I wanted to post some good news for John Edwards, such as the endorsement he received from the Fresno Bee. I think it’s fair to say that John’s outstanding performance at Monday nights debate has really helped put him back in the race and it’s my hope he gets more media attention that he deserves. John also appeared on the David Letterman show and was fantastic (Youtube clip behind the cut)!
While Hillary and Barack traded barbs during the debate, John stood by and listened and then interrupted to make the most important point of the night. See for yourself.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlGlQrqP7PE[/youtube]
That’s right John, it’s not personal and it’s not just about the candidates on the stage. Edwards managed to stick to the issues through out the whole debate and even though he did receive the least amount of talking time he made the most impact according to CNN’s focus group.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PioFYzEhhYA[/youtube]
John Edwards was the first to release a stimulus package to help deal with the current economic issues facing America. Orange County is painfully familiar with the impact of the bursting of the housing bubble and the effect of higher gas prices. This “crisis” will not go away and many economists think it’s just going to get worse. This is why it’s important to recognize that John Edwards has been talking about the economic inequalities that are rampant and at the heart of our economys current condition. And to top it off the Fresno Bee has endorsed John Edwards in these words, “Edwards best for Dems  He has led way in offering solutions to nation’s economic problems.”
Edwards has been running behind Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in the early primary and caucus states, and we recognize that he needs to do better if he is going to have a chance of winning the nomination. We believe that Edwards has the opportunity to do well in the upcoming states as his message of hope begins to be heard.
snip
Edwards has been out in front in offering solutions to the nation’s economic problems, even before the administration realized the depth of the current crisis. His plan includes a $25 billion economic package that would invest in clean energy, expand unemployment benefits, help states that are cash-strapped and establish a “home rescue fund” to keep homes out of foreclosure. His plan could grow to $100 billion if the economy doesn’t turn around.
We supported Edwards four years ago in the Democratic primary because he offered a real opportunity to bridge a nation that has been divided along class lines. That need has only increased under the current administration, and we think Edwards, with his populist message, offers a change for the better.
So I’m asking for Orange County voters to give John another look or a first look at John Edwards, for many of us he’s still in it and we just hope he will get enough coverage to make his case to the voters, that’s all I ask.
And on a lighter note, John made appeared on the Letterman Show last night to display his great sense of humor. I loved that after the Nevada Caucuses and his rather dismal showing he told reporters that it’s a good thing that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI3IgwnA2x4[/youtube]
Hey it’s great to see that some of the presses are still running over there behind the Orange Curtain. The ‘951’ or 909 have a bunch of supporters that have signed up and and are all helping trying to support John and think that could sure use some coverage. *Way to go!*
please take a few minutes to read the letter below from Martin Luther King, III that so eloquently expresses why John is running.
January 20, 2008 The Honorable John R. Edwards
410 Market Street
Suite 400
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Dear Senator Edwards:
It was good meeting with you yesterday and discussing my father’s legacy. On the day when the nation will honor my father, I wanted to follow up with a personal note.
There has been, and will continue to be, a lot of back and forth in the political arena over my father’s legacy. It is a commentary on the breadth and depth of his impact that so many people want to claim his legacy. I am concerned that we do not blur the lines and obscure the truth about what he stood for: speaking up for justice for those who have no voice.
I appreciate that on the major issues of health care, the environment, and the economy, you have framed the issues for what they are – a struggle for justice. And, you have almost single-handedly made poverty an issue in this election.
You know as well as anyone that the 37 million people living in poverty have no voice in our system. They don’t have lobbyists in Washington and they don’t get to go to lunch with members of Congress. Speaking up for them is not politically convenient. But, it is the right thing to do.
I am disturbed by how little attention the topic of economic justice has received during this campaign. I want to challenge all candidates to follow your lead, and speak up loudly and forcefully on the issue of economic justice in America.
From our conversation yesterday, I know this is personal for you. I know you know what it means to come from nothing. I know you know what it means to get the opportunities you need to build a better life. And, I know you know that injustice is alive and well in America, because millions of people will never get the same opportunities you had.
I believe that now, more than ever, we need a leader who wakes up every morning with the knowledge of that injustice in the forefront of their minds, and who knows that when we commit ourselves to a cause as a nation, we can make major strides in our own lifetimes. My father was not driven by an illusory vision of a perfect society. He was driven by the certain knowledge that when people of good faith and strong principles commit to making things better, we can change hearts, we can change minds, and we can change lives.
So, I urge you: keep going. Ignore the pundits, who think this is a horserace, not a fight for justice. My dad was a fighter. As a friend and a believer in my father’s words that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, I say to you: keep going. Keep fighting. My father would be proud.
Sincerely,
Martin L. King, III
John Edwards has been endorsed favorably in the Wall Street Journal, ABC News, NY Times, The Economist, The Atlantic.. The Fresno Bee and now here and ALL OVER THE INTERNET !! (Canada, the UK, etc.) people everywhere have just recently endorsed him along with papers in South Carolina and elsewhere,
and he is very expansive on all of the issues here at:
http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/plan-to-build-one-america.pdf
Make an informed choice. The other candidates are already adopting John’s positions because they are so detailed
and well thought out. Hope you agree.
-Bill
Billy Lamb,
Riverside, CA