Posted on 10/11/2004 5:31:34 AM PDT by Mike Fieschko
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Oct. 10 - If there was any doubt that Senator John Edwards is trying to raise his profile in the final weeks of the campaign, it should have been put to rest Sunday when he appeared on five news and political talk shows.His television blitz followed appearances last week on the ABC morning talk shows "Regis and Kelly" and "The View." And on Tuesday, on the eve of the final presidential debate, he is a scheduled guest on NBC's "Tonight'' show.
It is all a decidedly higher profile for a vice-presidential candidate who until recently had mostly been campaigning heavily in rural areas and small- to medium-size cities. Those trips earned the Kerry campaign a presence in local media markets but also drew questions from some Democrats about why Mr. Edwards was not more visible nationally.
Aides said they were now trying to build on Mr. Edward's debate last week with Vice President Dick Cheney. "The campaign felt really good about his debate performance Tuesday night and the reaction to his performance around the country," said Peter Scher, Mr. Edwards's campaign manager. "We're taking advantage of that and getting him out."
His appearances on Sunday kept the Democratic ticket in the public eye as Mr. Kerry limited his campaigning - as he plans to do in the next few days - to prepare for the third and final presidential debate on Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz.
The choice of venues like "The View'' was no accident. Kerry campaign officials said that after last week's vice-presidential debate, internal and independent polls suggested that Mr. Edwards appealed strongly to independent and women voters, groups the Kerry campaign is courting heavily.
Along with the appearances on talk shows aimed at women, Mr. Edwards last week campaigned heavily on national security, accompanied at one event in New Jersey by five women related to victims of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. In some polls, women rank national security ahead of the economy as their issue of greatest concern.
In West Allis, Wis., on Sunday Mr. Edwards sat at a diner for a "conversation with working women," addressing topics like special education, health care and welfare reform. Outside, people held up campaign signs reading "It's up to the women."
Mr. Edwards hugged one woman who sobbed as she told of her health care troubles and children and husband sick with asthma. To another concerned about business opportunities for women, he promised tax credits to spark development of new businesses owned by women and minorities.
"Twenty-two million women did not vote in the last election, which means basically they left it to somebody else to decide who was going to be president, and the consequences have been devastating," Mr. Edwards said.
On the Sunday talk shows, however, Mr. Edwards reached for a broader audience.
On the CBS news program "Face the Nation,'' Mr. Edwards defended his past as a trial lawyer in the face of Republican attacks on him as a malpractice lawyer who won huge settlements that have contributed to rising health care costs.
"This is a fundamental difference between us and them,'' Mr. Edwards said, portraying himself as someone who battled large corporations. "You know, John and I have always fought for regular Americans, against big insurance companies and big drug companies and big H.M.O.'s. They've always been on the other side.''
On the NBC program "Meet the Press," Mr. Edwards was shown video of himself from October 2002 declaring Saddam Hussein "the most serious and imminent threat to our country." But as he did on other shows, Mr. Edwards said he would make the same decision to vote to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
Mr. Edwards told CBS it was right to confront Mr. Hussein but added, ''We didn't authorize this president and vice president to make the mess that they've made.''
He also sought to explain away Republican criticism of his Senate attendance record, saying it deteriorated as he stepped up his campaign for president. The Bush campaign has noted that Mr. Edwards missed a third of the meetings held by the Senate's intelligence and judiciary committees.
"The first several years I was in the Senate, I had almost a perfect attendance record," Mr. Edwards said on "Fox News Sunday," adding that Republican efforts to block legislation he advocated helped to push him into the presidential race.
"I came to the conclusion that the only real solution to this was to get George Bush out of the White House,'' he said. "And that's when I decided to run for president, and that's the period of time that they're talking about," he said.
Mr. Edwards also appeared on the CNN program "Late Edition," and the ABC program "This Week."
I see he's wearing the yellow bracelet too. Just like Kerry. How cute.
That picture is just too funny!
A great picture! The woman on his right is looking at his hands (and wondering why he can't keep them still?) and the black woman looks like she's trying to stifle a huge laugh! And of course, John #2 is following John #1's lead with the yellow bracelet.
I support Lance Armstrong and his cancer crusade...but these guys could appear a little more presidential without the yellow plastic bracelets.
The lady over his right shoulder is the only one in the place smiling besides the woman to his left. Everyone else looks miserable. They probably want to get their $5 and get out of there.
Whoa, Nelly! I can feel the enthusiasm in that room! Can't you? (sarcasm)
ARRRRRRRRGH First "several years" INDEED!!! What are we talking about - 5 years?? Where does he get several out of 5 years? Just an example of the BS aimed at ignorant voters.
Yep. Looks like the whiney liberal witch to his left didn't get all of her whines in. She wants to do all the talkin' and make that man LISTEN, but the Pol won't shut up!
Bwahahahaha!!
That room is full of cows, from what I can see. And, they do indeed look to be "down".
hmmmm....let me count all the smiles
.
.
.
.
.
1
The woman to Edwards' left looks like she'd like to go take a nap.
Look lady, you ate the most, you should pick up the tab!
"I assure you, ladies, if you drink more camomile, your farts will smell just as lovely as mine!"
The whole room is trying not to laugh...
Johhny Edwards, you have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found lacking...little hands!
Edwards is contributing to the problem. People born by cesarean delivery are more likely to develop asthma than those born vaginally. Doctors are doing more cesareans as a result of lawyers like Edwards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.