Edwards: 'No More Triangulating'

[JohnLocke]

Edwards: 'No More Triangulating'
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(...)
When it comes to ending the war in Iraq or issues such as universal health care, “No more pontificating, no more vacillating, no more triangulating, no more broken promises, no more pats on the head, no more ‘we’ll get around to it next time,’ no more taking half a loaf, no more ‘tomorrow,’” Edwards said.

People who are diagnosed with breast cancer or other serious health conditions, like his wife Elizabeth, don’t have time to wait for universal health care. “We need to do these things now,” he said.

Edwards spoke immediately after Illinois Sen. Barack Obama electrified the crowd with a stirring speech that stressed broad principles and policies but steered away from specifics. Edwards was often less reticent about specifics. He offered some details of his energy plan, which he said would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. He called the nation’s affordable housing policy a disaster and called for one million additional housing vouchers that would allow families to move out of pockets of poverty. He proposed a “college for everyone” plan in which students would have the cost of their tuition and books covered in exchange for 10 hours of work per week.

As the first presidential candidate in either party to release a detailed health care proposal, Edwards said he has one “threshold test” for a health care proposal: “whether it is truly universal.” If it is not, he said, “someone is going to have to explain to me what child has to go without health care.”

Edwards went beyond his opposition to the war in Iraq—his position is now the same as Obama’s, although when he was in the Senate he voted for the use of force authorization that allowed it—to talking about the damage the Bush administration’s foreign policy done to America’s stature in the world. He asked the audience to consider that the Bush administration declared that the Bush administration declared that genocide was taking place in the Darfur region of the Sudan, but then the rest of the world saw the administration step back and watch the genocide continue. If you were living in another country, Edwards asked, “what would you think of us?”

When he ended his speech with a progressive call to arms, it was evident that Edwards’ message still resonates on the left, even though recent polls show that he appears to be losing ground to frontrunner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. One Take Back America participant, having heard both Obama and Edwards, said, “I don’t know which one to support. They’re both good.”

http://commonsense.ourfuture.org/edwards_no_more_triangulating

[rodeodance]

1. i wish he could brake out of that 3rd place where he seems stuck

[Merlot]

2. It's early.

I think a lot will happen between now and February. And I think he's going to suprise a lot of people in the primaries.

[AndyA]

3. I agree. n/m

[draft_mario_cuomo]

4. He was tied for 6th place with Sharpton at this point in 2003

Kerry was 3rd while Holy Joe led.

There is a long way to go and he does best in states where people can see him the most, versus states where they have to rely on the CMSM. His support has doubled in Nevada, as he erased an 8 point deficit to Obama to tie him, he leads in Iowa, is solid in NH. The weak link thus far seems to be SC, but that should improve as he campaigns there more.

I agree with Edwards. It is time for real change, not fancy rhetoric and Third Way half-measures. This is particularly true for health care. That is a vital issue. Millionaire Ivy League candidates may be able to wait for tomorrow but those without health insurance need universal health insurance today.

[rinsd]

13. This isn't 2003.

Edwards is a previous candidate for Democratic nomination and candidate for Vice President.

His name recognition is light years ahead of where it was in 2003.

I think this going on the attack is a signal he thinks his campaign needs a push. And I notice he chose the relatively soft target(Clinton in front of a progressive audience) vs Obama.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

15. Fair point, but people didn't start to really pay attention until Labor Day in 2003

Holy Joe had a solid lead in August of 2003 (while Kerry was 3rd. Kerry would then fall into a tie with Sharpton by November) and then promptly faded after people began paying attention. Let's wait until September before pronouncing any candidate dead.

==I think this going on the attack is a signal he thinks his campaign needs a push. And I notice he chose the relatively soft target(Clinton in front of a progressive audience) vs Obama.==

He went after both.

==no more ‘we’ll get around to it next time,’ no more taking half a loaf, no more ‘tomorrow,’”==

He wasn't alluding to HRC there. ;)

[waiting for hope]

17. Here's a good piece from

Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/nationalaffairs/index.php/2007/06/20/edwards-electability-edge/

I'm seeing more and more positive things being said about Edwards and him being more electable, from the war in Iraq to the domestic issues here. All I'm seeing about Clinton and Obama is nick picking back and forth between the two campaigns. Voters will be tired of that by primary time, I know I am, and I'm not saying that as an Edwards supporter - I want to hear issues and getting very little of that from those two. But hey, I heard a song by Celine Dion that I hadn't heard before....:silly:

[LBJDemocrat]

9. 3rd place is best right now

Less voter fatigue, more upside potential.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

16. I agree. nt

\

[EVDebs]

18. Wait till he wins in Iowa ! Onward and upward

Edwards gives a damn and that's what shows thru most for me.

[saracat]

5. And wouldn't it be nice if the Dems stopped buying RW spin and supported these proposals?

It seems that all I hear is RW garbage about haircuts and houses!

[redqueen]

7. Amen! n/t

[JohnLocke]

6. Kick (nt).

[bunnies]

8. the louder he gets...

the more I like him. I always saw him as kinda wishy-washy. Dont ask... I dont know why. But he did impress me in the NH debate. And of the 'top tier' candidates, I liked him best.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

10. No more triangulating = no more bullshit

Clobama listen up.

[JANdad]

11. Clobama...

:spank: :rofl:

Sounds like an STD...

:hide:






In the immortal words of Bill Maher....I KID!



edit for sp

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

12. Sure does

:toast:

[lumberjack_jeff]

14. His policy is fine. Stop talking about policy...

... and start talking about principles. If Democrats speak to their values - our values - they'll win. When they talk about "80% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions" or "a million low income housing vouchers" they lose. All those specific targets are is a jawbone with which the candidate is browbeaten later.

If we would stick with the big picture - in this country it is unacceptable (and unchristian) to allow people to die for want of housing or insulin, while corporations destroy the biosphere, we'd gain.

[Stop Cornyn]

19. Thanks for posting this.