Anyone else notice Edwards was the only one that was angry?

[saracat]

Why were the Kerry people smiling and laughing( the little I saw) Where was Theresa? Was she there? I think there is a real difference of opinion between Edwards and Kerry regarding this concession. Anybody else feel that way? Anybody else think the Kerry lack of anger was odd?

[mcg]

1. Yes, quite odd, I don't understand it.

[Flammable Materials]

36. What's there to understand?

Skull & Bones conceded to Skull & Bones.

Privilege conceded to privilege.

We thought we'd have someone to fight for us to the bitter end. We were suckers.

What's there to understand?

DISCLAIMER: I'm drunk on Belgian ale tonight.

[slinkerwink]

2. I do think that Edwards wanted to fight some more

but Kerry didn't.

[saracat]

9. Thats what I got.

[jdj]

75. for one thing, he's out of a job.

didn't run in senate again,lost his seat to a repuke.

for another, he KNOWS what this W. victory will to poor people, he used to be one, wherease kerry and thk will be fine.

[rockydem]

3. He's crushed

It's his way of dealing with it.

Leave him alone.

[atreides1]

26. Then Maybe It's For The Best

If he gets crushed this easily, then perhaps he wasn't up to the challenge after all.:(

[mlawson]

33. This easily?

I have never given up a Senate seat, and then run for VP and lost, after being almost assured that I would win. I have no idea what that is like, but I might well feel 'crushed' after such a thing. This time last night, they probably were 99% sure they would win, after the exit polls (which were correct).

[tjdee]

78. Well, I'm crushed.

If he's half as angry and irritated as I am, he showed it pretty well.

You're not up to a challenge if you look upset?

[spooky3]

4. do you have a link to Edwards' speech or statement? I missed it.

[Kali]

23. Democracy Now! probably has it

I just heard it on my local community station.

[spooky3]

32. thank you, I will check.

[medeak]

5. elite DC club

we're the idiots getting all upset. They play tennis together and make deals... (look at Kennedy and Orrin Hatch)

Never never let a congressman run for pres.

[ramapo]

17. It just business to these guys

Sure Kerry wanted to win but at the end of the day he'll go to any of his homes and be just fine

[Placebo]

6. His Political Career Is OVER.

So it's no wonder he's upset.

If he tries to run again in 2008, he will be Lieberman-ized.

[Democat]

20. We lost the South badly, he must be stunned

Edwards gambled everything on this race and lost big.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

58. I don't believe that...

Edwards has a gift that comes from his heart...not one that was purchased by a conglomerate.

[PinkTiger]

7. John Kerry is too mature to show his anger

and for that he would have made a great president.

Leave him alone. Or I'll come get you.

[saracat]

13. He didn't have to be happy.

I supported John Kerry for three years. I have met him many times. I like him. This is weird .Sorry. Gore, whom I loathe for rolling over, didn't smile. Kerry is not insane. This is inappropriate behavior.

[Citizen Kang]

19. You loathe Gore?

For rolling over? At least he stood and fought until the Supreme Court decided the election. At least he ran a campaign that WON the popular vote. Kerry was a disaster from the start, but hey, he's more "electable" right?

You, and many on DU, owe Al Gore an apology.

[saracat]

22. I owe him nothing. He might try

paying some of his campaign staff that he stiffed. He might also say "thank you " to some of his supporters in 2000. Ask Donna Brazile what she thinks of Gore. As for Kerry. The jury is out yet but I am not pleased with him either. But We owe Gore nothing. He also hid for two years and then wouldn't run when he had the moral imperative. He had everyone's backing and he didn't run. Maybe we should blame him for this debacle too?

[Zhade]

45. Donna Brazile is friends with ROVE.

At least Gore waited a few fucking days. Kerry folded like a Chinese menu.

[robbedvoter]

46. Agreed. Gore fought - and had much less support than Kerry.

Gore was anti-war. Gore spoke out.
These two - clowns! Thet kept bragging about how they were so much better prepared than Gore - lawyers, observers, no surrender....They mocked Gore and than - kerplonk. Gore was hounded by the media much worse then Kerry - with no defenders. Yet he held as much as he could. But somehow, the two Johns get excused, and Gore still vilified. Go figure!

[venus]

61. Gore was SILENT in 2000. How old are you. Do you have a

memory? Where do you think moveon.org came from. He kept telling us to "move on" after his disastrous court case losses. Please.

[Liberal Gramma]

80. Moveon.org actually originated with the House effort to impeach Clinton

instead of doing what we elected them to do, which is run the country. Moveon.org was formed to petition representatives to move on from impeachment to issues that matter/

[saracat]

63. I didn't excuse them but two wrongs don't make a right!

If they are wrong that doesn't make Gore a hero. You can't rewrite history. Why didn't he recalim the presidency when everyone would have backed him in 2004? Guess you don't remember how stunned everyone was when ,out of the blue, he decided not to run. Guess you don't remember the Gore 2004 people who tried so hard to draft him. Big brave Al did squat. Hecrawled out of his two year funk when he was no longer in contention and he was risk free. He is a weenie.

[dansolo]

70. Gore was stabbed in the back by his own party

Gore didn't choose not to run, he was forced out. Did you listen to his speech when he bowed out? If it was up to him, he would have ran. The Democrats wouldn't back him, because they all were jumping behind Kerry, Lieberman, and Gephardt.

[saracat]

72. He could have run anyway. Dean did and the DLC hated him.

[JJ]

81. Gore did a media tour 2 years ago

He went on all the shows, on all the networks. Shortly after that he announced he would not run in 2004.
My guess is he was finding out how the media would treat him as a candidate, and they let him know they planned to screw him again like they did in 2000.

[prayin4rain]

69. I sure hope that is not a shot at Edwards.

Or I may come get you. I am just kidding. (sort of)

[PinkTiger]

77. nawwwww.

I wouldn't diss Edwards. And catch me if you can (lol)

[Xipe Totec]

8. Edwards put his Senate seat on the line

Kerry didn't

'nuff said.

[Sequoia]

16. We should send him letters of support

and he can always move to California! We need someone to stand up to Nazi boy.

[Xipe Totec]

21. I'm ready to support Edward's Run For President

anytime, anyplace. Just say the word, John E. :bounce:

[mlawson]

27. Me too, but we have GOT to solve the voting fraud

problems first, or no Dem will ever win again. Edwards will have time on his hands for a while now: he would be the perfect one to investigate these schemes, as he has money and resources.

[Ohio rules]

31. Solution is to appeal to more voters

and bring them into the polling stations

hello!!!! half the nation didn't bother to vote!!

voter apathy, not fraud.

[mlawson]

35. Was this not a record turnout?

Did the exit polls not show Kerry ahead in FLA and OH??

Turnout was 80% in FLA, I believe I heard.

[Ohio rules]

38. How many people in the US that qualified to vote,didn't vote?

there are about 320 million people in the United States.
less than 150 Million voted.
Why?
170 million I find hard to believe are all under age.

[amazona]

42. people were on long lines as it is!

This country is not set up for 100 percent participation of voters. People waited hours even here in Louisiana. I waited almost an hour and I was there when the polls opened.

Some people waited 9 hours in Ohio.

Getting more people to the polls is not the answer. We were at capacity. We need to make sure the people who come out and vote have their votes fairly counted.

When you have people being turned away in New Orleans, when Louisiana was considered to be a lock for Bush, you have to figure dirty tricks were played in every state. This to me suggests a pattern of fraud. We need some investigators and we need more evidence. But I don't doubt what we will learn if we really dig.

[Zhade]

47. Voting should be mandatory. Hefty fine if you can vote and don't.

Maybe then people will realize the fraud that most assuredly is going on.

[woo me with science]

50. lol....as long as you're at it....

why not make it mandatory to vote democratic?

[Zhade]

51. Do you think it's a bad idea for every citizen to be required to vote?

I don't care if they vote "other" - as long as they're involved, they'll wake up a little more.

I'm not into Nazi-esque goosestepping like the conservative crowd.

[woo me with science]

55. i think requiring people to vote

is the goose-step route. it's called freedom. and i would much rather have informed voters than clueless people trying to avoid a fine.

[mlawson]

67. Perfectly put!!! nt

[Dinger]

83. What About A Tax Break If You Vote?

A verifiable receipt would be required as proof, then comes the tax break. Call it bribery, who cares?

[Flaxbee]

62. absolutely agreed on the fraud issue!

Dems aren't going ANYWHERE but down unless these stupid machines are thrown out. Sometimes technology is a burden, newer isn't always better. Simple crank-lever voting booths all the way... or at the very least, a paper trail in duplicate that you have to sign or verify before you leave the voting booth.

[silvershadow]

24. My letters of support are going out tomorrow...they will have

my opinion that they should continue to stand up and fight the good fight for our issues instead of roll over. I will not be happy when Bush starts f-ing with Social Security and God knows what else he has planned for his second term. They should continue to hammer him on budget and deficit issues, and meaningful healthcare reform not another Bush "band aid".

[Florida_Geek]

29. Take says it all

Kerry like Holy Joe still has a day job.

[Matilda]

40. Why is Edwards' political career over?

I can understand how he must feel, but he's young enough to run for
office again, even if he has to wait a couple of years.

He really impressed me in his debate with Cheney, which is all I've
seen of him of course, he has a lot going for him.

Nixon came back from total defeat, so why can't Edwards (who IMO
is much more appealing than Nixon, and younger as well).

[NavajoRug]

57. It's hard for a losing VP candidate to come back . . .

. . . no matter how good they may be. These people usually vanish from the political scene pretty quickly, and rarely draw much support if they run for the White House in the future. Look how quickly Geraldine Ferraro, Lloyd Bentsen, and Jack Kemp disappeared -- and people like Dan Quayle and Joe Lieberman did very poorly in later bids for the presidency.

[robbedvoter]

48. Edwards polled before his run - he knew he'd lose.

In the end , we lost a senate seat. Hurray for Edwards and his 2 Americas!

[Dickie Flatt]

10. No. Kerry was obviously having some serious emotions

Yeah, he did the ol' smiley-laughy stuff for the cameras. But watch him speak - especially when he gets to the part about thanking people from the bottom of his heart. He's on the verge of tears. This is his lifelong dream, and now it is over.

[cornermouse]

11. Different people react in different ways.

Of course, I'd have been angry like Edwards, but that's just me.

[librechik]

12. THK was there, looked sad and peeved n/t

[Doohickie]

14. Where was that anger during the campaign?

It might have come in handy if he had shown his attack dog side.

[AP]

18. Hello. You don't win a campaign on anger. Polarizing the electorate was

how Bush won.

[saracat]

41. And Bush won on that how? Doesn't the sword cut both ways?

[AP]

49. By making his supporters feel like a vote for him was a defense of him...

...personally and by making the vocal democratic opposition use up all their oxygen criticizing him so that the quiet Democratic followers weren't left with enough to vote for.

[saracat]

54. Baloney.

The Dems had plenty to vote for. The disgrace is that many didn't.

[AP]

59. Meatballs.

[Doohickie]

65. I think you just contradicted yourself

Bush won by polarizing the electorate... isn't that winning with anger?

[AP]

82. That's how fascists win and it's how Democrats lose.

Democrats have never won on anger, and win when they show that hope should trump fear.

[AspenRose]

15. Edwards took what was happening to this country personally

He's said as much.

Of COURSE he was angry.

He should be.

At least he wanted to fight.

And Edwards was in attack mode, plenty of times during the campaign. The debate comes to mind.

[mlawson]

25. He was probably convinced we would win.

Which, IMO, we did, but it was stolen. Edwards understands this, but was powerless to keep going once Kerry gave up.

It's not in Edwards' psychological makeup to give in, I would guess; he is a scrapper. (Yes, he conceded the primary race, but he knew he was not going to win that.)

[Ohio rules]

34. NOTHING WAS STOLEN !

the election has always been there for the taking
just get the other 50% elegible voters to show up and

problem solved....
Now what needs to be changed,gotten rid of to appeal to more people?

threaten to throw them in jail if they don't vote?
beat the crap out of them?
give them "free stuff" ?

[mlawson]

37. This was a record turnout!

The results do not match the exit polls. Just as in 2002.

Do you think the repubs are above stealing elections??

[Zhade]

53. Why are you here?

DU is founded on the fact that b*sh stole the 2000 election.

Since you're here, you obviously endorse that view. As such, you're aware that the Republican party has no qualms about theft of elections.

So, if you're saying there was no fraud, when indeed fraud was evident or very likely (50k missing absentee ballots in FL, destroyed Dem voter registrations in Las Vegas and Ohio, BBV), I have to ask why you're even here.

[robbedvoter]

56. Nice try. Some reading for you

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=11874&mesg_id=11874

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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

[saracat]

39. What is wrong ?

Edwards wasn't blaming Ohio. Is there a problem with votes being counted? And what do you mean" Pull an Al Gore?' Your post doesn't sound right. Al Gore's only problem was he didn't protest enough! Edwards seems to have been held back and I wish he wasn't. I think Edwards should go forward alone if need be. This "it would be to awful to divide the country" stuff has got to stop. We are already divided. I think we should take to the streets if we have to. We are pathetic.

[robbedvoter]

44. Al Gore fought. These two folded. Embarrasing scene. pathetic.

Edwards wanted to do a "speech" - since this is the only thing he got credit during the campaign (lots of it). before that, he bragged about voting tor Iraq (co-sponsored IWR)and Patriot Act.

[Spinzonner]

30. Kerry's decision to concede undercut, if not betrayed

the speech/announcement the Edwards made late last night/this morning about fighting to ensure the votes were counted.

I think he had personal cause to resent the decision. The question is whether Edward's statement was made on his own or in consultation with Kerry.

[robbedvoter]

43. I saw a guy posturing for the cameras and giving a parting "Son of a

Mill Worker" BS. How dares he say "I'll fight" when he never did? he conceded the primaries 3 h before the closing of the polls!
This is the guy who co-sponsored IWR
http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:SJ00046:@@@P
he may have been pissed his carreer was over. But he was the Lieberman of this ticket - don't make some kind of hero out of him. He brought NOTHING to this "two Johns from senate who voted for war" deal.

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. He is out of a job right now

He didn't run for reelection for his Senate seat. Kerry still has four years to go in his term.

[venus]

60. Huh? He LOST! Why anger. Stupid thread. Teresa

was there along with Kerry's entire family. Apparently you didn't watch the speech. Edwards didn't appear ANGRY to me either. What's your point? To disrupt?

[saracat]

64. I watched part of both speeches. Edwards seemed

impassioned and willing to continue the fight.What I saw of Kerry were genuine smiles and a weird happy reaction from the crowd of supporters. That is what I saw. I believed Edwards, but I wanted to vomit when I heard Kerry tell us to "unite" and support Bush.I turned the TV off it has not been on since and no news channel will be for quite some time if at all.I am sorry this seems disruptive to you.

[goclark]

74. He was Not angry!

He was reading from a prepared text so that he would be less emotional.

I heard him clearly talk about counting the votes.

Maybe I'm wrong but I think it was a code in that message.

Hope I am right!

[AlCzervik]

76. i feel the same way, maybe he knows something we dont

but will soon?

[doodlebugs4kerry]

66. Edwards is pissed ....

... 'cause he don't have a damn job to go back to! He's what cost us the election! No experience. Seen as a weakling here in the south. Plus he's biding his time. He thinks he can get the nomination in 2008 w/ Hillary as his VP! The man is a freaking joke! John Kerry carried Edwards! He needs to hang his head in shame for costing us (& JFK) the election.

[prayin4rain]

68. I love Edwards. I really do.

I can't even engage too much in the being pissed at Kerry because of how much I like Edwards. That guy is all heart.

[Robert Oak]

71. Kerry was decimated, crushed, destroyed

His anger will re-appear but you could tell he was toast and I am
sure is going to go through some period of blaming himself.

Give the guy a break. He got beat because these idiots in America
identify with the Candidate personally.

They can see themselves busting gay heads with Bush, going to church
with Bush and so on.

They just slit their own throats financially, but what do they care....
they have just purchased their latest image...

just like a Big Mac...lots of chemical taste and little nutrition.

[JFW]

73. reply

yep.

[Southsideirish]

79. I picked up on that, too. I think the sharp little lawyer from NC had

an ace up his sleeve (important information re: Fla and/or Ohio) but ole "goo goo" wanted to carve out his niche in HISTORY by being a "good loser."