To Edwards supporters - please stop saying that he's the ONLY one of the three who can beat McCain!

[EffieBlack]

I believe that this argument - which Edwards himself makes - is really hurting your candidate.

Both Edwards and many of his supporters argue that he should be the nominee because he's the only one of the three frontrunners who is competitive in every state. But neither he nor they ever give any substantive reason for this. Implicit in this argument is an understanding that the reason he supposedly is the only one who can do this is that voters will not vote for a black or female candidate (or they will come out to vote against them, which has the same result).

In other words, whether he intends to or not, he is essentially urging voters to vote for him because he is a white male.

Southern votes - especially black Southern voters - have very sensitive antenna that prickle when they hear a white man say, suggest or even just assume that he has a built-in advantage solely because he's a white man. Whether he does it intentionally or not - and I have no reason to think that Edwards has done this intentionaly - it is a form of playing "the race card."

I've seen many DUers complain that Obama and his supporters are saying that people should vote for him "just because he's black." I have not heard him say any such thing, but I agree that such an entreaty would be wrong and would clearly be "playing the race card."

By the same token, a white candidate's suggestion, whether tacit or explicit - even if completely unintentional - that people should vote for him because he's a white man, is just as offensive. And that's just the point that is being made when it is argued that Edwards is the only one who can win because voters won't vote for a black or female candidate..

I really believe that Edwards and his supporters, by pushing the argument that he's the ONLY one of the three who can beat McCain, yet not offering any substantive reason other than broad assertions that voters won't come out to vote for Obama and Hillary or will come out to vote against them (but never specifying why), leads to the impression that he is "playing the race card" and has actually hurt Edwards among a large segment of voters.

I know this might not go down well with many Edwards supporters and among many DUers in general. However, this is NOT an attack on Edwards - for whom I have enormous regard - but an important point that needs to be made and which I hope will help people better understand some complicated dynamics in this race.

[AndyA]

1. You want polls? I'll give you polls.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/1520155/

http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2007/12/13/edwards-best-bet-against-repbulicans/

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/10/poll.head.to.head/index.html

On the Democratic side, Edwards performs best against each of the leading Republicans. In addition to beating Huckabee by 25 percent and McCain by 8 percent, the North Carolina Democrat beats Romney by 22 percentage points (59 percent to 37 percent) and Giuliani by 9 percentage points (53 percent to 44 percent).

While the survey shows McCain and Edwards performing best in their respective fields, both candidates continue to significantly trail their parties' front-runners significantly. In the national horse race numbers released Monday, McCain trails Giuliani by 11 percentage points, and Edwards is behind Clinton by 26 percentage points.

"Edwards is the only Democrat who beats all four Republicans, and McCain is the only Republican who beats any of the three Democrats," Holland said. "Some might argue this shows that they are the most electable candidates in their respective parties.

And yes, I know there are polls that show Obama could beat so and so, etc., etc., etc., and that there are new polls coming out every day, but Edwards is the Dem who has consistently beaten the GOP candidate in polls going back months and months.

[EffieBlack]

2. Why doesn't he say that the polls show that he can beat McCain - not that he's the ONLY one who

can beat him - like the other candidates do.

My point stands - by saying that he's the ONLY one who can win, he gives the impression that he is playing the white man race card. I think it's hurting him.

[acmavm]

3. White man, white man, white man. Is that the only phrase you

know how to use in reference to Edwards? This isn't the first post that you've done this. And it is getting REAL tiring.

He is a man. The end. He is a man running for the presidency. This is not about skin color although from your posts this has yet to dawn on you.

Try referring to him as a democratic opponent running for the presidency. You won't sound as bad as always do.

[EffieBlack]

4. Let's not talk about race at all - at least not when we're talking about people who aren't black

Interesting, though, you only seem to gin up outrage about the mention of race or gender when the race or gender of a certain group of people (God forbid I mention which one, lest another lecture ensue). Otherwise, you remain quite silent in the midst of the countless posts about the race and gender of certain other people. Go figure.

Of course, if my posts are SO tiring to you, you're always free to put me on ignore.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AndyA]

6. Poll for poll, Edwards IS the only one who can beat McCain.

Obama, sometimes, in some polls. But Edwards much more often.

[EffieBlack]

7. Really? That's just not true

Not a single recent major poll that I've seen shows that Edwards is the ONLY Democrat who can beat McCain. In fact, every poll that shows Edwards beating McCain also shows Obama beating McCain, as well - sometimes by a larger margin.

But even if there are some polls floating around out there showing that Edwards can beat McCain while Obama and Clinton can't, you have not obviated my point. Unless you engage in some rather gymnastic interpretation, "the polls" do NOT show that Edwards is the only one of the three who could beat McCain. Yes, some of the polls show that he can beat McCain, but that's very different than being the "only" one who can.

I stand by my point. He needs to stop saying that. It's hurting him.

[2rth2pwr]

8. Stop going off half cocked all the time.

Google is a really great tool.

[EffieBlack]

9. Thanks for your input

Pointless, yet predictable, as it is.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cali]

11. alerted

your post is filth. And you may be one of the most ignorant and uneducated people here. Creationism is as valid as evolution, my left foot. I've not forgotten that idiotic thread of yours.

[OzarkDem]

12. What are you talking about?

My post had nothing to do with creationism or evolution. I never even read those threads. Sorry, but you're not making sense at all. You might want to spend a little time thinking before attacking someone else's post.

And if you consider posting an objection to people who continue to attack Edwards supporters as filth, your bias is showing. Nothing new there.

[cali]

14. Your post was deleted for a reason, pumpkin

it was revolting. And I'm referring to your inane comments on another thread. Nor was I calling Edwards supporters filth. I was calling your deleted sick post, filth. Pretty obvious for anyone who can read.

[OzarkDem]

15. As usual, honey

You make no sense, and are incredibly nasty and offensive while doing so. Creationism? I didn't realize you were a fan of the "science". :rofl:

[LiberalHeart]

13. Edwards is playing the race card? What a crock.