When the Debates Narrow Down to the Top 3, John Edwards May Shine as the True Progressive

[David Zephyr]

Something very healthy is about to happen for American Democracy: Our contest is now down to three candidates: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. The distinctions will now become crystal clear. And best of all, the robotic talking points and cheap platitudes are not going to wash anymore. We can all be grateful for this.

It won't be about personalities, but about policies. And I must say that John Edwards' populist, anti-corporate, anti-NAFTA message is going to either make Barack and Hillary look sterile or make them into better candidates and better Democrats.

I'm supporting Barack Obama in spite of the many missing notes I still have not heard him play. I understand that he has the hardest balancing act of all because of the underlying issue of race which is still alive and sadly, plays a small part in our Democratic Party. It's just easier for a white man to say radical things than it is for a black man to. That's the facts and I don't hold it against Obama for recognizing it and being a bit cool. He has to.

Still, while Clinton and Obama struggle for that over glorified and nebulous "centrist voter", they'd better watch out because now there will just be three standing in any remaining televised debates and believe me, John Edwards' message from this moment on will be a sure-fire crowd pleaser.

In fact, John Edwards' populist message has already been co-opted by Mike Huckabee and even Mitt Romney, of all people! Romney, in Michigan today, had morphed into Edwards as he railed against unfair trade and shipping jobs off-shore.

And when it when it comes to our Democratic race, I gotta tell you that I love John Edwards' populist message and I hope he just makes my candidate and Hillary move more to the left with commitments and promises to the American people. If they do, they will be smart. If they don't they might wind up seeing Senator Edwards picking off a few primaries of his own.

If New Hampshire proved anything, it's this:

1.) Democrats are showing up in unimaginable numbers to the polls.
2.) Democrats want to end this god-damned war in Iraq.
3.) Democrats are motivated for change and they don't want pretend change. They want big change.
4.) Democrats are still shopping around and have not decided on who will be their nominee yet.

If Barack and Hillary are too clever, too cool, too "moderate", they might just find John Edwards stealing their thunder and their crowns.

[jgraz]

1. He's always shined as the true progressive

Why the hell do you think the MSM are so frantically trying to dismiss him?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. ding! ding! ding! nt

[Didereaux]

2. I con't believe that was ever in question???? well Kucinich was included of course

[Mojambo]

3. Very astute post. Recommended. n/t

[kentuck]

4. David...

"It's just easier for a white man to say radical things than it is for a black man to. That's the facts and I don't hold it against Obama for recognizing it and being a bit cool. He has to."

That's interesting. Are you suggesting that Obama is just as much a progressive as Edwards but he can't say it? I actually tend to agree with your statement.

However, I think there are a lot of voters that still haven't decided who they are going to vote for. If Edwards' message is strong enough, I think he still has a chance to pull it out. But he's going to have to do some powerful persuadin'..

[David Zephyr]

8. That's my Kentuck: he reads right between the lines.

Dude, you amaze me. I swear.

Yeah, that's what I was saying without saying it. You dragged it out of me now.

If Barack goes all leftie, then the corporate media will paint him as Malcom X, Huey Newton, Bobby Seale in a nano-second. I know they'd do it in a nanosecond.

So, the "missing notes" as I call them are what I believe Barack wants to say, but just can't. I really do.

Still, I love John Edwards and he has me whooping it up the most lately. But I'm with Obama all the way now.

[kentuck]

16. I'm a master at stating the obvious..

:-) I like reading original thoughts.

[AzDar]

6. This Country NEEDS Senator Edwards to win.

He is the Anti-Bush.

[onehandle]

7. I'm looking forward to a three person debate.

When is the next one?

[2hip]

11. Next debate is Jan. 15 in Vegas

The Caucus of African-American Nevadans and Impacto will host a Democratic debate in Las Vegas.

Telecast on MSNBC - 6:00 - 8:00 pm PST.




Edwards '08 tees!

[XOKCowboy]

14. The 15th? Two momentous occasions occur that day..

MLK and I share a birthday and I get to pay my quarterly taxes! WooHoo! :patriot:

I hope that I'm off work early enough to see the debates.

[joe_sixpack]

9. I'm a bit confused...

it seemed like it was a three candidate debate from the start. oh yeah, there were some other folks kind of standing around, before the first two primaries, what were their names again?

[BlackVelvet04]

10. The point you made about Obama being more progressive

than he can say is a point I have made about most of the Democrats. The atmosphere in this country has been so far right that the Dems have had to move closer to the center in order to not be labeled as looney leftists.....and they still get accused of being radical lefties.

[David Zephyr]

15. And what you say is true, but at some point we have to stand for something.

The craven, weak-kneed antics of spineless politicians like Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle who caved into to every whim of Bush and Cheney created a shitty model for Democrats and we are still reeling from the damage they did.

And if Democrats are concerned about looking to "looney" as you say, it goes double for Barack Obama.

Still, we must stand up to the bullies and let them have it right in the smacker.

I posted here years ago that more right-wing legislation was passed during under the leadership of Tom Daschle in a Democratic Senate than under the GOP. It's true: The IWR, The Patriot Act, The Homeland Defense Department, the unbelievable so-called "partial birth abortion bill" (which Daschle vote for and which did not take into account the very life of the mother!) and more all happened when Democrats controled the Senate, its committees and Tom Daschle was the Majority Leader. How sad is that?

Democrats are fed up with pussyfooting around on the margins. They want action.

Right now, as herd thins down to just three, John Edwards will be driving the debate. It's already happening.

[BlackVelvet04]

18. Sometimes you have to compromise to win

and then you get your shot. The goal is the White House and a majority in the Senate and House. Get that and then you kick ass. Had the Democrats gone into the Congress and Senate and immediately started the impeachment process the Democrats would be done for 2008. I don't like that but I think that's the truth of the matter.

[XOKCowboy]

12. But will the media have a 3 way debate?

It's all Obama Clinton right now. John Edwards came in second in IA and not one major or cable network showed it as such in NH. We'll see.

That being said if they do get into 3 way debate, Edwards will kick butt.

[OzarkDem]

13. Well said

Its a great and long overdue opportunity for a real public referendum on what Democrats stand for. We've spent so many years mistakenly thinking we need to act like Republicans. Those days are gone. This primary race will allow a full and open discussion about what voters, independents and Dems alike, what they expect and what we can offer.

Its also a rare opportunity to educate the public about the views of all members of the Democratic Party, minimally filtered by the news media. We should sieze the moment and make the best use of it, regardless of who wins.

[Yuugal]

17. Please let it go all the way to the convention

If the repugs settle things early we can spend months trashing their chosen idiot while the Dems get lots of debates and free media coverage for our ideas until august! The primaries are one time when even our scummy media has to talk about Dems without layering the usual lies and scorn on too thick. Lets not be hasty deciding.

[rhett o rick]

19. The problem is that the repugs prolly wont settle it early. As I see it, as one

gets a lead everyone will point out the terrible weaknesses (which there are plenty for all), then another will take the lead, etc etc.

[David Zephyr]

20. Excellent observation.

As you say, the free media coverage of the debates, both Democratic and Republican, is really helping our collective cause. Your point is a good one that hadn't occurred to me...and maybe because it is just so obvious.

When Americans see Republicans raising their hands because they don't believe in evolution, when all they talk about are gays, God, guns and abortion, it is turning them off. Moreover, the fact that these guys (it's all white men and that's another thing that is so obvious that we all sublimate it) refuse to attack the most unpopular president in American history also is killing them with the public.

And as our team of Democrats champion health care, getting out of Iraq, increasing funding to education, cleaning up the environment, getting off of oil and such, it is nothing less than a gold mine for our cause. We may argue how to do it all, but we are the party that will do and they aren't. The debates give us an opportunity to showcase our side which the media rarely covers.

Your point is such a good one, Yuugal, that you should write an OP on it. Some will argue that the sooner we unite behind a single candidate will be better, but I'm not sure since I read your post. I think you have brought up a very salient observation.

Thanks.