Election losses for Dems might help (Sen. John) Edwards' future chances

Durham Herald-Sun (Durham, NC) ^ | November 12, 2002 | The Associated Press

[Constitution Day]

Election losses for Dems might help Edwards' future chances

The Associated Press
November 12, 2002   1:49 am

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- U.S. Sen. John Edwards may suffer less damage from last week's Republican victories than other prominent Democrats considering runs for the White House in 2004, analysts say.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt -- top party officials who are considered presidential contenders -- face growing criticism within their party for surrendering the Senate and allowing Republicans to widen their control in the House.

Tied to a similar stake is former Vice President Al Gore, who campaigned for many of the Democrats who lost last week and also remains a considerable force within the party.

"There is definitely going to be a yearning at the grass-roots level for a new message and a new messenger," said Christopher Cooper, a Democratic strategist and native of South Carolina.

As the "fresh face" candidate, Edwards also could get a bounce from Democrats seeking anyone other than the more established Democrats who led their party into the political wilderness, several political observers noted.

"Could that fresh face be Edwards? Absolutely," Cooper said. "He certainly doesn't have the same baggage as the Daschles and the Gephardts coming out of this election."

It also doesn't hurt that Edwards hails from the South, which last Tuesday continued its trend of the last few decades of becoming more solidly Republican.

"This (election) really does emphasize that Democrats have to nominate a Southerner, particularly a guy as attractive across the boards as Edwards seems to be," said Burdett Loomis, a politics professor at the University of Kansas.

Edwards is already laying the groundwork to win votes in the South and rural areas west of the Mississippi River that traditionally vote for Republicans. His "rural strategy" -- which includes touring with a bluegrass band and sponsoring a race car -- is aimed at picking up votes that the Democratic Party has long neglected in favor of its more urban base.

Political tea-leaf readers don't see only positive signs for Edwards in the election results, however.

He needs to look no further than his own state for reasons to worry, said Ferrel Guillory, professor of political science at UNC Chapel Hill.

Last Tuesday, Democrat Erskine Bowles lost to Republican Elizabeth Dole by 9 percentage points even though he won 314 votes more than Edwards did in 1998.

"That's got to be really scary" for Edwards, Guillory said. "If he runs for re-election, he's going to have a hard fight."

URL for this article: http://www.heraldsun.com/state/6-287321.html

© Copyright 2002. All rights reserved. All material on heraldsun.com is copyrighted by The Durham Herald Company and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any medium except as provided in the site's Terms of Use.

[Constitution Day]

"Fresh face" candidate? GAG.

[Constitution Day]

indexing...

Click the negative for *Edwards Watch articles!

[Constitution Day]

NC ping!

Please FRmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.

[FryingPan101]

I agree with you. It's like he hit the political scene through a transporter and never materialized.

[Constitution Day]

It's like he hit the political scene through a transporter and never materialized.

LOL!

[InvisibleChurch]

is this the same edwards who couldn't handle a russert interview?

John Edwards Falls To Earth

[Constitution Day]

It sure doesn't sound like it, does it?
Thanks for the link.

[MadIvan]

He is a trial lawyer. As I understand it, trial lawyers are right down there with used car salesmen and members of the Clinton Administration in terms of a place in the affections of the American public, which is to say, they have none.

President Bush would slaughter him.

Regards, Ivan

[wimpycat]

Don't be surprised if he runs in 2004, just to get the experience and name recognition. Depending on how well that goes, he'll try for 2008.

[Carolinamom]

Despite his soft spoken platitudes and abundant hair, John Edwards does not wear well. More media exposure will make this evident to the least discerning voter. I understand from various articles here that he reportedly talks to Clinton and Ted Kennedy often....even daily.....We do not need another Clinton.....even an imitation one.

[wimpycat]

Yeah, he's Southern and he's a Democrat, but he's no Southern Democrat, that's for sure, and the voters know it.

[MadIvan]

Don't be surprised if he runs in 2004, just to get the experience and name recognition. Depending on how well that goes, he'll try for 2008.

I think it's fair to say Hillary has her reservations ready for 2008. If Edwards wants to run then, he should avoid air travel at all costs.

Regards, Ivan

[Howlin]

particularly a guy as attractive across the boards as Edwards seems to be"

*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*
*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*Blink*

Yeah, that's real attractive.

[Howlin]

It's my understanding he cannot do both, run for POTUS and run for Senate........can anybody confirm that?

[Gracey]

Do I smell Clinton II???

This guy is almost as slick at Willie.

[Howlin]

Has any candiate ever won the nomination without the support of his own state?

Because this one can't.

[Gracey]

How did he ever get elected?

[wimpycat]

I can tell you. He got elected in 1998, when the political winds were at the Democrats' back, running against a one-term incumbent who ran a weak campaign, that' how he got elected.

[Overtaxed]

Don't be surprised if he runs in 2004, just to get the experience and name recognition.

The name recognition might not be the kind he was hoping for.

[oioiman]

Not a chance... he lost major credibility (like he had much to begin with) when Liddy Dole crushed Ersatz Bowles. He traveled the state stumping for Erskine to no avail except a further errosion of his polical stature.