The mainstream media script this week is that Barack Obama won Iowa and Hillary Clinton lost, but not so much that John Edwards came in second. Spending the last few weeks in New Orleans, I learned that John Edwards is still heavily favored in dinner table conversation for more reasons that the fact that his presidential campaign launched there.
On the Republican side, it is still the deep south. Driving through Mississippi I saw a minivan decorated for Huckabee like he was a winning soccer team. And there's a Ron Paul banner in the middle of the Warehouse District because New Orleans is nothing if not a haven for the antiestablishment. Ignatius J. Reilly called. He wants his outrage back.
Gulf Coast voters have an Edwards endorsement today from Levees Not War with the unambiguous headline, "Democrats need a tough candidate who won't hesitate to kick the Republicans in the balls." They say:
"It is not often we wish we lived in New Hampshire (nice place to visit), but we sorely wish we could be there on Tuesday to 'vote early and often' for John Edwards . . . It is not only that John Edwards had the good sense and correct priorities to launch his campaign for the presidency from New Orleans (take note, presidential debate site committee). And it's not just Edwards' plan to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq within 10 months--something his competitors haven't offered. We don't favor Edwards only because he alone has spoken consistently as a populist public defender against the 'iron grip' of corporate special interests on Washington. Nor is he our favorite merely because he has the best health care plan (Paul Krugman's praise sounds right to us).
We vote for John Edwards for all of these reasons, but especially because Democrats need a tough, combative lead candidate to whip the Republicans, who are vicious fighters in a presidential campaign--especially when they're desperate. Barack Obama is marvelous and would also be a good president, but we worry he doesn't have the aggressiveness to kick the Republican operatives in the balls, the way they always do to Democrats. In Nov. 2004 it was Edwards the courtroom attorney who wanted to challenge the Ohio vote counts before conceding, but John Kerry decided otherwise.John Edwards has the optimism, the intelligence, and the gut-fire and bulldog tenacity to get the job done . . . He's also a realist. He knows the status quo won't give an inch without a struggle. About dealing with corporate interests such as the drug and oil and insurance companies, he says, "Some people argue that we're going to sit at a table with these people and they're going to voluntarily give their power away. I think it is a complete fantasy; it will never happen." We often say 'We Want Roosevelt Again.' We know we're not going to get Franklin Delano, but in John Edwards we see just about the closest thing to FDR we've seen in many years."
The most surprising comment about Obama's chances was from a New Orleans musician who, at 70 years old, said "A black man will not be president of America. Not in the next hundred years." He was talking to an L.A. documentary crew and recalled having to stay in separate hotels, enter through the back of the club and get barred from playing with white musicians. The last is the factor that convinced Louie Armstrong to announce that he was leaving New Orleans and never coming back.
Given the results of Iowa, his generation may be talking about a divided America that no longer exists.
Whatever the case, two displaced New Orleaneans froze to death under a bridge this week in a tent village that's only going to grow if nothing changes. This city is front and center in a litmus test of which candidate is ready to save whoever is left in 2008.
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"kick in the balls"? Does it have to be such a violent message?
Voting for Edwards is one thing, but if he's going to stay in the race long enough for us to vote for him, he needs cash! I signed up for $25 a month--living on disability, it's a stretch, but we've got to do more than comment on blogs if he's going to remain a serious candidate. And talk to your friends! I've gotten one friend to back off from supporting Hillary, now I need to get him to decide between Obama and John. Being from CA, I have till Feb. 5 to make the conversion. If all of his supporters would sign up to make one convert, we'd double his supporters!
John Edwards is the only who can win, and the only one who is talking about core democratic values. Here is a scenario: it is two years from now and evidence of bushie/cheney's crimes are surfacing. What will Hillary do? Suppress it. What will Obama do? Respond that further investigation is focusing on the past and we need to look to the future. What will Edwards do? Give the evidence serious examination and respond accordingly.
Yeah - how audacious is it to HOPE that your big grin will melt GOP resolve and make them give you a big hug??? HOPING that'll happen - THAT'S naive!
We know he's not accepting money from Big Media because they have ignored him from the time that Obama entered the race. Big Media loves Obama, can't get enough of him. The money men really don't want Clinton or Edwards in the White House, wonder why? Republicans voting for a Democrat in Iowa and N.H., can't look north, south,east or west without seeing Obama's face, 100 mil to run his campaign without the years of fund raising it ususally takes, there's something unexplainable about the whole thing.
i'm watching keith olbermann (sp?) and he is saying that tomorrow the primary is over for the Democrats. what kind of bs is this that a guy leads in two small states and everyone is supposed to fold their tents? what kind of system is this?
anyway, good for New Orleans for supporting John Edwards, the only candidate who has been seriously talking about Katrina and the aftermath.
John Edwards for the future of America!
Obama can be president if Edwards backs him and runs as VP. Their combined numbers would kick all GOP butt. And their programs would revolutionize this country and make it possible for people to pursue the American dream again.
Obama and Edwards need one another. They must run together, to succeed.
Pass it on.
OE/08
BALLS SAID HILLARY, IF I HAD THEM I'D BE PRESIDENT
I agree with SkilletLicker. New Orleans was just a hint of what's in store for all o us later on. Edwards/Obama'08!
Edwards is the realest deal this country's seen in a long time. No way is Obama ready. He's Vice-Presidential.
finally a decent article which lauds John Edwards if the main media would just give him the time of day we could have one great new leader
John Edwards performance at the last debate on ABC was masterful. His strategy was to put the heat on Clinton because he knows that to do well in New Hampshire, he must draw from Clinton's supporters. He has no intention of being Obama's VP. If he can draw votes away from Clinton and do reasonably well on Tuesday, Edwards will be able to sustain his campaign to Super Tuesday, where he has a good shot at gaining enough delegates to continue his campaign against his big money opponents. The media will have to give him more play as Clinton loses support and fades. The media depends on a strong two way race to attract viewership. Those of us who believe in John Edwards must contribute to his campaign NOW to help him in this difficult stage of the campaign. By keeping him in the running to Super Tuesday, we will be giving him the push he needs. Then he'll get the financial support to take on an inexperienced Obama who is bound to stumble in a head to head battle with John.
John Edwards for President
When John Edwards finishes with 'em, they'll wish they had been kicked!
Right on John! Power to the People.
Edwards/Obama 08
Bravo! Finally an article that expresses the feelings of those of us who passionately support Edwards!
Go Edwards. This article expresses my feelings exactly. Obama talks about bringing both sides together and compromising. That is naiive! You can't play nice with these neocon - you have to bury them! Edwards has already taken on the corporate giants in the courtroom and beaten them. He's a fighter who doesn't take prisoners, and that is just what our country needs after almost 8 years of neocon crimes and abuses of power. We don't need fancy speeches and reminders constantly that we need change. We all know that. The only person who realistically can bring about that change is John Edwards. Ante up some money for him!
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Posted January 7, 2008 | 02:41 AM (EST)