I'm going To Switch My Support To John Edwards

Ramafuchs wrote:

However the election turns, our delusional democracy with delusional prosperity will continue. Millions of misspent dollars will be devoted to the 2008 presidential election by both parties. Our political system will continue to deliver money to the mainstream media and an army of consultants and pundits, while we the people - at best - are entertained by bipartisan chicanery - and become poorer.

Our democracy has been down so long, it looks like normal.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/opedne_joel_s___061031_the_election_to_nowh.htm

Why the numerous references to "our" democracy, or "our" political system?? It isn't yours at all. You have described your self as a marxist, atheist, citizen of India and resident of Germany. Surely there is enough in either of those countries to engage your neurotic fantisies.

"Campaigns for primaries are a part of the preliminaries," he says. "And you've got to get toughened up in the preliminaries in order to do well in the finals. So it seems to me that if we know this kind of thing's out there, you would do well to experience this during the preliminaries so that you will know how to adjust to it or react to it when you get into the finals. And so I would say, as unfair as some of this may be, get used to it. Because if you're around for the general election, you're going to have to come face to face with it."

So in a way, the Clintons and their surrogates are doing Obama a favor?

"Could well be," Clyburn says. "Whoever's doing this could very well be doing this guy a great favor. Because if he survives it, he'll be a much better candidate. If he doesn't survive it, he wouldn't survive it."

;-)


I dunno, I find this whole thing extremely depressing.

This what Obama is counting on.

What did Obama do in the debate that was so awful?

Nothing except foiling his own strategy. He went on the offense.

Then he chilled out and said things like he'd have to check out Bill Clinton's dancing ability to decide whether he's a brother.

This one got lost in the shuffle, and luckily he stopped at "dancing," although it would have been hysterical if had said Bill's member would have to be measured, and Hillary still chimed in "That can be arranged!"

The guy's been on the receiving end of a barrage of half-truths and worse for quite a while now, coming from both Hillary and Bill Clinton. Ignoring that barrage isn't a viable option.

You're right. It wasn't an option, but his campaign would have been much better off if he had found a way to confront the Clinton's tactics in general and at the outset of the debate, and then repeatedly refused, verbally, to sink to trading insults.

Does anyone doubt that if Edwards starts to pose a real threat to Hillary that he wouldn't be put in the exact same position, except that he probably provides more ammo? That he wouldn't have to make a similar choice between ignoring and fighting back, and then being called a mud-slinger right along with Hillary, even if it's just in reaction to her?

Of course not. Whomever is a threat to the Clintons' ambitions will get the same treatment --- whatever it takes.

Hillary wasn't doing this stuff when Obama was way behind her in the polls. It only started when he won Iowa and proved that he might actually be able to get the nomination.

Absolutely, and it will continue until she leaves him in the dust

All of that said, I tend to agree with James Clyburn here:

So in a way, the Clintons and their surrogates are doing Obama a favor?

For other candidates perhaps, but not for the one that needs to stay above the fray no matter who he is running against.

I'm just going to be depressed as hell if this is the way Hillary gets the nomination.

Better stock up on prozac

I like a lot about her

Like what?

and I like that a woman is running who has a real shot,

Enough so that you will vote for her even though she depresses you with her tactics?

But if she wins dirty, because of things like purposely misrepresenting her opponents' positions and record -- well, I can't see myself voting Republican and I can't see myself not voting at all so I'll just have to rail against a stupid electoral system that rewards this kind of behavior.

Seems like a cop out. If she wins dirty by lying, it will not be the fault of the electoral system.

And I'm very worried that things will end up going that way.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

January 20, 2008

Dear Senator Edwards:

It was good meeting with you yesterday and discussing my father's legacy. On the day when the nation will honor my father, I wanted to follow up with a personal note.

There has been, and will continue to be, a lot of back and forth in the political arena over my father's legacy. It is a commentary on the breadth and depth of his impact that so many people want to claim his legacy. I am concerned that we do not blur the lines and obscure the truth about what he stood for: speaking up for justice for those who have no voice.

I appreciate that on the major issues of health care, the environment, and the economy, you have framed the issues for what they are - a struggle for justice. And, you have almost single-handedly made poverty an issue in this election.

You know as well as anyone that the 37 million people living in poverty have no voice in our system. They don't have lobbyists in Washington and they don't get to go to lunch with members of Congress. Speaking up for them is not politically convenient. But, it is the right thing to do.

I am disturbed by how little attention the topic of economic justice has received during this campaign. I want to challenge all candidates to follow your lead, and speak up loudly and forcefully on the issue of economic justice in America.

From our conversation yesterday, I know this is personal for you. I know you know what it means to come from nothing. I know you know what it means to get the opportunities you need to build a better life. And, I know you know that injustice is alive and well in America, because millions of people will never get the same opportunities you had.

I believe that now, more than ever, we need a leader who wakes up every morning with the knowledge of that injustice in the forefront of their minds, and who knows that when we commit ourselves to a cause as a nation, we can make major strides in our own lifetimes. My father was not driven by an illusory vision of a perfect society. He was driven by the certain knowledge that when people of good faith and strong principles commit to making things better, we can change hearts, we can change minds, and we can change lives.

So, I urge you: keep going. Ignore the pundits, who think this is a horserace, not a fight for justice. My dad was a fighter. As a friend and a believer in my father's words that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, I say to you: keep going. Keep fighting. My father would be proud.

Sincerely,
Martin L. King, III

Interesting letter nimh. I don't know much about MLK3, but base on this I now like him and I agree with him.


Does anyone think Obama or Clinton will pick Edwards as a running mate? They both need to appeal more to southern white males and that's exactly what Edwards is. Does anyone think Edwards would accept the #2 slot again?