Big Week for Edwards

by Chris Bowers, Mon Jun 06, 2005 at 06:35:31 AM EDT

I noticed this morning that Political Wire has produced a wave of stories about John Edwards over the past few days. Our favorite former Senator from North Carolina has certainly been busy, especially online.

On Tuesday, he started guest blogging over at TPM café.

That night, he hosted a dinner for some big name bloggers at his D.C. home, with his wife and, apparently, some members of his Internet team also in attendance.

Then, on Thursday, he launched a video blog.

That same day, he spoke at the Take Back America conference in D.C., where at least one observer noted that he was still delivering his stump speech and polishing his foreign policy credentials.

Then, on Saturday, he spoke at the Jackson day dinner ion Nashville, where:

John Edwards was the Keynote Speaker in front of 1,500 people (who paid anywhere from $150 to $1,000 to be there), and anyone who saw that reached the same conclusion: he's running in 2008. He gave the usual talk about the 'Two Americas' and about poverty in America, and talked alot about the 2004 campaign (yet did not mention Kerry's name once). He was very well received." That Edwards is running for President is, I believe, a foregone conclusion. That he is actively courting the netroots and activist cores of the party shows, I believe, that he is already running hard, and clearly is running a very smart campaign.

Tags: General 2008 (all tags)

Comments

47 Comments

Sort by

permalink

Edwards was doing fine until he criticized Dean

John Edwards owes Howard Dean and the Democratic party a public apology. Is this going to be one of his talking points:

Edwards: I want your vote to be Democratic nominee for President because I defended Republicans against unfair "over the top" criticism from Howard Dean.

Yeah, right Johnnie. If you have a burning desire to criticize someone, you might consider choosing a Republican instead of the DNC Chair. Until Edwards apologizes to Howard Dean he should just put a sock in it, along with Biden, Barney Frank and Lieberman.

If John Edwards shows up anyplace in Orange County that I hear about, he's going to have a very loud and very rude critic in the audience. I'm also going to bring this up at my next DFA Meet Up. It's way past time for all of the O'Reilly/Novak wannabees to back off Howard Dean. That includes John Edwards.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 06:51AM | 0 recs

permalink

Here we go again

I think that Edwards has not been shy about speaking out against Republicans but Deans comments about Republicans were so over the top so out of bounds that he had to say something about them. As for Orange County I am sure Edwads will make an appearance their and ever though he is an NC State alum I think he will be well received, inspite of what DFA feels.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 07:14AM | 0 recs

permalink

Who told you that? The media?

Did the media tell you what to think about Howard Dean's statements?

Just wondering.

by concerned democrat 2005-06-06 07:24AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Who told you that? The media?

No, they did not but when I heard them I cringed. If this is all he has to say the Democrats would be better off if he just kept his mouth shut. It is not only that his comments are giving the Democrats a bulleye, they are just plain stupid. Now personlly I think that Dean can do better but if does not we will just have work around him but it is a ahame we even have to.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 07:34AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Who told you that? The media?

Why do you have a problem with Howard Dean criticizing Republicans? Would you prefer it if Howard Dean limited himself to only making complementary statements about Bush and the Republican party? Maybe it would make you happy if Howard Dean made a contribution to Tom DeLay's defense fund.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:30AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

How were they over the top? If you are talking about how the comments we're spun, then you might have a point. His point was that the party in power was ignoring the needs of the people of this country. He spoke in plain terms.

Like it or not, Dean is the chair of the DNC. It would do presidential hopefuls some good to learn how not to shoot the party in the foot. There were any number of ways they (Edwards and Biden) could have responded that a) didn't stab the DNC in the back and b) showed that the GOP wasn't doing a good job. When we learn to turn the spin into a point for our side, we might start winning some elections...

by pberry 2005-06-06 08:22AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

"If you are talking about how the comments we're spun, then you might have a point."

Dean is hardly a rookie and he has been down this road before. Even if his comments were taken out of context, and with Dean one can never be sure, he has been down this road before, it is Dean who needs to not give the press a Christman present and in the words of former Senator Sam Nunn use his words more carefully and less often.

Last month a Baptist minister from my home state of North Carolina got into trouble when over an issue of who the congregation voted for, in the end he said it was all a big misunderstanding. The problem was he knew that by saying what he said he would stir things up so if he was going to that he should have been so careful about the words he used. He did not and in the end he resigned. I am saying this becasue if Dean in going to go down that road he needs to be alot more careful than he has been, it is Dean, not Edwards or Biden, who needs to be watch his mouth, even if he is being misunderstood or it will be Dean who may be forced to resign and many of you blogger will be up in arms.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 09:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

I am saying this becasue if Dean in going to go down that road he needs to be alot more careful than he has been, it is Dean, not Edwards or Biden, who needs to be watch his mouth

You still are ignoring what Dean actually said. Edwards was responding to a characterization of what Dean said. That demonstrates a lack of judgment on Edwards part and a question of his ability to handle the biased American media.

New Rule

Don't criticize the DNC Chair based on a characterization of what he said by Robert Novak or any other media hack.

That seems so obvious it should be self evident.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:24AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

If Dean does not wished to be critized based on what the press said he said, the he does not need to make it oh so easy for the press to do that. He has been playing this game for along time, and he is still making rookie mistakes. As for saying that the DNC chair is off limits I do not reall that was the case for the four previous years.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 09:46AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

If Dean does not wished to be critized based on what the press said he said, the he does not need to make it oh so easy for the press to do that.

That is exactly the problem. Howard Dean did not make a "rookie mistake."

There is nothing Howard Dean can do to stop Robert Novak or any other media hack from twisting his words. Dean is not responsible for what a media hack says he said.

John Edwards is the one who made a rookie mistake. John Edwards is responsible for making certain he is responding to an accurate quote, and not a characterization by a media hack.

John Edwards has demonstrated he lacks judgment when dealing with the media and is not competent to be the standard bearer of the Democratic party.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 10:09AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Here we go again

Perhaps you would like to read what Howard Dean actually said, since John Edwards didn't.

If that is an "over the top" criticism of Republicans, maybe we should just have an official policy of censorship against any and all criticism of George Bush, Tom DeLay or the Republican party.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:13AM | 0 recs

permalink

Blasphemy!

Contradict Dean? How dare he!

When is it acceptable to disagree with Howard Dean, these days? Does Dean have to eat the puppy, or can he just kick it?

by Drew 2005-06-06 07:29AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Blasphemy!

To some people around here Howard Dean could join a Satanic Cult and his followers would expect all Democrats to not say anything.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 07:37AM | 0 recs

permalink

Idiocy!

For the record, here is Howard Dean's blasphemous statement:

"You think people can work all day and then pick up their kids at child care or wherever and get home and still manage to sandwich in an eight-hour vote? Well Republicans, I guess can do that. Because a lot of them have never made an honest living in their lives."

-- Howard Dean, at a convention in Washington, D.C

Even if the batteries on your snark detector are running on empty, it should be clear that Howard Dean cracked a joke at the expense of wealthy Republicans.

It's not a question of contradicting Dean, it's a question of chop blocking him on a trivial statement and providing talking points for Robert Novak.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:11AM | 0 recs

permalink

It's a question of contradicting Dean.

You know it, I know it, eveyone knows it. Edwards' disagreement with Dean, expressed respectfully and honestly, is simply unacceptable to Dean's acolytes.

I somehow doubt that you would be less vicious if the statement were less "trivial."

by Drew 2005-06-06 09:43AM | 0 recs

permalink

What is the contradiction?

What is the disagreement Edwards has with what Howard Dean said? Is criticizing Republicans off limits? Does Edwards believe Howard Dean should only make complimentary statements about George Bush, Tom DeLay and the Republican party?

Exactly what is his disagreement with what Dean said?

My complaint against Edwards has nothing to do with the content of Dean's statement. I thought it was mildly humour as well as accurate. I question Edwards' judgment for criticizing the DNC Chair. I question your judgment for supporting Edwards.

Since Edwards hasn't been specific and you can't speak for John Edwards, perhaps you can explain exactly what your reasons are for your harsh criticism of Howard Dean's statement.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 10:02AM | 0 recs

permalink

What harsh criticism?

I don't think I've offered any criticism, harsh or otherwise, of Dean's statement. Honestly, my response to this is, "Dean's in trouble? Must be Tuesday."

Otherwise, my complaint is against those Dean supporters who would characterize any disagreement with Dean as "complimentary statements about George Bush, Tom Delay, and the Republican Party." It's bullshit.

by Drew 2005-06-06 10:47AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: What harsh criticism?

Your artful dodging of the question is bullshit. There was nothing in what Howard Dean said that there was anything to disagree with.

I'm glad John Edwards is out of the race. He and Biden can both kiss their pretensions to the nomination good bye. Howard Dean is far more popular than both of them wrapped up together.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 12:33PM | 0 recs

permalink

Ha!

I suppose that's why Howard Dean won fewer votes than Edwards in the Democratic Primary - because he's more popular.

by Drew 2005-06-06 02:28PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Edwards was doing fine until he criticized Dea

From MS-NBC.com:

Edwards responded that Dean `is not the spokesman for the party.' Dean is `a voice. I don't agree with it,' Edwards ... said Saturday at a party fundraising dinner in Nashville."

The Washington Post notes that these rebukes come at a time when Dean and the DNC are being criticized for not raising enough money, and the paper also gets comment from Dean's spokeswoman, who said "`[Dean] is a voice of the party, not the only voice. We have different voices in our party. But we are all committed to rebuilding our party and getting our country back on track.'"

Look, Dean is not running for president, so if he throws some rhetorical red meat to the base once in a while, it's a good thing. That is his job! Edwards is running, so if he tends to act more statesmanlike, that's a good thing too. Yeah, I would've liked a different response from him, along the lines of what Digby suggests. But neither Dean's statement, nor Edwards's (which isn't much different from what Dean's spokesperson said), is bad for the party. Nor is this tussle over it. It is good cop, bad cop. It's role-playing. We shouldn't abandon Edwards for playing his part, or Dean for playing his.

By focusing on poverty, Edwards is doing something extremely important for the country, for progressivism, and for the Democratic Party - and something that no other Democratic leader is doing. He deserves a huge amount of credit for this.

by Rob in Vermont 2005-06-06 08:04AM | 0 recs

permalink

Bullshit!

But neither Dean's statement, nor Edwards's (which isn't much different from what Dean's spokesperson said), is bad for the party.

The first thing Edwards should have done was tell the reporter that he doesn't respond to characterizations of statements from the DNC Chair. If the journalism hack who asked the question didn't have the exact quoute, Edwards should have told him to take a long walk on a short pier.

First Barney Frank goes on the O'Reilly show and criticizes Dean for criticizing Tom DeLay. Now
Edwards and Biden are both criticizing Howard Dean for making a very innocuous joke at the expense of the Republican party.

Barney Frank, Joe Biden and John Edwards all owe Howard Dean an apology. They were all completely out line.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:17AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Bullshit!

As I said, I would have liked Edwards to have given a better response, and I suspect he will next time. (I agree with you about Frank or any other Dem who goes out of his way to criticize Dean.)

But I think the last thing we need is to act like our feelings our hurt and demand apologies everytime someone doesn't think as fast on his feet as he should (as Edwards did), or every time someone is just an ass on purpose (like Biden).

That's the kind of ridiculous standard that Dean was held to in the primaries, and that is bad for the party.

by Rob in Vermont 2005-06-06 09:54AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Bullshit!

These clowns are pretenders to the Democratic nomination for President. They both need to demonstrate far better judgment. This isn't about thinking on your feet, it's about dealing with a biased media and media hacks who twist the DNC Chair's words.

John Edwards made a rookie mistake. He should admit he made a mistake and apologize to Howard Dean.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 10:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Take a deep breath

Downtread, you're saying John Edwards is no better than Robert Novak. Please. OK, you think it's unhelpful for the party that Edwards was critical of a cute, but hardly serious, remark Howard Dean made. No candidate - not even Dean - could actually endorse Dean's remark; it wasn't a plank in the Democratic platform, it was a sarcastic remark, a throwaway line.

You're mad because you think Edwards did the party a disservice. That's debatable. But you are helping the party by painting Edwards as Novak? I don't think so.

by Rob in Vermont 2005-06-06 10:24AM | 0 recs

permalink

Fuhgedaboudit!

Edwards and Biden both keyed in on Robert Novak's talking points about Dean. They are talking like Robert Novak sockpuppets. If John Edwards doesn't want to be characterized as a Robert Novak sockpuppet, he should avoid using Robert Novak's talking points.

No candidate - not even Dean - could actually endorse Dean's remark.

What is there to disagree with? It was a joke! Edwards demonstrated he lacks the judgment and the competence to deal with the M$M. You don't take pot shots at the DNC Chair based on the characterization of what he said from a media hack.

Barney Frank, Joe Biden, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards all need to put a sock in it. How does it help the Democratic party for Democrats to take pot shots at the DNC Chair? And over such a trivial remark.

Howard Dean has not criticized any Democrat in any way, shape of form. The DLC yahoos need to show the same restraint and follow the same policy.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 01:12PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Fuhgedaboudit!

It was a joke!

Obviously. Didn't I convey that when I said it was "hardly serious", a "sarcastic remark, a throwaway line"? He practically giggled as he said it.

I'm not disagreeing with you that it would have been better had Edwards dismissed it as the joke that it was.

I'm saying you are over-reacting to Edwards's imperfect remark - judging the man's credentials to be president on this one remark. You are tearing him down in exactly the same way that people tore down Dean during the primaries.

Do you think for a moment that Dean would think Edwards isn't qualified for president based on this remark? If so, you don't understand a thing about Dean.

Look, I like Dean too, and I don't like it when he's unfairly criticized, but this incident is not a big deal, and over-reacting to it by going nuclear on Edwards, the way you are doing, is the last thing Dean himself would want. Dean is a guy who always has his party's interests, not his own interests, at heart. He will brush this off and move on. You should too.

by Rob in Vermont 2005-06-06 03:06PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Bullshit!

downthread, I meant

by Rob in Vermont 2005-06-06 10:25AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Edwards was doing fine until he criticized Dea

Calm down... and read Edwards' post at his blog to get a better view of who the enemy is... it's not John Edwards!

He blogged a resposne at his website:
One America Committee

by DarkMiles 2005-06-06 11:58PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Edwards was doing fine until he criticized Dea

Calm down... and read Edwards' post at his blog to get a better view of who the enemy is... it's not John Edwards!

He blogged a resposne at his website:
One America Committee

by DarkMiles 2005-06-07 12:00AM | 0 recs

permalink

I disapprove of his comments about Dean.

It seems to have been a concerted effort this week to make the chairman uncomfortable. Oh, I forgot, he had to say that because he is running already. So, should all of us give Biden and Edwards a hug now?

I felt very uncomfortable yesterday about the things they said. It was uncalled for and was divisive.

Yes, I guess he is going to be speaking carefully now....if he is running.

I am very upset over this. Does this mean we all kiss and make up now. Not that easy.

It sounds like it is ok to for Democrats to go after the party chair, but not ok for Democrats to be critical of the GOP or this administration. Pretty odd to me.

by concerned democrat 2005-06-06 06:54AM | 0 recs

permalink

That's the bizarre part

Barney Frank, Joe Biden and John Edwards are all criticizing Howard Dean for being "too critical" of Tom DeLay and/or Republicans. What kind of bizarre tactic is that? Are they running for the Republican nomination or the Democratic nomination?

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:19AM | 0 recs

permalink

He courted the broadcast media

and that means he's not in our camp.
If you lose california, it won't
matter..

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/06/california.republicans.ap/index.html

the party will be finished.

by turnerbroadcasting 2005-06-06 07:02AM | 0 recs

permalink

Polishing his foreign policy credentials?

How? This guy is unemployed. Hillary is going to eat his lunch in 2008.

by Vote Hillary 2008 2005-06-06 07:19AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Polishing his foreign policy credentials?

Personally I do not think Edwards will win it, but I do not think Hillary will either.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 07:24AM | 0 recs

permalink

Personally I do not think we will win period

So far all we have is a bunch of losers with no message who all are too eager to sell out the party for their own personal good... 2008 is a bust

by Parker 2005-06-06 07:39AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Personally I do not think we will win period

Well it a little early for that but at this time I am worried that we may blow it too, although I think for different reasons than you do.

by THE MODERATE 2005-06-06 07:43AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Personally I do not think we will win period

that is not to say that I think we will have big gains in the states

by Parker 2005-06-06 08:05AM | 0 recs

permalink

Not so smart

I disagree, of course, that it was "smart" of him to dis Dean. Howard has to support whoever the nominee is, but he can't support anyone in the primaries. And the fact that he is acting like the consummate politician is not going to win him many votes among those who supported Dean. A lot of us were inspired by Dean because he wasn't a typical politician.

Article in the Arizona Republic:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0605edwards05.html
Edwards sounds like he's running

(Gee, ya think?)

WASHINGTON - John Edwards says he hasn't decided whether to make another bid for the presidency, but the former Democratic candidate for the nation's top job appears to be campaigning hard for his party's nomination in 2008.

Edwards, a one-term North Carolina senator who was Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's running mate in 2004, stressed his familiar "two Americas" theme in a speech Thursday to about 2,000 liberal Democratic activists.

During his 2004 primary campaign, Edwards used this theme of an economically divided America, where the poor get little help from Republicans and the rich profit handsomely.

Hey smilin' John--how much does it help the poor when you say stuff like this:

Responding to Dean's initial remark, Edwards said Dean "is not the spokesman for the party."

Dean is "a voice. I don't agree with it," Edwards, a former senator and the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2004, said Saturday at a party fundraising dinner in Nashville, Tenn.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/05/politics/main699731.shtml

Obvious positioning/distancing with an eye to his 2008 run. Would it have hurt him to say, "Those would not be the words I'd have chosen, but I agree with his message that we should be working to make voting more equitable. The suggestion that election day should be a national holiday is an important one, and I don't want it to be lost in endless critiquing of Howard's wording."

After all, Johnny, if this "two Americas" stuff isn't just talk, then it should interest you that the point Howard made is not lost here. Unless, of course, you really care more about getting a head start on your 2008 bid than you do about bringing those "two Americas" a little closer together.

by Renee in Ohio 2005-06-06 07:44AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Not so smart

Well notice the bloggers he invited to dinner were definitely not Deaniacs... they are mostly Simon Rosenbergs DNC campaign crew.

NDN= Old DLC wine in a new bottle

by Parker 2005-06-06 08:08AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Not so smart

ACtually, the journalism hack didn't have Dean's statement and Edwards didn't know what Dean had said. The reporter "characterized" Howard Dean's statement and Edwards fell into the trap.

I think John Edwards has demonstrated a lack of judgment in dealing with the press that raises serious concerns about his ability to handle a campaign against a hostile media.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:21AM | 0 recs

permalink

sorry for the repeat, but:

my comment from the Dean apology diary:

it's a sorry state if [Biden and] Edwards have calculated a PR 'plus' out of distancing themselves from Dean...

there are lots of ways to support Dean without signing up 100% for every single thing Dean says (or his style)... use a little humor, a little clarification, use the opportunity to draw a distinction between the many Republicans who ARE just like the rest of us, and the Republicans who decidedly ARE NOT (entitled, powerful, have influence and access and are the actual -- not Bush's fictional -- owners in Bush's Ownership Society). That is, use the opportunity to shine the spotlight on those few Republicans who reach and maintain their positions on the top of the heap by standing on the backs of the rest of us, including a large portion of the Republican voter demographic.

Come on guys, find ways to support Dean and not to undermine him... have a private talk with him if you've got a problem. Smarten up for once.

by sarany 2005-06-06 08:33AM | 0 recs

permalink

Smarten up for once

You forget we are dealing with the Democratic party. If they had a collective brain, they might be dangerous.

At the moment Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman have nothing to worry about on that score.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:26AM | 0 recs

permalink

Edwards

I was at the dinner that Chris referenced (I was actually Political Wire's source), and Edwards is definately well-liked enough to get the nomination. I still am lukewarm about him though.

by ben114 2005-06-06 09:25AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Edwards

John Edwards: I want your vote to be the Democratic nominee for President, because I defended Republicans against unfair "over the top" criticism from Howard Dean.

Yeah, right. John Edwards will be far more popular now that he has joined Robert Novak and Bill O'Reilly in criticizing Howard Dean for criticizing Tom DeLay and other Republicans.

Hey, I've got an idea. Let's just pass an official party rule that the DNC Chair can only say complementary things about Republicans.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-06-06 09:28AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Edwards

Sounds like a job for Lieberman

by ben114 2005-06-06 11:42AM | 0 recs

permalink

Edwards' response to the whole flap:

Before all of you take out your swords for your own, check out Edwards' statement at his blog:

"What a flap has arisen over a disagreement about the way something is said! I was in Nashville over the weekend, thanking the good people of Tennessee who supported the Democratic presidential ticket this year, when I was asked whether I thought that it was fair to say that people who were Republican hadn't done a good day's work. Of course, I didn't think so, and I said that. I don't think our DNC chair, Howard Dean, would put it that way again if asked either. I disagreed with him, and I said so. And, I want to be clear, I would have to say so again if I were asked again. I said a lot of good things about Howard's outreach program and invigoration of the internet as a communication and fundraising tool, but no one wrote about that. Instead the headlines blared that I disagreed with Howard. And then the flap arose: A chasm! A split! A revolt!

Instead, how about: Nonsense!
We are both talking about the Republicans and their failure to address the needs of working people. We both agree with this basic truth: This Republican president and this Republican majority are not doing what they should be doing for working people in this country. That's a core belief we need to fight for. And what's more, we agree that we - all Democrats and all working people - should be complaining, criticizing, and generally speaking out about this critical failure of the Republican party and offering our positive vision for America. And we have.

Howard and I have been saying the same thing about this for years. Hear that? The same thing. For years. Have I ever put it some way that Howard wouldn't agree with? Probably. And he put it in a way, once, just the other day, that I can't agree with, since I come from a place where hard-working people, who are better served by the agenda and passion of the Democrats, somehow still vote Republican. But Howard and I are committed to a 50-state strategy that will reach out to those voters, in North Carolina, and in Kansas, and in Tennessee, across this country and tell the truth about what is happening in this country to their jobs, to their health care, to their forests and streams, to their vision of what this country is and should be. "

Full statement: One America Committee

by DarkMiles 2005-06-07 07:58AM | 0 recs

permalink

Wouldn't it be great....

...if he was actually qualified to run for President? Maybe then he wouldn't be nearly as bad of a nominee as he is in his current, zero-resume' form.

I truly admire Sen. Edwards and am a big fan of his but the guy should actually DO SOMETHING before wanting to be the leader of the free world. Americans want to feel that their President has what it takes to make them safe -- Edwards cannot possibly make them believe that no matter how slick he is.

by alexm 2005-06-07 12:00PM | 0 recs