As a matter of full disclosure, I am supporting John Edwards for President in 2008.
Martin Wisckol of the Orange County Register has a gret story in his column today, that pretty much reflects how I feel about the convention and John Edwards.
Mixed message
The former Senator shows his potential for moving up in presidential polling
SAN DIEGO – Former Sen. John Edwards trails Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in most Democratic primary polls, but he gave a display Sunday of his potential to move up.
His speech was among the best received at the California Democratic Party Convention over the weekend. While Obama may have received louder ovations and was once interrupted by the chanting of his name, Edwards was in the same general decibel range and was twice interrupted by “Ed-wards! Ed-wards!”
More importantly, Edwards dispensed with the life-story part of the speech heard from others the previous day and used that time to drill deeper into issues. The specificity made him sound better versed and more prepared to enact change. Closer scrutiny and comparison of the top three candidates could serve Edwards well in the months ahead.
And when you’d thought you’d heard all the campaign fodder, Edwards brought fresh issues to the table. On the Iraqi spending bill and withdrawal timetable, Edwards said Congress should respond to the expected presidential veto by returning the measure to Bush over and over.
“If the president of the United States vetoes that bill, it’s George Bush who’s not supporting our troops,” he said. “(Congress members) should not back down from the president…. This is about life and death. This is war.”
He said one of his first acts as president would be to close the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility and said it was time the U.S. stopped standing idlely by while genocide in Darfur continues. He outlined details for universal health care, education, and for one of his longstanding passions, ending poverty.
The North Carolina resident also pointed out historical evidence that may favor him. The last two Democratic presidents, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, were from southern states — and he is the only Democratic candidate from that region.
“The top three Republican candidates — none are from the South and that presents a huge opportunity (for Democrats),” he said.
Yes, Edwards is right. There are two Americas. In one of them people pay $400 for their haircuts and then they charge their campaign accounts. Then, to make matters worse, they suggest raising taxes to pay for health care.
Why don’t we charge anyone that pays more than $100 for a haircut a tax equal to the cost of their hair cut? They obviously have money to burn.
As for the other America, you can get a haircut in Santa Ana for $10 or less. Does Edwards pay less than $100 for ANYTHING? He is nothing more than a pampered rich guy.
Art,
Give it up on the hair cut thing. It is a non-issue. You know as well as anyone that Presidential candidates do not cover most of their expenses while on the campaign trail. Those things are handled by staff. The expense has been paid by Senator Edwards and he does not regularly pay $400 for a haircut.
Senator Edwards has proposed a Health Care plan in detail. He has proposed that it be paid for by rolling back the tax breaks the GWB and the Republican Congress gave to the wealthiest americans. I find it refreshing that he is willing to put his own money where his mouth is.
You call John Edwards a pampered rich guy. John Edwards comes from a working class background, from which he worked hard, got an education and became a successful trial lawyer who fought greedy corporations on behalf of people harmed by that greed.
It looks to me like you are trying to borrow a page from the Karl Rove playbook, and are trying to turn the positive aspects of his personal success and good looks into a negative. That swift-boat tactic simply doesn’t float.
Excellent use of the picture.