JR tries again to broach the important topic of John Edwards’ coverage in the state’s newspapers during Edwards’ 2008 presidential campaign. The first two comments address this partial quotation (ripped from JR’s post) from the N&O’s piece: The N&O is never going to satisfy the hard-core anti-Edwards sentiment… And The N&O, as the home-state newspaper, should lead in bringing to bear the scrutiny that this presidential candidate needs to face in a national campaign.…
The commenters ask, why not investigate that: the “hard-core anti-Edwards sentiment?”
JR obliges with, “The key word is “scrutiny.” We hear you want it and will try to provide it.” And, of course, we’ll see how the N&R does during the course of the campaign (see Mark Binker’s comments and Capital Beat post).
I wonder about that “hard-core, anti-Edwards” sentiment that does not appear to be as broad nationally as it is within some pockets of North Carolina and blogged about locally occasionally by a distinct number of local bloggers. The national press has portrayed Edwards’ candidacy as viable, a real alternative to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (both as yet undeclared), and his original inclusion of a well-planned tech side to his campaign. People who don’t like progressive Democrats will lambaste him (or Obama, or Clinton) mostly for being a Democrat or not liking him personally or because his wife spoke at ConvergeSouth about using the Web creatively to build community, I guess, because it’s harder to disagree with Edwards’ platform:
- Provide moral leadership in the world
- Strengthen our middle class and end poverty
- Guarantee universal health care for every American
- Lead the fight against global warming
- Get America and other countries off our addiction to oil
I am looking forward to watching this play out, both locally and nationally, and see if North Carolina’s “hard-core anti-Edwards” sentiment is a small pocket or a large purse statewide.
I am enamored of Elizabeth Edwards after ConvergeSouth. If she loves John, then he must be alright.
However, I have an account in Robbins, whence he supposedly came. John’s daddy ran a mill there and I believe they are actually from SC.
BTW, John’s parents are Republicans.
The opposition, of which I must include myself, well remember how Edwards used his elected office as a stepping stone to the Presidential campaign. It would serve him better now had he been more patient then.
Sue: Here’s a couple of thoughts, neither fully formed, after reading your post and comments:
* North Carolina has voted in most if not all elections since the civil rights era. I don’t see Edwards (were he to win the nomination) or anyone else changing that in 2008, particularly if Sen. McCain is the Republican nominee. (Altough, I would expect Edwards to give it a shot.
* Yep, Edwards was born in and lived in South Carolina as young child. But he did a substantial part of his growing up in Robbins and his folks still live there.
* Some of the push-back on Edwards comes from something Fec noted, there’s some sentiment even among some Democrats here that Edwards was not a very passionate or effective representative of North Carolina, that he used the Senate seat to raise his own profile for a national election. (You can here similar complaints, even by some Republicans, about Sen. Dole.)
* Among political thinkers and writers, Edwards is very much a serious candidate. Given his current strength of showing in Iowa, his head start on a national organization and his strength in other early primary states like SC and Nevada, it would be dumb for folks on either side to discount him … whether they like him or not.
Barring someone unexpected getting into the race (think the return of Dean or rise of someone completely off the radar at this point) I expect him to be the main counter-point to Sen. Clinton. That will be an interesting dynamic, because it would pit a true southern progressive (Edwards) agains a relatively conservative (relative to the Dems activist base) pragmatist (in political style) from the northeast.
Mark, I appreciate your comments and try to be a careful thinker. This particular comment is one I agree with as a “thing to think about” that will come into play during the next national election (shortened, but heck, it’s right above):
Some of the push-back on Edwards comes from …some sentiment even among some Democrats here that Edwards was not a very passionate or effective representative of North Carolina, that he used the Senate seat to raise his own profile for a national election. (You can here similar complaints, even by some Republicans, about Sen. Dole.)
I think that’s Edwards’ most problematic in-state issue but am not yet sure how that’ll play in the other 49. Of course, NC’ers have every right to treat that point as significant. At the same time, it can be considered a plus: he’s not part of the established political order and might just have less ties to lobbyists who ‘own’ long-standing candidates.
Like I said, I’m not of one mind: I think this particular campaign has promise that makes me feel good, yet at the same time will have a couple of foibles on which, I’m certain, Edwards will be confronted. So far, his answers have been straightforward and I look forward to seeing more of the same from him. It’s way too early to decide what’s going to happen. I think the race will be interesting, new on some fronts that interest me, and having met Elizabeth Edwards, a tiny personal link.
For the record, Elizabeth Dole (she of the deep, deep, deep never-ending closet with many, many, many expensive outfits) gets no cudos from me either.
Party makes no difference here. Liddy is part of the Republican national machine and fairly ineffectual in her office. But then again, her Senate website does not declare that she will be the most readily accessible representative of the ordinary people that North Carolina has ever seen.
Edwards did that. Then he did the Kennedy-wannabe act. You could not find the guy . . . or pin him down on anything. And God forbid that he took a position that might offend a big-money contributor.
And I will keep treating that point as significant.
Liddy Dole ran into the ground everything she ever managed. The American Red Cross went into the red for the only time in their history under Dole’s leadership. As the head of the Transportation Department she left it in shambles. And in my book using your mother’s NC address does not make one a citizen of North Carolina. Liddy Dole is in-fact the unelected Senator representing Kansas and Washington, DC.
As for Edwards, yes he was born in SC but he came to NC as a small boy and he’s lived in NC longer than Boston Bubba or the CA (Sammy) have lived in NC but they both claim to be NC citizens. And Edwards’ father worked in a mill, sure they call his father a “Mill Boss” but what was his job, was he a rich mill owner or someone who worked his way up the ladder? Edwards has made his lifetime a job of helping those in need.
And might I remind our right wing friends, George Bush was running for president while still the governer of Texas.
And as for Edward’s accessability– I wouldn’t take Doctor Mary’s call either. And neither will anyone else.
Billy, I regret you have taken my views on this past year’s “Converge South” so personally. Despite our strong disagreement (and several provocations on your part), I have endeavored to at least be civil. I will continue to do that.
As for my “call” on John Edwards (as a life-long resident of North Carolina . . . not that length of residence means anything here . . . since we’re talking about national office), if Sue wanted to cite a more comprehensive post on that subject, she should’ve looked further back into the vault.
No doubt the post will make some folks’ heads spin because it starts off with a nod to Bubba’s tenacity with regards to expressing his “right-wing” views in the blogs, but it does provide a little more detail as to one North Carolina doctor’s experience with both the former Senator’s offices and the fruits of his labor as a trial attorney.
(This comment was edited by Sue to correct the broken link in the comment. A duplicate link was removed.)
Trying again: [The post the commenter cited is] here