WA for Edwards

Support Your Local Blogger

2008-03-25T11:50:00.001-07:00

Taking a break

2007-02-14T22:57:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a little break from WA4Edwards, so don't expect much in the way of new posts for a while. It's still really early in the cycle, and with all the bullshit blogger controversy, I'm stepping back from this blog... for now. Thanks for your understanding.

Some JRE Media

2007-02-11T22:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry the blog has been a bit stale. I'm busy, and it's early as heck, folks.

JRE and EE on Hardball

JRE responds to the SOTU

Also, here's an interesting bit by Kos contrasting Edwards and Clinton.

"Will You Stand Up?" JRE at DNC Winter Meeting

2007-02-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

Did you hear that union guy holler at the line about the hotel worker? That's some good stuff right there.

I heard some of the other speeches. It's seems like they're saying "glory to Mammon" while Edwards is saying "glory to God." I think it's that Baptist upbringing. Edwards wants to be President to do right by the people, while others seem to covet the power of the office.

Senator John Edwards, Riverside Church, New York City, January 14, 2007

2007-01-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

Here are some excerpts from his great speech.

David Bonior- The Edwards Campaign Manager

2007-01-17T22:08:00.000-08:00

From a recent email:

Dear Friend,

It's an honor to send my first note to you as John Edwards' new Campaign Manager. I'll take more time to introduce myself soon, but right now I'm writing you with an urgent call to action.

This weekend, President Bush claimed on national TV that Congress does not have the power to stop his proposed escalation of the war in Iraq.¹

That's bull. I served in Congress for 26 years, and I can assure you that Congress does have the power to stop this escalation -- and it has used that power many times before, including in Vietnam, Lebanon, Nicaragua and Colombia.

The test for today's Congress is simple: will they step up to the plate and use their power to stop the president from escalating the war? I can tell you one thing -- they're only going to do that if they hear from you.

Click here to see what YOU can do!

Here's a little more about Bonior from Wikipedia:

Live, from New Orleans, it's John Edwards!!!

2006-12-28T19:31:00.000-08:00

It's official: John Edwards is running for President in 2008

2006-12-27T14:25:00.000-08:00

From the AP...

Here's the second "webisode" from his series of "behind the scenes" documentaries.

John Edwards gets message out with the help of documentary filmmaker

2006-12-23T21:51:00.000-08:00

From MSNBC:

The Webisodes are the brainchild of Rielle Hunter, a filmmaker who met Edwards at a New York bar where Edwards was having a business meeting. "I didn't think it was John Edwards," Hunter recalls, "because the public persona did not mesh at all with the person who was sitting in front of me." Hunter pitched Edwards on the documentaries as a medium for bringing the "real John Edwards" to the people.
[...]Hunter, now under contract with Edwards's organization, says she sees the untucked John Edwards coming more and more to the fore. "When he gets really tired, he'll jump back into that automatic pilot thing," she says. "But he's aware of it, he doesn't want it to happen."

If most candidates seem canned, it's because they are. In fact, most politicians aren't interesting people. I think these behind-the-scenes looks at JRE will show him to be just what folks are looking for in 2008.

Here's the first Webisode.

This just in from JRE HQ

2006-12-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

Here's the email:

For the past two years, we've worked together to build an America
that lives up to its promise -- one where we all share in prosperity
at home and one that shows real moral leadership around the world.

I'm proud of our successes fighting poverty, supporting working
families, and standing up for what we believe.

Now, we have a big decision to make -- and I do mean we.

I'm getting ready to take this effort to the next level - to bring
Americans together in all fifty states to tackle the big challenges
facing our country, from poverty and lack of health care, to energy
and global warming.

But this is our effort, and we can only succeed if we're all in it
together. So before I make a final decision, I need to hear from you:
Are you ready?

If you're ready to take this to the next level, and launch a renewed
national effort to change America, send me a note and let me know:
JohnEdwards@readytochangeamerica.com

If you have friends or family who share this vision, I want to hear
from them too. Please forward this on to anyone you know who might
want to join this big new effort.

I believe we can run a totally new kind of endeavor -- one that puts
our ideals into action, and puts the hopes and dreams of the American
people above the personal ambition and play-it-safe strategy of
traditional politics.

I can't promise you where this will ultimately lead. But I can
promise you this: if you're on board, we'll launch a renewed
commitment to change our country from the bottom up. We'll always
speak from the heart. And together, we'll reach out to millions of
people to let them know it's still okay to dream big dreams, and do
everything we can to make them real --because that's what America is
all about.

So the only question is: Are you ready?

If you want to take this effort to next level, send me an e-mail and
let me know:
JohnEdwards@readytochangeamerica.com

Stay tuned: I'll let you know what we decide early next week.

Happy holidays, and may it be a bright new year for all.

Your friend,

John

Is it official?

2006-12-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Word on the street says yes.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards intends to seek his party's nomination for the 2008 presidential race, two Democratic officials said Saturday.
Edwards, who represented North Carolina in the U.S. Senate for six years, plans to make the campaign announcement late this month from the New Orleans neighborhood hit hardest by last year's Hurricane Katrina.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to pre-empt Edwards' announcement.
As Edwards enters the crowded field, the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood in New Orleans provides a stark backdrop to highlight his signature issue -- economic inequality.
Edwards also plans to travel from New Orleans through the four early presidential nominating states -- Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

If there's a better way to enter the race, I'd like to see it. If Bush's failures can be personified, it's in the teary faces of refugees of Katrina. If Edwards' strength can be taken down to it's core, it's his ability to reach out to "the least of these."

Kos: John Edwards is a "1st Tier Candidate"; Edwards wins Daily Kos Straw Poll

2006-12-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

Kos:

2. John Edwards

Benefitted greatly by Feingold's departure from the race, picking up a significant chunk of netroots support (tops in the latest straw poll, in fact). He is the "labor candidate", though we saw how well that worked out for Gephardt in 2004. Had a primary schedule that was made for him until Obama got in the picture, but is still pretty good nonetheless.

Iraq: Voted for the war as he revved up for 2004. Then recanted his vote as he revved up for 2008.

Plusses: Campaign experience. A pretty good "Two Americas" message. Everyone loves his wife Elizabeth.

Negatives: That war vote still suggests poor judgment. The "lack of experience" thing still hangs over him. It's hard to see, given his name ID and high public profile the last four years how he could gain more support. I'd be surprised if he isn't already at his ceiling.

Results from the Straw Poll:

Edwards 28 Obama 28 Clark 26 H. Clinton 5 Richardson 4 Kerry 1 Bayh 1 Vilsack 0 Biden 1 Gravel 0 Dodd 0

While it looks tied, Edwards actually edged Obama by 72 votes.

My take on all this:

It's certainly possible that Edwards has peaked, but that may come with some advantages. He picked up lots of support in the last poll. (Feingold recently passed on a run in '08) If Hillary Rodham Clinton is in the race, she'll get lots of media, allowing Edwards to firm up support without the mainstream media attacking him. If Obama runs, Edwards may not get hurt by it (as HRC will likely take the hit). I agree with Kos: Wes Clark has the most room to make an early move, al a Dean in '03.

John Edwards' Seattle visit in a word: AMAZING

2006-12-02T21:30:00.000-08:00

There's a lot to go over. The place was PACKED, and I mean JAMMED to the gills. People were on their toes peaking over the stacks to get a view. I got there an hour early, and it didn't take long for the place to fill up.

John gave a REALLY short speech (short for a pol), and went straight into the Q&A. Some questions were tough and some were easy, but he showed great range as he answered. I find it odd that some see Edwards as a kind of 'lightweight', but John is a Clintonian policy nerd at his heart.

Pictures will follow, but I got to say: if you missed it, I feel sorry for you! The guy has got "it." He's tapped in to the pulse of the people, and I hope he announces his candidacy soon, because I can promise he'll be a breath of fresh air.

John Edwards will be in SEATTLE, this Saturday!!

2006-11-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Senator John Edwards will be in town this Saturday. Here's the email with the information:

Dear William,

As you may know, I'm releasing a new book, Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives. I wanted to let you know I'll be in Seattle on Saturday talking about the book because I would love to see you when I'm in town.

I'm enjoying traveling the country and talking about Home because it gives me a chance to focus on what's really important in life -- the love and support of family, never forgetting where you came from, and finding joy in our shared American experiences, even as we celebrate our individual differences. And I'm donating all proceeds from the book to charity. The details of the book signing are:

University Bookstore
4326 University Way, NE
Seattle, Washington
Saturday, December 2 at 1:30 p.m.

We’ll have a digital camera set up if you'd like to have your picture taken with me. Later, you can download your picture at www.myphotowithjohn.com. And please visit www.shareyourhomestory.com to share your own memories of home.

I'm looking forward to seeing old friends in Seattle and meeting some new ones. Please stop by and bring your family and friends.

Your friend,

John

I'll be there! Feel free to stop by and say hello (I'll be the guy with the "Maggie!" button).

JRE on Charlie Rose

2006-11-25T22:28:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Edwards on NPR

2006-11-25T02:11:00.000-08:00

Listen here.

John talks about poverty, while Elizabeth (and John) rock Daily Kos

2006-11-24T21:34:00.000-08:00

From the AP:

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Former U.S. John Edwards said Sunday that increasing the minimum wage and expanding earned income tax credits could help some of the 37 million Americans living in poverty.

The South Carolina native served in the Senate from North Carolina and ran for the Democratic nomination for president before being picked as John Kerry's running mate in the 2004 election.

Edwards, who is considering another run for president in 2008, now is director of the Center of Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He spoke Sunday night at the 2006 Heyward E. McDonald Lecture on Peace and Justice at the University of South Carolina.

Earlier in the day at a Columbia book store, he signed copies of a new book he edited on childhood homes, "Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives."

South Carolina will hold one of the earliest Democratic presidential primaries in 2008. Edwards won the South Carolina primary in 2004. It was the only state he won.

Besides a higher minimum wage, Edwards said South Carolina workers need stronger laws to help them organize labor unions. He also advocated a universal health insurance system, criticizing the current system for "driving Americans into poverty."

Edwards said the problem of poverty is not only financial, but also cultural and societal, and solving the problem is not solely a government function. He called on community centers, faith-based organizations and American youth to get involved.

"We can't wait for someone else to do it," he said. "Young people have changed American before and they can do it again."

He also said the world needs American leadership.

"We live in the richest nation on the planet and we need to set an example for the world of what is possible," he said. "We're better than this and the world needs to see that."

While Edwards is busy on his book tour, Elizabeth Edwards has been active with her own book, and the both of them showed up on Daily Kos to take questions.

(It's worth nothing that Elizabeth Edwards is a longtime member of the Daily Kos community.)

John Edwards' clip from Letterman

2006-11-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

Picture, Quote of the Day

2006-11-17T01:15:00.000-08:00

Emma Claire, John, and Jack at the beach.

We need to restore the dream that is America. But we also need to do it in a way that all Americans will be proud of. Not just by giving handouts to the poor, or pumping money into a broken government program. But by finding ways to help everyone who works hard and makes smart choices get ahead.

-Sen. John Edwards

John Edwards on "The Daily Show"

2006-11-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

~~The clips should be available for a few days. Look to the right of the screen.~~

Check it out.

John Edwards on NPR's "Fresh Air"

2006-11-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Listen here.

John Edwards' new book

2006-11-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

Mentioned below, John Edwards' will have a new book out soon. It's called Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives.

Here's a blurb from One America:

Most of us can trace the shape of our lives back to a physical place—a childhood home that played an enormous role in defining how we see ourselves and how we choose to make our way in the world. In Home, John Edwards has collected nearly sixty moving stories that reflect how these places, in many ways, are the blueprints of our lives. Home features uplifting, touching, and engaging narratives from all kinds of people across the country—everyday Americans with deeply inspiring stories share the pages with well-known figures from entertainment and religion, from politics and sports. Many of the amazing stories from everyday Americans came from the One America online community.

Visit the early homes of:

* Mario Batali
* Benicio Del Toro
* Bob Dole
* Tommy Franks
* John Glenn
* Danny Glover
* Nanci Griffith
* Sugar Ray Leonard
* Maya Lin
* Jamie-Lynn Sigler
* Steven Spielberg
* Vera Wang
* Rick Warren

. . . and many more.

Through words, photos, and illustrations, Home paints a moving picture of America at its best—a country where people, no matter their background, no matter their circumstance, can build a great future. One by one, these different stories reveal our common story—a story that begins with the home we grew up in, the values it gave us, and the hopes that we share.

John Edwards on Letterman FRIDAY

2006-11-14T15:44:00.000-08:00

Senator John Edwards will be appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman on Friday. He'll be talking about his new book, HOME: The Blueprints of our Lives.

Why I'm For John Edwards

2006-11-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

First off, welcome to WA For Edwards, a blog meant to raise the flag for John Edwards in the Evergreen State.

I’ll tell you why I like John Edwards, but first let me tell you when I decided to support him. The date was Dec. 21, 2003, when I saw this piece by Lesley Stahl. Here’s a slice of that interview:

So how does Edwards claim to be different from the other Democratic candidates?

“Helping people buy a house, giving 'em a tax credit to make the down payment on a house, that's different. I mean, I have a whole group of ideas that basically strengthen the great middle class that's struggling so much in this country,” says Edwards.

And in championing the little guy, he's even calling some of his Democratic opponents elitist, like Howard Dean. When Dean called on Democrats to embrace southerners with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks, Edwards lit into him at the next Democratic debate: “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. That's the last thing in the world we need in the South.”

Edwards' campaign strategy is all about the South, and it's where he says he can win, and emerge as the "anybody-but-Dean" Democrat. And some political pros agree.

Dick Harpootlian, former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic party, hasn't endorsed anybody, but thinks Edwards shouldn't be written off: “I think that John Edwards will gain strength the closer we get to the election, that more and more people are gonna start looking to him as the alternative.”

In the next several weeks, we’ll see more candidates announce exploratory committees, some taking the finals jumps into the pool that is the ’08 campaign.

Here are some important points:

I want my candidate to be an outspoken, unapologetic economic populist.

I want someone who can reach out, in a big way, to the conservative ‘values voters.’

I want my candidate to have a natural ability getting his/her message out to regular folks. No more non-human candidates (Gore) or too-smart-for-his-own-good candidates (Kerry).

I want a candidate who can close the deal in Missouri and Arkansas, as well as Colorado and Arizona.

I want a candidate who has spent at least as much of his life outside of politics as he spent inside of it.

Above all, I want a positive, affirmative campaign that extols the things Democrats are for, instead of just against.

Check back for more in the coming weeks!

WA for Edwards

Support Your Local Blogger

Taking a break

Some JRE Media

"Will You Stand Up?" JRE at DNC Winter Meeting

Senator John Edwards, Riverside Church, New York City, January 14, 2007

David Bonior- The Edwards Campaign Manager

Live, from New Orleans, it's John Edwards!!!

It's official: John Edwards is running for President in 2008

John Edwards gets message out with the help of documentary filmmaker

This just in from JRE HQ

Is it official?

Kos: John Edwards is a "1st Tier Candidate"; Edwards wins Daily Kos Straw Poll

John Edwards' Seattle visit in a word: AMAZING

**** John Edwards will be in SEATTLE, this Saturday!! ****

JRE on Charlie Rose

Elizabeth Edwards on NPR

John talks about poverty, while Elizabeth (and John) rock Daily Kos

John Edwards' clip from Letterman

Picture, Quote of the Day

John Edwards on "The Daily Show"

John Edwards on NPR's "Fresh Air"

John Edwards' new book

John Edwards on Letterman FRIDAY

Why I'm For John Edwards

John Edwards will be in SEATTLE, this Saturday!!