Living in NC let me say this about Edwards

[Thrill]

I think it would be smart for him to go start a business in another state for the next 2yrs so that he can run for Senator in another state. Because he won't be able to win an election here I don't think. The Repukes have successfully really hurt him in NC. By planting a seed in everyone's mind that he never did anything for NC and only had his eyes on being president since he was elected. So people claiming he should run in 08 are nuts. He wil never be able to carry this state.

So if he wants to continue a career in politcis it will be elsewhere.

[NewJeffCT]

1. I've heard that about Edwards, too

I know a few people in NC that disliked Bush & most of his policies and would have voted for Kerry & any other running mate. But, they despise Edwards and voted Bush. Something about how Edwards was involved in all these frivolous class action suits... (yes, I know the one about the little girl injured in the pool, but that is the exception, they say)

[Lex]

2. You have incorrect information.

Edwards was never involved in "frivilous class action suits" I can assure you.

[NewJeffCT]

3. just repeating what they said

Unfortunately, I was caught off guard and did not have a prepared response besides the little girl hurt in the pool anecdote.

Is there a place I can get info on some of his big cases? I'm going to see one of these guys again next week.

[PA Democrat]

12. If Edwards had ever taken on a truly "frivolous" lawsuit

we would have heard about it in explicit detail during the campaign. I would tell your friends that it is not up to YOU to prove a negative. If they claim he has initiated frivolous lawsuits, then they should be able to cite specific examples.

[Minimus]

21. For info on Edwards cases:

here is a link

http://news.findlaw.com/newsmakers/john.edwards.html

It is a list of his major cases. None seem frivolous to me.

[AP]

4. Correct me if I'm wrong. When Kerry picked Edwards for VP...

...the numbers in NC tightened up considerably thanks to the publicity at that time.

But when they then embarked on a strategy to win WI, MN, MI, PA, OH, and FL, and not NC, the gap opened again.

It may be the case that the Republicans have destroyed Edwards in NC. However, I'd like to give Edwards a chance to see what he can do there. I have a feeling that he's going to be able to argue NC back into the D column. And if he can't, then he can't. But he closed the gap to the Republicans in NC more than any other Dem in recent memory.

[RafterMan]

6. The Dems got 43% in North Carolina

both this year and in 2000.

[AP]

8. Wasn't it as close as 48:52 when Kerry annouced Edwards as VP pick?

That was the point of maximum publicity for Kerry-Edwards. When they stopped campaigning there, it dropped. There aren't many states the Dems can win with zero campaigning. MA, CA, RI, and NY might be the only four. Even if your VP is from NC, you're not going to win there without doing some media.

[JI7]

18. it did tighten

but it is true the Republicans had a huge thing spreading lies about edwards throughout the state. a lot of people from the state have reported it themselves. they even went to areas with black people lying about how edwards did nothing and other crap. their whole thing seemed more intended to drive down turnout of people who would vote for kerry.

one of the problems was the national media was ignoring edwards unlike they did with cheney when they aired his every attack on kerry. this meant edwards had to do more on the ground work and depend on local media as much as he could in various states.

[Awsi Dooger]

20. But you have to compare it with the national percentage

I'm going to keep beating on this. There is a relationship.

Bush won NC by virtually the same percentage this year as in 2000. However, he won nationally by 3 points instead of losing by .5 in 2000. Therefore, NC moved roughly 3.5% toward Democrats this year. My prediction, stated on DU, was 4%. That's the typical pickup for a VP in his home state, if the state has not been repesented on the national ticket in quite a while. Winning NC was always a fantasy. We have too many states like that.

[liberalnurse]

5. Ohio??????

[T Roosevelt]

7. What if he got together with George Soros

to build a high-profile, high power effort to get this country a clean and fair voting system?

[tjdee]

9. Whatever.

The man won in 1998 with no experience whatsoever, in a non-presidential year (i.e., he wasn't riding Clinton's coattails) against the Jesse Helms clone incumbent.

He was the only Democrat to win the state since 1986. His seat *is* the magical seat that goes to a different party every term, but that doesn't mean his political career is over in NC.

Maybe we can bash Gore for losing TN in 2000 while we're at it.
:eyes:

[Thrill]

10. Whatever my ass

he won because he was facing Faircloth who even the Repukes couldn't stand. And since Edwards has been in the Senate the Repukes in NC have tarnished him for doing nothing there for NC and have labeled him a liberal. Those things stick in this state. Its one thing to win a race against a Republican no one likes when you don't have a record. Its another thing when you're trying to run in NC and you have a liberal record.

Edwards knew he couldn't of won re-election here. Thats why he announced he wasn't going to run again even before he was named VP

[AP]

11. I predict that if John Edwards runs in 2008, he will win NC primary and...

...win NC in the general election if he is the nominee.

[Thrill]

14. I don't. especially if Mike easley runs

Edwards doesn't stand a chance. Easley is the only person from NC who would actually WIN Nc

[AP]

15. It's a bet...

...if you want to bet.

And I should add, I don't see the point in trying to tear down any Democrat at this point. If you're afraid of him winning, I undertand it. But if you want a good primary that produces a good candidate, pick your candidate and make your arguments FOR the candidate. But if you're trying to clear the field for a mediocre candidate by trashing good candidates, have at it. It won't help the Democrats win.

[Thrill]

16. I'll make the bet

I'm not tearing down any democrat. I'm saying he'll need to move elsewhere if he wants to be a Senator AGAIN. The fact that he had so little impact in this election he won't get the support from others in the party to win the nomination. And during the primary you better believe all he's going to hear from the other guys is "He can't win his own state" And its true. I don't think Edwards will ever win another election in this state.

I'll go further with this bet. If Mike Easley says he's going to run. Edwards won't even make an attempt.

[AP]

17. An Easley vs Edwards comparison in the primaries would be interesting.

And who would balk first? Would Easley not run if Edwards were running?

[JI7]

19. if Easley runs the Republicans would do the same to him ast hey did to

Edwards. Kerry was actually doing pretty well in north carolina even before he picked edwards. it might have been based on people's hopes that he is going to pick edwards. and when he did the gap was closing.

the republicans ran a dirty campaign there and they will do the same to easley if he runs. the media totally ignored edwards and they will do the same to easley if he were to run.

[ComerPerro]

13. about the whole "coattails" thing...

If anything, in 1998, he was winning despite the President's coattails. 1998 was a very easy year to be a Republican.