Edwards acknowledges staff asked Wal-Mart for Playstation 3

[Moloch]

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards acknowledged Thursday that amid his criticism of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., a volunteer member of his staff asked the world's largest retailer for help obtaining a hot new Sony Playstation 3 for Edwards' family.

Edwards, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, told The Associated Press that the volunteer "feels terrible" about seeking the game unit at Wal-Mart while his boss claims the retailer doesn't treat its employees fairly.

"My wife, Elizabeth, wanted to get a Playstation3 for my young children. She mentioned it in front of one of my staff people. That staff person mentioned it in front of a volunteer who said he would make an effort to get one. He was making an effort to go get one for himself," Edwards said.

"Elizabeth and I knew nothing about this. He feels terrible about this. He made a mistake and he knows he should not have used my name," Edwards said.

http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061116/APF/611162631

[MADem]

1. What a STUPID staffer, frankly. STUPID.

Way to make the boss look like an asswipe. At least JE got in front of the story. And the pathetic fool was a volunteer...but a dumb volunteer.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/08/news/companies/sonynintendo_launch/index.htm

EVERY outlet is playing a 'faux shortage' game to drive sales. Fuck'em. Tell the kids to read a book or go out and play. Go sledding or build a snowman, fachrissake!!! Tell them you'll buy them one if they're good, say, in the spring....!!!

[Sherman A1]

3. Agreed

That being said, we have all at one time or another gotten caught up in the "shortage of the latest Christmas Toy" thing and gotten a little goofy. I know I have in the past, hardly the worst thing in the world, not good, but could have been far, far worse.

[MADem]

6. I was, I must confess, roped into a hunt for "Teddy Ruxpin" eons ago! NT

[Stephanie]

16. He was a VOLUNTEER

big difference. you can't control the volunteers, sometimes they just do their own thing.

[MADem]

18. I noted that in my post, and you really can control the volunteers

You can give them standards of performance and dismiss them if they don't meet them. This guy did a terrible thing--he used his boss's name to gain influence and he tarnished Edwards' reputation and gave the GOP a talking point against him in future debates--no matter that it was done without his knowledge, truth is always the first casualty.

Mark my words, if Edwards runs, you WILL see this issue resurrected in classically inaccurate fashion by the right.

Taking the boss's name, and reputation in vain is a BAD thing. It's something you do not do, unless you have the full awareness of your boss when you do it.

[jhain]

70. Ruxpin was a volunteer?

He is in my attic; I think I have to go give him a little dunk him in some water for the answer.

[Arkana]

25. Tell them to get in line for a Wii

Better system, and cheaper--I'll be waiting to get mine till after Christmas, though.

[Canuckistanian]

36. I heard that a few days ago

There was a radio interview with a video game guy who said that the Wii was just as exciting and a lot cheaper.

Now, I know NOTHING about video consoles, but if the experts are saying that Wii is "just as good", why all the fuss? Why is it so fucking important to get it NOW?

In the law of consumer appliances, a little patience pays off BIG TIME.

[Moloch]

80. Yeah it looks pretty exciting......

looked all around town to find one today, to no avail.

I'll probably have to wait until after xmas.

[MADem]

53. I'm not up on all this crap. The first time I heard of a Wii (I thought it was WEE, as in wee wee)

was on South Park, not that I'm a regular viewer of that show either. One of the South Park kids (the one with the slap-his-face voice) wanted one of them, and ended up freezing himself because he couldn't wait for the roll-out date of the Wii. It was, in essence, a textbook exercise in bold product placement.

At first I thought it was a 'faux' product (I mean, come on, the name is goofy--Wii??? "I gotta Wii!!!!!!!" "What, can't ya hold it until we get to the mall?"), but one of the 'with it' young uns told me it was a real item!

[okoboji]

2. gee whiz

Playstation 3 is making people crazy and for what? $600 and $700 models, that won't play some previous version games. and don't most of the games cost around $60?

The store that I work at is getting only 2, yet we have 5 people camped outside in 30 degree weather waiting for the store to open at 7:00 am ...

What will the price be on E-bay at 7:30 am ?

[rodeodance]

5. people who get them will be able to sell them for a few thousand

[krispos42]

10. 4 people in lawn chairs outside of a Target in Minnesota on Tuesday

I at first thought they were protesting something, but no signs, and no noise. On my way out, the PS3 panic occured to me, but I was already at my car and didn't ask.

This was in St. Louis Park, a Minneapolis suburb. The day's high was less than 40 degrees, by the way.

Well, at least they were first in line...

Playstation 3s are going for nearly 6 grand on eBay. Oh my fucking god...

[Ms. Toad]

77. Only 5 people,

by the night before they arrive?

We went shopping Wednesday night and by 9:30 PM there were more than a half dozen people on folding chairs outside one store (WalMart) and at least a half dozen dome tents outside the other (Best Buy) a block away.

We had no clue what was going on, asked, and were told they were already camping out in anticipation of the Friday store opening.

[rodeodance]

4. slow news day

[acmavm]

7. There are lines around stores already. The clerks are gearing

up for all kinds of craziness. (Talked to a guy last night at Target.) Even he said that people are going to buy them for 450.00 (that's what he said they cost, I wouldn't know) and sell them for a thousand around Christmas.

Any fool who goes out and scores a thousand dollar game player for their kid for Christmas is really teaching them a good lesson. And settiing up some real valuable priorities at the same time. :sarcasm:

[saigon68]

9. Their children will be rolling drunks on the Bowery

And stealing from the box for Peter's pence

[No Exit]

39. Why do you hate Christmas?

:)

Your priorities seem very sound to me.

My son wants one of those new X-Box thingies and I COULDN'T CARE LESS.

[fujiyama]

44. $450?

That's a good deal. I'd throw that on eBay and make over a thousand bucks.

It's more like $500 for the lower end model and 6$00 for the premium system.

[Joe Chi Minh]

8. I hope it was stupidity. I suppose it was.

[FedUpWithIt All]

11. I am so sick of this type of thing...

who the fuck CARES. I mean honestly, in a day and age were our government LIED to begin a war that killed nearly 3000 Americans and over 200,000 Iraqis, who cares where the Edwards family gets their playstation III. We haven't even stopped the war yet. Shouldn't the focus, 24/7, be the corruption of the highest level of power in this country?

I posted recently to a Kerry thread. The question was... is he finished. My response was it depends on whether or not we want a president or and entertainer. I cannot BELIEVE that Edwards released a statement about this, let alone felt he had too. What is wrong with us? One side, literally, gets away with murder, while the other is groveling to explain its way out of a wal mart shopping trip? Unbelievable.

I have said and will say again. I am sick to death of "politicians". I want leaders. I do not care about the small details of their personal lives. I do not care if they are humorless, dull and dry. I don't care if they are attractive, charming or even likable. What i DO care about is finding leaders who can lead this country to better places.

Rant off. Edited to add...my rant is not to the OP, just to America in general. Our focus is so warped, IMO.

[Brazenly Liberal]

13. I am in 99% agreement with you

The only thing I'd argue is that it was right for Edwards to release the statement. We've seen the past few elections how things like this are taken by the GOP and made part of the candidate's profile, repeated ad nauseum as if they are an established and accepted indicator of his character. We've seen that they have to be dealt with immediately and then move on.

Dealing with it is more art than science. The statement has to be immediate and contain the right degree of apology or nonapology. Kerry has had problems striking the right note. Edwards hit it on the head.

Yes, it's a disgusting damn shame that this new layer has been added to the campaign landscape, but we didn't add it and now we're stuck with it. Refusing to deal with it loses elections and even the best candidate can't do much for the country if he can't get elected.

[WildEyedLiberal]

19. Thanks for this post

I agree with you. The media excoriates Democrats for leaving one pronoun out of a sentence or a staffer calling a store for a toy, but yet Glenn Beck openly accuses a newly elected US Congressman of being a traitor to his country, and the rest of the whore media doesn't blink.

Your post nails it, and I hate when I see DUers say "we need a candidate with charisma" or "we need a Southern governor" or whatever because they think that such a candidate will be more teevee friendly. Um, I'm voting for someone to lead my country and make policy decisions, not be a media darling. This isn't American Idol. That said, the media twists and distorts our candidates to make them all look like bumbling hypocrites or worse, so even if they ARE "charismatic," no one will ever know, because the media is fully invested in telling people what they should think about everyone.

Great post and welcome to DU.

[PaDem]

57. We have a winner........

I think most of us are sick and tired of the American political climate, one in which voters are more inclined to vote for the candidate they'd prefer to watch a football game with than the one who is best suited to lead. I'm so tired of politics playing to the lowest common denominator. The only way that will change is when the American people demand that it change. This kind of thing will be used as a political sword because the average American voter will take it hook, line and sinker.

[Thickasabrick]

65. Bravo....you captured my thoughts exactly on this issue.

[Bullshot]

12. NBC this morning was showing the mob scene of a store opening up

and letting the materialistic dumbfucks in, who just have to get their PS3. Now. It can't wait until next week, next month, or--perish the thought--after Christmas!

Geez, the idiots were practically running over each other to get in that store.

When I see scenes like this, it only reinforces my belief that the U.S. has way too many idiots.

[No Exit]

40. And we wondered who were those stupid f*cks who kept supporting Bush*?

Now we know!

[DiverDave]

14. By june, they will be easy to get.

the reason people want to stand in line is to make money off the suckers.
"There's a sucker born every minute" Mr. George Hull, of Binghamton, New York

P.T. Barnum never said it, Hull did. Check it out:

http://www.historybuff.com/library/refbarnum.html

[Scooter24]

15. Ebay just had one sold for $6100...

for a system that retails for $600.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Playstation-3-PREMIUM-60-GB-console-system-PS3_W0QQitemZ250048349343QQihZ015QQcategoryZ62054QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Maybe I should consider putting mine on ebay? lol

[genieroze]

17. If I had one I would sell it if some dumb-ass was willing to pay

over 10 times the value. 1000% profit? Go for it.

[ottomattic]

26. Ebay just had one sold for $6100

Ebay just had one sold for $6100...
Posted by Scooter24
for a system that retails for $600.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-Playstation-3-PREMIUM-60-GB-co... 
Maybe I should consider putting mine on ebay? lo
---------------------------------------------


It didn't sell for $6100 Look at the winning bidder, ZERO
feedback. Look at the bid history, 53 bids and about 80% have
little or no feedback. There were maybe 3 possible serious
bidders. The last bidder with any real feedback dropped out
around $3000. The most likely serious bidder bid to about
$1000.

Sony has people watching ebay and registering accounts to bid
these auctions up to prevent people from reselling these on
ebay. 
 

[Politicub]

20. This is news?

Big fat whatever and who cares.

[pinerow]

21. 'Scuse me...so effin' what....

sheesh...nothing more important happen today...?...i asked my son's girlfriend, who works at Walmart, to grab one for me. What does that make me...?:wtf:

[yellowcanine]

22. Why is this news? A staffer did this. Must be a slow news day. Actually this is not breaking

news. I could swear I saw a similar story yesterday.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

23. What's a Playstation?

[populistdriven]

24. No Democrat should be shopping at WalMart. They are the Enemy. Period. End of Story.

The staffer should be dismissed immediately.

I drive 20 miles every two weeks past 3 WalMarts to get to CostCo.

The last time I was in WM was two years ago.

Every Democrat with a clue should do the same.

[PeaceProgProsp]

30. It was a volunteer. You can't fire volunteers.

[Zech Marquis]

27. a waste of time and money

I tried out the PS3 yesterday, and I have to be honest, it's NOT worth shelling out 600 dollars for at all. It can't scale down to 720p, which most HDTV sets are currenty running (in fact it will scale back DOWN to 480p, or just your regular tv quality). The games are underwhelming--no real blockbuster title at all, nothing that jumps out at me. And Blu Ray movies? I watched some segmemnts of Cars on Blu Ray, and while it looked nice, it's NOt worth shelling out 500-600 for the experience.

[ShortnFiery]

28. What were the rest of us supposed to do, us Peasant Classes?

"My wife, Elizabeth, wanted to get a Playstation3 for my young children ..."

Oh, now I've got it! The Wealthy and Connected get all the benefits and the rest of us Chattering Classes can "eat cake." Gee, I guess John Edwards, in his efforts to please Elizabeth, has forgotten his ROOTS?

Methinks many former working slobs remember to forget - once they've grabbed the brass ring. ;)

[prolesunited]

34. Where in the story does it say Edwards did anything

or ordered his staff to do anything.

I can easily see the situation. They're just having small talk and he mentions it as it was the talk of the nation. Someone eager to please and be the "big man" takes it upon himself to try to make it happen as a surprise.

Or, you can buy what the MSM is peddling and turn your back on yet another Dem cause they told you so.

[ShortnFiery]

46. You're right, in a way - he said, his wife, Elizabeth, wanted this item ...

It seems that he may NOT have personally known that she had enlisted this volunteer until the situation had figuratively blown-up in their faces. :(

Yes, perhaps John Edwards was not personally aware of what's going on behind the scenes. However, both family and friends should NOT EVER use his name to pull strings.

An unfortunate situation but ultimately, John Edward's loss because his family and/or volunteers can NOT keep his personal populist vice privilege reflected in THEIR behavior. That is, no one in his family should *wish for* anything that is not available to all Americans.

This could have been prevented ... I'm a lifelong Democrat but I cannot give a PASS on people or their staff who feel they should JUMP line in front of others who are equally worthy of purchasing such a coveted item. :shrug:

[Susang]

68. Elizabeth Edwards didn't "enlist" the volunteer, as you seem to believe

At least not according to the article quoted. She mentioned she wanted to get a Playstation for her kids to a staffer, who mentioned it to a volunteer, who was trying to obtain one for himself and offered to try and get one for Edwards as well. Big difference, don't you think?

It sounds like the volunteer was using the opportunity to help the Edwards as a way to get a Playstation for himself by name-dropping. I would think that a "lifelong Democrat" such as yourself would be able to see through bullshit like this a little better. How disappointing.

[No Exit]

37. At least he didn't spend TEN MILLION DOLLARS on a daughter's bat mitzvah

after "earning" (embezzling) obscene "profits" (thefts) by selling DEFECTIVE ARMOR for the Pentagon to supply to OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN who were going to Iraq. (See: Republican arms dealer Brent Wilkes.)

At least he didn't look at the drowning people and bloated bodies in New Orleans and say, "This is working out well for them", as did a certain bloated-bodied former first lady and mother of "Rosemary's Baby".

At least he didn't send thousands to die after having RUN from military service. (See: Junior, Cheney, or any of the neocon bastards.)

At least he didn't sell bird flu vaccine that doesn't work after having helped hype the stupid "bird flu" scare bullshit. (See: Scumsfeld, and his Palace on Chesapeake Bay.)

At least he didn't lie to try to avoid paying customs duty (which she could WELL afford) when re-entering the U.S. with trinkets and baubles from Europe. (See: rich wife of Jeb Bush.)

At least he didn't stare uncomprehendingly at the scanner in a supermarket because he'd never in his worthless life had to GO into a supermarket because he'd always had the family's serfs to do it for him. (See: Poppy.)

At least he didn't call a native Virginian a "macaca" while being an CALIFORNIAN who adopted the state because he has some sort of strange pathological attachment to some mythical fantasy of the "Confederacy"--while keeping his mother locked in a closet because she's (gasp!)... Jewish.

At least he doesn't rail on about "family values" while fucking someone not his wife in a bathroom stall. (See: most of the republican politicians and staffers.)

At least he doesn't pretend to be Jesus' Golden Boy while urging that people be KILLED, like a certain demented old bastard who defiles TV screens under the name of "The 700 Club".

At least he doesn't ride to increased power on the desire of the American people to STOP MAKING WAR, while deliberately undercutting antiwar candidates in his own party. (See: Rahm Emmanuel.)

[treestar]

54. Wonderful post!

:thumbsup::headbang:

[No Exit]

61. Thanks!!

:)

[David Zephyr]

29. Groan! There goes his millionire "populist" image for good.

Cutting in line against other children is hardly populist.

I like John Edwards a lot, but he needs a reality check. He should run for Governor of North Carolina or wait to be appointed AG by a new Democratic President.

I hope he doesn't run in 2008.

[prolesunited]

33. Did you read the story?

Or do you just don't buy that it was an over-eager volunteer who broke the rules unbeknownst to him? I would hate to be held accountable for the actions of everyone I come into conact with.

[PurityOfEssence]

42. Oh piffle.

Come on David, what's the deal? Any little wrinkle rankles you about Edwards, whereas others can transgress far and wide and still be darlings.

This is a tempest in the smallest of teapots; if you really think Edwards was gaming the system to get his little ones something without playing by the rules then there's really nothing more to be said.

Please address your core issues with the man. If they put him beyond the pale, then simply walk away; the feigned shock over non-issues is untoward. You're a fair, decent and fun guy, but you seem somehow blinkered about this man and ready to dismiss him at the slightest whiff of impropriety. It smacks of deeper dislikes that have you casting about for reasons to dismiss him.

Think about it.

I don't get it.

[hollowdweller]

31. If that's the worst thing they can dig up on Edwards I think he's a shoe in for Pres

A STAFFER not him right? I dont' see where this is newsworthy

[robbedvoter]

38. Myself, I'd go with: "Had I been POTUS, I'd have invaded Iraq"

but tastes may vary....
This story is irrelevant except for the "Checkers" stench.

[PurityOfEssence]

43. Please cite specifics on that quote

When did he ever say anything like that? He voted for a resolution that allowed the president to take military action after all inspection regimens and other diplomacy had failed, and he did so because he was misled by the lies about the nuclear, biological and chemical programs.

Unlike most others, he's unequivocally stated that he was wrong for doing so and regrets it.

Did I miss this? When did he say such a thing?

[Moloch]

59. Were you against the war in 2002, 2003?

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of us here on DU were.

Edwards should have done what we all knew was the right thing, instead of the politically expedient (at the time) thing.

[The Count]

66. On Hardball, Tweety interview, fall 2003

Don't have that transcript handy, but found the press release in which he braggs about working on Patriot Act - also more impirtant reason for me not to vote for him:



SENATE PASSES STRONG ANTITERRORISM LAW

http://edwards.senate.gov/press/2001/oct26-pr.html
October 26, 2001


WASHINGTON–The Senate on Thursday passed a sweeping antiterrorism bill
that expanded the wiretapping and electronic surveillance authority of
the FBI and imposed stronger penalties for harboring or bankrolling
terrorists.

"This will strengthen our nation's ability to prevent future terrorist
attacks," said Senator John Edwards, who worked on the legislation as a
member of the Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on

[Moloch]

74. This is very damning....

We need a nominee in '08 who is willing to stand up for what is right, not what is politically expedient at any given time.

[The Count]

67. Actual quote + source:

Q: Were we right to go to this war alone, basically without the
Europeans behind us? Was that something we had to do?
EDWARDS: I think that we were right to go. I think we were right to go
to the United Nations. I think we couldn't let those who could veto in
the Security Council hold us hostage.
...
MATTHEWS: If you knew last October when you had to cast an aye or nay
vote for this war, that we would be unable to find weapons of mass
destruction after all these months there, would you still have
supported the war?
EDWARDS: It wouldn't change my views. I said before, I think that the
threat here was a unique threat. It was Saddam Hussein, the potential
for Saddam getting nuclear weapons, given his history and the fact that
he started the war before.
...
MATTHEWS: The United States has had a long history of nonintervention,
of basically taking the "don't tread on me and if you don't we'll leave
you alone." We broke with that tradition for Iraq. What is your
standard for breaking with tradition of nonintervention?
EDWARDS: When somebody like Saddam Hussein presents a direct threat to
the security of the American people and, in this case, the security of
a region of the world that I think is critical.
and the money quote:
MATTHEWS: OK. I just want to get one thing straight so that we know how you would have been different in president if you had been in office the last four years as president. Would you have gone to Afghanistan?

EDWARDS: I would.

MATTHEWS: Would you have gone to Iraq?

EDWARDS: I would have gone to Iraq.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3131295/

[PurityOfEssence]

69. Cherry-picking made easy

This line of the thread made it sound like he volunteered whole-heartedly for attacking Iraq with the implication that he was using this by his own choice for personal gain, rather than responding to a goading simplistic question.

Let's look at some other parts of THE VERY SAME INTERVIEW:

MATTHEWS: Do you think he ever posed a direct threat...

EDWARDS: Can I say something? You sort of-implicit in that question was that the assumption that I believe that the Bush policy on preemptive strike is correct. I don’t.

I don’t think we need a new doctrine. I think that we can always act to protect the safety and security of the American people. And I have said repeatedly that Bush-President Bush’s approach to foreign policy in general is extraordinarily bad. Dangerous for the American people. He doesn’t work with others. He doesn’t build coalitions. We were promised...

MATTHEWS: Wait, wait.

EDWARDS: Let me finish. We were promised a coalition on the ground right now. And we were promised a plan for what would occur at this point in this campaign in Iraq. Well, neither of those things have occurred. And as a result, we’re seeing what’s happening to our young men and women.

(This comes directly before the excerpt you gave us. Yes, he did say, when asked, that he'd have gone into Iraq, but he didn't bring this up and he didn't trumpet this as some policy for which he should be lauded. The insinuation of the "quote" is quite out of line; he didn't say--in what sounds like an unprovoked moment--that as president he'd have 'gone into Iraq too and y'all should love me for being so butch'. This is EXTREMELY misleading.)

Since this point, he has admitted very specifically that he WAS misled and that his vote was wrong. For this he gets little credit, but it stands out as a very rare moment of candor and admission in american politics.

I was aware of this Matthews ambush, having seen it when broadcast, but it certainly didn't sound like the flat-out statement that was made by the previous poster.

Yes, it's disturbing how someone this smart was suckered by the propaganda of the time, but context is everything, and the initial "quote" made it sound like he was cynically making hay from the situation.

[robbedvoter]

78. That whole interview makes it clear he was not mislead, he is as sure

that war is right as W is. later (2005) he said he was wrong. How confident should I be in a guy like that?
he was sure enough the war was needed, he would have started it himself - and 2 years later he says "Oops!"
Not the guy to be entrusted with human lives, not much more than W.

[No Exit]

41. Yeah, and y'know, if our CURRENT prez had one of these, maybe he

would just play quietly and wouldn't BOTHER us by starting so much trouble among the neighbors!

Let's take up a collection...

[errorbells]

32. I got so freakin' sick...

of hearing about this on CNBC all day.

They were just taking up for Walmart and sticking it to Edwards
in the process.

[yellowcanine]

35. Does anyone actually care about this? A contractor in Iraq has been accused of

indiscriminately shooting into civilian vehicles "for fun". Seems to be a mite more newsworthy than where some aide bought a Playstation.

[fujiyama]

45. I'm sorry

This is news?

How many Americans were killed in Iraq today? Of course, I could ask how many Iraqis were killed, but do they even keep track of that anymore?

PS3 is a cool toy and I guess the Edwards thought it'd be a nice gift for the kid and Elizabeth must have mentioned that in passing one day. I'm very doubtful they used staffers and volunteers to scope out the availability of PS3s in the area. If they did such a thing, they're scum, but I seriously doubt they'd do that. Now they have plenty of disposable income and they can afford a $600 video game system. Some staffer wanted to do something nice I suppose and tried getting one for them, but he was an idiot and used their names.

Either way, this is a non-story.

[Moloch]

47. Oh I agree with you, The war is much bigger news...

but this story shows the staggering hypocracy of Edwards. He did, after all, rubber stamp the war in the first place. Perhaps if he and some other senators and congressmen/women had thought about the repercussions of invading a sovergn country against international law instead of their own political interests, we wouldn't be in this mess today.

[ShortnFiery]

48. Agreed, Kerry also knew better ...

Yes, I voted for Kerry but was disappointed that he voted to allow authorization for war. WE ALL KNEW that if Dear Leader received the authority, he'd invade. :(

I'm not here to bash Democrats but NOW is the time to act to get our troops out of that hell-hole.

Yes, this is small stuff, infinitesimal even.

HOWEVER, where does it end? A man who came from working class roots and uses that as part of his political campaigning NEEDS to get a better handle on his spouse and volunteers who are promoting his populist message.

[fujiyama]

50. Don't get me wrong - I'm not blaming you for mentioning something reported

and I still disagree with Edwards vote. I just think this is a good example of a non-story being paraded as legitimate news.

To his credit he realized his mistake and apologized (better than Hillary), albeit quite late.

[ShortnFiery]

51. Yes, that I'll gladly give you - John Edwards does not mince words.

In that regard, we agree - it's a real pissy story ... small minded M$M wanna know rather than investigate the true corruption in our governments. Agreed - perspective is everything. ;)

[Robeson]

49. OMG!! PLAYSTATION-GATE! Will Edwards EVER recover?!?

...:boring:

[gorekerrydreamticket]

82. It was merely a botched request, everyone should just move on...n/t

[Vinca]

52. Note to all potential presidential candidates:

do not look cross eyed, do not fart, do not allow spittle to accumulate in the creases of your mouth, do not wear mismatched socks, do not profess a love for fast food fries, do not acknowledge ever hearing the name Linda Lovelace, do not miss church, do not fall asleep in said church, do not allow your gaze to fall upon attractive women . . . or men . . . and, above all else, do not tell jokes.

[citizen snips]

55. big deal

n/t

[Idioteque]

63. My problem isn't that he's shopping at Wal-Mart...it's that he should be getting a Wii.

Wii > PS3

[citizen snips]

75. he should be getting a xbox 360

[Orsino]

56. "Should not have used my name"?

Is that the lesson he's learned. Nothing about the (admittedly minor) hypocrisy of purchasing from Wal-Mart?

I know; Edwards is not ready to call for a boycott, and he probably didn't even think of saying, "Please don't get it from Wal-Mart." I just think he would set a better example for us all if he did make an effort to shop elsewhere, and if he had his staff do so on his behalf.

The scandal, if there is one, is in his shopping (indirectly) through the company he's criticized so--not in that we happened to find out about it.

[Impashund Ubique]

79. Actually

Edwards did bring up exactly the point that you talk about, listen here:

http://www.jimbotalk.net/%7Ejimbhil0/audio/EdwardsJohn061117.mp3

And I don't know which part of this you are failing to understand, but Edwards wasn't shopping at Wal-Mart, his volunteer staffer was, whose actions Edwards doesn't approve.

Edwards has been a leading voice against Wal-Mart's unjust practices... I think he does set a better example for anyone when he goes on the stump and gives a voice to those workers whom Wal-Mart hardly cares for.

[Octafish]

58. So what? Is he washed up for 2008?

Don't think so.

This hyped story is the VRWC's sad attempt at a smear.

[Moloch]

72. Yes, I do think he's washed up for '08...

but not because of this story. This story just demonstrates his lack of integrity .

He's washed up because he was a one-term senator who accomplished next to nothing during his term.

He's washed up for '08 because he represents the Daschle defeatist wing of the Democratic Party who stood idly by while bush initiated a war which has killed hundreds of thousands.

He's washed up because he was not an effective candidate in '04, failing even to win a debate with Dick Cheney (according to most people) when he should have demolished Cheney.

He's washed up because people no longer buy his corny "good 'ol boy" routine.

Good looks will only get you so far.

[Haole Girl]

60. I hope they fired the staffer by now.

*sigh*

[stepnw1f]

62. Oh Brother... What a Stupid Article

[lovuian]

64. Delay went to jail for a trip to Scotland and money to his wife

I don't think a Playstation 3 is on the same level as that

[Moloch]

73. Right, Right....

Of course delay should go to jail... he expect republicans to act this way.

but shouldn't we demand more ethical behavior from Democrats? We *ARE* actually better people.

[Bigmack]

71. This non-story has been in LBN....

since friday.

If we all acknowledge that Edwards has destroyed his political career, marriage, and chances of getting to heaven...

Can sombody please make this go away?

[benny05]

81. This is a non-story

But it hasn't ruined his political either.

[davepc]

76. If he wanted one so bad there are THOUSANDS on ebay

something like 10% of all ps3's sold on launch day are on ebay.

Edwards can afford the 100% markup.

Or he could of done what I'm doing, and wait till supply catches up with demand.