Edwards Supporters: Des Moines Register says Don't make mistake of writing off Edwards

[illinoisprogressive]

To some in American politics, John Edwards is toast.

They believe the former North Carolina senator - who ran for president in 2004, was his party's vice-presidential nominee that year and is running again this time - has simply had his turn.

He's not raising the money other candidates are collecting and he's been caught in some hypocritical, unpopulist acts - like trying to be a candidate of the poor while getting $400 haircuts or building a big mansion for himself.

Edwards doesn't get the cheering 20-somethings Barack Obama attracts to his huge events. Nor does he attract the hundreds of women who show up for Hillary Clinton's. And he doesn't have a bubble of security officers or self-important staffers ushering him around and keeping reporters away.

But watching him work in the sweaty auditorium of a Waukee elementary school Tuesday night, one gets a different feeling: Iowa Democrats may still give this guy a new lease on political life.

Why? John Edwards is tenacious and still in the hunt for first place. While the latest Iowa Poll shows Clinton at 29 percent, Edwards slipping to 23 percent and Obama at 22 percent, it's also important to remember that both Clinton and Obama have dropped millions on television commercials in the state. Edwards has yet to make his big media buy.

He's also getting his share of union endorsements, although those don't produce the results they once did.

He spends more time in Iowa than his rivals. (His wife jokes that if someone asked the couple for directions in Iowa, they could provide them.)
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071018/OPINION01/710180366/1035/OPINION

[rinsd]

1. Edwards in still in it but his media buy won't mean much.

Not with the money Clinton and Obama have to play with.

Also his electability argument falls flat when Rudy is inv0olved because he beats him in the NE.

[orpupilofnature57]

2. Big Al carries more clout now than ever ,if it's not Al it's John.

The other two are media events.

[1932]

6. The point of the article is C&O have ALREADY put millions into Iowa, and they're not

getting a proportional boost.

[rinsd]

14. Maybe for Obama. Hillary has risen in the polls over the last 3 months.

She's spent between $1M & $2M on ads. Considering her warchest, that is not all that much.

Edwards ground game is what will either win him Iowa or fall short of that goal.

[1932]

16. Edwards has spent something like $25K. If HRC were definitely going to win, she'd have to have about

a much bigger lead than she has.

If she needs to outspend Edwards by a factor of 10 to get a less-than-10% lead in a key state, then she doesn't have this thing locked up.
Especially since Edwards will have the money to spend on an effective run.

[depakid]

12. His media buy won't mean much because Iowa is a caucus state

and time on the ground and local organization is much more important.

That's one reason why Hillary is weak there compared with certain other states.

[rinsd]

15. Exactly.

"time on the ground and local organization is much more important."

The ground game is what matters most in Iowa. Media buys can help but have nowhere near the impact that they do in primary states.

[ShaneGR]

3. Can't tell you how many swing voters I've talked to

Love Edwards and despise Clinton.

[MichDem10]

4. This is SO TRUE....

I know MANY people in OHIO (SWING STATE) that will vote for Edwards and NOT Hillary.

[Ninga]

11. Hello. I am one of them from Ohio....and if you can keep a secret....there are more of me.

[AmBlue]

5. k&r

[Nutmegger]

7. Thank you illinoisprogressive.

R&K for Edwards!

[usregimechange]

8. Edwards will win, little doubt about it for me.

[David Zephyr]

9. No one has worked Iowa harder than John Edwards. No one.

If John can win Iowa, South Carolina will be his, too.

[MethuenProgressive]

10. This part, at least, was honest reporting:

To some in American politics, John Edwards is toast.

They believe the former North Carolina senator - who ran for president in 2004, was his party's vice-presidential nominee that year and is running again this time - has simply had his turn.

He's not raising the money other candidates are collecting and he's been caught in some hypocritical, unpopulist acts - like trying to be a candidate of the poor while getting $400 haircuts or building a big mansion for himself.

Edwards doesn't get the cheering 20-somethings Barack Obama attracts to his huge events. Nor does he attract the hundreds of women who show up for Hillary Clinton's.
...
He's also getting his share of union endorsements, although those don't produce the results they once did.

[Ninga]

13. If that part was "at least" honest reporting, I will make the case that the rest was as well.

In the wheelie of life, we all have baggage....some wheelie's are way bigger than others.......

What's in your wheelie?