Letters to the Editor
Rambling Rose 22
Published Letters: 757 Editor's Choice: 6
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Why Edwards is Not On Top
[Read the article: When principles aren't enough]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Here's why I think John Edwards has failed to get the traction that he should've gotten out of this second effort to run for President of the Unite States:
1. Everyone knows that the media decided last year to make this a two-person race: Obama and Hillary. I'm a life-long Democrat and I cannot for the world understand how Obama was able to garner so much attention with such a little resume. After the Iowa caucus, the major cable news actually ignored Edwards' 2nd place showing over Clinton in favor of showering both the winning Obama and the losing Clinton with more talk, more coverage, and more attention. It was like, "oh yeah, okay, we have to say something about Edwards, don't we?"
2. John Edwards had two things going for him in 2004: His "Two Americas" theme and his "Real Solutions..." Newspapers across the country raved about his well-defined, well-thought out ideas for change, direction, and new policies for our country. He all but abandoned both for the 2008 campaign. Hey,smart consultants and candidates know that when you have a winning message, stick with it.
3. John Edwards' 2004 campaign and his "Real Solutions..." also spoke to the needs and issues of the middle class, not just exclusively about poverty as has his 2008 campaign. Deciding that poverty was his central theme and reason for running is admirable. I don't quibble abut the need at all. However, it's simply too narrow of an umbrella for this big old country to get under! We have too many pressing issues across America today. Poverty being just one of them. Health care, education, wages -those are not just "people living in poverty" issues, they are middle, and upper middle, class issues too. Any consultant worth his or her salt knows that the more narrow the campaign's message, the less likely you are to have broad appeal as a candidate.
4. And we might agree with John Edwards about the destructive nature of some multi-national corporations, how some have too much influence inside the Beltway and our states' capitals, how too many of them are not good neighbors on any level, and how they have contributed to the decimation of the middle class by moving our good-paying jobs overseas. But, all he needed to say was exactly that and then tell us HOW he would "stand up to them because (he) fought them before and won" and make the changes that would make things better for us. What? Is he going to file class action lawsuits against them all on behalf of Americans everywhere?
Again, Edwards high-priced consultants should have been telling him every step of the way that he was only doing half the message. The first half is to point out the problem, and the second half is to offer solutions that make sense - that thing he did last time.
5. John Edwards seemed to forget that he ran for the office before in 2004. We didn't forget. We already knew him. He had already introduced himself to us, so we didn't need the remedial homework of listening to his personal story all over again. What we needed was a John Edwards who said, "We were two Americas in 2004, and we're still two Americas. Our problems have deepened and expanded, but the good news is we get another chance to get it right. Here's what we're going to do together to rebuild our country, rebuild our middle class, help move people up the ladder, and restore our great name and reputation around the world."
Sure, the media played a big role in shaping the horserace, but Edwards made mistakes too. From the moment he stepped out of a New Orleans' home he was working on to announce he was running for President, he had to decide if he was going to crusade - or run for the Office of the President of the United States. John Edwards decided to crusade. I wasn't even sure if his One Corps was an organization of do-gooders taking time to help their neighbors - or a political organization to help him win office. Both, you say? Nope. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.
I was never asked to do anything by anyone who signed the email letters from Edwards' campaign than to give money. I found that odd. I wasn't asked to help make phone calls to voters in any other states. I wasn't asked to come to Iowa, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, etc. I wasn't asked to write letters to demonstrate the wide-spread support for Edwards. I was just asked for money.
My Democratic primary won't be until March. I wish Edwards had run a different campaign this time, like the one he ran in 2004 only without the naive "I won't say anything negative" crap. However, I won't abandon the candidate that I really think is the most trustworthy, who had the best ideas and message in 2004, who is the most principled, and who I know would get up every day and do the right thing for the majority of Americans. I'll vote again for John Edwards.
Maybe after this campaign, John can add a wing onto his Poverty center, and call it The Institute for The Restoration of The Great American Middle Class.
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HOW HARD IS TIHS, PEOPLE?
[Read the article: Jay Rockefeller's unintentionally revealing comments]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]How hard is this to figure out? No matter how you dress it up and walk it around it still comes down to the one thing: Do we want phone companies, or any other company, selling out our privacy to a nosy White House occupant who is hell-bent on usurping the U.S. Constitution? And should they be given immunity from breaking the law?
The quick answer is no. The long answer is no.
So, if Harry Reid will get some backbone - or get out of the way - and tell the rest of the Democratics masquerading as Republican-lites to crap or get off the Democratic pot - then maybe, the American people will be served.