February 02, 2007
DNC Winter Meeting: Ex-Sen. John Edwards On The Stump
Standing ovations: 5
Used notes: Yes.
Introduced by: Susan Turnbull
Subtle Theme: I make you cry. I make your hearts bleed. So vote for me, because it doesn't have to be that way. I'm the only one of these turkeys who has guts. Hillary and Obama are calculating. I'm real.
Overt Theme: There are major problems. It's our duty to fix them. Bad things don't have to happen. "This is not the time for political calculation. It's the time for political courage." "Silence is betrayal."
Bragging: Nothing, really.
Playing to the crowd: Uses death of Molly Ivins to say how important it is to "address women's health issues in our country.:" "union brothers and sisters" "Silence is a betrayal not to stop this president's plan to escalate the war." "We can not be satisfied with passing non-binding resolutions we know the president will ignore." "men and women who worked with their hands." "The unions, the men and women or organized labor. They will never lack the backbone to stand up to their workers." "It is time to be patriotic about something other from a war."
Cliches: "Will you stand up..." "It's time we stood up for an energy policy that's not dictated by the profits of big oil companies." "It is time for us to stand up for the real promise for America." "Tomorrow begins today."
Discordant note:: none
Uses of the word "affordable" 0
Howard Dean suck up: None.
Self-deprecation: None
Blooper: none
Staffed by: Sam Myers, Sam Myers Jr., David Bonior
Posted at 11:15 AM
Comments
Perfectly captures Edwards. I couldn't believe it when I read about the 28,000 sq. ft. house. Can you imagine the independent ads about that house?
Katha | 02.02.07 11:31 AM
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From the east coast, to the west coast...
This is ourrrrrrr country....
JBW | 02.02.07 12:18 PM
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Hey Katha,
At least the Edwardses' only have "one" house. Kerry had six, and you can imagine how many the Bush clan owns, so get over the stupidity about Edwards' house. Besides, his house is going to include a bunch of energy efficiency features. And all of the square footage is not the "house." Some of it is a basketball court, and living quarters for guests...you know, like "Presidential campaign staff" or "leaders of other countries and secret service."
People making a big deal about the Edwardses' house are ignorant of the facts. And if one stopped and thought about it, the fact that it is gated would make sense for someone trying to become President, because you'd need a fenced in property if you became President.
Can people see beyond the length of their arms? Based on the blowback over John Edwards' new house, the answer is NO, they cannot.
ST | 02.02.07 01:46 PM
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I thought it was a wonderful speech, someone who reminds me of many of the themes from Kucinich in 04, but this time around it is someone who is electable. I hope Edwards continues to gain in popularity
Bryan Buchan | 02.02.07 02:13 PM
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Yes, being rich sure did hurt FDR and RFK's ability to connect to the working and middle class.
Adam Terando | 02.02.07 02:24 PM
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I listened to all of the speeches Friday. I don't know if Edwards can win a presidential election, but he sure won the speechmaking contest. I though Clark gave a good speech, but he got little reaction from the audience. Dodd, Clinton, and Obama were "standard" speeches, not particularly good but not terrible. I expected more from Obama. Kucinich, as he did as a candidate in 2004, has all the issues right. Too bad that he doesn't stand a chance. But Edwards gave one of the best political sppeches I've ever heard. (Well, outside of JFK, anyway.)
Bryce Babcock | 02.03.07 01:54 PM
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First, I am an undecided Democrat. But I must say that Edwards by far was the most engaging, and eloquent. His energy and his passion was unmatched. I thought Obama came in a close 2nd, but I found Edwards to be the spark that the dull, uninspiring Winter conference appeared to be. Don't take my word for it. WWW.CSPAN.COM has the conference online.
COLIN | 02.03.07 03:14 PM
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Woah, the size of Edwards house is a 'talking point'? If that's the best offense then bring it on.
NOW, on the other hand, if the negs were any smart they would research who BUILT the freakin thing...
Union or non-union?
Rubebarb | 02.03.07 03:15 PM
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John Edwards has a wonderful ability to connect with people - all kinds of people. We haven't had that in a very long time.
When he talks in his speeches about those people who have nothing like his parents when he was growing up vs people who have everything ("like Elizabeth and I"), he communicates with me that he earned it, he appreciates it and he wants more of us to have it.
Also, making milions by suing doctors is one thing, suing doctors who are screwing patients is another.
JRocch
Hanover, NH
judith rocchio | 02.03.07 04:03 PM
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Why would anyone want someone like Edwards for president? He's as bad as Bush: no diplomatic experience, changes his tune to suit the audience (every single time!) and is basically a one-note Johnny (no pun intended).
God, I hope we look for someone other than who the corporate media is pushing to be our nominee.
I won't vote for Edwards in a general election and I've voted for a Democrat for president every since I was old enough to vote.
I'm tired of these pretty candidates who's brains consist of sticking their fingers in the wind.
LAT | 02.03.07 07:26 PM
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I didn't hear the speech, but I do like what I have heard from Edwards so far. His wife Elizabeth's struggle with breast cancer may have entered into his mention of women's health issues.
Two of my sisters and two of my first cousins are breast cancer survivors, and I have many friends who are survivors or have died of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, so this is an issue that is near the top of my list, along with affordable health care.
Betty | 02.04.07 09:15 AM
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To paraphrase Jay Leno who said it best: "The Republicans criticize Edwards because he lives in a mansion and talks about poverty while they live in mansions and talk about tax cuts."
Julia | 02.04.07 08:24 PM
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I am a Democrat, but I can't support a personal injury attorney for president. These people make a living by terrorizing other people for profit. They mislead, cajole, skew data, and give false impression in order to convince a jury to award their client big bucks (and thereby collect 40-50% of the award). By all accounts, John Edwards was quite skilled at his profession. Aren't these the attributes that we are trying to purge from Washington D.C.? Doesn't anybody else see this?
mark | 02.12.07 07:40 PM
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To Mark... So, if a company makes a pool drain cap that is easy for children to remove without tools, uncovering a powerful vortex, and Consumer Product Safety Commission standards are broken, and as a result accidents have already occurred and no action was taken, and then a little girl gets her intestines sucked out of her anus (literally) and she will require millions of dollars in medical care for the rest of her life...
Is it really "terrorizing other people for profit" when they sue the pool, the makers of the cap, and the makers of the drain?
Get the facts on the Lakey case... detailed info at http://www.monkeytime.org/lakey.html
And read John Edwards' "Four Trials" for info on some of his other major cases.
Sarahbtw | 04.25.07 12:48 PM
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Sarahbtw – There is far more to the case than the rather biased reporting of the person writing that article. As a person involved in reporting on the case as it happened, what I will tell you is to get the facts yourself.
Also note that the judge already told the jury that the manufacturer was guilty, a reversible instruction that Sta-Rite out of fear decided to not pursue in appeal. Also note that Edwards invoked the death of his own son for emotional purposes, just to get a larger settlement. What a dad!
Granted, the girl was severely hurt and will require extreme medical attention for the rest of which will probably be a shortened life. However, by the time they pay those medical expenses, John Edwards took home a far larger portion of her jury award than she would end up with. It doesn’t sound very much like was really thinking of her, now does it?
This is also only the most famous case. In others, he often supposedly spoke for "unborn babies" - the same ones that he'd just as soon be killed in abortions and calls "a fetus" when it's not in his interests... a little hypocrisy in action, wouldn't you say?
The man is a gifted orator. Who else could make taking 10’s of millions of dollars away from the dead and maimed into a noble self-pat on the back. Nobody has a problem with compensating a successful lawyer. Compensating him with that kind of money is obscene.
An interesting note about what can bit you in the rear – the wife had severe problems getting anyone to treat her cancer. As one doctor told me, “I’d rather let that one go and be able to treat others than to risk going down the road that he would certainly take me and put me out of business if she couldn’t be saved. Nobody wants to treat someone with a husband who has no moral qualms about terrorizing you and your insurance company in the event you fail.
Steve | 10.15.07 04:11 PM
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