Democrats Seek Louder Voice From Edwards
By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD and ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: September 16, 2004
....At a time when Vice President Dick Cheney has been mocking and pummeling Mr. Kerry across the country, reveling in the traditional fighting role of a vice-presidential nominee, Mr. Edwards has adopted a decidedly less belligerent and lower-profile stance as he campaigns through communities like this small town in southeast Ohio. Only in the last few days, with criticism percolating among Democrats, has he become louder in taking on the administration.
Mr. Kerry's advisers said Mr. Edwards was doing what they wanted, mixing attacks on President Bush and Mr. Cheney with the soft and smiling campaign style that became his hallmark during the Democratic primary battle - and which drew Mr. Kerry to him in the first place.
Mr. Edwards, in a brief interview in his bus by the side of the road near here on Wednesday, disputed the suggestion that he had kept a low profile or not energetically taken on Mr. Bush or Mr. Cheney....
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But with Mr. Kerry under such piercing assault from Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, some Democrats said they were concerned that Mr. Edwards seemed to be slipping to the side of the stage at the very time that Mr. Kerry needs him to do what Mr. Cheney is doing for Mr. Bush. Several drew comparisons with the soft-hitting vice-presidential campaign run by Senator Joseph I. Lieberman in 2000, and said they were concerned that Mr. Edwards, like Mr. Lieberman, would duck when it came down to the vice-presidential debate next month....
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/16/politics/campaign/16edwards.html