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Gandalf Grey
Guest
The Last Stand of John Edwards
By Brent Budowsky
Created Jan 11 2008 - 8:36am
Before suggesting how John Edwards might revive his candidacy, let me
emphasize the most important predictions I am making here: that the
nomination of neither party will be decided on Super Tuesday; that Edwards
has a chance to break out in upcoming debates; and that the mainstream
punditry, from the insider class to the contrary, is, in my view, flat-out
wrong, as usual.
I consider myself not a pundit, but a counter-pundit or anti-pundit and
write for the record here that I am appalled by what passes for political
commentary today and hope to give some voice to an alternative point of
view.
My insider credentials are as strong as any, but my natural habitat involves
the large-audience progressive radio shows such as Randi Rhodes on Air
America, and the large-audience Internet, because I neither am, nor ever
will be, the kind of inside baseball team player who inhabits the cable
news.
I predict that virtually everyone you hear on cable and network television
is wrong and neither party's nomination will be decided on Super Tuesday. I
predict that the most likely time the Democratic nomination will be decided
will be on the day that Ohio and Texas vote, with the real possibility the
Republican fight continues beyond that day.
Remember where you heard it, folks: When the insiders tell you "the campaign
is over," hold on to your wallet with both hands, because when they all
agree, as they almost always do, they are almost always wrong. We will see
who is right, but I do not believe that the nomination of either party will
be decided on Super Tuesday unless some non-campaign mega-disaster befalls
one of the leading Democrats, which is highly unlikely.
Now we are probably in the closing act of the last stand of John Edwards,
who now has three options. If he withdraws and supports Barack Obama, he
might become the kingmaker, if not the king. Second, if he continues on the
current course, he probably runs out of money and flames out without any
chance.
Edwards has a third option, and I predict this, which you have not yet heard
on the cable talkies, but soon will: If Edwards slightly retools his message
back towards his "two Americas" of 2004, he has a chance to win the upcoming
debate so decisively that he will be able to take his case to an Alamo-like
stand in Texas and Ohio.
You heard it here first: John Edwards has a chance to thoroughly win the
upcoming debates with a smaller number of candidates and a greater chance to
get out his message, but he must retool the message. Angry populism alone
does not win presidential campaigns, and he had every chance in Iowa, where
he virtually lived for six years, and it did not happen.
Edwards should return to his 2004 roots, combining a progressive populism
with an optimism about what America can be if he is elected. He should talk
about two Americas among voters, but also the greater America that is
possible with Edwards as president and a Democratic House and Senate.
As the economy moves to center stage and the injustice and bad economics of
the Bush viewpoint come to the center of our national debate, Edwards should
reach beyond mere anger and offer policies of hope and reach out to Middle
American families and working-class voters with hard but uplifting visions
that he would champion during the coming debates.
Edwards should champion a freeze of the Grapes of Wrath-style foreclosures
that are driving America towards recession, and champion substantial cuts in
interest rates to help the average American.
Edwards should oppose the Bush vision of permanently extending tax cuts that
are the gold standard for injustice, and champion tax cuts for the middle
class and refundable tax cuts or other assistance for the poor that will
stimulate the national economy and help the two Americas become one America
for a rising tide that would lift all boats.
Edwards should oppose corporate giveaways while supporting business
incentives for safe renewable alternative energy and visibly champion those
business sectors that would help the new America.
Edwards should call for national usury laws that would ban outright credit
card interest rates that rise above 30 percent for good customers, with good
credit card histories, who miss only one or two payments.
Edwards should escalate his noble support for homeless veterans and make a
direct appeal to military families as well as Middle America, because on
issues like healthcare, they are all part of the one America we seek, and
all shortchanged, in the same way, for the same reasons, by the same forces,
in the two Americas we have.
Edwards can win the upcoming debates, and win them big, but to do so, must
reconnect with the broader Middle America - which he has not done in 2008.
In 2004 he argued populism with optimism; in 2008 he argues populism with
anger. He was right the first time, and just as John McCain adjusted back
towards his message of 2000, Edwards should adjust back towards his message
of 2004.
The big truth that we are not hearing from the insider political classes is
this: With far fewer candidates in the coming debates, Edwards has a far
greater chance to get his message out, win those debates and revive what
would be a long-shot candidacy based on high principles and high hopes.
Edwards needs to give his own vision, his own "I Have A Dream" message that
not only dramatizes the injustice and wrongs, but uplifts voters with a
portrait of the good that is possible with a Democratic president named John
Edwards and a Democratic Congress to pass his program and lift America,
while he changes America.
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
By Brent Budowsky
Created Jan 11 2008 - 8:36am
Before suggesting how John Edwards might revive his candidacy, let me
emphasize the most important predictions I am making here: that the
nomination of neither party will be decided on Super Tuesday; that Edwards
has a chance to break out in upcoming debates; and that the mainstream
punditry, from the insider class to the contrary, is, in my view, flat-out
wrong, as usual.
I consider myself not a pundit, but a counter-pundit or anti-pundit and
write for the record here that I am appalled by what passes for political
commentary today and hope to give some voice to an alternative point of
view.
My insider credentials are as strong as any, but my natural habitat involves
the large-audience progressive radio shows such as Randi Rhodes on Air
America, and the large-audience Internet, because I neither am, nor ever
will be, the kind of inside baseball team player who inhabits the cable
news.
I predict that virtually everyone you hear on cable and network television
is wrong and neither party's nomination will be decided on Super Tuesday. I
predict that the most likely time the Democratic nomination will be decided
will be on the day that Ohio and Texas vote, with the real possibility the
Republican fight continues beyond that day.
Remember where you heard it, folks: When the insiders tell you "the campaign
is over," hold on to your wallet with both hands, because when they all
agree, as they almost always do, they are almost always wrong. We will see
who is right, but I do not believe that the nomination of either party will
be decided on Super Tuesday unless some non-campaign mega-disaster befalls
one of the leading Democrats, which is highly unlikely.
Now we are probably in the closing act of the last stand of John Edwards,
who now has three options. If he withdraws and supports Barack Obama, he
might become the kingmaker, if not the king. Second, if he continues on the
current course, he probably runs out of money and flames out without any
chance.
Edwards has a third option, and I predict this, which you have not yet heard
on the cable talkies, but soon will: If Edwards slightly retools his message
back towards his "two Americas" of 2004, he has a chance to win the upcoming
debate so decisively that he will be able to take his case to an Alamo-like
stand in Texas and Ohio.
You heard it here first: John Edwards has a chance to thoroughly win the
upcoming debates with a smaller number of candidates and a greater chance to
get out his message, but he must retool the message. Angry populism alone
does not win presidential campaigns, and he had every chance in Iowa, where
he virtually lived for six years, and it did not happen.
Edwards should return to his 2004 roots, combining a progressive populism
with an optimism about what America can be if he is elected. He should talk
about two Americas among voters, but also the greater America that is
possible with Edwards as president and a Democratic House and Senate.
As the economy moves to center stage and the injustice and bad economics of
the Bush viewpoint come to the center of our national debate, Edwards should
reach beyond mere anger and offer policies of hope and reach out to Middle
American families and working-class voters with hard but uplifting visions
that he would champion during the coming debates.
Edwards should champion a freeze of the Grapes of Wrath-style foreclosures
that are driving America towards recession, and champion substantial cuts in
interest rates to help the average American.
Edwards should oppose the Bush vision of permanently extending tax cuts that
are the gold standard for injustice, and champion tax cuts for the middle
class and refundable tax cuts or other assistance for the poor that will
stimulate the national economy and help the two Americas become one America
for a rising tide that would lift all boats.
Edwards should oppose corporate giveaways while supporting business
incentives for safe renewable alternative energy and visibly champion those
business sectors that would help the new America.
Edwards should call for national usury laws that would ban outright credit
card interest rates that rise above 30 percent for good customers, with good
credit card histories, who miss only one or two payments.
Edwards should escalate his noble support for homeless veterans and make a
direct appeal to military families as well as Middle America, because on
issues like healthcare, they are all part of the one America we seek, and
all shortchanged, in the same way, for the same reasons, by the same forces,
in the two Americas we have.
Edwards can win the upcoming debates, and win them big, but to do so, must
reconnect with the broader Middle America - which he has not done in 2008.
In 2004 he argued populism with optimism; in 2008 he argues populism with
anger. He was right the first time, and just as John McCain adjusted back
towards his message of 2000, Edwards should adjust back towards his message
of 2004.
The big truth that we are not hearing from the insider political classes is
this: With far fewer candidates in the coming debates, Edwards has a far
greater chance to get his message out, win those debates and revive what
would be a long-shot candidacy based on high principles and high hopes.
Edwards needs to give his own vision, his own "I Have A Dream" message that
not only dramatizes the injustice and wrongs, but uplifts voters with a
portrait of the good that is possible with a Democratic president named John
Edwards and a Democratic Congress to pass his program and lift America,
while he changes America.
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson