Boneheaded Move Of The Week: Edwards Campaign Ad Presents Washington Insiders as 'We the People'

[wyldwolf]

John Edwards' first television advertisement, "We the people," demands that Congress confront the president over the Iraq War, with a succession of ordinary-looking faces and voices appearing on camera pleading with lawmakers not to back down.

But "We the people" is more K Street than Main Street, it turns out.

At least two of the nine people the Edwards campaign included in the ad are Washington-based political professionals. One is a Democratic political consultant, and the other is a top fundraiser for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian advocacy organization.

The reliance on Washington insiders is particularly noteworthy for Edwards, because he has criticized D.C.-based consultants during his second run for the presidency.

"Consultants can make it hard to tell the truth," Edwards told Newsweek in February. "They want you to be so cautious it makes it hard to say anything."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3136504&page=1

[William769]

1. Whats really funny is how more outspoken he is

Now that he's not in the Senate. Just sayin.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Edwards is My Favorite Candidate!

Pick a position - ANY position. Edwards has been strongly in favor of it at some point in the past four years.

:puke:

[luckyleftyme2]

4. look who started the thread?

Edwards is one of the leading candidates for our party. We don't need to help the opposition smear our leaders.
I happen to agree with his ad except I THINK THEY SHOULD ONLY CHANGE THE PULL OUT DATE BY A MONTH EVERY TIME THE IDIOT VETOS IT-AND THAT CHANGE SHOULD BE A MONTH EARLIER EVERY TIME.
SEND THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR YOU HAD 4 YEARS AND YOU SQUANDERED IT "BUSH AND COMPANY" NOW DO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE-PULL OUT!

[wyldwolf]

5. Are news reports critical of Edwards taboo here?

[Divine Discontent]

45. ones that seem just to be attacking him are not taboo

just gives the mighty impression you're up to no good.

I thought your description was going to say the entire commercial had staffers in it, or paid actors, pretending to be regular people saying 'we the people'

the people you assail Edwards for having in the video are people who are the types to speak up about issues, like the human rights campaign leader... is there something WRONG with having the HRC be represented in the ad???

Your transparency is rather obvious... you're either (and yes, it's one or the other), a biggggg supporter of one of the other Dem candidates who think the best route to promoting your own candidate is to tear down the other, or a shill-Dem. There's no other explanation to post this crap when it was 2 people, and one was a right groups... whoopdie frickin do!

[wyldwolf]

58. Are ANY taboo?

I think is is very ver hypocritical of you to condemn me for posting this story from ABC news but you turn a blind eye to the daily petty attack posts against Sen. Clinton.

The transparent person here is you. You're either (and yes, it's one or the other), a biggggg supporter of a sacred cow named John Edwards or a shill-Dem. There's no other explanation to have this kind of reaction to this story but ignore attacks on other Dem candidates.

[dsc]

62. I would like an answer to my question in post 38

ABC news seems to be saying, and you seem to be echoing, that if a person is a gay woman who works for gay rights she is no longer permitted to speak on public issues. If you agree with that notion, just what can gay people speak on?

[wyldwolf]

64. Ask ABC news.

If you want to jump into a conversation, though, that I was having with someone else, it might serve you better to address the points of that conversation rather than trying to veer it somewhere else.

[dsc]

68. I asked you on this thread and you still refuse to answer me

So again, just what may gay people speak about and what may they not speak about in your opinion? You decided to post this. You clearly agree with it. So you need to address a central point of their thesis.

[wyldwolf]

71. I am not obligated to answer a question that should be directed at ABC

So, again, anything add? Or do you just want to divert?

[dsc]

73. This was ABC's headline

Edwards Campaign Ad Presents Washington Insiders as 'We the People'
'We the People' Effort More K Street Than Main Street

Yours is above.

You added the word bonehead and you clearly agree with the message that ABC is sending. So do your words have meaning, or don't they? Either gays are part of we the people or they aren't. Which is it?

[wyldwolf]

74. so you have nothing to add to the conversation?

[dsc]

75. until you give me an answer to why you evidently

think gay activists aren't people I don't know what to add.

[wyldwolf]

77. so you have nothing to add to the conversation?

[Adelante]

6. look who started the thread

A dues-paying DU member who backs a different candidate from yours.

Oh, the humanity!

[1932]

9. Lowering capital gains tax?

Limiting liability for negligence by very wealth corporations?

[MannyGoldstein]

11. OK, You Probably Got Me On Those.

But war on Iraq, 'free' trade, helping predatory lenders screw bankrupt folks, energy policy...

[Clark2008]

40. LMAO!!!

:rofl:

[Divine Discontent]

49. wow, with that kind of attack

and the vomiting smiley face, I can take it you're voting republican if he gets the nomination??? Edwards has strongly backed worker rights and supports civil rights, and has from the get go, that's why he's got such a strong backing and his poll numbers keep going up...

[Skinner]

3. It's a great ad.

http://johnedwards.com/wethepeople

I would say that on a 0 to 10 scale of of political blunders (10 being the most blundery), this is about a 2. Having worked on (admittedly, lower-level) campaigns in the past, I can say with firsthand knowledge that a significant proportion of people who appear in any candidate's ads are actually on the campaign payroll. It's actually pretty humorous to watch when you know who all the people are. The rest are extremely loyal volunteers and supporters. After all, you don't want one of the actors from your commercial holding a press conference the next day and claiming to support your opponent.

So, yeah, this was kinda dumb. But the people who appear in the ad do a really good job, and the ad itself is very effective.

[ChiciB1]

28. I LIKE The Ad & Don't Think It's Dumb In Any Way At All....

I've been getting emails from friends who like it a lot too! I donated to it also!

Regardless of all the flak, one can't actually say Edwards isn't working very hard and being more responsive than some of our candidates. I like the fact that he's been pretty aggressive!

It's probably just me, but I would rather be doing something "active" rather than just signing petitions and calling Congress! Put me on a corner and let me holler and I feel much better!

[mtnsnake]

7. Well, as dumb as it was, at least Edwards' friends in the ad didn't get paid

...according to the article.

Of course, the "volunteers" all got treated to haircuts and manicures afterward for their efforts and a free weekend getaway to an unnamed 100-acre spread in the mountains of North Carolina. :evilgrin:

[1932]

8. That's an excellent add, and the video responses to it on YouTube are brilliant

[Inspired]

14. I think so too.

Thanks, I am in one of the video responses. It was filmed at an anti-war rally this week in Iowa. There were only 2 campaigns represented at the rally I attended. The Edwards campaign was one of them. They should have all been out there. They all have staff in Iowa right now and they could have done this easily. One of the campaign's headquarters was just across the street and they weren't even there! I won't call them out but I think it was sad. I don't have time to sit around and try to find ways to criticize other Democratic candidates I don't support. Life is too short for that and I would rather spend my time telling my neighbors why I support John Edwards instead of why I don't support others. I find that this tactic works much better.

[Inspired]

10. Excuse me!!!!

The same ad is being filmed again today. It will be playing in Iowa. I know for a fact that the participants in this ad are NOT political insiders!

99% of the American public, the same people who the ad targets, don't over think 30 second ads to this degree. It is effective. Isn't that what we want it to be? Or is it only OK if the ad comes from the candidate you support?

If this was an ad for a candidate I wasn't supporting, I wouldn't find fault with it. I think some are really reaching to find fault where none lies.

[Adelante]

12. Since you know for a fact the ABC article is a lie

That the participants were NOT "political insiders" as claimed. Has the Edwards campaign responded? Will ABC be retracting?

[Inspired]

15. Did I say that? NO.

I said that the same ad was being filmed today and I know for a fact they are NOT political insiders.

I NEVER said the ABC article was a lie.

[Adelante]

18. I see

Excuse the misunderstanding, please.

[Inspired]

19. It's so easy to do when your mind is set on finding fault. n/t

[Cameron27]

21. You were just given an apology

and you respond with a snark. Who's mind is set on finding fault?

[Inspired]

23. You are right.

I jumped to conclusions and I apologize.

[wyldwolf]

13. The insiders in the ad were identified and named

[Inspired]

16. Please read my response again.

I wasn't talking about the ad that played in DC. I am talking about the ad that is being filmed today.

[PresidentObama]

17. Is this supposed to shock and awe me out of supporting Edwards?

Look, the ad was very well done. I'm very glad John Edwards and his campaign did it, and last time I checked it Democratic Political consultants and fundraisers for the HRC ARE still people. They still have voices. If he puts them in the ad, fine by me. His advertisement still has many average Americans speaking passionately about Congress not backing down. This really is laughable that people drag up this kind of crap. So what? And I mean that, so what? His message is the same with Washington Insiders or regular citizens off the street: Congress don't back down. And I, 100%, agree with the tone of the advertisement.

[Inspired]

22. Any ad that calls for the end of the war is good.

I don't care who puts it on the airwaves. The issue is bigger than the candidate. I would love it if every Democratic candidate put something like this out. I thought we were united in our efforts to end this war. I guess I didn't realize it only counted when the effort came from a candidate you supported.

[Catchawave]

20. Have you seen the remix ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dnd0H71Q0E

[LizW]

25. Love it!

I wonder if that is enough real people for the critics?

[Catchawave]

34. Just added it to the Video Forum !

With hopes more DUers will see it if they're avoiding "boneheaded" :D

[JNelson6563]

29. Oh bravo!!

All those beautiful faces. :toast:

Julie

[Catchawave]

36. Here's how you can add yours.....

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/5/3/123840/1272

:toast:

[Forkboy]

24. A funny thing about DU is that by the time the election actually rolls around...

...I've decided none of them are any good.

[Doremus]

27. It's a darned shame and sadly so true.

The GOP could save itself a TON of money.

Just let the Dems eat their own.

[Clark2008]

41. (S)He said NONE of them are any good - I think that probably

includes Republicans.

And, my husband and I feel the same way. We were watching the front-runners in both parties and he turned to me and said, "I don't want ANY of them to be my next president." And hubby's a big Dem.

I think that sentiment is, unfortunately, more prevaliant than you think. Too many Washington insiders (Edwards and Guiliani included).

[The Magistrate]

50. It Is Very Seldom, Sir, You Will See Me Cite Reagan As Any Form Of Ecample

But his 'eleventh commandment', suitably altered to "Thou shalt speak no ill of a fellow Democrat", ought to be adopted by all....

[Forkboy]

53. I can't even come that close to agreeing with Reagan.

Not a big fan of pattycake and kumbaya,myself.And I think that kind of willing blindness will hurt us far more than any stories about haircuts ever will.It wont do the party any good to pretend that a good chunk of it has some problems with some,or all,of the candidates.

[Solon]

79. That makes no sense...

Simply because its not defined. Democratic candidates, especially during primary season, have to try to differentiate themselves from the other candidates. This includes criticism, the difference is whether the criticism is warranted or not. For example, this particular OP is dumb, as dumb as the Edwards haircut fiasco, which I avoided like the plague. However, it is imminently fair to criticize Edward's "lets subsidize the Insurance Industry" health care plan, which is, itself, ill conceived.

[Orangepeel]

26. a fundraiser for the Human Rights Campaign isn't a person?

I view it as a strong positive that a top fundraiser for the HRC supports Edwards. :shrug:

[w4rma]

30. That's what I was thinking. I like that she is in this ad. (nt)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

31. ZOMG!!!1!! And he got a $400 haircut too!!!1! n/t

[mrreowwr_kittty]

32. Gee ABC, where was your outrage about the GOP political operatives in who went to Fla. in 2000?

Hmmm? You know, the ones who picketed the recount in suspiciously preppy looking clothes, pretending to be 'ordinary citizens'? Who all turned out to be Congressional staffers and such? What say you, ABC?

Anything? Anyone?

<crickets chirping>

[JNelson6563]

33. Oh, you mean this?

1. Tom Pyle, policy analyst, office of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay R-Tex.).

2. Garry Malphrus, majority chief counsel and staff director, House Judiciary subcommittee on criminal justice.

3. Rory Cooper, political division staff member at the National Republican Congressional Committee.

4. Kevin Smith, former House Republican conference analyst and more recently of Voter.com.

5. Steven Brophy, former aide to Sen. Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.), now working at the consulting firm KPMG.

6. Matt Schlapp, former chief of staff for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), now on the Bush campaign staff in Austin.

7. Roger Morse, aide to Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.).

8. Duane Gibson, aide to Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) of the House Resources Committee.

9. Chuck Royal, legislative assistant to Rep. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

10. Layna McConkey, former legislative assistant to former Rep. Jim Ross Lightfoot (R-Iowa), now at Steelman Health Strategies.

Where Are They Now?
washingtonpost.com Monday, January 24, 2005

As we begin the second Bush administration, let's take a moment to reflect upon one of the most historic episodes of the 2000 battle for the White House -- the "Brooks Brothers Riot" at the Miami-Dade County polling headquarters.

This was when supposedly "local protesters," who were in actuality paid Republican House aides from Washington illegally stormed the local election board and caused the illegal stopping of the Florida re-count effort.

With help from their GOP colleagues and others, we identified some of these paid Republicans in a photo of the event.

Most of those pictured above have been rewarded by the Bush administration with some given positions at the White House.

No. 6. Matt Schlapp, has risen to be White House political director.

No. 2. Garry Malphrus, is now deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.

No. 3. Rory Cooper, later worked at the White House Homeland Security Council and was seen last week working for the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

No. 1. Tom Pyle, went private sector a few months later, getting a job as director of federal affairs for Koch Industries.

No. 7. Roger Morse, moved on to the law and lobbying firm Preston Gates Ellis & Rouvelas Meeds.
"I was also privileged to lead a team of Republicans to Florida to help in the recount fight,"
he told a legal trade magazine in a 2003 interview.

No. 8. Duane Gibson, was a solo lobbyist and with the Greenberg Traurig lobby operation.
He is now with the Livingston Group as a consultant

No. 9. Chuck Royal was and still is a legislative assistant to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a former House member.

No. 10. Layna McConkey Peltier, is now at Capital Health Group.

(We couldn't find No. 4, Kevin Smith, a former GOP House aide who later worked with Voter.com, or
No. 5, Steven Brophy, a former GOP Senate aide and then at consulting firm KPMG.)

http://www.govsux.com/republican_thug.htm

[madfloridian]

44. Thanks, Julie, I had lost that page.

Glad to see it again.

[madfloridian]

35. " two of the nine people ' 2 out of nine? 2 out of nine????

"At least two of the nine people the Edwards campaign included in the ad are Washington-based political professionals. One is a Democratic political consultant, and the other is a top fundraiser for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian advocacy organization"

Oh, my.

[Catchawave]

37. I'm assuming they are still U.S. citizens? :)))

That still qualifies for We the People? :patriot:

I remember when Jim Webb was attacked for not being kind to women in the military, he ran a beautiful campaign ad with military women...yes, they were supporters and volunteers...my friend was the Coast Guard lady, Nancy. They all spoke about what he did "right" for lady warriors, but I don't remember him being attacked by the MSM for using :scared: supporters?

Of course the best ad was the one George "macaca" Allen did for us :applause:

On edit: correct typo

[dsc]

38. Maybe I am slow

but are gay people somehow not people? So the woman works for the HRC, is she not permitted to have opinions, on her own time, about the war?

[Clark2008]

39. It was time for his weekly faux pas.

What's up with that?

And, I'm not saying that because I don't like him (I don't - at all), but even the most objective person can see that he's made a lot of mistakes this time around.

[1932]

42. And if it's like the rest, he'll continue to go up in the polls

The last month has been the most brutal month of press coverage for him in years, and he has been going up in the polls.

[BeyondGeography]

54. No, he hasn't

<Horserace Journalism: It's been a rough month for some of the presidential front-runners in Iowa, according to new polls of the caucus contests.

Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Edwards saw their support drop. So did Republicans Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Among the leading contenders, only Democrat Barack Obama made gains.>

<...Edwards dropped 6 points in a month where much of the news about him was the revelation he paid $400 for a haircut. That, plus the large new home he is building, undercuts the po' boy image he wants to have.

The good news for Edwards is that he's back to his old status as the front-runner in Iowa, although it was a strange way to get there. Clinton dropped 11 points and Edwards dropped only 6, a shuffle that leaves him 4 points ahead of her - which is an insignificant lead in a poll with a 4 percentage-point margin of error.>

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/OPINION01/705030352/1035/opinion

[1932]

56. Gavel, Richardson and Biden entering has taken a couple % from everyone

And I don't know about ARG, but every poll I've seen shows Edwards doing better this month in places like NH, SC.

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IndyOp]

51. You mean like Al Gore's weekly faux pas' in 2000? Earthtone suits?

Female advisers? Rolling his eyes during a debate? Using the term lockbox too often?

Boy I sure was grateful to the U.S. media for providing me with all of the information I needed about Gore's weekly faux pas in 2000! And look where we are today as a result of their great coverage! :D

:sarcasm:

[madfloridian]

43. Only 2 out of 9 people were DC insiders? OMG

What shall we do? That is just terrible.

[Divine Discontent]

46. ty, madfl, that's what I wanted to say... God forbid a human rights person be involved n/t

[Divine Discontent]

47. oh, by the way...

welcome to the ignore list.

[illinoisprogressive]

52. Edwards is his own worse enemy...

[1932]

60. Yeah. If he weren't, maybe he could have made something of his life.

[ChiciB1]

67. At The Risk Of Being A Complete ASS... I Would Make A Correction

to your post... but I won't, I'll let it stand! If other's would like to pick up on it... Go ahead.

I don't like doing it that much, I'm just "chicken" that way! I'm just in a slightly bad mood because I'm tired of the attacks here at DU! And of course, I've made my OWN mistakes too!

[dsc]

69. Did you want to make that correction in the worst possible way?

[ChiciB1]

70. Itchy Finger!!!! n/t

[AtomicKitten]

55. abcnews?

this news brief brought to you by the sphincter police

:shrug:

I'll hit him on cosponsoring the IWR, but not this stuff.

:thumbsdown:

[mitchtv]

57. Puts me on the mood to trash Hillary

[zulchzulu]

59. Nearly ALL ads on radio and TV use inside the ad biz actors...

Since politics is in the ad biz these days (and I work in the ad biz), you might know that nearly all the talent used in ads are people who are in the ad biz or people who are somehow related to the people producing the ads. Especially "one-off" ads like the Edwards one...

And you can bet that political ads are done in the Beltway area in most cases with producers from NYC, LA or Chicago...

[PresidentObama]

63. Zulchzulu you're ruining the anti-Edwards momentum.

First blow, the size of his house.

Second blow, the price of the haircut.

This was their final blow!! You ruined it for them. Not they're spending their Sunday wiping egg off their faces. Thanks a lot!

:sarcasm:

[zulchzulu]

66. I figure that being honest and fair is usually a good tact...

It looks like Jiminy le Turncoat Carville's little attack move is bogus....again....

[JNelson6563]

61. Wow, only two rec's?

Seems even those who love to jump on anything Edwards feel this is lame. Ah well, I'm sure our OP won't be deterred by one mere failed attempt....

Julie

[Name removed]

65. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[d_b]

72. ....

*fart*

[DRoseDARs]

76. The bigger scandal here is, horror of horrors, they all had haircuts!

Let's make hay of it. :)

[Name removed]

78. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sampsonblk]

80. Big deal - nt

nt