I’ve noticed a lot of grumblings around “the Internets” lately, about all these “partisan” Candidate Diaries — hogging the limited real estate of the Recommended List.
Out of respect to that Audience, those who have had their fill of Candidate News,
Here’s the Executive Summary:
“Stuff happened in the Edwards Campaign.”
And for the Edwards supporters, out there in audience, those who may be expecting a “little more detail” about your Candidate, continue reading please … well because “Something IS happening in the Edwards Campaign …”
The Campaigns are in that final stretch. It’s crunch time. It’s time for those Closing Arguments … to the American People.
It’s time for the People to finally have “their say” in who will run their Government for at least the next four years.
Exciting times, indeed.
Before diving into the latest and greatest stuff from the wires, I’d like to borrow a page from Andy Rooney, of CBS’ 60 Minutes:
“Have you ever wondered WHY … ?”
Have you ever wondered WHY … Politicians don’t take an interest in things that matter to regular people?
Have you ever wondered WHY … Politicians don’t get outside of the the DC Beltway, and talk to Average Americans?
Have you ever wondered WHY … Politicians don’t ever speak out against the corrupt system, of money and influence?
Well if you’re wondering all those things — chances are you haven’t yet had a chance to hear from John Edwards!
Edwards IS Speaking the Truth to Power!
Edwards IS Fighting for regular People!
Too bad our “traditional media”, is asleep at the switch again!
(as per usual)
Since the “traditional media” loves to obsess about Polls, (and they can’t even get that right, most of the time) here are some Polls, the Media in their infinite wisdom may not yet have broadcast:
Edwards reaches new heights in Iowa
By: David Paul Kuhn
Dec 28, 2007
DES MOINES – John Edwards appears to have risen to a new highpoint in Iowa, marking an upward trend over the past two weeks that places him in a statistical tie with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
A new Strategic Vision poll released Friday finds that Edwards has the support of 28 percent of likely Democratic cacucusgoers, his best standing in Iowa over the past six months. Edwards now trails Clinton by only one point and Obama by two points, well within the poll’s margin of error of 4.5 percent.
Today’s survey confirms a string of polls in the past two weeks – another by Strategic Vision as well as recent polls by CNN and InsiderAdvantage. All demonstrate a steady ascension by Edwards, while Clinton and Obama appear to have stabilized.
…
A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg News poll published Friday, but largely conducted prior to Christmas, finds that Edwards leads Clinton and Obama as the second choice of Iowa Democrats. …
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7588.html
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And what about those 2nd Choices of Iowa voters?
WSJ
First in Line: An Iowa Caucus Primer
By SARAH NASSAUER and NICK TIMIRAOS
Dec 29, 2007
…
For Democrats, a voter’s second choice can also play an important role because of the 15% rule. A poll taken this past week shows John Edwards is the second choice of 23% of Iowa Democrats, followed by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, with 18% saying he is their second choice, and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, with 16%.But 23% of likely Democratic voters say they have no second choice, according to a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg survey.
…
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119890104865157383.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
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And Edwards is on the rise in New Hampshire too, moving from single digits in the polls, to the 20% range in recent polls. Having Momentum is New Hampshire is a good thing for any Candidate, right before the Primary:
The Boston Globe – AP
December 27, 2007
NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL
Obama, 32 percent
Clinton, 30 percent
Edwards, 18 percentThe Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg News telephone poll was conducted Dec. 20-23 and Dec. 26 with 2,145 registered voters in Iowa and 1,279 in New Hampshire.
The margin of sampling error among Democratic primary and caucus voters in both states was plus or minus 4 percentage points;
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/27/polls_obama_clinton_close_in_iowa_nh/
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Here is more of the nitty gritty from that Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg News telephone poll:
Dec 27, 2007
Los Angeles Times / Bloomberg Survey (pdf)
Press Release – Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary
Field dates: December 20-23 & December 26, 2007
(No interviews December 24/25)—— New Hampshire —-
DEMVTR LKLYVTR
Obama 32 32
Clinton 30 30
Edwards 18 20
Don’t Know 11 12
Richardson 5 4
Kucinich 2 1
Biden 2 1
Dodd – –DEMVTR Iowa/New Hampshire Democratic Caucus/Primary Voters
LKLYVTR Iowa/New Hampshire Dem/Rep Likely Voters (Passed “Likely Voter” screen)
Seems like there’s some fluidity to this NH race. A win in Iowa for Edwards will no doubt, help those Undecideds, make a decision.
Thanks Goodness for the Internet, where “Citizen Reporting” can pick up for “the slack” so common in much of the “traditional media”. Here’s what a few “Objective Journalists”, who still care about Reporting, have said about John Edwards chances:
Washington Post
The Fix — Chris Cillizza
The Friday Line: Unforeseen Events Intrude
John Edwards: The former North Carolina Senator has proven many of his persistent doubters wrong by keeping Iowa a three-way race right until the end. The question is whether he can do more than just remain relevant. Edwards’ message — we need to grab power away from entrenched interests — is not only the sharpest of any of the Big 3, it’s also the most easy for voters to digest. The potential problem for Edwards is whether voters see him more as a community activist and less as a president.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/12/the_friday_line_unforeseen_eve_1.html?hpid=topnews
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I had to go overseas to find another “Objective Journalist”
Sunday Herald – Scotland’s award-winning independent newspaper
Dec 29, 2007
Caucuses & Effect
Diplomatic editor Trevor Royle takes the American pulse as the race for the White House gets under way in Iowa
John Edwards Making his second tilt for high political office, the former North Carolina senator will pick up working-class votes and could receive support from those who are undecided about Clinton and Obama. He has been an effective critic of the Bush administration, particularly of its foreign policy, and is widely admired for his political integrity. His populist rhetoric has gone down well in Iowa, where he has worked hard at getting his message across to the undecided.
http://www.sundayherald.com/international/shinternational/display.var.1932871.0.0.php
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Assuming “net neutrality” remains a pillar of grassroots American Democracy, in the next Administration (no guarantee there), then the People will always have a Voice no matter how scattered. John Edwards takes our grassroots Democratic process, very seriously:
One Democracy Initiative: Returning Washington To Regular People
…
Edwards will strengthen rules against highly concentrated media ownership and define robust public interest obligations for digital broadcasters, a task 12 years overdue. He will promote citizens’ full democratic participation online by achieving universal broadband access by 2010 and protecting the net neutrality rules that prohibit the selective degradation or blocking of access to certain web sites or services.
http://johnedwards.com/iowa/issues/govt-reform/index.html
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How much more of a Voice will the People have if we have the “finite wisdom” to send John Edwards to the White House. This sentiment is expressed by one such Person, who literally just got his Voice, NO THANKS to a Health Care System, that couldn’t have Cared less!
John Edwards – On the Road with James Lowe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52iZ6dlTxPU
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Finally there was a Major Announcement from the Edwards Campaign today, which kind make you wonder, “Hey Maybe he’s serious about all this Lobbyist stuff?”
Dec 29, 2007
Edwards: I Will Ban Corporate Lobbyists And Foreign Government Lobbyists From My White House
Today, Senator John Edwards said that he will ban anyone who has worked as a corporate lobbyist or has lobbied for a foreign government from working in an Edwards Administration. Edwards is proud to be the only presidential candidate who has never taken a dime from any Political Action Committee or Washington lobbyist, because he’s determined to be a voice for regular families like the ones he grew up with.
…“I am proud of the fact that I have never taken money from a Washington lobbyist or a special interest PAC my whole time in public life,” Edwards continued. “I don’t think you can bring about change by taking their money or sitting down at a table and trying to make a deal with them. I think if that worked, we would have universal health care, we would be attacking global warming, we’d have a trade policy that makes sense, and we’d have a tax policy that makes sense. I don’t think these people will give up anything without a fight – they’ve been there too long and they have billions of dollars at stake.”
Edwards called for prohibiting all candidates and federal office holders from accepting contributions from lobbyists and prohibiting federal lobbyists from acting as bundlers for federal candidates.
As president, he will limit the ability of lobbyists to secure lucrative earmarks by enacting a Constitutional version of the line-item veto, where the president can require an up or down vote on special-interest spending.
He also proposed curbing lobbyists’ influence by increasing disclosure requirements for lobbyist activity
…Edwards “One Democracy Initiative” also called for closing the revolving door between Capitol Hill and K Street by reinstating the five-year ban on lobbying by former top government officials.
Over the past few administrations, influencing our government has grown into a big business that employs a mass of lobbyists and lawyers. Lobbying expenditures totaled $5.1 billion during the last Congress.
The number of Washington lobbyists has tripled in the past 10 years to almost 36,000–more than 60 for every member of Congress.
Edwards believes it’s time to end this permanent government and go back to a Jeffersonian model of public service. He believes there are plenty of skilled, honest and talented people from across our nation who will come to Washington to serve their country for four or eight years.
http://johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/20071229-lobbyist-ban/
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I think Edwards is right — “there are plenty of skilled, honest and talented people from across our nation” who would be happy to “serve their country”. (I would.)
What is this he is proposing? A Government OF, BY, and FOR the People?
Finally!
So you see a lot DID Happen in the Edwards Campaign Today, EVEN if some in the grassroots community, has grown tired of “partisan politics”. Sometimes a Real Leader does emerge from this Chaos, we call Democracy.
If you ever find yourself self wondering, like Andy Rooney:
WHY … Politicians don’t take an interest in things that matter to regular people?
WHY … Politicians don’t get outside of the the DC Beltway, and talk to Average Americans?
WHY … Politicians don’t ever speak out against the corrupt system, of money and influence?
WHY … Politicians don’t ever stop trading favors for contributions?
WHY … Politicians don’t ever just tell the Truth?
WELL I would suggest that if find yourself asking these cynical questions of your elected leaders, that you need to take a serious listen to John Edwards. Because He IS speak to each of these Issues.
FINALLY, an Honest Politician — with some Backbone!
In my Opinion, John Edwards is the Voice of Progressives, with enough Fight and enough know-how to actually accomplish the Changes, he is calling for!
I honestly can’t say that about the other Candidates.
SO concerned Citizens, and Undecideds, Don’t let this Opportunity past you by! … Because if you choose to pass Edwards up, you may never see another Politician like him, in your lifetime.
These ARE Exciting times, indeed. … (History is in the making!)
Learn More, be a part of it: