John and Elizabeth Edwards Focus on Issues, Not Endorsements

[Catchawave]

This is a fabulous diary from the new EENR blog with updates about John and Elizabeth and their current positions on the issues and endorsing. I posted a snip below, but please go to the link for a video and working hotlinks :)

From: http://www.eenrblog.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=677

John and Elizabeth Edwards Focus on Issues, Not Endorsements
by: Benny
Sun Mar 30, 2008 at 11:35:53 AM EDT

Yesterday, John Edwards spoke at the NC Young Dems conference and focused on issues such as getting out of Iraq, universal health care, raising the minimum wage, and the right to organize in NC, a taboo subject in that state. (photo credit: Sara Davis, AP)

Although the conference was about state races, both of the remaining candidates sent surrogates to speak at the conference. I know James Carville was a lunch time speaker and I believe Chelsea Clinton was a speaker too. Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ spoke as a supporter for Obama. And I wouldn't doubt if they continued to lobby JRE for an endorsement.

Edwards, ever gracious when reporters came to the event to get his thoughts about the two candidates, pointed out the historical nature of both of their campaigns and said "both were better suited in carrying forward his campaign platform than Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain." He went on to say:


"We are blessed, first, to have an extraordinarily talented African-American who could be the next president of the United States," Mr. Edwards said. "There's no way to contest the fact that he has inspired this country."
"And Senator Clinton, who has served America for so long and so well, and has shown so much strength and leadership, has really forged an extraordinarily historic campaign as a woman for the nomination and for the presidency."

Of course Edwards was asked if he would endorse either one before May 6th, and I liked his answer, according to this AP report (and found in the News-Observer):


"When I have something to say, I'll let you guys know," he said.

Much more at link....h/t to DUer benny05 for letting me share it here !

[benny05]

1. Thanks for the shout out

And it was fun to do. I miss having news about the Edwards, and it was great to see them out there talking about ISSUES!

[surfermaw]

2. Thanks for the news, I see some in the Charlotte Observer, but I like all on John

[Catchawave]

6. Congrats on making the Rec list at Daily Kos !

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/30/18442/6357

Nice to see all the Edwards gang again, he is missed. For awhile your diary was up there with Keith Olbermann's.....Yay!

[dogday]

3. I can see why John never endorsed either candidate....

I am the same way. I know I don't trust Clinton, and I can't commit to Obama... I know what John feels like...

[Catchawave]

7. I'm rather enjoying the "fog of neutrality" these days....

I just don't care, and will vote for either in Nov. :patriot:

[dogday]

8. That is the way I feel, but try telling it to either side...

They want to label you as the enemy... It is crazy!!!

[spooky3]

4. Thanks, C. I wish more of the primary voters and donors had seen what we saw in JRE and EE.

[progressoid]

5. Nice comments.

from nice people.

[waiting for hope]

9. Issues - what a concept these days...

I sure do miss him and ELizabeth. What class and dignity. Thanks Catch and Benny!



Damn, I sure miss the Edwards signal!

[Catchawave]

12. I love that graphic !

:hi:

[OzarkDem]

10. Primary race should focus on issues

Thanks for the reminder, John & Elizabeth.

Contrary to popular opinion, there are many, many differences between Clinton and Obama on key policy issues.

[Doctor_J]

11. Yes, the man who would've made the best president (if not best candidate)

was run out by Big Media, not unexpectedly. He will be an asset to the US as AG for the next four years, hopefully prosecuting most of the Bush admin and cleaning out the filth that is the GOP

[whatchamacallit]

13. That's all well and fine

but they could do some real good for the party, and ultimately for the country, if they'd just endorse Obama. We need to put this primary to bed.

[waiting for hope]

14. Please -

But now two months have passed since Edwards dropped out—tempus fugit!—and still no endorsement. Why? According to a Democratic strategist unaligned with any campaign but with knowledge of the situation gleaned from all three camps, the answer is simple: Obama blew it. Speaking to Edwards on the day he exited the race, Obama came across as glib and aloof. His response to Edwards’s imprecations that he make poverty a central part of his agenda was shallow, perfunctory, pat. Clinton, by contrast, engaged Edwards in a lengthy policy discussion. Her affect was solicitous and respectful. When Clinton met Edwards face-to-face in North Carolina ten days later, her approach continued to impress; she even made headway with Elizabeth. Whereas in his Edwards sit-down, Obama dug himself in deeper, getting into a fight with Elizabeth about health care, insisting that his plan is universal (a position she considers a crock), high-handedly criticizing Clinton’s plan (and by extension Edwards’s) for its insurance mandate.

http://nymag.com/news/politics/powergrid/45604/

Tell Obama to run the "Hope and Change" campaign he has promised, for I haven't seen it yet.

[whatchamacallit]

15. So he didn't kiss the pope's ring and replace his own agenda with Edward's

I was an Edwards supporter, but if his reason for not endorsing is "they're not ME enough", then fuck him.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

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[benny05]

19. Well said nt

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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[Greylyn58]

23. I don't normally like to jump into arguments in DU

but I feel the need to stick up for a fellow Edwards Democrat.

Please explain to me why it is that a large percentage of Obama supporters have a habit of responding to direct questions about their candidate with obscenities and/or personal attacks? I realize that the last 8 years have made a lot of us crazy, but has it become impossible for us to speak rationally to each other just because we disagree?

If Obama is so worth supporting, you should be able to explain your position without resorting to these tactics. I think waiting for hope asked legitimate questions.

[MissDeeds]

26. Well said

Obama seems to bring out the worst in some of his supporters. Not a good way to sell your candidate.

[Two Americas]

25. good grief

What is it about "hope" and "unity" that makes people so negative, discouraging, and divisive?

[waiting for hope]

29. I wondering that myself -

How many positive, issue driven OP's have you seen about Obama? Zilch, and it proves the point that it doesn't matter to them.

[Catchawave]

30. Word.

:hug:

[Catchawave]

33. Hey TA...

:hi:

Thanks for stopping by, always great to see you :toast:

[Two Americas]

34. likewise, catch!

Dangerous around here these days. Say the wrong thing and they might carpet bomb you with "hope" and unity."

[Two Americas]

36. interesting reversal there

Didn't you mean to say that Edwards refused to kiss the ring, and refused to replace his agenda with that of either of the two other candidates, that he is now not "me" enough for you? Edwards didn't do what YOU wanted him to do, so "fuck" him?

This is amazing that those who are neutral are now seen as the enemy by the followers of a certain camp.

No doubt by merely saying what I am saying here, I will be put on the enemies list now. "For us or against us," no other position will be tolerated. I suppose that is one way to achieve "unity" - just toss those who won't knuckle under and submit. Somehow I think that is a very dangerous approach to carry into the general, but perhaps many people are planning to completely change their approach to advocacy once the enemies within the party have been routed or purged.

[Catchawave]

39. You'd think the Edwards peeps could have ONE FRACKIN' dairy here?

On the "God Dammit" GDP ? :rofl: Sorry, couldn't help it :blush:

[Two Americas]

40. Yeah!

I'll say! Here I am completely out of milk, and not one frackin' dairy to be seen!

:rofl:

Gotcha.

[whatchamacallit]

41. Say... Edwards was still in the race and Obama had dropped out

How would you feel if Obama refused to endorse Edwards unless he got certain assurances that Edwards would include his agenda? Be honest.


P.S. I don't have an "enemies list", everybody is my enemy ;)

[Catchawave]

43. Edwards would do just fine, Obama, not so much :( n/t

[whatchamacallit]

44. That doesn't answer the question

Hypothetically, what if Obama wouldn't endorse Edwards unless Edwards promised to enact Obama's health care plan? You'd be good with that? I just want to know how you'd feel if the shoe were on the other foot.

[Catchawave]

46. Gah...Edwards "wouldn't need" Obama's endorsement.

Would. Not. NEED. Obama's endorsement. And this is what troubles me about Obama being so needy about endorsements...he should be making it on his own. Derrrr.

[Two Americas]

47. who cares?

I don't remember all of this hoopla about endorsements in past elections. I am opposed to the whole idea.

Good grief it becomes more and more like religion every day and less like politics.

[ashlarah]

48. No one is entitled to an endorsement

Edwards would be mature enough to see it that way. For Edwards, this election is about the issues and making desperately needed changes. It is not about personality. Or being on the cool side. Or on the winning side. It is not a game.

If Edwards' position in the campaign was reversed with Obama's, I would welcome Obama's endorsement but would not be bent out of shape if it wasn't offered. I wouldn't really care. I would not want Edwards to change his positions on issues: his campaign was based on issues and he never asked surrogates to downplay issues to instead talk about how they "came" to him.

I'm relieved Edwards has not endorsed anyone. Neither remaining candidate deserves it. For me, health care is the number one issue and Obama's plan is nowhere near what is needed.

At this point, I will simply vote against McCain in November and it doesn't matter to me which name is on the Dem ticket to make that happen.

[Greylyn58]

45. Amen TA! Well said!

[OzarkDem]

16. kick

[Greylyn58]

18. Thanks for posting this Catchawave

I am continually glad that Edwards hasn't endorsed either Obama or Clinton. Neither of them is deserving of his support. The continued animosity, name calling, charges of racism, sexism, with no emphasis on the issues has made me sick to my stomach.

Either one of them could put an end to this unproductive discourse and start speaking on the issues facing this nation. Prove to us and the nation they are deserving of our support...show us how Presidential they truly are. Instead, they continue to fist-fight like children on a playground while John McCain stands back and waits as they bloody each other.

I miss John and Elizabeth. I miss hearing about the issues.

[Beaverhausen]

24. Focusing on issues. How quaint

GO JOHN AND ELIZABETH!!!

[Catchawave]

31. Hi Beav !

It IS great to see the Edwards in Action again :hi:

[Two Americas]

37. Hey Beaverhausen

Love your sig line. ;)

:hug:

[Beaverhausen]

38. Why, thank you

:hug:

I never get a response though. Maybe I'm on the famous ignore list?

[Two Americas]

42. I am having the same problem

I think people are so wrapped up in...well whatever it is they are wrapped up in... that they don't know how to respond to anything that doesn't fit the script.

The worst thing about this all out smear campaign against Clinton - one of my least favorite politicians ever - is that I can't criticize her without contributing to that. And you can not criticize the other one. Hell you can't even talk about Edwards. He is defying the hope brigade by being a neutral and loyal Democrat and saying good things about both candidates and their supporters. We can't have that! This is all out war! Pick sides or else!

[MissDeeds]

27. Thanks for bringing this over, Catchawave

John and Elizabeth Edwards are terrific people who actually do something to make this country better. Their dedication and commitment is inspiring. They would have made an awesome first couple.

K&R

[Catchawave]

28. Another good diary to add....

by Daily Kos's nyceve

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/31/123455/535/521/487649

"Elizabeth Edwards lacerates cancer survivor John McHypocrite"

Many were disappointed the subject wasn't literal :rofl:

:kick:

[walldude]

32. So I take it that post telling me I was a moron and that Edwards

was going to embarrass me on Leno by throwing his support behind Hillary was a bit "premature". Or is it that it was a total crock of shit? Can't quite put my finger on it :rofl:

[Catchawave]

35. LOL....

I know I wasn't the one who said that....if I'm following you correctly, most Edwards supporters were glad JRe didn't endorse on Leno. Whew, huh?