Sen. Edwards Announces White House Run

AP | 1/02/03 | REBECCA MILLER

[Carolina]

Women "go for his boyish looks and big hair and the vast majority of voting females don't care that he is an intellectual moron.

Yeah, baby!

[chimera]

This ain't gonna be a replay of 1992. It's gonna be a replay of 1984. Reagan's recovery did not begin until November 1982, and his recession was much deeper. We have a tax cut in place, with more tax reductions to come in 2003.

It would be very sweet indeed to have an '84-style win (except this time I'd like to expand the majorities in the Senate and House), and its a worthy goal to work towards. I'm just saying let's not get overconfident about our chances nor underestimate the danger of someone like Edwards, especially when the media is on his side as it obviously is or likely will be. We were overconfident about Bush I and Clinton blindsided us. Everyone was salivating over the prospects of taking on Clinton and his excess baggage, thinking it would be a cakewalk to blow away a womanizing, no-substance empty suit "pretty boy", then being chagrined that the sheeple would vote to throw out a good and decent man with a genuine record of accomplishment.

People will vote their pocketbooks in '04, like they always do. I know it takes time, but all the rate cuts and tax reductions haven't turned things around yet. I understand the business cycle and how the economy tends to be cyclical, and that no President has or ever will "run the economy", but my fear is that most of the sheeple don't, and will punish whomever is in office at the time when they think things are bad. If the economy is still in the tank in '04, I can envision Edwards laying claim to Clinton's "legacy" of the (false) "boom years of the '90s", and the press mouthing the line "are you better off now under Bush than you were (and will be again with President Edwards) under "President Clinton"? I really hope things will turn around by '04 and events prove my fears groundless.

[mwl1]

I completely share your concern about the economic landscape. If the recovery is not in place by early 2004, all bets for Bush's re-election are off. However, I do believe a full-fledged recovery will be in place. In fact, it was in place in 1992, it just came about one quarter too late.

[AlwaysLurking]

Apparently we are the only ones who can connect the dots to the doctors walking out of hospitals because they can not afford to pay the incredibly high malpractice insurance premiums because people like EDWARDS and his legions of financial supporters have bled the system dry with lawsuits!

You can rest assure that NO ONE in the media will make this connection! Maybe Rush but I doubt even that!

[JohnnyZ]

From the News & Observer link:

"(12/21/02) The Washingtonian magazine takes a look at the spouses of the potential 2004 Democratic contenders and how they stack up.

The take on Edwards: She "is shaping up to be a hybrid of the past two first ladies, blending the Southern charm of Laura with the moxie of Hillary (she's whispered to be "the smarter one" in the marriage ...)."

Ha!

[chimera]

On the positive side, it doesn't sound like Edwards is planning to run for Senate re-election from NC which means the Republicans have an EXCELLENT chance of picking up that seat. (They will also have a great chance to pick it up even if Johhny Boy does run for re-election.)

Beating him on both counts would be a double blessing. One less trial lawyer in the Senate (not to mention the Presidency) would be a very good thing indeed. Is NC one of those strange states where a candidate can run for two offices at one time? If so, it would be fun to make John-boy a two-time loser in a single election cycle.

[NCLaw441]

So Edwards doesn't put his country first? That is to be expected. He hasn't put NC first during his term as senator, either. He will continue in the Gore tradition, should he get the nomination, of losing his home state in the election.

[AlwaysLurking]

I totally agree with you.....Edwards should be taken very seriously. He is dangerous to Bush and the GOP. The Lib/Dim press is just desparate to find someone, anyone, who can win and they will think they have found that in this homo who, frankly, has little baggage.

[AlwaysLurking]

It wouldn't take much for her to be smarter than her husband....but I love the phrase, "she is shaping up"....due to her very recent 100 lb weight lose, that is very true!

[wbill]

she's whispered to be "the smarter one" in the marriage

Well isn't this nice.....another co-presidency. I also think that they've confused 'moxie' with 'b*tchiness'. Moxie....along with being a tasty soft drink...is defined as "The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage". Ain't nothing courageous about riding your husband's coattails to a Senate victory and being a liberal in the most liberal state in the union.

Now, if Hillary! wants to go to Texas and talk about gun control.....that would be showing some Moxie.

[johnny7]

The Lib/Dim press is just desparate to find someone, anyone...

So true. They'll snuggle up to Kerry also.

Being from NC, Edwards would fair better than Kerry nationwide. It's a crap shoot who wins their primary.

[chimera]

The Lib/Dim press is just desparate to find someone, anyone, who can win and they will think they have found that in this homo who, frankly, has little baggage.

You're right about that. What baggage he does have, that of being a trial lawyer, is of concern and obvious to people like us at FR who understand the deleterious effects these creatures have in a free economy/society, but my concern is that most of the electorate doesn't know or care. In any case, I predict that the Rats will attempt to neutralize that my saying something like "yeah, well, sure, he's a trial lawyer, but in his case, that's a good thing because he fights for and cares (there's that word again) for The Little Guy", blah blah blah. Combine that with his college-boy looks, young kids and wife, and the sucker moms will get all hot and wet over him, the unions and lawyers will eat it up, and the media will have a field day contrasting it with how Bush II "is only interested in foreign policy". When Edwards starts talking about "focusing like a laser beam on the economy" and signs on Carville to set up another "It's The Economy, Stupid" War Room, I'm going to start checking the date to make sure its not Groundhog Day.

[AmishDude]

A 100 lb weight loss, eh? It took me 6 months when I lost my 60 lbs. How much do you want to bet she visited a doctor with a vacuum for this weight loss regimen?

[July 4th]

Two notes:

What the hell is wrong with CNN's camera? They've lengthened his face, making it appear thinner.

Second, I've never heard an elected politician use so many "ummms" and "uhhhs."

[AmishDude]

I don't know. I see Edwards as a lightweight and unlikely to win the primary. With Gore out, it's possible, though; I just see Kerry as the prohibitive favorite. I think Edwards is actually running for VP here. I think he can acutally run for VP and Senator at the same time according to NC law and I think that's his game. (I also think that's the only way he wins the Senate seat, by getting the publicity of being a favorite son in a national presidential campaign.)

[PJ-Comix]

Second, I've never heard an elected politician use so many "ummms" and "uhhhs."

I have---Hillary.

[Republic of Texas]

The millionaire, trial lawyer, man of the people!

[1Old Pro]

This will be fun. I'll bet the Dems have at least 6 candidates. Combined, they will promise free healthcare, housing, 5 years unemployment insurance, 4 month vacations, and tax increases...oh, and a super duper growth economy. LOL

[cyncooper]

I had MSNBC on for this announcement and afterwards Craig Crawford was the pundit of the moment.

Crawford was filled with high spirits over this announcement. He declared that the clintons back Edwards and that he is considered a potential running mate for hillary.

I think his candidacy it taken lightly at our peril.