Signaling the increasing desperation of his campaign, former Senator John Edwards is stepping up his rhetoric with thinly-veiled slaps at Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as Philip Elliott reports for the Associated Press:
"Real change starts with being honest, and I want to say something again: The system in Washington is rigged, and I'll say it again, it's rigged and it's rigged by greedy powers," Edwards said Thursday."It's rigged by the system to favor the establishment," he said at Dartmouth College.
What Edwards called "the rhetoric of change" is popular among all the Democratic candidates. Sen. Barack Obama uses the notion throughout his campaign. One of Clinton's slogans is, "Ready for change, ready to lead."
Edwards challenged his Democratic rivals' ownership of the word at the start a four-day swing through New Hampshire.
"The American people deserve to know that their presidency is not for sale. The Lincoln Bedroom is not for rent," Edwards said to applause, referencing a Clinton-era controversy in which high-dollar donors were allowed to stay in the White House's famed bedroom.
Read the whole story at the above link. Hard to claim the crack about the Lincoln Bedroom isn't directed at Hillary . . .
Edwards has seen his once-formidable lead in Iowa evaporate, with Clinton taking the lead in the most recent polls, with Obama also closing in on him. Having devoted years to building an organization in Iowa which everyone considered top-notch, he recently pulled campaign staff out of Nevada to redeploy.
Mired in the 12-16% range in national polls (less if Gore is included), he is running a poor third in New Hampshire, South Carolina (which he won in 2004), and Florida, Edwards looks and sounds like a desperate man. Rightly so, since his political obituary has already been published.
Speaking strictly for myself, Edwards has never been someone who deserved serious attention on the national stage. I doubt he will be able to stay in the race beyond Iowa, if that long. Not soon enough for me - how can I miss him if he just won't go away?
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race, Democrats, Edwards, Primaries
Tags: Democrat, Edwards, presidential campaign, primaries
Comments (14)
Edwards is in McCain territ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by HughS | August 23, 2007 9:14 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Edwards is in McCain territory...left to posturing for a future position.
I'm still surprised at the shallowness and patronizing aspect of his message. He was a VP candidate after all.
That said, Hillary is cleaning the floor with him and Obama, however, Edwards has not embarrassed himself as Obama has. I think one thing I have observed from this campaign so far is that the Democrat field is top heavy. Not so much so that Hillary has distinguished herself, but that her opponents have self immolated.
1. Posted by HughS | August 23, 2007 9:14 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on August 23, 2007 21:14
2. Posted by COgirl | August 23, 2007 9:33 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Time to go home and take care of his sick wife.
Adios, you phony.
2. Posted by COgirl | August 23, 2007 9:33 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 23, 2007 21:33
3. Posted by kim | August 23, 2007 10:16 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Not so fast there. I think he needs to go campaign in Colorado. We don't want any hasty decisions from COgirl.
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3. Posted by kim | August 23, 2007 10:16 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 23, 2007 22:16
4. Posted by COgirl | August 24, 2007 1:06 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Seen enough of him. He can stay out of Colorado!
4. Posted by COgirl | August 24, 2007 1:06 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2007 01:06
5. Posted by kim | August 24, 2007 4:53 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
He and his wife can comfort themselves that corrupt entrenched interests destroyed his political career.
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5. Posted by kim | August 24, 2007 4:53 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2007 04:53
6. Posted by Paul Hooson | August 24, 2007 5:38 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Jim, I didn't realize all the work you do here to raise more issues not brought up on the other Wizbang. You're a busy guy for sure.
Edwards is desperate for sure. He's lagging badly to Hillary, so we can only expect more of these type of attacks.
6. Posted by Paul Hooson | August 24, 2007 5:38 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2007 17:38
7. Posted by bryanD | August 24, 2007 9:58 PM | Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
jim, I second Paul Hooson. And you should be main editor. (You haven't mentally quit the fight.) The main board can then be divided between "Pop" and "Patio furniture, used".
7. Posted by bryanD | August 24, 2007 9:58 PM |
Score: -2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 24, 2007 21:58
8. Posted by kim | August 25, 2007 12:58 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Oh God, bD, now I'm deleted and banned by the Prince of Bovines for calling Powell a shit on the Condi Rice thread, a sentiment echoed more elegantly by a later poster.
Powell IS a shit.
SHIT SHIT SHIT
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8. Posted by kim | August 25, 2007 12:58 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2007 00:58
9. Posted by John in CA | August 25, 2007 3:06 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Getting kudos from Hooson and bryanD could be the kiss of death. Especially when bryanD says you're still mentally in the game. That's sort of like the coach who has the full support of management.
Hopefully Hooson won't start hanging out at wizpolitics thinking he'll have a new audience to tell about his great, super-duper, fantastical chinese scooter.
9. Posted by John in CA | August 25, 2007 3:06 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2007 03:06
10. Posted by bryanD | August 25, 2007 4:41 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
John! in CA,
The guy that spells "Fred" with an "!". Such flair!
"Liza With a Z" fan. Zero Zorro. Comic book guy. CCG's schlamazzel. Uses "super-duper" in sentences.
kim===
Hmmm, sounds juicy. I wish you typed clearer. Banned at BigW? And over C. Powell???
Or elsewhere? After all strong black lady Bush drones are admired here and worth setting phasers on KILL for. Or are you the patsy? Is Jay Tea doing Sidney Greenstreet off-Broadway?
10. Posted by bryanD | August 25, 2007 4:41 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2007 16:41
11. Posted by kim | August 25, 2007 5:03 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
I'm glad you don't type clearer. Can't you tell the style differences between Jay and me? Where's my invisibility cloak? John is sturdy, yang to your ying; why else would he bug you so much?
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11. Posted by kim | August 25, 2007 5:03 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2007 17:03
12. Posted by bryanD | August 25, 2007 8:31 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
"Oh God, bD, now I'm deleted and banned by the Prince of Bovines"==kim
Who is this Prince of Bovines who banned you?
Were you stealing his psilosiben?
12. Posted by bryanD | August 25, 2007 8:31 PM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 25, 2007 20:31
13. Posted by kim | August 26, 2007 8:05 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
The Cow, Ward, Lee, lyin'.
Are you jealous?
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13. Posted by kim | August 26, 2007 8:05 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 26, 2007 08:05
14. Posted by kim | August 26, 2007 9:56 AM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
The King of Leasts.
ed. That's mean.
k. Yeah, but funny.
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14. Posted by kim | August 26, 2007 9:56 AM |
Score: 0 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 26, 2007 09:56