Walter Shapiro: John Edwards banks on sincerity, woos voters with authenticity

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/10/01/edwards/index.html

John Edwards banks on sincerity

Despite D.C. cynicism about his motives and his political persona, Edwards woos voters in New Hampshire and Iowa with authenticity.

By Walter Shapiro

John Edwards answers questions during a campaign stop in Claremont, N.H., on Sept. 28.

Oct. 1, 2007 | LITTLETON, N.H. -- Here in the birthplace of the author of "Pollyanna" and the home of the "World's Longest Candy Counter," a middle-aged woman asked John Edwards the kind of cream-filled questions that would give any presidential candidate a sugar rush. What "personal characteristic," she asked, distinguishes you from your Democratic rivals?

In response to a similar question, Hillary Clinton probably would have stressed her experience and her commitment to "change," the poll-tested buzzword of this election. Barack Obama almost certainly would have waxed inspirational and talked about how cynics in Washington dismiss him as a "hope-monger." But for Edwards, it all came down to sincerity.

"You have to make a judgment," Edwards, dressed in jeans and an open-necked white shirt, told a Friday lunchtime crowd of 250 first-primary voters, who filled every square inch of the local community center. "We're not looking for the most cunning and most manipulative and most artful politician," Edwards said in what may have been an indirect jab at the Clintons. "You have to look us in the eye and listen to us and make a determination about what's inside us. Is this real?"

The answer -- which ended with Edwards pointing out that every day in any White House "the personal political interest of the president will come into conflict with the interests of America" -- won hearty applause. But Edwards himself has been publicly grappling with an authenticity problem ever since his mid-year campaign-spending reports highlighted the most politically costly haircut since Samson was shorn.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/10/01/edwards/index.html

[BootinUp]

1. Democrats that fall for that kind of play

are as stupid as any repukes that think Bush is a normal guy they'd like to have a bear with.

[Clark2008]

2. Then how come I find him the least sincere?

:shrug:

(Probably his voting record).

[jillan]

7. I love your picture!

:toast:

[Cameron27]

3. There's no possible way to determine a public

personality's sincerity. All you can rely on is their past performance IMO. By their deeds you will know them. Amen

[babylonsister]

4. It's a positive piece for Edwards imo. His failures are pointed out, but

don't they all have them? As this author pointed out, it might just depend on the gut feeling people get who know and listen to him.

[Cameron27]

5. I know I read it before it was posted here.

I just don't believe that anyone can get a bead on how sincere a public person is without spending personal time with them.

[BootinUp]

6. It would be more meaningful to me

if this was something supporters were saying sort of spontaneously than to have the candidate trying to sell it.