Has John Edwards Gotten a Bad Rap?

It seems the one Democratic candidate that none of the other candidates, as well as the msm, want to see win the nomination is John Edwards. O'Reilly wrote him off early last year after the religion scandal with his call center. Nobody, including myself, has given him a snowballs chance of success.

But who is the guy, really? And will we be given, or will we take, the chance to find out?

Analysis: Who Is The Real John Edwards?
Campaign Fights To Foster Man Of The People Image Over Those Who Call Him A Hypocrite

One image of Edwards is that he's a champion of the embattled middle class and poor, an up-from-his-bootstraps populist waging war against special interests who favor the rich and established.

The other take: He's a phony.

His rivals are working behind the scenes to exploit the "three Hs" - haircut, house and hedge fund. Edwards' $1,250 haircuts, his new 28,000-square-foot estate in North Carolina and his consulting work with a hedge fund that caters to the super rich undercut his everyman image.

"I think any time you're a strong, passionate voice for real substantive change there are very powerful forces that would love to silence you," Edwards said in an interview between campaign stops.

The theory goes like this: Edwards is viewed as a threat because he embraces bold changes for foreign policy (withdraw from Iraq), health care (universal coverage), education (college for all), and even for his own party (ban lobbyist donations to Democrats and the party).

source

Edwards on the Issues

So which is it? Champion of the disenfranchised, or just another phony (like the rest of the candidates at the top in the race, imo)?

Most everyone in the political arena and the msm being against him works in his favor with me, just like with Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich.

Right now Edwards is being dwarfed by two giants. I like his positions on the issues, but would like to see more experience before he becomes president. He's relatively young, so there's nothing to stop him from running again in 2012, or maybe getting on the ticket as the vice presidential candidate, as he did in 04. I think if he was not running against two major "stars"--Obama and Clinton--he would do better, since he has much to offer.

[edit on 22-1-2008 by Sestias]

Sestias, thanks for your post. I was starting to think Edwards was such an "also ran" I wouldn't even get a reply to this thread.

I like his stance on the issues, as well. I am a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, and I'd like to think he is, too. I also agree the darlings of the Dem's are Clinton and Obama right now. I am of the opinion that Hillary is way too much of a globalist to suit my taste. I think the federal government must put the domestic needs of America first right now: infrastructure, commerce, jobs, and healthcare. I'm not sure Barack is up to it. I'm not sure anybody is anymore, because Washington has let these crucial issues slide for so long we are almost beyond repair.

Edwards may get an opportunity to show his stuff soon, if Clinton and Obama continue to tear each other down the way they did in the debate last night. If they keep on sniping, back-stabbing, and going negative on the issues like that, Edwards might just blow past both of them and win the nomination. I think the American people are tired of all the attack ads and negativity employed by political campaigns. We want to see candidates discuss the issues and offer viable solutions without all the personal attacks and negative campaigning, so we can focus on who is best qualified to lead the nation, not who is the best at trash talking. If I want to see who is best at trash talking, I would prefer to watch MTV's "Yo Momma", not the presidential candidates' political debates.

reply to post by Sestias


Yes, I do agree.

And, Icarus, you sound of like mind with a colleague of mine, and she has said that she sent her absentee ballot in already, having voted for Edwards. In lunch time discussions, she had at one point supported Obama.
I like Edwards, too, especially his promotion of alternative energy, not including nuclear.

We'll see if he makes it through Super Tuesday intact. He did ok in SC yesterday. Still a lot of mud being slung by Clinton and Obama.

i like Edwards as well. he is in the shadow Clinton and Obama, though, and i really doubt his chances now.
in 2012 though, i doubt he'll make it, too. Clinton and Obama will still be around, and one of them is gonna get the nod. he is still pretty young, and thats a good thing, cuz i really dont think he'll have a good chance til around 2020.
but i'll keep my hopes up for him til he's done.