Edwards will take public financing...

[jenmito]

He claims it's NOT a sign that he hasn't raised nearly as much money as Hillary and Obama, saying he raised more money than any other candidate raised at this point in '03 (as if that means anything). :shrug: He challenged Hillary and Obama to join him. :rofl:

[Cameron27]

1. Trying to make his inability to raise money

and having to depend on public financing a moral challenge now? Typical

[jenmito]

3. Yup.

And it's clearly not because it's a moral issue. It's an issue of not being able to raise as much money as the others.

[Vincardog]

6. When did having the ability to be bought by Big Money become a virtue?

I am for public financing of all federal elections. End the fallacy of corporate person hood and ban corporate money from our electoral process.

[rinsd]

9. I don't know. Maybe Edwards can ask Fortress as they foreclose on people's homes (nt)

[movonne]

23. and maybe we should ask hillery why she voted on the Lieberman

bill...

[rinsd]

30. Sure, though I am unsure what that has to do with a candidate's campaign finances

[movonne]

20. I found that to be a really nasty remark....

[Cameron27]

26. Sorry to offend,

what exactly was nasty about it?

[rndmprsn]

2. i wish they all would...

and if we are wishing...i wish the general election was publicly financed too, get the damn money/lobbyists out of the loop, Hillary wouldn't like that though.

[Cameron27]

4. I think most of us wish the same thing

and if Edwards had stuck to that at the beginning, he'd might have more credibility.

[jenmito]

7. Agreed. n/t

[jenmito]

5. Yeah, but he only announced it because it's clear he's unable to raise enough money

Do you think he'd do this if he raised as much as the other two? Maybe in the general they should all use public funding.

[rndmprsn]

17. probably...he has not been getting much media attention

as clinton and obama...clinton is def raising "establishment" money, obama to his credit is not taking PAC/lobbyist money and has literally an army of donors, good for him.

if edwards finishes first in iowa (very possible, still and if though) i think the media will start to give him more time and his numbers will go up, i guess then we'll see if his support is as broad as clintons and as deep as obama's.

that said...i still remember remember the roaring giant named dean who ran out of steam (too bad for us)

[movonne]

21. and how do you know that???

[jenmito]

24. Isn't it obvious? n/t

[rndmprsn]

25. i only "know" it insofar as it is my opinion...

i do not have a political crystal ball (wish i did i could live like a wealthy republican...nah)

woops responded to a non-response, silly me.

[ChiciB1]

35. Well, Let Me Respond... TODAY, As Predicted Last Night By Many...

even though MOST who watched and rated the Debate decided that Edwards really did very well, and Hillary did a poor job, once again... all I'm hearing about is Hillary. How she has the lead and is just gliding along waiting to see if anyone can catch her.

I also heard earlier ON MSNBC, whose own poll showed Edwards really came through, some comments about how Hillary "held her own and didn't lose" and NOT ONE WORD about how Edwards took her on. Furthermore, when asked IF they thought there was a winner, the answer was probably not, or it's hard to say!!

So you tell me, WHAT coverage is HE or those other than Hillary and Obama getting?? It's still HILLARY push time, and it just doesn't stop! So, Edwards will take money, I would too especially if I thought I was THE BEST person for the job!! Also, I would like to know how it is that Obama who raises MORE money than Clinton TWO times in a row, still is double digits behind her in NH?? This really doesn't make sense, actually it makes me wonder even more!

[LSparkle]

8. They should ALL take public financing

If Obama REALLY were running a "different kind of campaign" he WOULD take it, just out of principle.

On the flip side, if Edwards HADN'T taken public money, they all the RWers would be branding him as just another politician who can write himself a big check. Considering his own personal financial position, this was the right thing for him to do.

[Cameron27]

13. Baloney,

Edwards took big heaping piles of money from trial lawyers and others until the well ran dry. Now because he has to take public financing he's suddenly a hero...not.

[jenmito]

16. Exactly.

:hi:

[jenmito]

14. Do you think Edwards would've made this choice if he had raised

as much as the others?

[LSparkle]

19. I don't know ... He's taken so much flack for being rich

He might have thought it was just more ammo for the Reich to work outside the system (finance his own campaign if need be).

I still think it's a good thing and I wish all our candidates would follow suit. If we REALLY want the money out of elections -- and are in favor of public financing -- our candidates shouldn't bend the rules. Do the means really justify the ends?

[Catchawave]

10. Link?

[jenmito]

12. Sorry-it was just announced on CNN. Candy Crowley interviewed him

and he said that he will accept public funding.

[Catchawave]

45. good discussion here:

with link....which helps me :D

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3556280&mesg_id=3556280

[ChiciB1]

37. There Was A Segment With "Candy"... But She Was Nice This Time....

or so I thought! But it doesn't bother me, he's the best for the job so why not go for the ring??

[Catchawave]

44. I found one !

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3556280&mesg_id=3556280

[ChiciB1]

46. Okay... Was Gone For A While... Got To Watch Edwards On MTV!

I must say it turned out well and I think it's good that they are going to be doing more of them. The kids impressed me!

Will be interesting to see who accepts the INVITE!

:bounce:

[Deep13]

11. I'm sure he's not the first candidate to make a virtue out of necessity.

They all should use public financing with its already a gigantic amount of money. Public money means they are not beholding to anyone for their donations, except maybe for the public financing system.

[itsrobert]

15. I'm glad Edwards has made a change for the better

Too bad Clinton and Obaman are bought and paid for. The "Culture of Corruption" will continue with either of those two.

[jenmito]

18. He couldn't afford NOT to do this. It's out of necessity.

Do you REALLY rhink he'd have done this if he raised more money?

[Justyce]

22. Perhaps if he had more corporate donations he would fare as well as the others....

:eyes:

[jenmito]

28. You mean Hillary-not Obama...you can't lump them in as "the others"

becaue SHE takes all that big money, unlike Obama.

[LSparkle]

29. Yup -- as Thom Hartmann said this a.m., Edwards is the candidate

Corporate America is most afraid of, Clinton is their favorite and Obama is somewhere in between (at least for now).

[ChiciB1]

36. For SURE!! And I Don't Have A Problem With Him Taking Federal

money. Many candidates have contributed their OWN money in the past. If I'm not mistaken, Romney has done it already. So maybe Edwards wants to keep his own money because his wife DOES have cancer and he's thinking about his children's FUTURE!!

Those who don't like him are going to say what they want and spin and turn it inside out anyway!

He's saying it up front and he's being honest about it. Frankly when you think about the hundreds of millions of dollars it takes these days to run, I find it ludicrous! Think what all those millions could do for any number of issues!!!

You know those corporations, lobbyists and others could use the money more wisely INSTEAD of trying to garner favor so they can make even MORE MILLIONS!!

[Texas_Kat]

38. self delete

[ChiciB1]

39. OMG... The Money Game Then Doesn't Come Close To What Is Going

on now!! I wonder how many more jabs this is going to take.... probably will go into OVERLOAD!

Oh well, one, two, three.... HIT IT!

[rinsd]

27. Edwards unilaterally disarmed himself before the GE.

The GOP isn't going to do public financing and Edwards is gonna get killed by some Swift Boat-esque attack because he won't have the money to defend himself.

So virtuous to be the willing lamb to the slaughter.

:eyes:

[flpoljunkie]

31. For Edwards' fans: Video of Edwards' interview with CNN's Candy Crowley

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/09/27/edwards.public.financing/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

[AtomicKitten]

32. He must be running short of cash which is the death knell of a campaign.

[jenmito]

42. Of course that's why he's doing this. It has nothing to do with virtue

IMO of course. :D

[benny05]

33. I don't get the ROTF part

The other concern is legit, but Obama decides to join Edwards, then who will have the last laugh?

It'll be interesting to see what Clinton does. It's a gutsy move on Edwards part.

[Cameron27]

34. What's so gutsy about not getting enough donations?

[FrenchieCat]

40. Taking the pledge for public financing 3 days before the end of the 3rd quarter

is neither gutsy or moral.....

Now, IF Edwards would have announced this back when he announced his candidacy, and then challenged all other candidates...THEN it would have been gutsy and moral.

Doing it now is simply Edwards doing what he feels is politically necessary and spinning it as in the best of light as possible....and this tactic bears great similarity to his apologizing for his vote 3 years after the fact....and before announcing another run. :eyes:

[jenmito]

43. Exactly.

'Nuff said. :hi:

[jenmito]

41. It's because it's not gutsy at all...

the only reason he's taking public funding and "challenging" the others to do the same is because he didn't raise nearly as much money as they did. If he HAD raised as much as they did, do you REALLY think he'd have taken the public funding? No way!