I'm giving Edwards one last chance.

[anti-NAFTA]

I'm an Edwards supporter, but his performance yesterday made me whince. Here is what bothered me most.

1. He stuttered too much. This could partly be attributed to the fact that AOL Time Warner, which funds Kerry, kept trying to mess him up; but I don't expect it from a man with such a history of being a great speaker.
2. He refused to say that Kerry's former votes on trade make his current position suspect or even that it would make voters consider it suspect. What the hell would have been so controversial about that?

Is Edwards running for VP or not? If he is running for VP while people like myself are going up and down these forums giving our support for him and writing articles on why he'd be better than Kerry... well, if he has some secret deal or is only pursuing the presidency halfheartedly while I'm here pouring out my heart and soul for his movement then that's an insult.

Sunday is his last chance for him to actually go on the offensive. Enough of the pussyfooting.

Oh, and I spit on AOL Time Warner for their debate where Kerry obviously got preferential treatment, Kucinich was belittled, and Sharpton was insulted.

[KoKo]

1. Believe me on this. He was "always" running for VP and that would be best

for him. Doesn't mean if you like the guy you shouldn't keep hoping for him, though.

I'm NC, so I know a little about him, and that's why I say this.

[Tinoire]

2. Please keep us informed. I trust your insight very much knowing

how important NAFTA is to you. I don't have to time to go running after all the lies AND support Kucinich against the corporate media.

We've got so much work to do that many of us are relying on you for the NAFTA issue. Words are hollow- keep us abreast of the action & the committment to fighting NAFTA for the benefit of American & foreign workers.

Thanks!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=406873&mesg_id=406873

[Desertrose]

3. I add my spit to yours for AOL Time warner

and the marginalization of DK & AS

I think if you like your candidate...you should support him in the way that feels best to you.....but remember...all is fair in politics - or was that love...hmmmm


hang in - tough & crucial times for those who care about what happens....
Peace
DR


typoedit

[zulchzulu]

4. AOL Time Warner and Kerry complicit on making Edwards look bad?

C',mon. I do believe you are stretching the truth a bit with that.

If they had a soft focus camera on Kerry and the rest with the other cameras, I might see your point.

[DjTj]

5. On Edwards and attacking...

...I think a lot of Edwards supporters feel like he should be attacking more, but here's what I think.

We just can't change John Edwards. He genuinely has respect for John Kerry, and he does not want to resort to taking Kerry down with negative attacks. Even when his advisors tell him to go on the attack, when I watch the debates, I see Edwards' gut-reaction is always to try to avoid saying something negative.

The moderators try to bait him into saying something negative, and he dodges it every time. This is something that happens on the stand in trials all the time, where a lawyer tries to bait a witness into revealing some prejudice. Edwards has seen that and his immediate reaction is to avoid doing that.

He's a nice guy, he doesn't want to attack Kerry, and you're just not going to change that.

He is not running for VP. He's not a career politician and I think he would be perfectly happy going back home to North Carolina after this and raising his two small children. He's running to be President because he believes he can make a difference. He believes he could do something for working Americans that nobody else could.

He's not trying to win this for the sake of power or the sake of holding an office. He doesn't want the Vice-Presidency as a stepping-stone to anything. He didn't have a strong interest in politics until the mid-90's after his son passed away, and he's not going to put political power over his own character.

John Edwards fights a clean fight. If he's going to win this, he's going to do it his way. I'm sorry if it frustrates people, but that's his style and it's actually something that draws me to him and makes me respect him even more.

[Old and In the Way]

6. I agree....Edwards is a class guy/Democrat.

It's not in his character to go negative for a couple of reasons-

(1) He and Kerry really aren't too far apart on the issues.
(2) He, first and foremost, wants the Party to win in November and he won't kneecap Kerry to score a few political points.

Frankly, watching them together in the debates, I really think they'd make quite a convincing team against Bush/Cheney.

[anti-NAFTA]

8. He can do what he wants.

But it sure as hell isn't working. In fact, it's turning me off his campaign.

Mr Edwards, if you pull another crappy performance on Sunday, it's Kucinich time.

[DjTj]

10. We'll see what is working...

...on Tuesday.

I hope he does something for you on Sunday.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

16. in the last debate he DID say that corporations were influncing the Dems

I have to give him credit for that - he admitted flat out that lobbyists and special interests were influcing our own party and he did mention the drug lobby by name too. I have to give credit where credit is due. Edwards is 1) has a real working class/middle class background, not the slightest whiff of aristocracy, no creepy Skull & Bones connections, and 2) the "Two Americas" class war rhetoric is RIGHT ON.

I'm voting for Dennis, but whenever I talk to people I put in a good word for Edwards, every time.

[disenfranchised]

15. I think Edwards had a rough performance.

But, he did draw distinctions between Kerry and himself without attacking.
I thought he made a clear case for their differences on trade. I watched the debate with a Kucinich crowd and they got pulled in by Edwards talk about Lobyists. So, he did some things right.

Edwards didn't go for the jugular. He didn't try to weaken Kerry. I think a lot of us want him to do that, but it isn't his style.

The real problem last night was that Kerry stole Edwards message. Kerry stole his language and his cause of lifting people out of poverty.

[billyf65]

7. Just my $.02

But following Edwards very closely, he may be offered and accept the VP slot - but he was NOT running for VP.

[Adelante]

9. What am I missing?

Wasn't it John Kerry who insisted Kucinich and Sharpton be included in the debate?

[anti-NAFTA]

11. I never said anything about kicking

Sharpton and Kucinich out of the debate.

[welshTerrier2]

12. my ABB two cents

first of all, i thought all three panelists did a horrible job ... way too much time was given to the gay marriage issues and red herrings like the death penalty ... presidents have almost nothing to do with the death penalty ... and gay marriage was either the first, or one of the first issues raised ...

all they really wanted to talk about was the "juicy" stuff that gets reporters all excited ... if they felt obligated to cover these topics, no problem ... but jobs, economic security, Iraq, health care, social security, education etc. should have been thoroughly dealt with first ... and Ron Brownstein should have known better ...

I disagree with you that they showed favoritism to Kerry ... in fact, I stated during the debate that they never let him finish his answers ... instead of letting him complete his statement after which he frequently would have received applause from the audience, they constantly interrupted him and cut him off with their next question ...

I also disagree with you, and for the most part, I'm not all that fond of Edwards, that Edwards did a poor job ... a more aggressive performance would have only served to hurt Kerry and it would have tarnished Edwards' reputation as a "keep it positive" guy ... people like the style he's presented ... he did the right thing sticking to it ...

Sunday will be more of the same ... Kerry has enormous leads in NY and California and will probably sweep all, or most, of the super Tuesday primaries ... Edwards should be commended for the way he stayed on message in the debate ...

btw, the most effective thing I've ever heard Edwards say is his position on capital gains ... I totally agree with him and wish that Kerry would wake up and smell the coffee on this issue ... Edwards has said that there is no reason to give special tax breaks for income earned by investment compared to income earned from labor ... truer words were never spoken ...

[disenfranchised]

13. Kerry had more time.

In L.A., Kerry had six more minutes to answer questions than Edwards. At the Wisconsin debate, he had ten more minutes to speak. My hope is that all FOUR candidates are given equal time in New York.

[aldian159]

14. I hate to sound/be ignorant

but what's Sunday?

[SangamonTaylor]

17. new york debate n/t

[arewethereyet]

18. the "stutter" is a planned device

it forces more face time and makes him seem more human. You can't pull the camera or worry about the clock over that. The boy didn't just fall off the turnip truck you know.

[revcarol]

19. We have always counted on you for expertise regarding NAFTA.

Frankly, Kerry's votes have enabled the loss of SOOOO many jobs, I don't know why Edwards didn't zap him one.But, who knows? Maybe he was having an off night, but the opportunity was there...

I am afraid that the NY debate will be so pro-free trade, anti-fair trade(look who's putting it on) that NONE of our anti-NAFTA candidates will get a fair shake.

Just so disappointing. You and I have gone toe-to-toe sometimes, but I have always valued your succinct arguments and your expertise. Keep the faith. Because of your candidate and mine, NAFTA IS now being DISCUSSED. IT WASN'T BEFORE THESE TWO MADE IT AN ISSUE.Kerry can be boxed into a corner...