Can someone explain to me concretely and without rancor the love for John Edwards?

[msallied]

I'm curious, I really am. I mean, he seems like a personable guy with a beautiful family, a great story, and handsome good looks. He doesn't appear to be very corrupt or as beholden to special interests as some. But he doesn't seem very... I dunno... liberal. I mean, it's not like he's a hot Dennis Kucinich, at least when you look at his voting record. And he was a very rich and successful lawyer. I guess that puts me on my guard a little. I am wary of lawyers.

I just have to ask, because I see a lot of people here feeling the Edwards love to the extreme, and I guess you could say I'm a little more tepid about him. Especially now that some are saying that Obama/Edwards would be a dream ticket.

Edited after I was informed he was not a corporate lawyer in the strict definition but he did do corporate work in his early legal career. I am, however, wary of incredibly wealthy lawyers, no matter who they represent. Not that I think they are all corrupt, but they have built a life, just like a lot of politicians, of saying exactly what people want to hear, and it does put me on my guard.

[izquierdista]

1. Not corporate lawyer

Plaintiff's lawyer. One who goes out and takes cases on contingency and wins big awards for people who the corporations would like to forget.

[msallied]

8. He defended a bank and corporation in his early legal career.

But yes, he did eventually become a plaintiff's lawyer.

[Orsino]

13. Good enough for me.

It makes him sort of a liberal. Almost as close as we get, in this age.

[greguganus]

2. Mr. Hedge Fund could pay off Hillary's debts if he was VP. n/t

[rhett o rick]

3. To me the biggest problem our freedom faces is corporatism. Mussolini called it fascism.

Edwards isn't my favorite but he at least seem to recognize this problem. Obama maybe and Clinton not at all. Dennis K of course would be my first choice.

Down with corporatist lobbyist.

[InvisibleTouch]

4. Regarding the "successful corporate lawyer" part...

...please look at who he was representing, and who he was going after. He was representing victims against mega-million-dollar soulless corporations, to gain some compensation for the suffering their products had caused. Being a successful lawyer doesn't necessarily = "evil." :)

[BeatleBoot]

5. Liberal without the "Star Trek Appeal"

Of those you mentioned.

And he was never a corporate lawyer.

[msallied]

11. I would need to read the specifics on all of his legal cases, granted.

But I am generally wary of rich lawyers.

[LibraLiz1973]

6. Read "Four Trials"

Listen to him speak.
Review his stance on poverty.


I adore John Edwards.

[Shakespeare]

14. He's also VERY pro-union, and not by words only.

He's worked his ass off for labor the last four years, much of it behind-the-scenes work.

Edwards is a good man.

[TeamsterDem]

34. He's a professional role model of mine for that reason

The way he does what he does - and the reasons why he does what he does for union members - makes him a professional role model for me. I could only hope to aspire to one one-millionth of the work he's done, but if I surpass even that small goal I'll consider my work a success.

Thank you John Edwards, a true hero for the working stiff in America. I only wish there were more people like him.

[XemaSab]

7. I have never understood it

I think he's more than willing to say what he thinks people want to hear. :shrug:

[goodhue]

9. Populist Anti-Corporatist

At least he had the courage to brand himself as such

[Clark2008]

But he's not.

Did you ever look at his voting record?

[goodhue]

30. Oh well, I agree his Senate record was way too pro-corporate power

Almost as much as Obama has been.
But the race he ran for president was much further to the left, which is why I supported him for a time

[OhioBlue]

10. His populist message and his family's courage

Are two of the main things that attract me to John Edwards.

I also think he is very smart, likable and has that charming/charisma characteristic. Those are good qualities for a candidate.

So, when I combine the personal qualities with the populist message, he seems a very good choice for a candidate.

I was never officially an Edwards supporter tho - I was pretty much neutral until just before the Ohio Primaries when I volunteered for the Obama campaign. I was leaning Obama after Iowa.

[etherealtruth]

12. Edwards speaks to the issues that I hold dear

Most notably poverty. As many have pointed out he was not a corporate lawyer.

[msallied]

15. I edited my OP. As such, he speaks to these issues certainly.

But did he not vote for the bankruptcy bill?

[msallied]

19. And he was a consultant for a hedge fund group.

[crankychatter]

16. as a heterosexual male... I have to say.... I've never felt this way about man before

I get a chill up my leg when he speaks

"I saw a werewolf, sipping a pina colada at Trader Vic's....
hisssss hair was PURRFECT..."

[Malikshah]

17. He put the corporations on notice. Wish we'd take a page from the Netherlands

and do the same.

Limit CEO pay.

Fine and jail.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Because he's a little cutie-pie.

:rofl: Seriously, I like him because he speaks well and with passion, and he speaks more forcefully on behalf of the "little people" in the country than any of the other candidates.

Plus he IS easy on the eyes, and he has a great wife.

[msallied]

21. Yes, he speaks passionately. See, this is the problem some people had with Obama.

He speaks well and looks nice, but he voted for the bankruptcy bill and the Patriot Act. This bothers me.

[tnlefty]

20. I supported Dean in '04. Kucinich was my #1 choice this go around,

I listened to all of the candidates, and Edwards was who I voted for in my primary. I didn't support him in '04 because he hadn't come to grips with his support of, nor writing the legislation for the IWR. I can forgive a mistake when someone honestly admits it and then proceeds to try to make amends for that mistake. And as someone mentioned above, he understands that corporatism is choking the people of this nation.

I'll always support Dennis in what he does, because he seems to get it correct from the beginning.

AG uncovering the corruption of the Bush** misAdministraton might be a good fit, but not necessarily VP. I know that there are many here who detest Edwards so I don't think that I'll revisit this thread.

[msallied]

22. See, I don't detest him at all. I guess I'm just trying to understand his great appeal.

For me, he falls into the category of regular politician, only more handsome than most. lol

[tnlefty]

37. How many politicians admit a royal fuck up and then go about

trying to help those who are feeling the end result of that fuck up? Many here think that he and Elizabeth are phoneys, however she is now consulting with the Center for American Progress relating to health care, and he admitted a royal f'up, and then tried to make amends. I can respect that even though others will rip them apart for that.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. I think AG would be great, too.

I could be wrong, but I agree that he would not let Bush, Inc. off the hook. That is my greatest fear with Obama and all his happy talk about forming coalitions with Republicans and so on. I do not want to get "Jerry Forded" for a second time in my life.

[JVS]

23. Because he behaves, shows class, and gets along with others.

[LWolf]

24. Well, I don't love him,

but I like him, despite disagreeing with him on many points.

One of the reasons is that he doesn't have a problem coming out and saying "I was wrong" about certain bad marks on his record. That's refreshing, and makes it easier to get past disagreement than when a politician defends and obviously wrong position, or flip flops as a strategic move, rather than from personal conviction.

Another reason is that, in spite of the fact I wasn't sure how much of his shift to the left since 2004 was sincere, he at least demonstrated a shift to the left, and to the people, which is more than can be said for the "front runners."

That shift is what offers, real, concrete hope. It's not charismatic, inspiring speeches. It's the chance that he would actually work to swing the country back to the left of center.

[msallied]

27. I sort of agree with some of this... my problem is...

he's made a few too many strategic mistakes to make me believe that they were just mistakes. IWR is forgivable if he acknowledges it, but the Patriot Act and the bankruptcy bill do make me question whether his shift to the left was genuine or playing politics.

[LWolf]

32. I questioned it, too.

At least there was a question, though. There's no question about where others stand, and therefore little hope for the change I'd like to see.

[tritsofme]

26. He is my least favorite politician in the Democratic Party.

I walked into this primary knowing I would be more than satisfied with either Obama or Clinton.

The defeat of Edwards was the high water mark for me.

My real hope is that he never has a place in government ever again, he can go back to his hedge fund and learn about poverty for all I care.

[msallied]

28. What is it about him that you dislike? I guess I'm trying to get both sides here. lol

[tritsofme]

29. I just can't view him as anything else but a shameless phony.

His comment about joining and making millions of dollars at a hedge fund to "learn about poverty" just really describes how I view his whole persona. There's nothing wrong with making money, and he should have just said he was providing for his family.

He just comes off as a swarthy opportunist to me, and I can't stand him.

[dionysus]

31. i agree with some points you made... i think he's an okay guy. AG Edwards would sound pretty good!

[Divine Discontent]

33. He blew them AWAY in the debates after Biden left - he was the only on point

constantly - and, I have personally met him - he is an amazing presence. Also, Americans, in general, DON'T CARE about the poor and destitute. He focused most of his energy on their plight - despite his being a millionaire.

Just my opinion, thanks for asking about our admiration of him.

[Yael]

35. I believe him and I believe IN him. I believe his cause and his message

That is so rare these days.

I thought Senator Obama didn't have the policies, but what he does have is the means and the coattails.

[WA98070]

36. He's slapped down corporations. His votes were political-which bothers me. Kucinich was the only...

true Dem in the race and Edwards kept stealing his lines.

[saltpoint]

38. Edwards began humbly and reached high, never losing his heart in the

big picture.

He and Elizabeth accepted roles as informed and inspiring citizens, something more of us could do to strenghten our selves, our societies, and our country. That concept, on a larger canvas, became Edwards' campaign for the White House.

While it fell numerically short it rose above expectations and lifted questions about class and labor back into public discourse.

I think his humility combined with the high-reaching creates the spark that inspires Edwards' supporters, among whom I count myself.