NYT: His Style Built on Charm, Edwards Hones His Edge (great story!)

[DeepModem Mom]

His Style Built on Charm, Edwards Hones His Edge
By DAVID STOUT

Published: August 28, 2004

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 - If there was a moment that defined the campaign style of Senator John Edwards, it might have been at a rally last Monday in the city of La Crosse in far western Wisconsin, on the bank of the Mississippi River.

A couple of hundred yards out in the river, a boat full of hecklers chanted, "Four more years, four more years!" Their shouts were all but drowned out by the noise of the several thousand people who had gathered on a gorgeous evening to cheer Mr. Edwards, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, and Mr. Edwards could easily have ignored the taunts.

Instead, he saw an opportunity. "You all can't see it from where you are, but there's a boat in the river with Bush-Cheney posters all over it," he told the crowd with a grin. "And you know what? It's going in circles."

The crowd erupted in guffaws....

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/28/politics/campaign/28edwards.html

[ngGale]

1. Edwards IS priceless...n/t

[DeepModem Mom]

2. Posted early -- kicking re. spooky3's thread on Edwards press reports

[AnnInLa]

3. I kinda wish they would turn him loose

to be the major attack dog that I know he can be. If Kerry can't be perceived as an attack dog, SOMEONE needs to do it. Maybe not a good idea for it to be Edwards, but someone with alot of media attention sure should be doing it. Kerry remains positive, above it all, with a positive message, but a designated person should be attacking all the "miscalculations"--- just pounding away at them, until they get into the public subconscious.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. The article on Edwards as "attack dog" --

"Running mates have traditionally served as the sharp-tongued point men for the men who would be president, and Mr. Edwards's mission this past week filled that role. From Virginia to Wisconsin to New Mexico, he condemned the television ads that have questioned whether Senator John Kerry really deserved his Vietnam war medals. 'Lies,' he called them, declaring that they said more about President Bush's character than about John Kerry's.

But Mr. Edwards's natural style is not the cutlass of Richard M. Nixon or the stiletto of Bob Dole. Instead, he excels at snatching an opportunity, weaving his own life's history into his speeches and capitalizing on endearing moments."

[AnnInLa]

8. I like it, but

how many of the general public is sophisticated enough, or nuanced enough? I like the repug style of pounding into the subconscious, and using their own tactics against them, by someone, anyone!

[DeepModem Mom]

9. True -- I thought the article reinforced your view that Edwards...

is not in traditional "attack-dog" mode.

[Julien Sorel]

4. If Kerry does not win this year,

there will be no stopping Edwards in 2008. The media simply worship the man; I can't remember a single harsh story about him.

[Triana]

6. Heheeee!

I love Edwards!

[PopSixSquish]

7. Hilarious!

He's a nice guy with a wicked sense of humor. I'm going to be proud to have him as Vice President and then President.