwards has a better chance. My only gripe with Hillary would be that she is such a phenomenally stupid choice and I'm tired of my party making stupid choices.

[saracat]

34. Edwards will need your support as the Democratic Nominee!

;-) I loves ya Katz but Edwards is my choice.Obama is my second!

[orleans]

32. "I may vote democrat this election"

??
the fact that she/he/it uses the kiss-my-ass "democrat" term in that context also shows she/he/it may NOT vote "democrat"

[Apollo11]

38. not that again

There's nothing wrong with voting Democrat !!

Seriously - Democrat is not a curse word !!

Even if Bush-Rove-Cheney want to believe that it is.

All I can say is "Proud to be a DEMOCRAT" B-)

Where I draw the line is when they say "The Democrat Party".

But seriously - let's not pretend it's a serious issue.

[orleans]

39. i'm not pretending it's an issue--it's just a shit eating attitude. n/t

[ecstatic]

41. Repubs love Lieberman too. Should we draft him?

:shrug:

[penguin7]

47. Edwards is the weakest Democrat running

First, Edwards has flip flopped on too many issues. This is absolute poison in a general election. Sincerity is vital in the general.

Edwards made tens of millions of dollars as a trial lawyer. Americans do not like lawyers. The GOP will love to go through his cases, and I cannot believe that they will not find all kinds of things to use on him. This is one huge problem for Edwards that cannot be overemphasized.

Edwards recently built a mansion which will make him a hypocrite on his environmental initiatives. He will lose both ways here.

Edwards health care program will be a major target. He wants to fund it by basically subsidizing the health insurance companies. He will be painted as big spending tax raising liberal, and his health care program will back up the charge.

I am not sure if the $400 hair cut is an issue, but the "I Feel Pretty" video is bad for him. I did notice that he is not blinking a lot in the video though.

I also think that Edwards eye blinking is a big problem. The Dems will leave this one alone, but the GOP will not. Maybe he can get treatment here. Rapid eye blinking indicates that someone is lying. This will be a huge distraction.

Edwards is a good looking Southern WASP. This is one big plus in a sea of minuses.