OT: Sirota diary endorses Edwards, calling him the "People Party candidate"

[beachmom]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/5/104544/1056

:popcorn:

Interesting watching the Obama and Edwards people fight it out. It does seem like Sirota has it in for Obama, although Obama has disappointed at times.

I'm literally numb on all of this, and just don't have an opinion. But I know I'd prefer them to the Annointed One. That's all.

(edited for spelling)

[Mass]

1. At this stage, except for Kucinich, Edwards is clearly the populist's candidate.

He is addressing the issues, proposing programs that deal with bread and butter issues. So, it does not surprise me that Sirota will endorse him. It is only purely logical.

Actually, I like Edwards's program. My issue with him are elsewhere (and I have been explicit enough in the past that I do not feel necessary to reiterate. Let's just say that I do not connect with him, and it is in part because of the arguments he develops for pushing his programs: dividing the), but, if Sirota is looking for somebody who talks about poverty, healthcare, and trade, among the three big candidates, Edwards is the one.

It may be why I cannot find anybody I want to support at this point. Obama and Clinton are so indefinite in what they offer that, even if I like Obama, I still do not know what he will consider his priorities if he is president (well, it is good to integrate everybody into the political discussion, as he proposes to do, but the question is still: to do what?). Obama presents himself as the Howard Dean of 2008, but he now needs to

As for Hillary, the fact that she is presented as the unavoidable candidate, associated with other issues that we know, makes it difficult for me to latch on her.

[karynnj]

2. The question though is who is he?

There is nothing in his background until 2003 that has anything to do with this.

[Mass]

3. I do not disagree, and it is one of the problems I have.

He is even different from who he was during the 2003 campaign. In addition, while I agree with some of the concrete measures, I deeply disagree with the philosophy that is behind, and particularly with all the "being responsible" Clintonian lingo that is in his speeches. As if people were poor mostly because they were not behaving responsibly. This is something that bothers me a lot.

However, there is nothing very exciting for somebody like Sirota in the two other candidates (and unfortunately for anybody whose major focus is on these issues. Obama needs to thicken what he wants to do and

[karynnj]

8. the strange thing is Edwards with Obama's past would be intersting

to me. The poverty and activism he preaches now would point back to being an advocate on the streets of Chicago - making $13,000 out of Harvard Law.

What I wonder is - in the Rolling Stone article on consultants, Kerry's former aide, Winer says that part of the problem is that in teh General Election they wanted Kerry to be the "generic Democrat - rather than the unique man he is. I wonder if Obama - much younger and far less experienced than Kerry has been pushed to be the 2008 "generic Democrat" rather than the unique individual he is. (Or is the bland Obama the real Obama - who no longer takes risks.)

Hopefully, the long intense campaign season will bring out what is real and what isn't - all I know is that the likelihood that I vote for Hillary if she gets the nomination is rapidly approaching zero.

[blm]

4. Edwards or Obama is still a good deal further away from the Bush family than Clinton

so I will end up running with whoever is FURTHEST away by the time a choice is needed.

[beachmom]

5. I guess the question is how we find that out. Is your primary

at an earlier date than Virginia, so that it will count?

[blm]

6. I'm in NC which is talking about moving up. Dem party called me yesterday

and asked me to work door of convention in a few weeks.

We'll see what they plan to do then.

[beachmom]

7. Speaking of Edwards, he just released a statement about Fox.

Hmmm -- now I want to see one from Obama (especially since he's on the SFRC). I wonder if Hillary will say anything.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3200851

[karynnj]

9. Obama's comment on the SFRC spoke of the SBVT as a fraud

perpetrated on the country - hardly Hillary Rosen territory. (I wish Edwards didn't say Kerry led it, because Kerry said he didn't - though of course it was Kerry's excellent grilling.)

[beachmom]

10. Here is Obama's statement after Bush recess appointed Fox

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/04/more-reaction-to-fox-recess-appointment.html

“It’s disappointing that President Bush would defy the will of Congress by appointing Sam Fox Ambassador to Belgium. I opposed Mr. Fox’s nomination because I had serious concerns about his candor, judgment, and qualifications for this important post. Appointing nominees that are opposed by a majority in Congress simply because they are political cronies is old style politics at its worst. Our nation's ambassadors should possess strong credibility and character so that they may effectively represent U.S. interests overseas, and I don’t think President Bush applied that test with this recess appointment.”


And the DNC:

On the same day the Democratic National Committee issued a report chronicling the Bush Administration's consistent pattern of putting partisanship ahead of good government, President Bush did it again. Today, the president put his political party ahead of the American people by using a recess appointment to install Republican political contributor Sam Fox as Ambassador to Belgium.

Fox contributed $50,000 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which was responsible for notoriously brutal and utterly false attack ads smearing Senator John Kerry and his Vietnam crewmates during the 2004 election. In response to Fox's nomination, 11 of Kerry's crewmates sent the Senate Foreign Relations Committee a letter saying that "those who finance smears and lies of combat veterans don't deserve to represent America on the world stage." President Bush withdrew Fox's nomination last week when it became clear he would not survive a vote in the
Committee.

"Faced with serious and principled objections over a nominee who funded some of the ugliest attack ads in a generation, President Bush had a choice between honoring the veterans who have served this country by distancing himself from these despicable ads and rewarding the donors who served his political goals," said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. "Sadly, President Bush once again put the interests of his Party ahead of the American people by circumventing the Senate in a clear abuse of his power."

[wisteria]

11. Good statements. Who would of though we would see the day when the party

would finally defend Senator Kerry- even if it is being done for a couple of different reasons.

[MonteLukast]

12. Well, it is the D_N_C, not the DLC. (n/t)

[sandnsea]

13. This is a bizarre diary

I didn't read the whole thing because of the convolutedness of the logic. Obama's campaign is about himself?? He's representative of "false prophets and vapid cults of personality", while Dean is iconic in a class with FDR and Bobby??? What-ever.

[rox63]

14. I'm of (at least) two minds on the 2008 candidates

On the issues, and as far as concrete plans put forth go, I line up most with Edwards. But I have some issues regarding how he handled things in 2004, and about the ensuing bad-blood between the Edwards and Kerry camps.

I like Obama, but I have yet to see much of substance from him on how he would fix anything that * has so badly broken. I'm uncomfortable with his vagueness and inexperience.

I like Dodd a lot, especially on the experience and foreign policy fronts. But I suspect he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting the nomination, never mind winning the general election.

I like Kucinich just fine, but I think a lot of what he'd like to is unrealistic and unachievable.

HRC is right out. So are all rethugs.