LAT: Edwards Stings His Rivals, Smiling All the While

[DeepModem Mom]

THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE
Edwards Stings His Rivals, Smiling All the While
In the traditional role of running mate, the senator is growing more aggressive. But party loyalists ask if he's being used effectively.

By Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writer


....In the Democratic primaries, Edwards was the candidate of sunshine, standing apart by shunning harsh attacks that marked the fight for the nomination. Once Sen. John F. Kerry picked the North Carolina senator as his running mate, the question was whether Edwards would take up the cudgel that vice presidential candidates normally carry — making the sharp-edged remarks presidential nominees would rather not.

The answer seems to be evolving. Edwards grew more aggressive in recent weeks as momentum in the White House race shifted to President Bush and Kerry came under increasing fire, an assault often led by Vice President Dick Cheney....

***

Hear Edwards these days on the campaign trail: Bush and Cheney will do and say anything to get reelected; the president thinks he is Ken Lay and America is his Enron; Cheney's suggestion that a Kerry presidency would invite a terrorist attack is "un-American," and Bush ought to say so.

Throughout all the tough words, Edwards' broad smile rarely leaves his face.

It is a gift, Kerry strategists say, to deliver a harsh message without seeming angry, and they are loath to squander Edwards' ability to do so — even if it means fewer stories from a media entourage hungry for conflict. (Edwards' unvaried repetition of the same remarks day in, day out, also doesn't lend itself to widespread coverage.)...


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-edwards19sep19,1,4994720.story?coll=la-home-politics

[speedoo]

1. The VP debate will be crucial event in this campaign.

I think it's very wise for Edwards to remain as positive as he can at least until after that debate. That way, he will have much more flexibility than Cheney will have in that debate.

If Cheney tries to go positive, Edwards can nail him with his inconsistencies: "But Mr. Cheney what you are saying now is a direct contradiction of what you said on (fill in the blank). And yet you and Mr. Bush and all your surrogates have been calling Senator Kerry a flip-flopper?"

If Cheney stays negative, Edwards can stay positive and win the debate that way, if he undermines Cheney's message of fear.

[henslee]

3. Cheney's only hope - slip Edwards a bad burrito on the road/food poisoning

[thecrow]

5. Maybe he should user smaller words than "contradiction"

So murikans will understand him.
Flip-flop is a word they understand.

[childslibrarian]

2. Edwards' unvaried repetition of the same remarks day in,

day out, also doesn't lend itself to widespread coverage....

Why not? That's what Bush does, repeats the same phrase over and over...It's his cheerleading background, I guess.

Edwards isn't covered because the media does not want to cover him.

[SpiralHawk]

4. You got it

The Chimp in chief* rattles badly through the same script day after day. But the mass media remains on bended knee, lips supplicantly affixed to Bush's butt. That is clear for all with the will to see the truth.

I feel Edwards is going to come on strong. He is no lightweight.

The debate with Cheney -- however it goes -- is going to Far and Away transcend the Girly Man love-in that Dick Cheney had in 2000 with Joe -- "Feel the Joementum" -- Lieberman. Ugh. The very memory of it causes me to SPEW CHUNKS.

[fugue]

6. The VP debate is one thing that makes me feel hopeful

Edwards will win. He will flatten Cheney without seeming to be mean.

My concern is the presidential debates: Bush is a master of seeming the regular guy picked on by the mean, too smart guy.

But Cheney hasn't a prayer against Edwards. As an early poster (can't see who from here) said, the only hope is to slip him a bad burrito.

[LiberalFighter]

9. Kerry should attack gw* on his "straight-shooter" statement in the debate

You say you are a straight-shooter yet you haven't told the American people what you are going to do. You lied about WMD... is that being a straight-shooter? You lie about how well we are doing in Iraq... is that being a straight-shooter?

[wildflower]

7. I was thinking the same thing.

* is "on message," "consistent," "resolute," "unwavering," etc. etc.

Edwards is Johnny one-note, repetitious, boring, just too ho-hum for words.

Right!

-wildflower

[Vitruvius]

10. Exactly -- Bu$h repeats himself and the media calls it "staying on message

-- Edwards repeats himself and the media ignores him.
And Kerry does not repeat himself, so the media ignores him because he isn't "staying on message".

The Rethug corporate media always has an excuse for not covering Dems -- even if the excuses are mutually contradictory.


If the Dems ever beat the rigged system & come back to power, they should take away some broadcast licenses -- the airwaves belong to the public and not to the corporate media.

It is also past time to reinstate the "equal time" rule.

[Dr Fate]

11. I thought the same thing. Bush has said the same shit for 4 years.

But the "Liberal media" has no problem showing him repeat-repeat-repeating it.

[Blaze Diem]

8. I could look at that broad smile and listen to VP Edward's wisdom all day!

He's smart and handsome, and I agree, he needs to be more visible. John Edwards is "goodness"..Dick Cheney is pure evil. Standing face to face at a debate will show exactly that.

Is this why the right-tilted press rarely reports anything about Edwards? The public would turn on the press if they dished dirty rovian lies about JE, and Edwards himself would have a field day taking on the press in return. He is brilliant.

Will Dick Cheney show up at the debate with slightly Grecian-formulaed hair, in competition with his young, gifted, virile opponent? Will Dick go for a less pastie look?

paste, play-doughy, corpse-white, festering evil pus filled old geezer Cheney.

I'll take the handsome, happy, bright YOUNG debater John Edwards.
Love ya..Blaze