For the last six years, you've invested. Watching TV, writing, activating, you had long, invested anger with Bush policy. When you were mad, you might rant against the corrupt system, you were John Edwards. When you were reminded of the more competent 1990's, you were Hillary Clinton. Someone fresh suddenly grabbed your hopes for change, and you were Barack Obama. Obama is intoxicating. Hillary is our hard work and perhaps our trade-offs. Edwards is our inner Bobby Kennedy.
Crowds worry me, especially quick ones.
The Air Obama Campaign will now be forced to mature. He needs detail and gravity. This is the best result for Obama, Clinton, Edwards, and the Democratic Party. This discussion had to continue. I think New Hampshire instinctively understood that this narrative wasn't done. We can't call our spar on a TKO in the second round. This is good for the party and all candidates. The worst thing for Obama in the general was an easy, airy victory tonight. Already, his speech tonight sounded a lot more like Edwards. Suddenly, he's limiting 'insurance and pharma' by not giving them more than one chair 'at the table'. I heard 'middle class' too. They're all learning quickly from the potency of John Edwards' message to the dollar spent. They are co-opting Edwards and the further this campaign goes on, the more chance Edwards has to split the difference or his message gets carried to the general.
Edwards has the best message, which makes his the most in touch, informed, and courageous of the three candiates. Edwards is also the best tutor to the other candidates.
Let’s face it: After watching the news for 6 years, any REAL Democrat has a secret desire that an Edwards (or someone just as driven and direct as Edwards) comes in straight, hard, and direct with words like 'corruption', and flips the tables and the Establishment with it. Dreams of busting industry collusion, oil, big pharma, and restoring the imprisoned free-market, no bid contracts, Bush corruption, and balance the power. You can’t be a real Democrat, in my opinion, and not harbor this desire of a hard flip. You want flipped tables, broken glass, ruffled ties, jail sentences, and a refreshing political revolution a la Thomas Jefferson. If you don’t, you’re not alive, not aware, and not a true Democrat in my humble opinion.
Yes, you think your particular candidate can do all this or perhaps you don't think we need all of that.
Edwards will get my vote thru the convention.
What truly depresses me and many Edwards supporters is we know something I fear others don’t because of lack of confidence: John Edwards or any serious populist WILL beat the Republican in 2008. There is no need to triangulate in 2008. I would never have said this in 2004, 2000 or 1992. Things were not this bad, entrechned or this exposed. (The alternative news wasn’t this good either). Therefore, I’m not a knee jerk populist or a stupid one either. I’ve studied politics for a long time. These opportunities come once every 20 years or so, if that. That opportunity is here today. So, I’ll let you in on another secret...
Edwards’s supporters are deeply concerned that the American people (and the Democratic Party) is, once again, throwing away another great opportunity and trading for a system-friendly centrist. We fear we will end up with another triangulating president when triangulation is not needed. That means continued systematic corruption in our markets, industries, health care, oil, and securities for years to come. That’s why we’re deadly serious about John and deeply suspicious of Obama and Clinton.
It’s not that we don’t like Obama, we do. It's not like we don't have respect for Clinton, we do. We don’t like the lack of detail in his campaign, we're wearly of the fluff and often forced rhetoric. We're worried that her trade-offs are permanent. The one chance you have to BEAT the people who have beat you for 8 years (the GOP) and you attempt to adopt them and co-opt them? We fear fundraisers with Murdoch and Obama's need to include 'Republicans' in every speech. We fear Obama might out-Clinton Clinton, a need to be loved and accepted by the most people at a time the country can’t afford the love of the wrong people.
We don’t want the love and agreement of the people who want us on our knees. NOW, we don't need it and THAT'S the difference. Lincoln understood this and so did FDR. We don't need Edwards, we need the message. That's why we want Edwards to win, Obama to co-opt the message openly, or Edwards to fight to the convention. Tonight, they both started co-opting the message. Therefore, this primary was a good one.
When the noise calms, do you want the Democratic president appointing Republicans to the cabinet when the GOP is deeply corrupt? The indications are there now. Don't miss this, it's too important. The 1980 Reagan coalition is freyed. This is that moment. You don’t win by propping up a corrupt party in any rhetorical way (Obama). You win by exposing their logic and corruption to their own people and to yours, daily, until it changes (Edwards). The chance to shatter the GOP and reshape it is here, now. Not one candidate besides Edwards seems to grasp this reality. You can’t get that change in the electorate (and GOP) by 'indicating' (Obama) that the 30% red is there to pandering, or by indicating that you might appoint them, or by indicating you want to reach out and incorporate their failed ideas in 2008. This is THE time to focus on Democrats and clearly left leaning country.
Why do otherwise? Why do they still triangulate? Fear.
The latent fear of a national election and the latent fear of George Bush since 2001 still lingers. Obama and Clinton both have the fear. You can see it in how they stalk one another’s Senate national security votes, wait to see who votes first, delay votes, don’t show up. This nation doesn’t need any more caution from the ‘opposition party’ or the restoration. This is our party’s chance to make up for its sins and lack of oversight for the last 6 years. Our party sinned greatly. We are an embarrassing opposition party. We still feel the need to reach across the cracked isle when our side is full of vitality?
John has thrown caution into the wind and he gets more votes per dollar than any candidate. There's a reason. Obama and Clinton still fear the national election. Edwards does not. The GOP, from their knees still manage to dictate many aspects of Democrat's campaigns. (incredible). You can almost hear the ‘thank yous’ from the Bill Kristols and the Grovers for 'unity'. Both candidates are propping up the GOP by reference and implication and rhetoric even after the GOP proves it's on its knees ready to get swept.
Abraham Lincoln was not on the ballot in 9 states and skipped campaining in many others. Why? He knew where HIS people were and how to win an election with them. He didn’t triangulate the sickness in the body politic. He was facing the prospect of war. We’re just facing the corrupt financial, oil, military, insurance, and pharma establishments. Is that too hard for we Democrats? Depends on your donors.
Obama and Clinton are not yet confident enough in the Democratic advantage. That's obvious. As housing crashes, the dollar crashes, and oil hits records, they're still haunted and affected by a phantom general election threat in their minds. If you Democrats fear a national election now then you have no business in the business of change. Edwards proves that he has the judgment to see and understand the Democratic advantage and his own message. Like Lincoln, he’s chosen his path and his people. He knows many people are wrong and they need to be defeated in a tough democratic manner. Have we, as a nation, lost our appetite for a little fight? Has our party really become so cautious and shaky? Is this post-tramatic Rove disorder really taken?
Edwards shows the judgment to lead by running the campaign he’s running. That can not be taken away from him and no other candidate can claim that courage. Those are facts. Those facts are bankable.
You know if Edwards gets elected, all your issues will find the light of day, everyday. They will not get lost in rose garden ceremonies, a desire to be loved, or get muddled in philosophy. An Edwards presidency will be a civics lesson on who controls your government, why billions in tax breaks are given to oil companies, and he will FORCE it on the Evening News with Brain Williams. They will be forced to cover your issues, everyday. You will get the fight you had been shaping yourselves up for the last 7 years.
I’m trained, rested, and ready...
Everyone knows there’s going to be a fight. Clear the happy talk out of your head. You’ve all been calling this fight for years. Now, we’re here. Let Hillary and Obama fight for the center and create an openning. Or hope they both fight for Edwards' message.
You have known for years there was going to be a real fight. Don't get weak on me now. This is not over. We have to get Edwards and/or the message to the convention.
Let’s get this fight on!