Edwards denounces the very same attitude he displayed at the debate

[pruner]

"It is enormously important for us as a party to not be elite, to not look down on people and talk down to them, but to give them the kind of respect that they're entitled to.''

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-3368087,00.html


“Let me tell you, the last thing we need in the South is somebody like you coming down and telling us what we need to do.”

http://msnbc.com/news/989481.asp

[Closer]

1. Edwards

is shamelessly whoring out Dean's remarks for his own political gain. He is hoping that by being a southerner and being critical of Dean, he can get media attention and thus recruit more supporters.

Guess what though, it AIN'T gonna work.


In fact, I hope it backfires on him and he is exposed for the opportunist he is.


People want CHANGE Mr. Edwards, not the old washed up, Washington insider experience that you, Kerry, Gephardt and Lieberman bring to the table.

[Cleita]

17. Finally, a sensible assessment as to why he said that.

It really has nothing to do with George Wallace.

[spooky3]

2. It's interesting how different people can perceive the same

comments so differently. I see these comments as entirely consistent. Edwards felt during the debate that he and other Southerners were being disrespected and talked down to, and that's why he reacted as he did. When Russert brought up the topic today, Edwards articulated the position more broadly as the first quote indicates.

Can we PLEASE stop talking about this spat in a negative anti-this-candidate, anti-that candidate way? Dean and Edwards and Sharpton have made their peace. If you have some new information, I'd like to hear it.

[pruner]

3. I don't see any consistency at all

Edwards was very much talking down to Dean at the debate with his "anti-Yankee" comment.

[DemPopulist]

5. It wasn't an "anti-Yankee" comment

It was an anti-"being a condescending git who will turn off critical blocs of voters" comment. He wasn't remotely talking down to Dean, unless you're talking about the height difference.

[pruner]

6. "people like you" is not a condescending reference?

:crazy:

[DemPopulist]

10. Nope

If he was debating Bush and he said "people like you" - meaning aristocratic frat-boy Republicans - are "out of touch with regular Americans", would that be condescending? He wasn't saying he's smarter than Dean, just that he's more in touch with the South. Which happens to be true.

[PurityOfEssence]

16. "people like you" is resisting someone who's adopting airs of superiority

Not only is there no contradiction in the statements, they're completely consistent and equivalent.

Edwards was taking the stance of the Southerner talking back at the elitist pronouncement from the more culturally superior. His restatement of this is simply that.

Dean is not perfect. Please accept his mistakes and don't try to strike out with intolerant retaliation to toe the factional line.

Dean's own retraction--the one on CNN, that is--is an admission of this and was a very good step; that's why Edwards commended him on it.

The Doctor has slung some fearsome mud of late, and much of it is unconscionably incorrect WITH FOREKNOWLEDGE.

[Eloriel]

19. Oh, yes he was

Dean said NOTHING about what Southerners "should do" -- except vote for Dems. THAT's what Edwards objected to. It's the ONLY thing he could object to with that remark because asking for poor white Southerners' votes is the only thing Dean said remotely close to "telling people what to do."

He didn't talk about critical blocs of voters. He was defending the South against anyone from another area talking to them at all. Period. End of discussion.

OR, he was just mouthing off that way in order to purposely misrepresent Dean's remarks.

Your choice, which is it? Either way, Edwards loses.

Eloriel

[spooky3]

8. He was REACTING to Dean's comments.

I'm not a southerner but I now live in the South. Since being here, at least three white males and one white female have said exactly what Edwards said today and more--that anti-South bias is "the only acceptable bigotry", etc. I'm not sure they're right about the only acceptable part, but they are certainly right that stereotyping about "Bubbas" exists. It p***es them off, and even an ignoramus like me can understand why. It is a very emotional issue for them.

This is in addition to the racial issues raised, that Dean himself has acknowledged and apologized for, admirably.

[cavebat2000]

14. yeah

Ill stop being anti-this candidate when kerry and the other bastards stop distorting the things dean says and start promoting themselves. It seems like all they do is bash dean. I hate politicians.

[ScreamingMeemie]

4. I think we should gear ourselves up for possibly a Dean/Edwards

Edwards/Dean ticket. It seems lately like they have been trying to gel together. Just my two and half cents. :)

[spooky3]

9. I agree MrsGrumpy--their positions on so many issues are

similar, though their styles differ.

Geez, we have a pResident who is destroying the country--could we please focus on strategies to get him out of office?!!!!!

[SweetheartLikeYou]

11. I've been thinking either Dean/Edwards or

Clark/Edwards is exactly what it may end up. So, please, can't we all just get along? O8)

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Heck...most of all, I just want to see Bush getting back on that

helicopter...and going back to Crawford. That village has got to be missing it's idiot by now.
:)

[SweetheartLikeYou]

15. Have you ever considered

a small plane? :evilgrin:

[treepig]

7. on the flip side

the last thing we need here in springfield is somebody from the south like you coming up and telling us what to do. jeez!

[QC]

13. Somebody needs to help out Homer and Marge!

;-)

[Eloriel]

18. Yeah. Only a SOUTHERN can tell Southerns to vote for them

I thought Edwards was unbelievably out of line. Not only was he unbelievablyrude and arrogant, but denouncing Dean for asking for people's votes? Puh-leeez.

Of all the warmongering IWR voters, he came closest to being in 2nd place for me. No more. No way in hell. I hate his defense of his war vote and now I find him as elitist as they come.

Eloriel