NC Political Class Says Edwards Lacks Clout

For all the speculation surrounding John Edwards' conspicuous silence on the eve of his home state's primary, one important fact has been overlooked: According to North Carolina's political class, the former Democratic presidential contender has virtually no clout at all in his home state.

The former senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, they say, was like a political comet. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere, inspired awe with the intensity of his talent, blazed through a single term in the Senate, then disappeared from the radar almost entirely.

"The guy is truly an exceptional story, but for someone who is so well-known nationally, he has very little standing in the party in this state," says John Davis, president of the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education (NCFREE), a business-backed organization that conducts political research. "You simply do not hear his name associated with the work in the vineyards and making a difference in terms of fundraisers or endorsements."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[foreffectivegovernment]

If you Obama supporters don't want him because, "John Davis, president of the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education (NCFREE), a business-backed organization that conducts political research," doesn't like him, then you shouldn't mind if he throws his support behind Hillary Clinton before the NC primary.
After all, he has tentatively indorsed her anyway when he said that Hillary Clinton was a "strong leader" and Barack Obama was an "articulate African-American". This was a message to the people in NC that you "elites" didn't get. People in NC want "substance", not "talk".

[fisharefreinds]

I have an idea. To get rid of Edwards and all his scary talk for the Corporations why don't they plant a prostitute in his life the way they went after Gov. Spitzer in NY. That the best way to do it and they can call in the FBI for its expertise to do it!

[fisharefreinds]

It is amazing how devoted the media is to marginalizing John Edwards. They have to, his message is to scary and to populist. They keep saying no one wants to hear him and he came from no where, well so did Obama!
Edwards is pretty popular, this I promise but the corporate media want him out, dead, fini.

[dvdpt]

Huffjob:
you really think you said something
only a ignorant rasist would convince themselfs what they say is true

[mspiglet]

I am a North Carolinian... and have a warm feeling for the Edwards's... but I am thoroughly unimpressed with his lack of absolutism. I hate the triangulators and calculators.

Say what's on your mind and live with it.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

He is an opportunist. They make a living out of speaking only when it serves self interest.

[CallMeDeaconBlues]

Did they just figure this out now. Perhaps losing his home state in the last election might have been a clue. Haircuts anyone?

[katzooks]

This political campaign shows, with each passing day, that this race is really a battle of good vs. evil. Aided and abetted by the media, there are many in this country who see integrity as a sign of weakness. These same people share a perverse respect for gutter politics, seeing strength in dirty smear tactics and believing this to be the sure way to win against McCain. But make no mistake, the Republicans would not run so clean a campaign as Obama. The skeletons in the Clintons' closet would emerge with a deafening rattle.

For instance.... There are two reasons why the ongoing fraud court case against the Clintons (Paul vs. Clinton) is unknown to most Americans. One is because the media has chosen, for whatever reasons, to not report this bombshell. Two is because Obama has stood by his promise to run a clean campaign and has not indulged in the sort of gutter politics enjoyed by the Clinton campaign. Don't think for one minute that the Republicans would take the high road here.

The mentality that sees strength in petty, unscrupulous bullying is the same mentality that elected Bush-Cheney to a second term. Yes, there are many in this country who see integrity as weakness, and who see strength in ruthless, greedy powermongering. But I believe that there are far more who crave the integrity of character necessary to going against the status quo and, for the first time in decades, doing the right thing.

[Bibbo]

I agree with katzooks disgust with self serving politics but have trouble painting Bush Cheyne with such a broad brush. They have made big mistakes...to be sure but it seems they were motivated not by personal ambition( think Clinton) but concern over dangers coming from the midle east. I believe they shaded the truth and fired anybody who disagreed but again done in a misguided belief that the ends (prevent another 9-11) justify the ends ...not looking for personal glory(again think the Clintons). I believe the threat of nuclear terroism cant be understimated and poses a threat to our govt.

[Darqhorse]

The reason why the Paul vs Clinton case is getting no air time is because there is a gag order by the Judge (who just happened to have been seated by none other that Bill Clinton).

[foreffectivegovernment]

Darqhorse: You said, "The reason why the Paul vs Clinton case is getting no air time is because there is a gag order by the Judge (who just happened to have been seated by none other that Bill Clinton)."
This is the REAL reason this is not getting "air time". It is a harassassment suit by a known conman. Sorry.

"An audit by the Federal Elections Commission found that neither Senator Clinton nor her Senate campaign had accepted any illegal funds".
"The appellate court specifying that her behavior had been "perfectly legal." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Paul

[Flagal]

Why is this case not garnering media attention, why is the Magnaquest issue not garnering media attention....there is not just one reason there are many but I shall illuminate a few in my post.
Senator Obama has repeatedly said he would take Washington back from Big business lobbyists, the media is owned and operated by Big Business. They fear what this man might do to their pocketbooks.
Bill Clinton was the most powerful man in the world not too long ago, he is now calling in favors with the men who own the major media outlets, again Big Business (which Hillary & Bill are courting daily)
It is not coincidence that even though the Rev. Wright controversy should be over (it is really a non-issue to begin with) it is still given more coverage (even today) than any other issue, much less anything that actually affects our daily lives, which Wright certainly does not.
There is also the reality that the good ol white boys that have run this country since the start are worried about the trend electing a black man for President might cause.
These are just a few of the uphill battled Barack Obama faces.
The Clintons are netrenched old time politics just like Senator Mccain. If elected America will continue on its downwards spiral.
That you can count on.

[MNmommy]

Clinton was asked about Magnaquest this morning by Georgie on This Week.

Try again.

[anney]

Well, look at the "political class" that makes this claim:

....for someone who is so well-known nationally, he has very little standing in the party in this state," says John Davis, president of the North Carolina Forum for Research and Economic Education (NCFREE), a business-backed organization that conducts political research. "You simply do not hear his name associated with the work in the vineyards and making a difference in terms of fundraisers or endorsements."

A lot of John Edwards' campaign was about the damage that corporatism does to American politics. OF COURSE this group, a "business-backed organization", wants to minimize his impact on American politics. I'm sure they breathed a huge sigh of relief when he dropped out of the nomination race, their fear and trembling easing with the disappearance of a threat to them.

[darwinfish]

John Edwards bought his first and only Senate win. For five years he was a balance to Jesse Helms who singlehandedly led NC back into the 18th century. Edwards followed his vanity into the Presidential race leaving NC to TWO Jesse Helms; Lizzie Dole who never removed Helms nameplate from her desk and Richard Burr. Edwards couldn't win a dogcatcher race in NC.

[Jimmyboyo]

A threat?

Till recently he was 100% DLC clinton lite

His "progressive" claims have no actual substance to back them up except recent words words words. ACTIONS = DLC clinton lite

[anney]

Get the stardust out of your eyes. John Edwards was a threat to corporatism in American politics; it was the central them of his campaign. Hillary CERTAINLY wasn't and isn't a threat to greedy American corporations. She has their enthusiastic backing -- she won't rock their boat since she gets so much money from them.

[Jimmyboyo]

anney

Oh yeah?

Name one piece of legislation he voted for let alone proposed while a senator that wasn't DLC clinton lite

Please name one thing said during the 2004 campaign that wasn't clinton lite

Nothing!

Recent words are progressive since he obviously thought it would get him grass roots support . Nothing more. He used you

Judge him by his actions

[texanna]

No clout, huh? Sounds like no one owned him - isn't that what he was saying all along? This article gives the reason that I was and continue to be an Edwards for President supporter. He truly was the only candidate that wasn't completely owned and beholden to the multi-nationals, some cabal inside the party, the corporatist media and the MCI. All of which excluded him from the corporatist media-MCI primary campaign script, so he had to go and go badly. First it was the denigration to pretty boy status with nothing but a $400 haircut and then he just wasn't given any media notice, because, hey, he just didn't have anything to say that was worth the airtime or the ink! I sincerely hope he sees the same amount of difference between the two candidates we've been left with as I do -- which is not much difference at all -- and just waits to see who ends up with the nomination. At that point we can all get behind that person and get somebody, anybody, without an "R" after their name elected to the WH. Of course, that was the mentality in 2006 and look how well that turned out!

[Pepper14]

I have always said that Edwards was a loser. He didn't run for re-election for the Senate because it showed he would lose, as VP he couldn't even win his own homestate and then running for President he was lucky if he pulled in 15% of the vote. He never had any clout and he knows it, even his wife said that their endorsement wouldn't mean that much. The Edwards voters and most from his campagin have already gone to Obama.

[ChristianEcon.com]

"I have always said that Edwards was a loser."

I think he's accomplished a great deal (and he's still young). He ran with integrity and got a lot of attention and light shed on the problems most Americans are actually up against, and on specific solutions.

He moved some of the economic conversation to the left, if only for a short time. That in itself is a major accomplishment given the powers ($) that be.

[soundfury]

First, Obama is the one who HAS the delegates.

Second, Obama supporters have been burned by Hillary's tactics. If she had the remote chance to steal the nomination, the majority would refuse to vote for someone who tried to destroy this party.

Third, John Edwards is a non-issue. He lost NC for Kerry; his chances of being re-elected in North Carolina were slim, and he failed to come out for Obama in Ohio. Obama was his chance at another shot at the Presidency in 2016. Obama would no doubt appoint him to a salient position in his administration, and that would be the perfect springboard for him.

While absence seemed to make the heart grow fonder, now Edwards pushed it to the point of "out of sight - out of mind".

As far as Al Gore is concerned, after he got the rug pulled out from under him, I don't think he would dare pull the rug out from under Obama. Resentment is a bad place to start winning admiration and respect.

Obama is already the clear winner, so these guys better get on board the train of hope and change fast because it's leaving the station.

The Clintons are intimidating, but you have to have the guts to do what you think is best for the country and the party. The Clintons won the White House once and should graciously let everyone get behind the winner.

Their lust for power will end up betraying them. It already has.

[emmaspeaks]

I find it interesting...my mother-in-law is a republican in NC. She is actually voting for Obama....she is a religious woman who understands people are running without sleep, are lucky if they know where they are, are associated with people who aren't in their campaigns. She had the utmost respect for Hillary and says she's a smart woman, but she has turned to "bitter" and nasty and that's not presidential. She doesn't want a president who is like that. She is voting for Obama on Tuesday. Edwards is not seen in NC as anything but an ambulance chaser....sorry, I don't really agree, but that is what I have heard from the public there.

[nick1936]

I've noticed that Obama and others have spoken out against the gas tax plan, However all Obama has done is make another great speech he and others who are against this plan have failed to offer a solution of their own. So once again we get all talk and no action

[liberalghost]

Oddly enough, although I find Obama's "change" philosophy laughable, his rejection of your beloved "gas tax holiday" a remarkably thoughful position.


What fools like you don't grasp is gas prices have risen another ten cent/gallon where I live. If the price of a barrel of oil goes up another $20, gas will have risen enough to cover the entire 18 cents. If the price of a gallon of gas drops 18 cents, the cost of oil will rise to recapture the difference. And instead of the 18 cents going to maintain out transportation infrastructure, it will go to OPEC and speculators.

A better idea is to in fact raise taxes on gasoline by a dollar or two, but issue coupons to discount the price back on the first X gallons. Let more frugal drivers sell the coupons they don't use. Let SUV and Hummer drivers pay more for the privilege of driving their gashogs.

[VSamuels]

George Bush is still the president, and he is unlikely to take any action.

Hillary is merely pandering for votes, hoping that the many uninformed voters will fall for her 'empty' solutions which can no more be implemented than Obama's, as neither are the President. At this point, Obama has clearly stated the dangers of cutting off road project funding to temporarily save about $30.00 over 3 months, and most experts, to include some in Hillary's camp, believe such a proposal will be unhelpful.

[dvdpt]

Obama is presidental quality and will not say anything just because everybody has spoken against her gas plan american people know this can not be done they know she is lying plus Hillary and Fox and all the news station will spin the truth
Hillary will copy word for word like she has been doing from the begaining and say that it was her plan
the only people that vote for Hillary are 40yrs and older I believe their the old generation against the intelligent young generation that want change

[ejay579]

The Drama Queen wants to talk about empty speeches. What is she going to do? Wave her magic wand, cue the choir, open up the heavens and give us a gas tax break all by her lonesome. It has occured to me that she has showed the same mentality in this regard as her godfather, the Chimp. She takes a position and sticks by it despite what all of the data and experts on the matter show. Think Iraq.

[Jimmyboyo]

Actualy Nick

Obama and other dems have proposed a windfall tax on profits of gas companies.

Every dollar over $80 a barrel would be taxed. This will motivate the gas companies to drop their prices since they are obviously over pricing their product based on their huge multi multi multi billion dollar PROFITS!!!! every quarter (4 months). It also supplies money for the government to finance programs to help the most deprived citizens.

The so called gas tax proposed by mccain and clinton will only provide $30 max to a person if the gas companies even pass on the savings. Their is no law nor has either proposed a law to force the gas companies to pass along such a savings to the consumer. hillary has even said she "hopes" the gas companies would pass along the savings to consumers.

[darwinfish]

We could pay for the gas holiday with the revenue garnered from banning prescription drug advertising on TV. People wonder why this nation is so drugged up when they are constantly bombarded by ads for everything from restless legs to erectile dysfunction. The best cure for ed is a new woman. Let's leave it our doctors to recommend what medicine we should be taking.

I was just kidding about the gas tax holiday. Losing 300,000 jobs to save $4 a tank is a no-brainer.

[Toonbytes07]

You are desperate. Your post has nothing to do with this topic.

[Flagal]

You dont get it. Senator Obama is not going to make false promises never to be kept. If you want to know his plans you need to go to his website and read (which you likely will not) instead of posting nonsense. He has solutions but you have to take the time to read them.
Obviously you like to be pandered too. I do not.

[llamajockey]

Yet I think Edwards now realizes that Obama will never reach Denver with enough delegates. Obama has been effectively crippled by Bittergate and the Rev. Wright. The delusional Obamabots won't know what hit them when the Ayers/ Dohern weathermen Sh*t hits the fan the next month.

Obama will very soon be radioactive and unelectable.

If the Obamabots could only get their mind around the fact that they have been the victims of mass mania and a media hoax creation at the hands of a willing MSM looking for a good story to pump during a TV writers strike and the new internet media with its gulliable audience which still has a long way to go before it can be considered mature.

If Obamamaniacs can not bring themselves around to support Clinton, and opposition to a Clinton restoration is understandable, then they will have to make a credible case that the Democratic party would be better off with a candidate drafted at the convention who can unite the party.

If the Obamabots can not grow up and support Hillary and the nominee, I see only two viable options, John Edwards or Al Gore.

Still I think lots of Obamabots are simply delusional and will insist its is their man or no other. In that case I guess once again the left wing of the Democratic party really can't pass up a chance to prove that they really do hate America.

Well then, all hail BombIran McCain, our 44th president.

[llamajockey]

It is funny how a little truth brings the loonier Obama fanatics out from the wood pile.

I use the terms Obamabots, Obamamaniacs to refer to those who willing to leap to their man's defense as if he was "Dear Leader". The sort of derangement you exhibit is truly breath taking. You are same ones who can not see the positively creepy in the post cold war kitsch merchant Shepard Fairey's "Obey Obama" posters done in the same "Soviet Constructivist" style of the Stalinist era.

I have never been a Hillary supporter. I have been a consistent Edwards supporter. When Edwards dropped out of the race I very briefly considered supporting Obama. However, as I did further extensive research on Obama, I came to the conclusion that not only was Obama unelectable, his nomination would spell absolute run for the Democratic party in 2008.

Therefore as a mature adult I had to consider what was best for the Democratic party as a whole. That means either reluctantly supporting Hillary or suggesting the drafting of an Edwards or Gore to unify the party.

[qwr]

Yeah, since Obama is "unelectable," let's get behind a candidate who won exactly one state in two runs at the Democratic nomination. Let's get behind a candidate who had a one-year head start in Iowa, and couldn't win. Let's get behind a candidate who talks a good game, but when given a chance, voted for war, voted for the 1st Patriot Act, and the 1st bankruptcy bill. And in the private sector, the candidate who took the money, a half-a-million dollar bribe from a hedge fund.

[Pepper14]

What dream world are you living in? The superdelegates will never be put in the position that Edwards vote would make the difference. It is Hillary and her supporters that are delusional. If Obama ends up with more delegates, popular vote and more states won there is know way they will not give the nomination to him.

[missjabez]

One thing that turns me off the Hillary supporters is the way they talk down to Obama supporters by calling them "Obamabots" or "Obamamaniacs". Do you think calling us names is going to convince us that Hillary Clinton is the better candidate? When I see those terms, I am disgusted and I immediately stop reading.