Posted on 08/12/2008 6:06:22 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
The DUmmies have FINALLY discovered that their erstwhile hero, John Edwards, was nothing but a complete fraud. Something the most of the rest of the world has known for years. What brought the DUmmies to this discovery was the fact that Edwards on top of ditching his scholarship program has also DUmped his completely self-serving poverty program. I guess no more poverty tours by the Silky Pony. Oh, and is okay now to shop at Walmart? You can see the DUmmies finally open their eyes tardily in this THREAD titled, "John Edwards Ends Fling With Anti-Poverty Center." The thread starts out quoting a Harper's Magazine ARTICLE describing the termination of Edwards' politically motivated "anti-poverty center." So let us now watch the DUmmies be let down by yet another liberal icon in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, noting that John Edwards is just $10 away from ending poverty in our time, is in the [brackets]:
John Edwards Ends Fling With Anti-Poverty Center
[I'm still not sure whether Edwards ended his other fling.]
Once upon a time John Edwards wanted to be president. “Poverty,” he said back then, “is the great moral issue of our century,” he told a group of students at Berkeley in 2005. “People living in poverty need you. And another thing: America needs you.”
[Once upon a time, quite recently, DUmmies BEEEEEEELEEEEEEVED in John Edwards.]
To show his own dedication, Edwards “created a tax-exempt nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty”, reported the New York Times.
[It was really dedicated to winning votes for Edwards.]
In other words, the Center may have done some good, but its primary purpose was to serve as a vehicle for Edwards’ political career. Indeed, it appears to be very similar to the bogus “Reform Institute” that John McCain set up after his defeat to George W. Bush in 2000, and which was designed to keep alive his presidential ambitions and reward his cronies.
[Harper's can't expose Edwards without taking a shot at McCain.]
Edwards of course lost his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination this year, and guess what happened to his big anti-poverty initiative? That’s right–it appears he pulled the plug on it
[Because the National Enquirer pulled the plug on Edwards' political career.]
About a week before Edwards acknowledged having an affair with Rielle Hunter, Edwards quietly shut down a “scholarship program he started at an Eastern North Carolina high school–a program he once promised would be a model for the nation under an Edwards presidency,” reports the Raleigh News & Observer:
[Another program no longer needed by Edwards.]
But now Edwards is no longer a presidential candidate, and with revelation of his affair, his political career is probably over as well. And no more College for Everyone. And incidentally, it doesn’t look like Edwards’ Center for Promise and Opportunity Foundation did any other notable anti-poverty work, and the group itself appears to be largely defunct. The foundation has no website, and, after examining tax records, my colleague Sebastian Jones determined that it was largely indistinguishable from the College for Everyone program.
[Both programs should have simply been called "Edwards '08" since that was their SOLE function. And now on to the disillusioned DUmmies...]
Yuck. What a weasel. We really lucked out with Obama.
[Fool me once, fool me once again.]
I'm numb. I'm just not going to believe in anything or anyone until the pony with a pink ribbon shows up at my house with the ownership papers in my name.
[That's the Silky Pony with the pink ribbon.]
His words were compelling, but there are others genuinely working within the government to try to create a better life for every one. Obama's record is in line with his words. That does not mean he will be perfect by everyone's view - that's not possible. But, we need to not let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. We need all the enthusiasm we can muster to win.
[Translation: "Fool us again!"]
Oh God. Tell me this isn't true. The affair is nothing. Going back on THIS, his ideas, WILL undercut his reputation. No, don't do it, John...
[Yeah, that wonderful sterling reputation will be undercut.]
I feel for those kids who had dreams that are going to be harder to get now.
[Hey! What about poor Edwards and his lost dream of entering the Oval Office?]
I'm thinking this is a bigger issue than his affair.
[It's FUn watching disillusioned DUmmies!]
John Edwards should not have stepped down! If he is truly committed to fighting poverty, he should continue his work to improve life on a whole.
[You want Edwards to act like Mahatma Gandhi from inside his North Carolina palace?]
Many here saw him as an opportunist - this doesn't look good.
[GASP! How dare you call Edwards an opportunist?]
I voted for Edwards during the primaries because poverty was his issue. But I knew he'd never get the nomination. I still believe that he genuinely cares about the "Two Americas" problem. After all this scandal stuff has blown over and the elections are over, I think Edwards will find a way to continue his work with eradicating poverty, at a level he can manage.
[Fool me once, fool me once again.]
Poverty is not an issue that should be used as prop between elections. Too many times the disenfranchised and unfortunate are used to make points and move on. It needs to be a commitment to make a real difference. Edwards does not get a pass on this one.
[But Obama does get a pass on ACORN.]
I think that whatever time and attention can be brought to the issue is better than no time and no attention, regardless of Edwards' motives. He needed a prop, we needed the press. Ir's a wash.
[Proclaimed the brainwashed DUmmie.]
I did not caucus for Edwards but he was my second choice if Obama had not been viable as a candidate in our state.
[Pied Piper Pitt, when it was safe to do so, proclaimed Edwards as his FIRST choice.]
The word "exploitation" comes to mind.
[The word "suckers" comes to mind.]
There is no mainstream Democratic candidate that did not "exploit" a signature issue. That's what politicians do, isn't it? I'm sorry if you guys are upset with Edwards. Maybe I'm just too cynical to live any more.
[Stated our too cynical to live friend, DUmmie sfexpat2000.]
And so begings the unmasking of a Snake oil salesman There was never a doubt in my mind this guy was full of it from the get go. Nice to see my BS detector is still working.
[That BS detector wasn't working for Pied Piper Pitt who proclaimed Edwards to have been his man...but only when it was safe to do so.]
Now he wants to solve poverty one middle aged woman at a time. He'll pick one each year, and with the help of his buddy, Mr. Baron, will lift out of poverty the chosen woman for the year.
[Nice to know that the poverty money did help at least one person. Actually two since it also helped Andrew Young, the "father" of his love child.]
It's becoming increasingly clear that Edwards' real cause was John Edwards.
[Really?]
We should have be suspicious of a guy who spends more than $100 on a haircut.
[And don't forget those cucumber cream facials at the Pink Sapphire Spa.]
I thought it was silly when people concentrated so much on his haircut, or his house, but really those stories were indicative of a much bigger problem - overwhelming narcissism. At this point, I don't think Edwards is a fundamentally good person at all, or someone who made a mistake. He was a con man, who used real social issues to advance his own ambitions. Which might just be another way of saying he's a typical politician. But Edwards' narcissism seems incredible even for a politician. And it angers me to think of how he used the donations of working-class people to fund his own ego. Thank God he dropped out before I wasted a vote on him. But con man or no, Edwards did manage to bring the issue of poverty to the forefront in a way that influenced both Obama & Clinton, so I guess there's a positive effect from his run.
[It sounds like you are STILL being conned. And how much money did YOU send to Bev Harris?]
It looks like he wasn't just screwing Ms. Hunter.
[All DUmmies are Ms. Hunters.]
He should not have run. I'm surprised by how many people supported him. I couldn't stand listening to him. His lies were written all over his face.
[William Rivers Pitt trusted John Edwards every bit as much as he trusted Jason Leopold.]
When Gore didn't jump in, I decided to support Edwards. After he dropped out, I supported Obama. I feel so deceived.
[BWAHAHAHAHA!!! You keep getting deceived over and over and over again.]
Did people know when they were donating to an anti-poverty center that the money was primary going into Edwards pockets?
[Edwards learned from Bev Harris how easy it is to scam the Left.]
Actually, digging in even DEEPER into poverty work would be about the best rehab for his reputation that he could do. He could have shown us that no matter his flaws and failings as a human and a candidate, at least he was sincere about his supposed life's work. What's he going to do now, go back to the hedge-fund deal?
[Off course. Edwards will go back to the hedge funds in order to learn more about poverty.]
He better do work in poverty, digging latrines if he has to so he can get a reputation again. this is disconcerting to say the least. why cut off the scholarship thing? He could write that off.
[That what the Greaseman had to do to get his non-talent back on the radio.]
I hope Obama makes a better VP choice than either Kerry or Gore made.
[Eliot Spitzer?]
He played us all as fools in his own pursuit of narcissism and self-interest. Just because he's a Democrat doesn't mean I will give him a free pass or somehow seek to excuse what he did. The affair is none of our business - but in this political environment and media - the lies and deception are unforgivable.
[It's not hard to play you as fools when you start out as fools.]
No wonder Elizabeth is going along...if John ends up in prison, who will raise the kids???
[Ms Hunter?]
Shutting down the scholarship program would be a big mistake. It would seal the perception that John Edwards is a sleazy opportunist.
[That door has already been sealed tightly shut.]
It looks like he's trying to cover up the money trail, doesn't it? The scholarship Foundation & the Center for Progress were both dissolved shortly after the Enquirer "hush money" story ran. IMO not a coincidence. Since the Center isn't technically a political organization, it doesn't have to file expenditure or donor reports w/the FEC. Which would make it a good slush fund. I wonder why Edwards refused to release the list of donors for the Center - maybe the Fortress hedge fund was funding it? Also, the Center hasn't filed an annual report to the IRS since 2005, & there's been reports that the Center spent $200,000 for unknown "consultants". Most probably, political consultants, although at this point I wouldn't be surprised if his fixer Baron or Hunter herself were paid consultants as well.
[I'm praying that the corruption trial of John Edwards appears on Court TV.]
There is a picture that is emerging. It is one of massive amounts of cash being used to keep the paramour away from probing eyes for close to a year, if not longer. The cash likely originated with either campaign or nonprofit funds. Either way, it's potentially very serious trouble. There's got to be a paper trail that is damning. The only question is: will anyone ever require the production of that paper trail?
[Don't expect the MSM to require such a paper trail production although I'm sure the National Enquirer already has it on hand.]
Isn't Edwards a gazillionaire lawyer? Why didn't he use his own money?
[Because his money was diverted to personal palace production.]
What a horrendous fraud. God.
[Edwards or Obama?]
This is the same guy who took a job for a hedge fund and when called on it, claimed it was so he could learn about poverty.
[That lame excuse was good enough for Pied Piper Pitt.]
IBTP
PING!
Uno?
Top 5?
Woo-Hoo top 10.
Yes, you really lucked out DUmmies!
Oooh, could it actually be a Top 10?
to give them your money, so that they can continue to sit on the couch and watch their big screen TV's and eat take-out chicken.
Yeah, empty. Sometimes the truth comes out unintentionally...
Today’s is really good.
This is the fundamental problem with liberals. They think the purpose of government is to create a better life for everyone.
Idiots the lot of 'em
Could this be why Pitt has been so silent lately? The "Silence of the Scams"?
The only level he can manage is Rielle Hunter's poverty.
GRRREAT work, PJ!
They just now discovered that he was a self-serving slimeball? Gads, they ARE slow on the uptake at DU.
Sorry. There no longer is Court TV. It's True TV; Not Reality. Actuality!
Just thought I'd throw that in...one of those little TV promos that really bugs me.
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