I'm so glad the Iowa Caucuses are finally here! After a campaign season that seems have started in '06 (if not in '04!), more "debates" than I can count, commercials, etc., finally, someone somewhere will VOTE! Of course the New Hampshire primary (next Tues.) is a better test of who the nominees will be in both parties (and if someone wins both Iowa and NH, they will be very hard to beat!), but the last week has finally decided me: I am endorsing fmr. Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) for president.
This has not been an easy decision. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) best represents my values (and I volunteered for his campaign in'04), but I have never kidded myself into believing that he had a chance to win. (That was destroyed in'04 when he announced that he would break up the media monopolies. Hooray! But the media went after Kucinich ever since.) I was not very impressed with Edwards in '04--and less so after he became John Kerry's running mate. Further, I was hugely impressed with Barack Obama's 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention and said to my wife, "That's the future of the Party. That man will probably be our first African-American president." I still think that is true--whether this year or not.
What changed to make me order my Edwards yard sign? It began in early 2005, when the former NC Senator admitted that his vote in '02 to authorize the war in Iraq was a mistake and to apologize for doing it--something neither Sen. Hillary Clinton(D-NY), Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), nor even Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has yet done. Then watching Edwards make ending poverty his primary domestic issue, and choosing to announce his candidacy in the ruins of New Orleans was a huge boost. I have watched his campaign craft a platform that was more progressive than any other candidate than Kucinich--and watched him work to a virtual tie with the "frontrunners" Clinton (who was practically coronated by the media even before she announced her candidacy!) and Obama. I am a progressive populist in orientation--and Edwards sounds to me like Democrats used to sound when they stood for economic justice!
I was impressed with the way he tackled global warming (I keep expecting Al Gore to endorse him), human rights, and international law. When Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, I was very impressed when other candidates mouthed sympathy or condemnation, but Edwards managed to get Pres. Musharraf on the phone and urge continued democratization (even if a short delay in elections from 8 Jan was necessary) and international investigation of Bhutto's death. That's now happening: The U.K.'s Scotland Yard will assist in investigating the Bhutto assassination and the elections will be held 18 February. The ability to act decisively, but calmly, without overreacting in a crisis is a major quality of leadership. Along with Sen. Chris Dodd, Edwards had also worked to keep the U.S. from attacking Iran.
My decision was finalized yesterday when I read that Edwards' planned to remove, not just "combat troops," but ALL U.S. forces from Iraq (and no permanent bases) as quickly as possible--with all of them home within a year of his taking the oath of office. That is quite a break with the "withdraw most" plans of Clinton and Obama (and Biden). It was a position previously only articulated by Kucinich, Gravel, and Richardson. Edwards is the first candidate to take this position--one that most citizens support--who actually has a chance of winning the nomination and the election. That sealed the deal for me. I am sending a small monetary contribution in the mail (too late for Iowa, maybe it'll help for NH) and ordering my yard sign, buttons, etc.
Even if Edwards fails to win the nomination, his candidacy can do more than other progressives such as Kucinich and Richardson, who have poll numbers in the single digits, to affect the platform and push the eventual nominee to a more progressive, peace and justice orientation. But I will now work my butt off to help him win the nomination and the White House. I am tired of DLC "corporate Democrats" who run from the New Deal and the Great Society. It's time for a Democrat in the White House who is on the side of the poor, of Labor, of the environment, of the sick, of the rule of law, human rights, peacemaking--and who will fight the vested interests on behalf of these convictions.
(If Edwards wins, it could have the added bonus of causing Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, Bill Kristol, and, especially Bill O'Reilly to all turn very interesting colors--and have apopleptic fits on the air!)
This has not been an easy decision. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) best represents my values (and I volunteered for his campaign in'04), but I have never kidded myself into believing that he had a chance to win. (That was destroyed in'04 when he announced that he would break up the media monopolies. Hooray! But the media went after Kucinich ever since.) I was not very impressed with Edwards in '04--and less so after he became John Kerry's running mate. Further, I was hugely impressed with Barack Obama's 2004 keynote address at the Democratic National Convention and said to my wife, "That's the future of the Party. That man will probably be our first African-American president." I still think that is true--whether this year or not.
What changed to make me order my Edwards yard sign? It began in early 2005, when the former NC Senator admitted that his vote in '02 to authorize the war in Iraq was a mistake and to apologize for doing it--something neither Sen. Hillary Clinton(D-NY), Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), nor even Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) has yet done. Then watching Edwards make ending poverty his primary domestic issue, and choosing to announce his candidacy in the ruins of New Orleans was a huge boost. I have watched his campaign craft a platform that was more progressive than any other candidate than Kucinich--and watched him work to a virtual tie with the "frontrunners" Clinton (who was practically coronated by the media even before she announced her candidacy!) and Obama. I am a progressive populist in orientation--and Edwards sounds to me like Democrats used to sound when they stood for economic justice!
I was impressed with the way he tackled global warming (I keep expecting Al Gore to endorse him), human rights, and international law. When Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, I was very impressed when other candidates mouthed sympathy or condemnation, but Edwards managed to get Pres. Musharraf on the phone and urge continued democratization (even if a short delay in elections from 8 Jan was necessary) and international investigation of Bhutto's death. That's now happening: The U.K.'s Scotland Yard will assist in investigating the Bhutto assassination and the elections will be held 18 February. The ability to act decisively, but calmly, without overreacting in a crisis is a major quality of leadership. Along with Sen. Chris Dodd, Edwards had also worked to keep the U.S. from attacking Iran.
My decision was finalized yesterday when I read that Edwards' planned to remove, not just "combat troops," but ALL U.S. forces from Iraq (and no permanent bases) as quickly as possible--with all of them home within a year of his taking the oath of office. That is quite a break with the "withdraw most" plans of Clinton and Obama (and Biden). It was a position previously only articulated by Kucinich, Gravel, and Richardson. Edwards is the first candidate to take this position--one that most citizens support--who actually has a chance of winning the nomination and the election. That sealed the deal for me. I am sending a small monetary contribution in the mail (too late for Iowa, maybe it'll help for NH) and ordering my yard sign, buttons, etc.
Even if Edwards fails to win the nomination, his candidacy can do more than other progressives such as Kucinich and Richardson, who have poll numbers in the single digits, to affect the platform and push the eventual nominee to a more progressive, peace and justice orientation. But I will now work my butt off to help him win the nomination and the White House. I am tired of DLC "corporate Democrats" who run from the New Deal and the Great Society. It's time for a Democrat in the White House who is on the side of the poor, of Labor, of the environment, of the sick, of the rule of law, human rights, peacemaking--and who will fight the vested interests on behalf of these convictions.
(If Edwards wins, it could have the added bonus of causing Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Glenn Beck, Bill Kristol, and, especially Bill O'Reilly to all turn very interesting colors--and have apopleptic fits on the air!)
P.S. Truth-telling gonzo filmmaker Michael Moore hasn't yet made an endorsement, but in this article about the top 3 candidates, he shows some of the same reasoning that led me to endorse Edwards. I hesitate to mention it, since I am still sore at him for campaigning in Florida in '00 when he knew it might throw the election to Bush, but Ralph Nader, whose values are right even if his judgment is sometimes skewed, is now endorsing Edwards.
Update: Journalist Norman Solomon, who, like Nader and Moore, is part of the small percentage of the U.S. population that is regularly more liberal than I am on most issues has now endorsed John Edwards, saying that Kucinich's call for his Iowa supporters to choose Obama as their second choice in the caucuses (if Kucinich should get less than "viable" turnout in particular precincts) made no sense and removed the reasons that remained to vote for Kucinich in the primary season. Solomon also called Edwards the "most improved candidate" (from a progressive standpoint) of 2007, a sentiment with which I completely agree, although I think those improvements began on 03 Nov. 2004 as Edwards realized that both he and John Kerry lost by listening more to the professional campaign handlers than listening to his real, progressive, populist values.
9 comments:
The talking heads on CNN spent a great deal of time evaluating each of the top candidates on "likeability" and "electability". While I don't deny that both of those factors, especially the latter (though that is often arbitrarily defined and prematurely deeming a candidate to be "unelectable" is more akin to self-fullfilling prophecy), are important, both of those characteristics should be secondary to a candidate's "governability."
Whether one agrees with his values and platform or not, Edwards clearly demonstrates qualities of "governability" that are lacking in many of the other top candidates. Frankly, "electability" means diddly squat if the candidate is incapable of governing once elected. (See, for example, Exhibit A: Current White House Occupant.)
I too - a tremendous fan of Obama since his stirring speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention - am now leaning towards Edwards, basically for the reasons outlined here. While I wouldn't say that I've soured on Obama, his silly response to Bhutto's assassination troubled me.
That aside, Edwards has earned by support more than Obama has lost it. While his focus on poverty seems inconsistent with his lavish lifestyle, it nonetheless seems sincere, and is welcome.
I just hope that he and Obama - whatever happens in Iowa - can join forces to prevent our party from foolishly nominating a candidate (Hillary Clinton) who probably couldn't win a general election, and who, even if she could, we wouldn't want to.
Obama certainly has a number of positive qualities in his favor. Personally, I think he'd make a much stronger candidate in '12 or '16 after he's got some more experience behind him. Obama's campaign seems to have suffered from creeping centrism, not unlike--perhaps--what happened to Edwards while running with Kerry in '04. As a more mature candidate, he would have more self-confidence in his progressive values and less likely to succumb to centrist tendencies in the Democratic party. (Which, by the way, is precisely what seems to have taken place with Edwards over the past four years.)
In regards to joining forces, an Edwards/Obama or Obama/Edwards ticket would be appealing, though I'd be much more intrigued by, say, an Edwards/Richardson ticket.
In any case, an Obama candidacy is still worth voting for--unlike Hillary, who will make it oh, so tempting to not even bother with that pesky absentee ballot application . . .
Chris, Daniel--I think you are both right. Yes, Edwards' lifestyle is hypocritical--but FDR and RFK were both filthy rich and worked for the poor. I'd rather a rich dude working to end poverty than what we usually get: a rich dude not caring about the poor!
I think Obama is being overly cautious--like Edwards in '04. Also, he likes the role of healer, but we need a fighter right now. The vested interests will not be negotiated out of the way.
I still worry about whether Edwards can win BEYOND Iowa. And I agree that some form of Edwards/Obama ticket would have the most punch. But I am now pushing for Edwards to be the top of the ticket, rather than the VP position.
The results are in and Obama has won. It is unlikely that Edwards can recover. he has lived in Iowa for the last 4 years, bet everything on Iowa and yet has fallen short.
Most important I think is the fact that Obama took by wide margins voters under 45. I do think that is key. And as for needing a fighter more than a healer -- well if you like a fighter you have one in office now. He likes to fight and walk with a swagger. I think America wants something different and Iowa said that Obama is that person. The time is now!
I'm just thankful Hillary didn't win it. I don't have a problem voting for either Edwards or Obama. I like Kucinich the best, but I have to face reality.
Marty, I agree. Bob, I also wonder whether Edwards can recover. He was outspent hugely, but still managed to beat Hillary. But I am GLAD Hillary got 3rd place.
To compare Edwards' fight for the poor with W is beneath any kind of response.
I was hugely impressed with the youth turnout that Obama mobilized. If he can keep that up, not only will he win, but he will have revitalized our democracy. Now if he would only adopt a truly universal healthcare plan and a foreign policy that is less Niebuhrian and more proactive peacemaking.
Michael,
I think maybe we misunderstood each other on the nature of the word fighter. I was speaking more of the issue of combativeness. No, Edwards and W are very different people and their fight is very different. But my point is that the time now is for someown who can bring the nation together rather than be combative. And Edwards unfortunately has become combative.
Hillary seems to be on the ropes, but I doubt she's done yet. She has blamed the process for her defeat, but she tried to work the process. The problem is -- too many people came out. Like the GOP, Hillary's method is to keep the vote down so party regulars can control things. The wins by Huckabee and Obama are clear challenges to this.
I think we DO need to bring the nation together, but like Edwards I do not believe we can negotiate with Big Pharma and the HMOs over healthcare or with Big Oil over clean energy and global warming.
I am not against struggle--against nonviolent fights. We would never have gotten the gains of the civil rights movement, by just hope alone--people had to put bodies on the line. I still think Obama and Edwards need each other and America needs both spirits.
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