Great Article on Edwards..

[scheming daemons]

by Howard Fineman.

"People have been underestimating John Edwards since he left Robbins, NC for college"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4313129/

[spooky3]

1. hmmm--he misspelled "Kinkead's"--the best seafood restaurant in town.

If Newsman Matt Drudge were here, he could tell us if that cast doubt on whether Fineman really was there when he said he was.

Oh yes, thanks, scheming!

[AP]

2. Why are all the media whores trying to lure Edwards into going negative?

It's so funny. Have they been paying attention? This guy runs a disciplined campaign, and it's not like they aren't on a winning arc.

[spooky3]

4. yes, but it's SOOO hard to write a trashy story when the players

are being nice to one another and talking about ISSUESzzzzzzz.....

[AP]

6. Did you see that media report on Januargy coverage? Of all the candidates

and categories covered in January, "Edwards-Issues" got the least coverage.

[spooky3]

8. yes, that's exactly what I mean. I do think Fineman makes a good point:

"Republicans and Democratic foes alike tend to dismiss Edwards as a guy who quit the Senate to run for president once he realized he’d have a hard time getting re-elected in socially conservative North Carolina in 2004. That critique completely misses the point, on two levels. For one, I’m not convinced Edwards couldn’t have won, had he wanted to, though his “re-elect” numbers admittedly were low. But one reason they were so low is that, from the moment he arrived in the capital, Edwards went “national,” aligning himself with the views of presidential primary voters he already was thinking of wooing. He had no desire for long-term residence in the Senate."

[AP]

10. He's stating the obvious: Edwards would have won his senate seat

if he chose to run for it.

But the other part of that is just spin. Edwards hasn't abandoned NC'ians. What he has done is represent them without bending to the will of all the corproate influences that drive normal politicking, and which all other senators obey.

That will always make elections tougher (even Wellstone knew this). But it doesn't mean you're abandoning your state.

After all, Edwards defied the DLC by voting to protect NC jobs when trade bills came up. That's going to make it hard to win reelection, but not for the reasons Fineman gives.

[sweetcee]

5. I presume you refer to:

"He has to make the case — as if in a courtroom — not only for why he is the right choice for the Dems but for why Kerry is a bad one."

That is a bit tough, but at this point Edwards has been emphasizing his differences and I think that's good. It's good mainly because he is appealing to more disaffected; be they dems, inds, or repukes.

His talk of the unemployed and of poverty itself as opposed to Mr. Kerry's riches and continued emphasis on the 'middle class' is wonderful.

[aldian159]

7. Very good point, AP

[ShaneGR]

3. Best line in the article

Exactly five years later, Edwards has gone from a freshman senator with $20 million in the bank and a limitless ambition in his heart to be one of two finalists for the Democratic presidential nomination. To call his rise meteoric is to understate the case. If meteors were cars, this one’s a Maserati.

[AP]

9. Cars? Meteors? I can't help but think there's something else going on here

Why a foerign car when the issue today is trade? I bet that if there were a popular French sports care, Fineman would have used that make instead.

There's just something about this article which seems to be a dig. It makes it seem like Edwards ignores his constituents and is too ambitious.

I bet these are themes Finemen will develop if Edwards gets nominated.