Jim Wallis gives solace and guidance

Cross-posted from EENR Blog

http://eenrblog.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2286

by: Karita Hummer
Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 19:45:34 PM EDT
[edit diary]
Just as disparagement and mockery rise to terribly distasteful levels, wisdom and guidance are offered by Jim Wallis of Sojourners to all of us who are smarting and quite broken-hearted about the news surrounding John Edwards these last couple of weeks.

Especially heartwarming to me is that Edwards' vision and mission for ending poverty is still given proper credit, recognition and confirmation by Jim Wallis as the preeminent moral issue that it is.

For some reprieve, respite, and inspiration, visit Jim Wallis's blog site, called "God's Politics, a Blog by Jim Wallis and Friends":

http://blog.beliefnet.com/gods...

Here's the paragraph that warms my heart especially and hopefully provides validation for us all, including John Edwards:

I have respected John Edwards' championing of the moral issue of poverty, and that's why he appears on the cover of the latest issue of Sojourners, along with former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. I interviewed them both several weeks ago about how we could truly put poverty on the agenda in America. On last month's cover, we featured Elizabeth Edwards, who wrote eloquently about the need for everyone in America to have the kind of health care she has in her courageous fight against cancer. Jim Wallis, http://blog.beliefnet.com/gods...

Let's make sure that this preeminent issue of poverty in America, and the fact of two Americas is given the preeminent attention it deserves at the Democratic Convention.

If you haven't already contacted Howard Dean on this subject, let him know that you want the issue of poverty and Two Americas addressed adequately, appropriately and respectfully at the Democrats' Convention.

To write Howard Dean, go to:

"http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman"

Karita Hummer
Edwards Democrat, A Democrat who insists that the Party's core values for the Common Good be advanced

"Addressing 'the Appalachian Problem' with Policy Hotlist" by BruceMcF wins Karita Hummer's Golden Pen Award

Winner of Karita Hummer's Golden Pen Award



Addressing 'the Appalachian Problem' with Policy Hotlist
by BruceMcF [Subscribe]

Cross-posted from Daily Kos, Mon May 26, 2008 at 12:18:04 PM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/26/125859/122/712/523053

As the Long, Flat, Bataan-Death-March to the Nomination winds down, it is perhaps natural for those deeply immersed in the day to day of the campaign to get caught up in identity-politics that it has descended into.

However, Senator Obama has an Appalachia problem, and the most promising way to overcome his Appalachia problem is not with identity politics, but with policy politics.

So, in this diary, three policy planks to stress when running in Western North Carolina, Western Ol' Virginia, West Virginia, Northeastern Kentucky and ... oh, yes ... western Pennsylvania and southeastern Ohio.

Do not ever entirely forget Southeastern Ohio ... its one reason why Ohio and Kentucky have swung together every since I've been alive (that is, ever since 1960).

* BruceMcF's diary :: ::
*

What is the Appalachia Problem more specifically?

The Appalachia problem is not about winning or losing the General Election as such. From where he stands now, Senator Obama is on track to winning the General Election, without requiring either the Shenandoah or Upper Ohio River Valleys at all.

And after all, historically, while the Republicans have never, ever, won the White House without carrying Ohio, the Democrats have done that. Since the Democratic party started running a single Presidential candidate in 1828, Ohio voted against a winning Democratic candidate:

* for the Whig in 1836 against Martin van Buren;

* for the Whig in 1844 against James Polk;
* for the Republican in 1856 against James Buchanan;
* for the Republican in 1884 against Grover Cleveland;
* for the Republican in 1892 against Grover Cleveland;
* for the Republican in 1944 against FDR; and
* for the Republican in 1960 against JFK.

... or, IOW, as a Republican-leaning large swing state, losing Ohio has always meant losing the election for the Republican, but not always for the Democrat.

However, for a Democratic President, not winning Ohio has often meant a narrow win rather than a big win.

And that's what the "Appalachia Problem" is ... the challenge of wracking up a large enough win that Beltway Insiders see standing up to the Preisdent early on as a politically risky thing to do.

And y'all know what particular Beltway Insiders I am referring to here ... those so-called "Blue Dogs", heavily rumored to be Democrats, though evidence to that effect is sometimes a bit hard to scratch up.

Change the media refrain on "white, blue collar voters", meaning in reality with reference to primary results to date, white, not-college-educated residents of Appalachia and its surrounding foothills, and all of a sudden someone facing a House re-election in 2010 that wants to make things hard on President Obama has to think about the risk of a "I stand behind the President 100%" primary challenger, just as foot draggers in 1932 had to worry about the risk of being primaried by a New Dealer in 1934.

So that's what this is about ... gaining a governing majority. And, looking at today's electoral map, Senator Obama only has to whittle down Senator McCane's margin in Appalachia, and he'll have what will look like, in the immediate aftermath of the general election, a governing majority.


The Forgotten Policy Dimension

Ever since Senators Obama and Clinton adopted moderately watered down versions of Senator Edwards policy platform, there has only been modest policy differences to be able to point to. Hence the descent into the poisonous politics of group identity ... and, as Senator Webb points out, when the Democratic Party looks to be pursuing the politics of identity, the "economic Democrats" of the Shenandoah and Upper Ohio River Valleys quite rightly conclude that they are going to be left with the crumbs that fall from the table, at the very best.

Now, maybe there is some brilliant political messaging strategy that can turn this on its head. But if there is, that'll be a diary for some brilliant political messaging person.

And maybe there is some brilliant field organizing and tactical ground game that can turn this on its head. But if there is, that'll be a diary for some brilliant political field person.

Now, while I certainly am no brilliant policy person, an advantage of addressing the Appalachian Problem with policy is that it does not require brilliance. Stick to the basics, look for common regional and community interests that are in the greater national interest, and promote them.

The thing is, on the policy front, Senator Obama has a wide open field to run in (as Senator Clinton would have had, were she on track to be the nominee). The Republican Party has been running for decades to gain power to put policies in place that, on their own account, would never attract a majority. So running against the Republican policies, by advancing real solutions to real problems, is not rocket science.


Policy One: Bio-coal

I got three ... well, I got four, but I've already written the fourth one up so many times that I'm having trouble getting a fresh take on it, so I'll just be writing up three ...

... feel free to add more in the comments.

First, bio-coal. There was a time that rural Appalachia relied heavily on sustainable permaculture. You could raise about a much pork on an acre of Sweet Chestnut as you could on an acre of corn ... and the acre did not have to be flat, and the pigs did the harvesting for you. But then came the blight, and that knocked the legs out from under that agricultural system.

But for bio-coal, there is no need to rely on any one variety of tree, so there is no need to open ourselves up to the dangers of monoculture. In particular, while most wood-coppice system have relied on a single variety for the source of the coppice and another for the long-harvest-cycle standards, its perfectly possible to have a mix of tree species in a coppice stand, keeping the rotation cycle at the frequency required by the slower growing species in the stand.

Turning coppiced wood into bio-coal is a far more labor intensive enterprise than mining coal, and the labor is located in the local area of the stand of coppice. A dollar's worth of bio-coal will bring far more employment into an Appalachian county than a dollar's worth of mineral coal ever did.

And Senator Obama has enough leeway in his existing Energy Policy that he can just announce a focus on bio-coal without requiring any big new policy roll-out. That is, he can say, "John McCain is offering the country four more years of sound-bite, sound-good, do-little Energy Policy. Last year, I set forth a real Energy Policy with real Energy Solutions. Let me give you an example of a real Energy Solution that is going to be offering new jobs in Green Energy Industries right here in {Eastern-KY / WV / Southeastern-OH / Western-PA / Western-VA / Western-NC} ... bio-coal. A dollar's worth of bio-coal, raised sustainably by harvesting wood down to its rootstock and then allowing it to regrow, will create far more employment than a dollar's worth of mineral coal ever did."

"This is something we could have been doing for the last eight years ... but the Bush administration was more interested in social division at home and an incompetent invasion of the wrong enemy at the wrong time abroad. And if you elect John McCain, that is exactly what he will deliver ... four more years of social division and misguided foreign policy, and four more years of empty talk about Energy Independence while the big oil and coal companies rake in record profits."


Policy Two: Modular Pumped Hydro

Opportunities for sustainable bio-coal production is not the only big opportunities for Green Collar jobs in Appalachia. Some of our biggest potential sources of sustainable Green Electricity are things like wind and concentrated thermal solar and supplementing big hydro dams with run-of-the-river hydro. And these are volatile energy sources.

Indeed, that is one of the strategic benefits of bio-coal ... it is a readily stored, readily transported, non-volatile energy source. However, until we have developed and rolled out a system of Direct Carbon Fuel Cell power plants, we will be using thermal plants to convert bio-coal to electricity ... and any thermal plant has an extended start-up cycle that it has to go through.

The most energy efficient existing technology for quick-start energy storage on the day-to-week-to-month time scale is pumped hydro ... basically running a hydro generator as a motor to pump water uphill, to store energy, then reversing the cycle and allowing the water to drive the generator to retrieve the energy.

Traditional hydro, of course, has any number of potential environmental problems. Further, each traditional hydro plant is tailored to its particular site, reducing opportunities for scale economies.

And that is where modular pumped storage hydro comes in. Modular pumped storage hydro pumps the water back and forth between holding tanks ... IOW, one holding tank down in the hollow, and one up near the ridge. That means that it can use a standardized set-up, with everything except the holding tanks and pipe between them produced assembly-line fashion.

What you need as a resource for modular pumped storage hydro is ... well, an elevation. A 100m (330ft) elevation is considered a minimum, but the steeper, the more energy is stored for the same investment in material ... an 800 foot elevation is good.

Now, look at a map. One part of the US that will definitely be importing renewable sustainable electricity from inland is the Northeast Corridor, between Washington DC and Boston.

The lowest line losses will come from putting the energy storage between the net sustainable energy exporting states and the net sustainable energy importing states ... and the best efficiency comes from placing the energy storage in areas with plenty of steep hills to work with.

Notice that there does not have to be any special favors to Appalachia to establish this industry in Appalachia. Appalachia has the two basic resources required:

* Location Plus Elevation

All that Appalachia needs to get this industry started is An Administration that is serious about Doing Something about Green Collar Jobs, instead of just Talking about it.


Policy Three: Rural Broadband

Since the 1930's ... heck, since the 1830's ... the Democratic Party has been serious about supporting free enterprise in rural areas. Rural electrification opened the way for new businesses to establish in rural areas that were previously restricted to urban areas. Regulation requiring rural telephone service is another big example.

Today, the best way that a business has to break through barriers of distance from suppliers and customers is to rely on the internet. However, increasingly, this means relying on broadband access to the internet. And far too many rural areas are blocked from broadband access.

With modern developments in wireless networks, it is possible to roll out a nationwide wireless broadband system, which will support the development of new businesses ... big and small ... in rural areas across the country.

This is, of course, just adopting one of Edwards key rural development planks, and packaging it up for the Battle for Appalachia.

And, of course, it could be portrayed as a "welfare" or "rural support" program ... but Senator Obama will get a lot more benefit from it in the Shenandoah and Upper Ohio River Valleys if he follows Edward's lead and portrays it as a pro-rural-business, pro-jobs policy.


Building a New Coalition for a New Age

These are, of course, only three policies ... I've got more of my own, and of course there's a lot of nuggets still to be mined from Edwards's policy platform.

More important than these three specific policies is the approach of using policy that can be clearly (and, given a financial advantage over McCain, repeatedly) portrayed as in the national interest, and in the interest of the working people of the Shenandoah and Upper Ohio River Valleys.

And ... and this is a key element of the strategy ... policies where the people that Senator Obama is appealing to in the Battle for Appalachia can see for themselves where they fit in a new governing coalition. Not, "I'll look out for ways to swing jobs your way because I identify with you" ... but the far firmer promise of, "My policies are going to swing jobs your way because they are going to create industries that will want to set up shop in your region".

Anyway, that's a sketch of the idea, I thought I'd share it.

Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mine
But if I work all day at the blue sky mine
(there’ll be food on the table tonight)
Still I walk up and down on the blue sky mine
(there’ll be pay in your pocket tonight)

And some have sailed from a distant shore
And the company takes what the company wants
And nothing’s as precious, as a hole in the ground

Who’s gonna save me?
I pray that sense and reason brings us in
Who’s gonna save me?
We’ve got nothing to fear

Could Edwards be dreaming of a Unity Ticket and a Unity Cabinet?

Cross-posted from EENR Blog

http://www.eenrblog.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1401

Thu May 15, 2008 at 00:57:24 AM EDT
[edit diary]
When someone suggested that John Edwards should be the Vice Presidential candidate - after his endorsement of Obama today, I gave the following response:

You are right on the mark, ..... That would be a good ticket, but I think Edwards is not that interested in that position. Why?, because I think he thinks Hillary should have it - for Unity sake - and that he should be in the Cabinet as Poverty Czar or Secretary of State. It IS time to think Unity - big way!!! Obama and Hillary have divided the Party and it needs to come together as a whole. We Edwards supporters have been a lot smarter and a lot more focused on the issues, as has John Edwards, himself. We get the big picture and we know most importantly the Democrats need to win in the Fall, with the best, most progressive candidate possible.

And if Hillary is not interested, then maybe Edwards can be persuaded to take the VP position, for the sake of the Party and the Country. Please don't think that I think Hillary in any way is the better choice for VP. I do not, and I do not think Obama is the better choice for President, over John Edwards, that is. But like John Edwards, I am now thinking about who can and how we can win. I think John Edwards is in a strong position to call some shots now and have some influence, the way he sees it. I like the position he is in. Good for him and good for us!! He gets it and we get it!!

Karita Hummer
Edwards Democrat

An Edwards Democrat is a Democrat with Backbone

Bitterness, you say? How about a Unity Ticket and Cabinet to solve America's biggest problems.

John Edwards knew the way to One America. Would either of the remaining candidates please consult him?


by Karita Hummer

Cross-posted from: EENR Blog

http://www.eenrblog.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=922

Sun Apr 13, 2008 at 16:59:17 PM EDT
[edit diary]
The more I think of the conversation about Obama "bitterness" statements, about economically deprived Americans from small towns that have been forgotten, the more "bitter" I feel about my fellow Democrats, and the remaining Candidates included.

And, yes, Barack Obama, I did grow up in Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, on the edge of Appalachia. I worked for Bobby Kennedy in 1968, indeed, helped draft him, and I worked for John Edwards, exactly for the same reason. Because they cared and realized about the economic problems of Western Pennsylvania, the Rust Belt, and Rural and Urban American small towns all over America, West, East, North, and South (as in New Orleans), and they didn't need to go on a campaign trail to discover it. No, they went on the campaign trail to solve it and to reach out to the people, with utter respect and empathy.
Karita Hummer :: Bitterness, you say? How about a Unity Ticket and Cabinet to solve America's biggest problems.
Like John Edwards, I have been dismayed that Democrats have not had the backbone to solve poverty and economic woes in America, because largely both parties are too beholden to mega-corporations. Think of it, Richardson, now an erstwhile supporter of Barack Obama, chided Edwards for fomenting class warfare! Class warfare, you say, Richardson!! No, John Edwards truly empathized with the economically disadvantaged of our country, and came up with the programs to solve their problems. He knew the Democratic Party, the Party, folks, needs as much transformation as does the Country, and he was ready to deliver it. Now, Obama is making some discoveries about the conditions of economically disadvantaged Americans. Better late than never, I say, but give some credit, where credit is due, and maybe we can all join in the solution.

How about a Unity Ticket, calling it a Unity Cabinet Ticket, that includes all the candidates who worked so hard in this last campaign, two candidates at the top and identified cabinet candidates, as well. A real ticket that would include Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Biden, Dodd, Kucinich, Gravel, and yes, Richardson, too. And even Gore and Kerry, two winners of the two past elections, called as "lost". A place for everyone in the administration. Each has something to contribute, and each brings an important perspective. Give credit where credit is due, and maybe, just maybe, we can win and start solving the problems in America.

Let me see, it has been since 1968, that I have been waiting. That's too long and I am getting too old for this Western Pennsylvania born American!

Karita Hummer
Edwards Democrat

I call an Edwards Democrat, a Democrat with backbone.

"Where to now St. Peter?" by DonVila receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

DonVila is winner of Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award


"Where to now St. Peter?" cont.

Cross-posted from John Edwards 08 blog

DonVila in Diaries Feed of DonVila's Diary
2/08/2008 at 8:48 PM EST

Many leftie commentators are assuring me (somewhat worriedly it seems to me) that the natural home for John Edwards supporters is the Obama camp. My sense is that by a small margin, it will go the other way.

There are serious problems with each candidate if you are an Edwards Democrat, and eventually we each will have to decide which of the two has the least injurious problems. These break in very different directions

Mr. Obama - in demeanor and rhetoric seems more in concert. He also is not taking lobbyist contributions in this election cycle after being challenged by John. Ms. Clinton has not agreed to do this (or to not do it, I guess). But his (Obama's) policy proposals are timid, and he has not shown leadership in the Illinois General Assembly or in Congress. It's quite telling that his explanation for all his "present" votes in the Illinois G.A. is that it was a strategic decision coordinated with the body's leadership. It tends to make one wonder if his "different sort of politics" is anything other than a soundbyte. It also doesn't give one much confidence that he's willing to "Challenge The System" as JedReport (http://jedreport.com) described what John Edwards was trying to do.

Ms. Clinton is a tough sell to us as well. She seems strong in leadership skills, but didn't seem to accept Edwards' analysis that (referring to lobbyists) "You can't be with these people, take their money, and then challenge them. It doesn't work!" So she appears to be with the entrenched interests that we all wanted to stand up to.

But she has more aggressive policy proposals, and seems to have been motivated to achieve them sooner in her administration than she said originally. And I'm persuaded that she can accomplish things. I'm not, however, confident that all the things she'd accomplish will turn out to be to my liking.

I'm also troubled by a nagging sense that the Obama candidacy is something of a cult of personality. Too many of his supporters seem to like the image he portrays and have little sense of the positions he takes or his background. It almost seems as though an Obama lobotomy has been performed on these folks. I see these Obamalobs on Daily Kos and even invading the John Edwards blog.

I have the luxury of knowing my vote for President won't count, still... I'd like Barrack Obama to close me that he's the guy.

Don Wheeler
South Bend, IN

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Neither seems to fit the bill for me. (none / 0)

I won't vote for Clinton for several reasons. First, from everything I've read, heard, and discussed with right leaning friends, NOTHING will motivate them to vote Republican as will an opportunity to vote against HRC.

She promotes the idea that she is the candidate who will be bring some meaningful change to our country by changing things in Washington, but I see her as more of the same. She has been a part -- in one capacity or another -- of old school politics for many, many years. I believe that she is part of the problem, so how could she possibly have the solutions our country so desperately needs?

I can't get behind anyone who can't say that voting for the war in Iraq wasn't a mistake. In fact, I'd really like it if she apologized to those families who have lost someone or those who have been injured. She makes half hearted efforts to appeal to folks by showing her "softer side," but how about just a little remorse for her role -- I know it wasn't just her -- in the Iraq disaster.

Maybe I'm in left field, but I think it would be hard to put together a solid cabinet and find a VP
that had some backbone if your husband was Bill Clinton. Remember what Joe Biden said about the possibility of being her VP?

Anyway, I guess no one measure up to the hopes I had for our country under Edwards' leadership.

by clicker107 (clicker107@sbcglobal.net)
on 2/08/2008 at 10:16 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

As usual, Quite well done (none / 0)

Very good analysis and commentary. May I nominate for my Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award.

I voted for John Edwards for Super Tuesday and am happy I did so.

What a horrible dilemma, though. Anyway you slice it, such a distant second or third.

Karita Hummer

by Karita Hummer (KaritaHummer@therapyplus.us, Therapy Plus)
on 2/08/2008 at 10:22 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This ]

[new] Thanks Karita, (none / 0)

Please feel free to post.

If John made it onto our ballot I'll certainly vote for him. Neither Obama or Clinton are going to beat McCain in Indiana - which is what I meant when I said my vote won't count for anything.

I think I have a horse to ride in the Governor's race, so I'm getting my saddle ready : > )

Take care. Hope you and Paul are well.

Don

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 9:22 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

Hillary (none / 0)

Last time I was an ardent Edwards supporter. I felt you had a much better chance than Kerry. I was greatly saddened when it was Kerry as President and you as VP. This time I really studied the Democratic candidates and felt I had to support Hillary. If you review the resumes of the candidates even grudgingly you have to admit Hillary has the qualifications. She has also been a long time fighter for the middle class and children. It makes me sick to see the way her record has been twisted. Now that you have dropped out of the race I am greatly disappointed that you have not endorsed Hillary. How can you stand by and not influence the outcome. Obama has absolutely no experience. Haven't we learned our lesson there? Jimmy Carter, George Bush.

by mamamoog
on 2/09/2008 at 12:03 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

CHAIN LETTER (none / 0)

Maybe you should be thinking about Nov. instead of us EDWARDS DEMOCRATS....maybe "grudgingly" you can take your message to the Huckabee Democrats..

http://democratsforhuckabee.blogspot.com /2008/01/for-democrat-

by IBEW 124
on 2/09/2008 at 12:37 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] phony (none / 0)

Never! HRC=phony

by nj4jre
on 2/09/2008 at 1:28 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

I guess it depends on the Republican (none / 0)

A Northern Republican is quite different from say a Southern one. This I know from living in a Southern state that was VERY Republican. In recent years we have had a massive immigration from the North bring with it Democrats (YAY!) along with Northern Republicans and I can notice a marked difference. With that said, I was somewhat surprised when many of them stated that they would vote for Clinton before Obama. With him being voted THE most liberal Senator recently it only clinched the deal. The DIE hard Republicans are usually that way because of their religion or their stance on the war. I have found that the ones to claim the hate Clinton with such a passion, when asked why, they can't even really answer you, they only repeat the mantra they have heard repeatedly. It is as if, they LOVE to hate her with no clear reason as to why. Obama has not been vetted yet, trust me, they will hate him as much as her soon.

by average jane
on 2/09/2008 at 12:17 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Yup... (none / 0)

I can't get by the slime my gut still feels they are. Neither has stood up and embraced the issues John Edwards left for them. Aside from words. And what are words with out the power of conviction and example behind them. I become angry thinking on this too much.

It seems my hope at this point lay in Denver come August. I'm feeling a brokered (or broken, as I like to call it, poking fun at the DNC and DLC) convention is the only hope for the populist issues that the good Senator Edwards expressed.

And in that is the crusade I feel we should all take up. Becoming part of a united progressive force to make John Edwards message a reality for the hopeless that need it so much. With this, I feel, we will have served being Edwards Democrats well. With the success we'd have our peoples president in the heart of millions more. Whether he wins the nomination or not.

Proud to have caucused in Iowa for Edwards!
by 24hrlib (go24hrgirl@yahoo.com)
on 2/09/2008 at 3:07 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] The rumblings I hear is that (none / 0)

John may head One Corps as a private citizen. For the next four years through One Corps, Edwards Democrats may want to be an independent group and show the D Party the way to go.

Seems intriguing to me.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 9:13 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] One Corps (none / 0)

Keeping One Corps does sound like a good idea. He probably wouldn't want it affiliated with any party, independent or not. large Corportion America would not like One Corps.

by rotundo (jsc9@verizon.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 9:45 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Excellent idea! (none / 0)

How can we tell him that?

by lataet
on 2/09/2008 at 10:04 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Well... (none / 0)

I'm mailing john@johnedwards right now. I think One Corps lead by the good Senator would take over where MoveOn left off, before selling out to corporate America. Perhaps, I should call Chapel Hill too? Any other ideas from anyone. Spill it...I want a piece of this action.

Proud to have caucused in Iowa for Edwards!
by 24hrlib (go24hrgirl@yahoo.com)
on 2/09/2008 at 2:28 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] southern Repubs will hate Obama more. (none / 0)

Southern republicans are synonomous with KKK. They will hate Obama more, hands down. In fact, the CCA (softer name for KKK) had handwritten notes to Gov of Missouri before he was appointed AG where, Ashcroft wrote back "Thanks for the heads up."

by Coolafella
on 2/09/2008 at 1:09 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Unfortunately, race is still a big factor, (none / 0)

and comments like Obama made in his speech after Super Tuesday will not be wasted on the South, "...there is one thing on this February night that we do not need the final results to know. Our time has come. Our time has come. Our movement is real. And change is coming to America."

Do I have to tell you how that soundbyte will play in the South? I can see the Rep. tv ads already.

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/09/2008 at 1:29 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Using training principles... (none / 0)

What Hillary has to get the electorate to unlearn: That she isn't the monster that the Republicans have made her out to be over the course of 15 years.

What Obama has to get the electorate to learn: That he is as good as the media have made him out to be. The challenge for Republicans and the corporate media is to make people unlearn their positive image and then relearn a negative image.

Hillary was able to retrain upstate New Yorkers, though upstate New Yorkers are mainly moderate purple types--NOT heavy duty red conservatives like you find in the south. Women who have been in the work world will be skeptical of a new negative slant. After all, you don't hear complaints about her personality from her fellow Senators--far fewer complaints than you hear regarding McCain's temper.

Obama has a very disciplined vocabulary. He tries to bracket the discussion by walling off the emotional hot buttons that each side uses and abuses. But will independents swallow the rhetoric and think of him as the Tiger Woods of politics? Or, will voters continue to let their buttons get pressed by attack ads?

Unlearning is the most difficult form of learning. I'd give Obama the edge in terms of the ease of the task at hand. If the media reverse themselves too dramatically or make discoveries too late, they will undermine their own credibility.

Both have elbows and use them. Edwards does not use elbows and commands my respect for that--but still figures out how to attack effectively. Each is tough in a different way--Hillary withstands abuse, Obama stays objective, Edwards takes the moral high ground; only Edwards is truly brave.

In terms of issues, Obama is stronger on the war, Hillary is stronger on health care. Hillary is stronger on kids and families; Obama is stronger on communities and urban issues. Hillary sucks up to big agriculture and defense industry; Obama sucks up to coal, nuclear and medical insurance industries. Edwards does not suck up to anyone, which is why I still voted for him.

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. Booker T. Washington
by OklahomaVoter (chang@cableone.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 3:36 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] I like your analysis (none / 0)

As usual!

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 9:17 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Great Diary Don (none / 0)

Edwards supporters certainly do not have much of a choice between C & O. I cannot support either of them and cannot vote for either of them.

Too much to dislike about both, and neither of them ever had an original voice when it came to the issues people wanted to hear and know about it. Both took JRE's words and added a little salt here, some pepper over here, and called it their own. I don't think so. Anyone who has followed JRE throughout his quest for the Presidency knows what is important to him and where C & O words came from.

I would love to see a third party emerge from all of this crap, and take away some of the power that both parties have in selecting and choosing our President for us.

Thanks Don for a well written and thought out diary.


Im4JRE!
by Im4JRE
on 2/09/2008 at 8:35 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Thanks for your kind words (none / 0)

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 9:16 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Edwards challenged Obama's claim about 'no donors' (none / 0)

being corporate lobbyists. In fact, Obama's state organizer in NH was a state drug company lobbyist. The Donorpedia site run by Center for Public Integrity shows the 'bundlers' or people who put together HUGE contributions. Many of them work for the same people the lobbyists do--either directly or indirectly. Very clever move on Senator Obama's part. This is difficult for me, I"m very saddened by it all.
*Obama has a representative from 'clean coal' at each of his events. These people went back into the coal mines after busting the unions. Their safety records is abysmal. In southern Illinois and elsewhere, they are now going back in and mining around the pillars holding up the mines. to get that extra coal. They never would have been allowed to do that before.
*Worse, Obama's 'clean coal' benefactors are mainly getting coal from strip mining. Strip mining has destroyed 800 square miles worth of mountain tops (they remove the top 600 to 1000 feet) in West Virginia. This is a problem for a variety of reasons:
*non union, temporary workers
*all that soil ruins streams
*there are ponds with dams no one will supervise, filled with highly toxic water sitting above towns--these will be superfund sites at some point, no doubt
*Opening up the seam of coal releases carbon even before the coal gets burned. It gets into the atmosphere that way too.
*The very towns threatened by this type of 'clean coal' burning were built by people who used to mine coal. They were put out of work by the companies during the Reagan Administration --a guy Obama has used to get votes from repugs in the Super Tuesday match up. 'Clean coal' no longer uses people. The thing they use to get the coal is so big it just plugs right into the electric grid. Sounds like a net loss of energy to me!
No, unfortunately, Obama is dirty in a reckless way.
I'd back away from the candidate that Oprah built.
*

by BigMediaFearsJohn
on 2/09/2008 at 9:44 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Obama is Our Bush. Tough to Expose Him. (none / 0)

No support can be given to Obama.

He is a candidate for the next impeachment.

Very susceptible to corruption.

Integrity2008 - Political experience collected on four continents.
by Integrity2008
on 2/09/2008 at 1:19 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Why has this JRE site turned into bash Obama site? (none / 0)

This makes no sense.

This is a John Edwards site. Why are so many using it as a bash Obama site?

And particularly when it is very possible that John Edwards could take a job position in an Obama administration?

Why continually bash a candidate for whom JRE might work?

It is even possible Obama could ask JRE to be his Vice-President.

Susan in Washington DC
by Matisse (susanra@cpinternet.com)
on 2/09/2008 at 1:32 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] The Obama Trolls (none / 0)

have been pestering us like so many mosquitos since John suspended that we tend to feel peeved at them and unfortunately it spills over into feeling prickly about their leader. I wish the aforementioned trolls would realize this and could see that their peskiness and insulting behavior reflects badly on their candidate of choice.

by Rosy Baldwin
on 2/09/2008 at 10:45 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] the Candidate that Oprah built (none / 0)

perhaps she just likes that his last name starts with "O".

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/09/2008 at 2:03 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Don - (none / 0)

Interesting that you describe Obama's policy proposals as "timid". He has said his timidity is his weakness, or something he'd like to change, or however he put it.

Timidity in the face of bin Laden. Won't the Reps have a field day with that one.

by tapster
on 2/09/2008 at 10:00 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] I don't recall Obama saying "timidity" (none / 0)

as being his downfall. I do remember he said that he is so disorganized that he needs someone to keep his desk (and presumably his mind!) straight for him. Hmmmm! I can just see it now -

Mr. President, that is the RED PHONE RINGING!

Prez Obama: THE PHONE, WHERE IN TARNATION IS THAT BLANKETY-BLANK PHONE??? HANG ON - I KNOW ITS HERE SOMEWHERE!

Geesh!

*TEXAS FOR EDWARDS*
by Mardee
on 2/09/2008 at 11:30 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Mean, but fun! (none / 0)

: > )

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 11:45 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Mardee - (none / 0)

What I heard was that when the candidates were asked about what their New Year's resolution would be, Obama's response was that he would like to be "less timid". I also heard about the disorganization remark. That bothers me less; it's what people have secretaries (and wives) for.

by tapster
on 2/09/2008 at 12:57 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Not mean - but true (none / 0)

Obama was asked in a debate to name his weakness.

His answer - being too timid, having trouble speaking up for what he thinks is right.

paraphrased - don't remember his wording verbadim

by coots (Mark.Cutelli@yahoo.com)
on 2/09/2008 at 1:01 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] coots, true? (none / 0)

Huh? That's not what Obama said. Obama said he had trouble managing large quantities of paper and that his desk is messy, in response to the 'What is your weakness?' question.

Susan in Washington DC
by Matisse (susanra@cpinternet.com)
on 2/09/2008 at 1:09 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] correction of venue (none / 0)

It was at a debate in DesMoine in December, and the question was to each candidate about their New Year's Resolution.

Obama's answer, after the be-a-better-father-and-husband part was, "...if somehow my participation in public life is having a broader impact on their lives and the lives of children all across the country. And so I have to constantly remind myself NOT TO BE TIMID (emphasis mine), not to be distorted by the fears of losing in order to make a real difference in the lives of the American people."

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/NEWS09/7121 3047/1001/NEWS

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/09/2008 at 2:24 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] The Red Phone (none / 0)

I can't stop thinking about Bush in the classroom after being told that a plane had just flown into the TWC tower... sitting there biting his lip and wondering what to do.

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/09/2008 at 1:12 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Oh come on now... nothing can beat My Pet Goat (none / 0)

Out to Lunch...... They did what??? Now what do I do? Oh yes, I keep reading a book.

by Coolafella
on 2/09/2008 at 1:41 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] We've been forced to take a lower grade (none / 0)

of leadership.
I totally agree about the "phenomenon" of Obama being nothing more than tantamount to a lobotomy.
It's like their drunk on the Obama Elixir.
Even if they sober up, the damage has been done. The true choice for the best is gone, thanks to the manuevering of the DNC and corporate media. So, for me, despite whatever the pros and cons are of either Obama or Clinton, we have to have one of them now.

Unless we have a miracle happen at the convention and John Edwards becomes the nominee.

No matter who it is, the Democrats will HAVE TO have John and Elizabeth Edwards out there campaigning for the ticket. That will be the only way to make it past the republican machine and get to the White House.
When we finally rescue the White House, and I truly believe it won't happen without J&E influence, then it will be up to the citizens, like the Edwards Democrats, to keep the President honest and do what has to be done to restore our Constitutional government to the People.
I have a hard time believing the Clinton's will stand by Obama as much as the Obama's will stand by Clinton.
I know this might seem shallow, but maybe Clinton heads the ticket, Obama is her running mate and they do everything they can to get the Edwards' to support and campaign and win this thing for the Democrats.
We cannot afford to have Democrats voting for McCain just because they can't vote for Clinton...what a mess the DNC and corporate media have created.
I guess that's just the way corporate greed would like to have it.

by Sharron Williams (sawart@bellsouth.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 10:15 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Don (none / 0)

My daughter lives in Indianapolis and she said that Indiana votes Repub same as someone else said. She also said Indiana is thought as the bible belt or some such expression. I would think Indiana would vote for Huckabee as opposed to McCain. McCain has clearly stated he is for keeping our troops in Iraq...what do you think?


Im4JRE!
by Im4JRE
on 2/09/2008 at 10:31 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Jackie, (none / 0)

Your daughter and I each live in modestly blue islands (my island is probably a bit bluer) in a red state. But state-wide stuff is most markedly red in the Presidential races (i.e. last Dem winner here was Johnson).

Because we vote so late (May) Indiana tends to affirm the winners. Last time around, had the contest been in doubt, I'm sure Edwards would have beaten Kerry soundly. But the contest had been decided so Kerry won easily. (Edwards still did pretty well).

So Indiana will go by landslide to McCain in the primary and more narrowly in the general election vs. O or C. Edwards has a lot of crossover appeal (I'm thinking or rural Republicans), and was pretty much the only chance for a Dem win here.

That's how it looks to me.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.
by DonVila (DonVila@aol.com, Progressives, South Bend)
on 2/09/2008 at 10:59 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Regarding the Bible Belt (none / 0)

for those who read their Bibles seriously, there's a gazillion lines in it about poverty.

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. Booker T. Washington
by OklahomaVoter (chang@cableone.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 11:21 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Amen! (none / 0)

Preach it, brother.

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/09/2008 at 1:53 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] James Dodson (none / 0)

endorsed Huckabee, yesterday, this will have an influence on the "Christian" voters of the Republican party. Also, lets not forget that in recent years there has been the Gay Marriage issue along with that open Supreme Court spot looming. If Indiana is truly a "Bible Belt" state Huckabee has a seriously fighting chance. Also, McCain MAY have done well in SC despite it being in the Bible Belt because there are large military installations there. I don't know if Indiana has this or not, anyone else?

by average jane
on 2/09/2008 at 11:38 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Dodson is scary, the whole religious (none / 0)

element of Huckabee's campaign is scary. Haven't we had enough after 8 years of a guy driven by his allegedly religious principals.


by destiny (harmonydestiny@sbcglobal.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 11:46 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Dobson was (none / 0)

an arrogant jerk when my husband worked with him at Los Angeles Children's Hospital in the 1970's. He hasn't changed.

by tapster
on 2/09/2008 at 1:00 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] My sister is a "Christian Conservative" (none / 0)

Republican (makes for interesting family gatherings, eh?) and she has changed her support to Huckabee now. She used to have Dodson's monthly magazine "Focus on the Family" sent to me. I read ONE issue, after that all the rest went straight into the trash....lol The arrogance, the bigotry simply amazed me. Not ALL "Christian Conservatives" are judgemental drones, some truly want to stick to their faith and walk the walk and not just talk the talk....but many in my opinion take The Good Book and twist it beyond recognition to fit their own agenda.

by average jane
on 2/09/2008 at 1:37 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] I know some of these people (none / 0)

personally. They organize in their churches and are fanatical about the elections. I say there is NO WAY they are just going to let the more moderate side of the GOP take over without a fight. They are JUST LIKE Bush...the honestly believe that it is they are fighting with the Devil. There is just no way they are going to want someone on THEIR side be someone that isn't fanatical like them. I laughed when all the pundits seemed so shocked that Huckabee did so well. I wasn't surprised at all. They see all the other candidates as getting us out of the war to one degree or another but they only see HUCKABEE as the one representing their "values". They are like the Christian version of Obamabots and they are scarey because being like sheeple and George Bush at the same time...yikes!

by average jane
on 2/09/2008 at 11:59 AM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Lobbyists (none / 0)

Actually she can take lobbyist money and then turn on them. She has done it many times. She has taken Tyson money in the past and she is lobbying right now to eliminate any company-owned meat packing plant. Now for most city dwellers that means nothing... but for us Okie farmers, it is well known that the big companies are manipulating the market on pigs by requiring contracts with them. Tyson is the largest offender.

On the other hand, Obama took 227,000 from Exelon and when asked to write a bill REQUIRING them to report toxic spills (after they already had gone 6 years without reporting the prior radioactive spill), he responded by writing REQUIRED... I mean STRONGLY ADVISED TO... I mean ADVISED to.

So the bill starts out strong... Exelon objects and the bill is weakened and still not passed, even though it was 3 years since the bill was introduced.

Now as far as who he would help more...
He would help Obama more, because he could get the southern white vote. His base is pretty similar to Hillary's, so what help could he give her.

On principles and good of the country I would like to see a Clinton/Edwards ticket rather than a Clinton/Obama ticket. That would also keep Edwards in the limelight and set him up for his own run.

If it were Obama/Edwards, I think even if Obama were elected, the backlash and fury of the consistent conservative pounding that goes on when a democrat is president will probably set him up not to be re-elected.

If it were Clinton/Obama I think the bad publicity they are planning for Obama (adverse film that they are releasing as soon as the convention is over) will drag down the campaign.

If it were Obama/Clinton, ditto.

Obama the uniter ... no fighting in politics. No way. The fighting is done by the constant bashing of right wing media and there is no end in sight.

I say JRE on the ticket (VP) anyway because his only hope to get any media attention now is by being on the ticket. The long and the short of it is media does matter and the fact that he was overlooked by media severely messed up his campaign.

by Coolafella
on 2/09/2008 at 12:33 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Everybody has done something wrong... (none / 0)

but if UHC is your issue, you have to back Clinton and hope JRE does too.

My take is that he will - for health care - and may even be her AG. He will not run as VP again. It requires too much kow-towing and it wasn't right for him with Kerry.

Also, he and Bill go way back and the three of them could do a lot of good - and set JRE up for a run for the white house in the future.

I have a feeling the AG is going to have his work cut out for him. Check this out:

http://www.progressive.org/mag_rothschil d0308

The people who support me are fearless. - John Edwards
by Julia02110 (juliabruno@earthlink.net, Boston for Edwards)
on 2/09/2008 at 1:03 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Hillary and Romney's plan (none / 0)

I won't back any plan that will force people in to the plan and garnish their wages if they don't pay up. (Clinton on ABC as to how she would enforce her plan)

People who suggest this kind of plan may have good intentions, but they haven't lived with the kind of decisions the poor must live with.

We should never take money away from those who desparately need it for so many things. In our country people should have freedom to choose where to put the money they have earned.

I have worked in healthcare on the ground for nearly 40 years. I know you can pronounce 'healthcare ' without looking at the whole circumstances in which so many Americans live.

I thought this campaign was the one that understood that........

I live in Massachusetts where former Gov Romney left us with a 'mandated universal plan' similar to what Hillary is proposing. No, people are not all insured here (as of last week only 1/2 of those we hoped would be insured even with a year to prepare) and the poor are feeling the weight of the penalties in addition to the burdens they already bear. (adults losing their tax exemption if they fail to join a qualified plan).

Hillary like Romney doen't struggle paycheck to payckeck. She can't comprehend she is simply increasing their daily struggle and pain.

She can't fathom that health care should be offered and available to everyone, but never forced on someone under threat of economic or criminal penalty.

The poor often have little dignity afforded to them Now we're going to tell them how they have to spend what little money they have.

But's it's a great way to assure the insurance lobby funding her campaign gets their fair share.
And a great way to feel good about 'what we are doing for the less fortunate'. Many of those folks affected see her plan and Romney's as 'doing it to them'.

I wish John would speak out on this. His plan isn't Hillary's plan. She would only have us believe that.

by MargaretW
on 2/09/2008 at 1:22 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Garnish wages (none / 0)

You must have completely missed the part where if you were poor, you would receive a tax credit to cover the entire cost of the insurance.

by Coolafella
on 2/09/2008 at 1:42 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Who decides who is poor? (none / 0)

Right now, the people who are considered to be "poor" by our government's standards have Medicaid.

It's the income level(s) above the Medicaid recipients, the working poor, that are without coverage. Not "poor" enough to qualify for Medicaid, but still too poor to afford health insurance, they slip through the cracks.

The biggest problem with the government deciding who can or cannot afford to have health insurance premiums deducted from someone's paycheck is the government is OUT OF TOUCH with what poverty or the ability to pay is.

by PoliticallyCynical
on 2/10/2008 at 4:37 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] Can't be a Clinton/Obama ticket..it will never run (none / 0)

The country is ready for change....but not that much change. May be ready for a minority - but a double minority ticket? It's not. McCain would be set to win easily then.

Edwards and either candidate - would be nice. Dont see it happening.

There is a lot of speculation and rumor right now. Let's just keep up the fight and see where it goes. At minimum being part of an activist group that keeps the important issues alive and in the forefront for those without voices is key here. Any way we can send a message to the country that these issues need to remain visible is necessary...voting, bucking the system, email campaigns, news, ads, radio promos, etc....

We're working hard to keep these issues alive. I've been blessed with meeting a lot of great, hard working people on this blog site. It's amazing the fire that Mr. Edwards lit..the fire is still burning for so many who are willing to take action rather than sit back and give up.

I commend them! You know who you are!

...Lataet

by lataet
on 2/09/2008 at 1:21 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Obama has aready turned his nose in the air (none / 0)

at the suggestion of a VP position on Hillary's ticket.... So, a Clinton/Edwards could happen.

by Coolafella
on 2/09/2008 at 1:44 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Parent | Reply to This | ]

[new] a comment on electabilty. (none / 0)

I'm a life long democratic from Boston. After moving to NJ several years ago, I live in a community where I am surrounded by Republicans. Many of them have expressed to me that they disliked all of the republicans candidates. Some of them even said they would vote for Obama especially if McCain was the nominee. But they would never ever vote for Hillary. Many of the former reagan democrats returning to the democratic fold after so many years in the republican wilderness feel the same way. While Obama has so many deficiences as a democratic candidate(per many posts on this site), I feel that the only candidate that could be defeated by a republican is Hillary. And despite eveything else, we cannot afford to have a republican in the white house as the country slides in recession. I'll hold my nose and vote for the democratic nominee. I just hope against hope that something truly amazing could happen at the convention to put John Edwards back on top.

by Rmaccorm (rmaccorm@verizon.net)
on 2/09/2008 at 3:39 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Republicans have had their way (none / 0)

far to long, anyone who even suggests working with them while running for the Democratic nomination, in my books, is not to be trusted. I once, many years ago, thought Hillary would be a good President, but I think she forgot about the little people on her road to fame and glory.
Don't get me wrong, both would maybe be a good President, at least they'd fill the office with good Democratic thinking people but I don't think either one has given thought to the problems we face. I believe they are giving lip service in order to get the job.
There was one man who I would hire as my President and for now he's with drawn his application. He knew the problems and had a plan. I still what to hold the job open for him if he changes his mind. Thats why I'm voting for him.

Can Obamer swing a hammer? John Edwards can!

Change is the only constant we can rely on...
by Acebass (Veterans for John Edwards)
on 2/09/2008 at 4:29 PM EST [Flag this Post]
[ Reply to This | ]

[new] Machine politics vs corporatism (none / 0)

We are left with a bad choice. Neither one is the candidate that John Edwards was and could be. i say that we wait it out and see how it breaks. I voted for Edwards in the IL primary. So far, neither Hillary nor Obama seem to care much about the middle class or the poor. We don't need to be beaten up by chanting hordes. We can think and will do what we think is right.

by cleo (pennydachshund@yahoo.com)

dmortell's "John Edwards Supporters Are Going Nowhere" gets Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

Winner of Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award



John Edwards Supporters Are Going Nowhere

Cross-posted from John Edwards08 Blog

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/2/3/01852/65284#65

Diaries Feed of dmortell's Diary
2/03/2008 at 12:18 AM EST

I just sent the following email to Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews (ha!), Brian Williams, another NBC email address, and CNN.... since the media all want to know where John Edwards' supporters are going, I thought I'd let them know.

The media continue to speculate about which of the two remaining Democratic candidates will receive support from John Edwards' supporters. The answer is neither.

Considering that John Edwards has only "suspended" his campaign and did not outright quit, and given that he has already won delegates and that he can retain those delegates until the convention, and knowing that John Edwards' name is still on the ballots in primaries and caucuses across the country, John Edwards' supporters are choosing John Edwards.

As those of you who bothered to cover John Edwards already know, he has incredibly loyal supporters who believe that John Edwards is the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. To hear the two remaining "American Idol" candidates attempt to mimick him is laughable, although complimentary, as they know Edwards was right about what needs to be fixed in this country. But their hearts are not in the right place in this race and it shows: they sound as phony as they are. Furthermore, we know the remaining two are just saying what they think Edwards' supporters want to hear in their futile attempt to sway us to their camp. It's not working.

Throughout this campaign both Obama and Clinton have stolen Edwards' ideas and policies and tried to claim them as their own because of their lack of vision for their own positions. Edwards' stance on issue after issue was copied by them and subsequently perpetuated by the mainstream media as if the rock stars were the originators. You all know that Edwards was the first with a healthcare plan, first with the best ideas to combat global warming, first to even discuss poverty in America, pushed first to raise the minimum wage and fight for the middle class .... the list goes on.

John Edwards had the intestinal fortitude to speak the truth and stand up for the average person, something neither Obama nor Clinton can relate to. Because of his honesty, he alienated the powerful and the greedy and was largely blacked out by the mainstream media.

We know, you all have bosses to answer to. But your blatant lack of coverage was a disservice to the American voter. From the start, you portrayed the Democratic race as a "two-person" race simply to force your viewers to only look at Obama and Clinton.

John Edwards is a once in a lifetime candidate. It is shameful that the media's lack of coverage of Edwards means that the American people, en masse, were deprived of hearing his message. His message is our message. As I have stated, John Edwards is the heart and soul of the Democratic party.

So, where are John Edwards supporters going? They are going nowhere. They are voting for John Edwards.

Thank you.

Allyanne receives Karita Hummer's Golden Pen Award for: "Dear John Edwards and Family. My apologies for the lack of brevity. I needed to express this.

Winner of Karita Hummer's Golden Pen Award


Dear John Edwards and Family. My apologies for the lack of brevity. I needed to express this.


http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/1/30/183416/706#commenttop

user icon allyanne in Diaries Feed of allyanne's Diary
1/30/2008 at 6:34 PM EST

Dear John and Elizabeth Edwards,

First, I wish to say that, while I am deeply saddened by your decision to suspend your presidential campaign, and I wish so immensely that you would remain in the race, I respect your decision and realize that you have done what you feel you must.I heard the news just before my last class for the day, around noon. (I speak of this as though it were a tragedy, because to me, at the time, it was). I was leaving the laboratory in which I work, and one of my colleagues, who often teases me about being sensitive, saw me crying. She didn't know what was going on, and was afraid I was upset about something in lab. I told her that I was devastated because MY candidate, AMERICA's candidate, had just announced the suspension of his campaign.

This was especially sad, as I had taken the afternoon off from lab today to do some phone banking. I am a little on the shy side, and yet I have been talking to complete strangers in class and on campus, and handing out flyers from welikeedwards.com, with absolute confidence and pride regarding your message, telling them why you are the greenest, the most progressive, the most compassionate and genuine candidate on either side of the spectrum. And they have listened. You have been garnering ever more support, especially since the South Carolina debates (I think that your outstanding performance came too late to give you the boost you needed in South Carolina, as many people already had their minds made up and, as the saying goes, didn't wish to be confused with the facts). My deepest regret is that I have not been an official member of your campaign for a longer period of time. Guilt nibbles at me, for I take some infinitesimal slice of the blame for my lack of involvement earlier in the race. I know one person doesn't always make an immense difference, but every infinitesimal slice together makes up the area under the curve. But I digress. I wish to let you know that you inspired this jaded college student to have a little hope that maybe, this time, there was finally a candidate who, if nominated, wouldn't leave me caught between Scylla and Charybdis in the general election. To say it more positively....I finally saw a candidate who wasn't an "anyone but....(insert somebody I don't want to be president here)" candidate. I was looking forward so immensely to being able to vote FOR someone instead of AGAINST somebody else. I was genuinely excited and inspired to help with your campaign, to get your message out there and inspire people as you have me. I wish perhaps more than almost anything I have ever wished for that you could stay in the race, that the presidency was not some terrible hybrid of American Idol and a commodity sold to the highest bidder. I am still voting my conscience on February 5th, here in Oklahoma, where I know you had an excellent chance. Your presence in this race has continuously elevated the discourse and forced a focus on issues that truly matter. Furthermore, your presence in this race has been inspiring to me not only politically, but in the parallels I can draw to my own life. The amount of support you have generated despite the odds against you in this year's race are absolutely inspiring, but more inspiring than that is the DEPTH of that support. I have yet to meet an Edwards supporter who isn't well-informed and passionate about what you have to say, AND what you plan to DO. Your presence in this race, your ability to say, "I'm going to have my incredible, inspiring, progressive agenda, to do what I know is right for America instead of checking boxes that I supposedly need to check in order to get elected," inspires me in my undergraduate career and my aspirations to go to medical school and get an md/phd. Since becoming involved in your campaign, I have been much happier with myself and what I am doing in school, doing ALL of the things that I love, including music, writing, and volunteer work that isn't necessarily the cookie-cutter medical school applicant work, that is for the sake of a greater good and because it is my passion, not because I am checking boxes to pander to a certain school. I feel that what I am doing, on my own path, will ultimately have a much greater chance of having an immense positive effect on the lives of others, my ultimate goal above all else in my professional and personal life, BECAUSE I am truly passionate about it. Everything else will fall into place accordingly, and the opportunities that I receive, the people and places that are receptive to that, are where I want to be and who I want to be with. I feel that your campaign, and its supporters, are of this caliber, of this depth. They appreciate you for your passionate stances on everything from global warming to health care to the genocide in Darfur. I know, we know, and I hope you know, that America is a much better place with your voice and your activism in it, at whatever capacity you choose, because your heart is truly in it. Even people I have talked to who were not official "supporters" had and still have deep respect for you. I think that you would have been pleasantly surprised by the reflection of this profound respect in the polls on Super Tuesday and am truly sorry to see that you have suspended your campaign for the presidency, but I am also immensely happy that you have not and will not ever suspend your campaign for the things in which you believe so profoundly and passionately. I feel as though you speak from my own heart when you use your success, the opportunities that you have created for yourself, to give others a chance and a voice. I hope to continue hearing from you. All my absolute best to you, to Elizabeth, to Cate and the entire family. All of you are an inspiration. Thank you for a noble and inspiring campaign.

Sincerely,
Ally Beasley
Norman, Oklahoma

"I'd storm the gates of Hell with John Edwards - and expect victory", receives Karita Hummer's First Golden Pen Award

Don Vila, Winner of Karita Hummer's Golden Pen Award: First Recipient of KH's Golden Pen Award




I'd storm the gates of Hell with John Edwards - and expect victory.

Cross-posted from John Edwards 08 Blog

I have the great good fortune to post with grannyhelen, and I'll piggyback a bit from her post "Why I'm Sticking With John Edwards"
http://www.progressivessouthbend.org/200 8/01/why-im-sticking-with-john-edwards.h tml .

I should be clear that there is nothing she says that I differ with -other than my own circumstance, of course. My support of John Edwards though is highly visceral as well as intellectual. His campaign gets to who I am and the change I want to see in the world.

Aside from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., my only heroes up to now have been my parents.

Anyone who knew my father would describe him as person of high standards, possessing a fiery intellect and unquestioned integrity. Honesty was compulsory in our household, and my first and ongoing training in critical thinking took place at the dinner table every evening.



Focused and driven














The Thinker
















My mother spent many years working (for small stipends, at best) in Third World countries helping others better their lives - including stints in Guatemala, India and Peru. Her organization sponsors demonstration projects. These projects guide locals to available resources, provide volunteer labor and technical assistance, but the residents plan and implement the projects. They're also expected to sponsor a project of their own for others.

The projects can be as simple as micro lending programs or as comprehensive as the transformation which took place in Conacaste, Guatemala.

A small mountain village, Conacaste had no running water, no electricity, etc. A good chunk of time was lost to the women of the village as they walked to the river (over a kilometer away) or other basic chores needed to keep their families going.

By the time my mother left, Conacaste had running water, electricity, new businesses and even a social club for the village women. She wrote a very enjoyable book "Between Two Worlds - The Human Side of Development" about her experiences.

People who have read my previous essays may remember my parents were active in the civil rights movement (and included me in the activity) and allowed me my own activism without interference when I was older.

There's a lot more I could add, but I suspect you get the point. I come from very good people.

Now I have daughter who will turn five in March. Now it is my turn to set the example, to be the change I want to see in the world.

Four years ago, I discovered someone running for President of the United States who seems to feel as I do - someone who is impressed with the idea of doing what's right, rather than what's expedient or materially self enriching. Someone who could provide an example to others of the possibilities and was willing to the lead the fight to achieve them. He didn't win, but I certainly didn't forget John Edwards.

After he announced this effort from the ninth ward of New Orleans in December of 2006, I spent a great deal of time investigating what he had been doing since 2004. He had clearly done a lot of soul searching about the Iraq War. He had toured the world - witnessing the abject poverty inherent in so much of it. He spoke to not just to leaders, but to the citizens as well. He had formed a poverty center - studying the issues and calling experts together to propose solutions.

This experience clearly has honed his world view. It seems very simple - yet most people either can't grasp it, or don't believe it. I'd put it this way: It is in our best interests not to (consistently) act in our own selfish interest.

Grannyhelen noted some of John Edwards' detailed proposals - and he has a lot of them. I'd point out that if you look at them in their entirety, it's clear that they form a tapestry to lift people from poverty, keep those not in poverty - but threatened with it - from slipping into it and reclaim our role as an important, responsible world citizen. Or put it another way, to recognize the advantages he (and I) have had, and pay it forward.

I see what's great about my country and the people I hold dear in The Campaign To Change America.

And if you missed the short video "Challenge The System: The Edwards Movement Is Growing", click the link below. It is powerful. (3700 views in twenty-four hours)


I am baffled by people who complain that John Edwards expresses negativity. He has said “The American people are optimistic – relentlessly positive…” as is he. He also recognizes reality, and has ideas about changing it to a better one.

And by the way, take the title of this piece literally.

Don Wheeler
South Bend, IN

Blog Writer, "Mainiac", Analyzes Media Coverage of John Edwards Campaign and Receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

Recipient of Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award





Cross-posted from John Edwards 08 Blog


http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/1/9/204413/6259#19

"Stopping Edwards"

by Mainiac in Diaries Feed of Mainiac's Diary
1/09/2008 at 8:44 PM EST

in John Edwards Blog/Diaries, at:

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/1/9/204413/6259#19

With the presidential contest heating up, Iowa and New Hampshire behind us,
JRE has managed to stay in the chase even though the media has ignored his campaign, focusing on a Clinton-Obama matchup.

The reason for ignoring Edwards is that corporate leaders want to insure that the major parties will nominate candidates who can be relied upon to protect and foster their interests. With his challenge to their power, Edwards does not fit their
qualifications.

In the 2004 primary, the corporate-owned media used a lot of ink and airtime to help take down Howard Dean in Iowa and persuade voters that the Democratic candidate who had "electability" was John Kerry.

This year the media wasted no time in getting on the case. Long before a caucus was held or a vote cast, they narrowed the Democratic field to two, offering us the unprecedented choice of a white woman or a black man as the next president.

Even though she has the highest negatives of any Democrat, Hillary Clinton
was an obvious pick because of her name recognition and fundraising ability.
Barack Obama needed more of a media buildup before being showcased in this
matchup. Less than a month ago, Paul Krugman, the New York Times columnist,
wrote, "According to a recent survey by the Project for Excellence in
Journalism, Mr. Obama's coverage has been far more favorable than that of
any other candidate."

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Clinton and Obama far
outstrip their Democratic rivals in contributions received from donors in
such industries as securities and investments, hedge funds, private equity,
commercial banks, pharmaceuticals and health products, education, computers
and the Internet. Hillary leads all of them in contributions from lobbyists.
Edwards, a trial lawyer, joins the two at the top only in the category of
contributions from lawyers and legal firms. Chris Dodd led all Democrats in
contributions from the insurance industry before he and Joseph Biden bowed
out of the race after Iowa.

It's not surprising that media outlets paid little attention to the fact
that in November, while Edwards spoke out against the Peru Free Trade
Agreement -- one of the NAFTA babies that the Bush administration has been
fast tracking -- both Obama and Clinton said they supported it.

This spotlight on Clinton and Obama is essentially a "stop Edwards" move.
Interestingly, a CNN poll revealed last month that Edwards was the only
Democrat who could win against any of the Republicans. What's more, Edwards
managed to finish second in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Clinton, despite
being dismissed by the media and outspent by his two key opponents. When the campaign headed into New Hampshire, the media treated Edwards' second plan finish as if it never happened.

The Federal Election Commission also seems to be doing its part to stop
Edwards. After he opted for federal matching funds, the FEC voted last month
to not match contributions made to Edwards through Act/Blue, a political
action committee that handles contributions for many Democrats nationwide.

Why has Edwards been targeted in this fashion? For one thing, he offers a health care plan that can morph into single-payer if enough Americans choose the expanded and improved Medicare option. He has shown his commitment to unions by walking picket lines over the last three years and he promises to make union organizing easier. As president, Edwards has said he wants to repeal tax breaks for the wealthy while increasing the minimum wage again. He wants to shift our foreign policy from unilateralism to more cooperation with other nations, with more foreign aid shifted to assist the world's poor. Unlike Obama and Clinton, he does not believe that nuclear power should be part of the mix to decrease dependence on fossil fuels.

More important than any of these is Edwards' call to end the chokehold that giant corporations have on our government. No wonder a senior Republican strategist recently commented on national television, "Edwards is the one that we fear the most."

"Do you see what I see?" by Johnny Rouse, receives Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award

Recipient of Karita Hummer's Silver Pen Award






Do you see what I see?

user icon Johnny Rouse in News Feed of
12/22/2007 at 9:44 AM EST

Cross-posted from John Edwards 2008 Blog

It has been seven months now since I met John Edwards. I was contacted by a member of his campaign back in late May. I was asked if I could get access to an American made Mini-Van and drive John to the High School from which I was a graduate. Here was an opportunity for me, a poor country boy, to meet the man who will be the next President of the United States. I jumped all over the opportunity, and I was at the airport an hour before he arrived.

It was early; I had been expecting John and Elizabeth as they were coming to congratulate the graduating class of which over seventy percent were to attend college. John Edwards, you know the one his opponents call a fake for his expensive hair cuts and his big house, had set up a program where the first year of college tuition is paid for students who stay out of trouble and go to instate public colleges and universities in NC. This program is called "College for Everyone" and it speaks more loudly than any shock jock, spin-doctor or gossip driven "reporter" could ever speak about the character and noble intentions of John Edwards. The fact is the ideas and vision John has for America have been tried and tested; he has empirical evidence to prove it. The percentage of students going to college from this poor, rural county in eastern NC is mind boggling for the region, and John Edwards is directly responsible for it.

You know that John Edwards guy so many have called a fake, an arrogant self-server and insincere, he planted another seed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will be a great service to the poor for years to come. The Center on Poverty, within the Law School at the nations oldest public University, is doing groundbreaking research on best practices in fighting poverty. They are leading in the rebuilding of communities in New Orleans and gathering much needed data on issues of poverty around the world. This larger than life gentleman stepped off the plane without his lovely wife much to my disappointment.

Apparently, Elizabeth had some emergency tests ran that morning, and just like every other husband in America would, John showed obvious signs of concern. He tried to get in contact with her several times throughout the morning, leaving messages on her phone, contacting campaign staff in a nearly desperate effort to hear the results of the tests before he arrived in the very small and politically insignificant county in eastern NC. I could see a man who had every reason in the world to lose focus, turn back home and not make such personal sacrifices, but his intensity and determination was stoic. He knew what this meant to that community. He knew that the students in the lower grades would find inspiration to dream of something greater, and he read through the speech several times and had it down within ten minutes.

John Edwards could certainly fly off to a winter home in Bermuda and back to a summerhouse in New Hampshire, but he chooses to fight. The sacrifices he is making are not because of some ego trip or need for the spot light. This is a man who has chosen to make a stand and fight for those whom no one will defend. He has staked his labor into investments that will not return him any material or political reward, the poor don't vote. He is a redneck country boy (that means hard working around here) who has stood as the David for the weak against the Goliaths and prevailed. He is a man who does not know how to back away from a fight, and the American people are in a fight for the heart and soul of this nation. I am glad to see that John has finally shown that spirit to the American people that I saw seven months ago. This is a man who has dropped the gloves and is ready to lead the people to common sense, pragmatic solutions to the most pressing problems of our generation. You see John knows that for all Americans to succeed in the long run including the rich, poor, blue collar, white collar, scholar, entrepreneur, we have to help raise the weakest among us. What nation can fail when even its most severely disadvantaged have a very achievable opportunity to find greatness in their lives? That is what the American Dream is and always will be, and John Edwards knows this. And he knows and has empirical evidence that with a little investment in the forgotten populations of our country, we can step up and move beyond the doom and gloom of what many "experts" say is a falling America.

I saw this in John, and there were no cameras, reporters or babies to kiss. I saw this in a man who was concerned over the love of his life; he called her "sweetie" on the answering machine the same as I do my wife. I saw this in the man who sat next to me for nearly an hour in that van. The only way I can describe it is I saw all the markings of greatness in that man; one who can bring honor, compassion and common sense back to this nation. I saw a Commander-in-Chief; I saw a President.

Do you see what I see? by Johnny Rouse

Do you see what I see?

user icon Johnny Rouse in News Feed of
12/22/2007 at 9:44 AM EST

It has been seven months now since I met John Edwards. I was contacted by a member of his campaign back in late May. I was asked if I could get access to an American made Mini-Van and drive John to the High School from which I was a graduate. Here was an opportunity for me, a poor country boy, to meet the man who will be the next President of the United States. I jumped all over the opportunity, and I was at the airport an hour before he arrived.

It was early; I had been expecting John and Elizabeth as they were coming to congratulate the graduating class of which over seventy percent were to attend college. John Edwards, you know the one his opponents call a fake for his expensive hair cuts and his big house, had set up a program where the first year of college tuition is paid for students who stay out of trouble and go to instate public colleges and universities in NC. This program is called "College for Everyone" and it speaks more loudly than any shock jock, spin-doctor or gossip driven "reporter" could ever speak about the character and noble intentions of John Edwards. The fact is the ideas and vision John has for America have been tried and tested; he has empirical evidence to prove it. The percentage of students going to college from this poor, rural county in eastern NC is mind boggling for the region, and John Edwards is directly responsible for it.

You know that John Edwards guy so many have called a fake, an arrogant self-server and insincere, he planted another seed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that will be a great service to the poor for years to come. The Center on Poverty, within the Law School at the nations oldest public University, is doing groundbreaking research on best practices in fighting poverty. They are leading in the rebuilding of communities in New Orleans and gathering much needed data on issues of poverty around the world. This larger than life gentleman stepped off the plane without his lovely wife much to my disappointment.

Apparently, Elizabeth had some emergency tests ran that morning, and just like every other husband in America would, John showed obvious signs of concern. He tried to get in contact with her several times throughout the morning, leaving messages on her phone, contacting campaign staff in a nearly desperate effort to hear the results of the tests before he arrived in the very small and politically insignificant county in eastern NC. I could see a man who had every reason in the world to lose focus, turn back home and not make such personal sacrifices, but his intensity and determination was stoic. He knew what this meant to that community. He knew that the students in the lower grades would find inspiration to dream of something greater, and he read through the speech several times and had it down within ten minutes.

John Edwards could certainly fly off to a winter home in Bermuda and back to a summerhouse in New Hampshire, but he chooses to fight. The sacrifices he is making are not because of some ego trip or need for the spot light. This is a man who has chosen to make a stand and fight for those whom no one will defend. He has staked his labor into investments that will not return him any material or political reward, the poor don't vote. He is a redneck country boy (that means hard working around here) who has stood as the David for the weak against the Goliaths and prevailed. He is a man who does not know how to back away from a fight, and the American people are in a fight for the heart and soul of this nation. I am glad to see that John has finally shown that spirit to the American people that I saw seven months ago. This is a man who has dropped the gloves and is ready to lead the people to common sense, pragmatic solutions to the most pressing problems of our generation. You see John knows that for all Americans to succeed in the long run including the rich, poor, blue collar, white collar, scholar, entrepreneur, we have to help raise the weakest among us. What nation can fail when even its most severely disadvantaged have a very achievable opportunity to find greatness in their lives? That is what the American Dream is and always will be, and John Edwards knows this. And he knows and has empirical evidence that with a little investment in the forgotten populations of our country, we can step up and move beyond the doom and gloom of what many "experts" say is a falling America.

I saw this in John, and there were no cameras, reporters or babies to kiss. I saw this in a man who was concerned over the love of his life; he called her "sweetie" on the answering machine the same as I do my wife. I saw this in the man who sat next to me for nearly an hour in that van. The only way I can describe it is I saw all the markings of greatness in that man; one who can bring honor, compassion and common sense back to this nation. I saw a Commander-in-Chief; I saw a President.