What could Hillary do to boost Edwards in Iowa?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Assuming the CW that Edwards winning Iowa is no threat to her, and Obama winning Iowa IS a threat to her, what will she do if late polling shows her losing to both Obama and Edwards there?

One option would be trying the Dean-Gephardt death spiral by going negative on Obama, knowing it would hurt her, but also hurt Obama, and presumably benefit Edwards by default. (But Edwards is in the mad-dog negative zone, so he might not benefit from that the way he did in 2004 as a positive candidate.)

[Yael]

1. Keep giving speeches and not saying anything of value?

I am thinking that may help.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. That seems to benefit Obama more than Edwards

[Yael]

20. I was just being a snark

:P:

[geek tragedy]

3. Go after Obama hard at the next debate.

Problem is, she really can't after decrying all those negative attacks.

[pmorlan1]

4. Mad Dog Negative Zone?

Mad Dog Negative Zone? The national corporate media sure knows how to influence you, doesn't it. This is their narrative spin it's not reality. I just read a local media story from an Iowa paper where an undecided voter said this:

Don Hodson, a Coralville resident, said he was impressed by the "very positive" and "very progressive" speech, adding that he appreciated Edwards' message of "anti-belligerance."

Hodson said foreign policy will be a very significant factor in deciding who he will caucus for on Jan 3, though he is leaning toward Edwards and Rodham Clinton.

Sure doesn't sound like "mad dog negative zone" does it?

When will we learn to stop believing in media spin? If we don't watch out we will end up with Obama as our nominee. Do we really want a nominee who can't even go after Hilliary without Edwards help? What in the world will he do when Edwards is not there to help him in the general election? In 2004 we had another candidate who campaigned "above the fray" in Iowa and ended up winning the nomination. Do we want another candidate who has demonstrated that they are unable to go after their opponent?

John Edwards is the only candidate that has managed to trip up the front runner. Anyone who is honest will tell you that Edwards won the last debate (and the one before that). Do we not want the candidate that actually wins the debates?

Why is it that we keep letting the media pick nominees for us that are destined to fail?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. Thanks for the weird condescension

My observations about Edwards are based entirely on what I hear him say with my own ears and reading his campaign press releases.

He is, in fact, in the mad-dog negative zone... the fact that he talks a positive message on the stump not withstanding.

Amazingly, not everyone who disagrees with you is a victim of brain-washing.

[DURHAM D]

6. She could start with a little private tutoring -

on the difference between the federal and the state governments.

Edwards has held five different positions on the question of issuing identification to undocumented workers/drivers. He will get nailed at the next debate and he desperately needs some learnin'.

[itsrobert]

19. Stop the spinning

Clinton war room is going all out.

[earthlover]

7. You are assuming Obama would be the one Hillary most fears....

The scenario of hillary not doing well in Iowa would probably mean....for one....that Hillary would not be ahead in the Iowa polls. It is hard to conceive of Hillary doing anything to hurt herself deliberately in any case. The target of her attacks, however, would most likely be the front runner in Iowa. I would expect that that would NOT be Obama. I predict Edwards to do better in Iowa than Obama and Hillary. If this prediction comes true, Obama would be severely hurt, and Edwards becomes the clear alternative to hillary (assuming of course she still is the front runner, which is no guarantee either). With Obama down, Edwards would pick up more strength going into NH, and pretty soon everyone would wonder why we thought Hillary was inevitable. I have thought for a long time that Edwards has a good shot at Iowa, due to the strength of his organizing there.

I do not discount the do-or-die position for Edwards in Iowa...however if he wins, especially clearly, he could very easily win it all. Look at kerry...who was at about 4% in the polls at this time in 03.

[CK_John]

8. The Orange Bowl may be the biggest factor in the Iowa caucus. n/t

[Debi]

10. That is just garbage.

Iowans who attend caucus take it seriously and a Bowl game isn't going to stop us from participating.

[CK_John]

12. When has there been a similar situation for you to judge it by? n/t

[Debi]

13. There doesn't have to be

A football game and civic responsiblity do not equate each other.

Sure, some Iowans will watch the football game, but those who take the caucuses seriously will be at their precinct caucuses.

What proof do you have that Iowa Caucus attendees are so fickle?

[CK_John]

14. I doubt Iowa will behave any differently than any other place , a percentage will stay home the

only question is how many and who will it help. If the race is close, Hillary gets a slight bump. If it's not close, Hillary gets a big bump.

In the future we will rotating primaries and we will not even have to worry about the Iowa caucus, so enjoy your last big one.

[Debi]

16. Proof that you are only spewing crap about Iowa because you don't like Iowa

and you have no knowledge of the mindset of an Iowa Caucus goer.

Iowa is unlike any other place because the caucuses are unlike any other contest. We don't blow off the caucuses because we were busy and just forgot. Or the line was too long. Or 'Oh, was that today'?

What a pompous presumption that a football game would somehow aid one candidate over any of the others. Of course that does help you continue your "Iowa is bad" theory.

Maybe you should think a little harder about when the caucuses are being held and what effect the fact that many of the younger potential attendees may not be back in the state from Winter Break may have or that maybe the older potential attendees may be out of state enjoying warmer weather. Which candidate would that aid?

As for rotating primaries, the national convention hasn't occurred yet and a rules committee hasn't been formed AND a calendar commission does not exist as of yet. Also, think about this, If the next President of the United States ends up being the person who also won the Iowa Caucuses - are they going to thank Iowa by banishing them to holding their contest sometime in May of 2012?

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[Debi]

23. Again, proof that you don't want to participate in any sort of civil discourse

just spew hatred about one state and the people who live there.

Let me know when you find that Iowa caucus goer that plans on staying home January 3rd :hi:

[Sparkly]

9. She could allude to Edwards as a "formidable opponent" or something?

Just from watching past campaigns, if there's anything really nasty they want to do to an opponent, they make sure the candidate's own hands stay clean.

[surfermaw]

11. Who says he is in the mad dog stage

when did calling some one on making tow different statements become a mad dog stage, Obama doesn't stand a chance of winning in the General Election, it is going to take Edwards or Hillary to win the General Election, and every thing points to Edwards being the best candidate to do just that, he can pull from men, women , democrats , republicans, he can take some of the red states. And with Dennis giving over to Edwards as he has in the past Edwards is going to win Iowa with 3 % above Hillary.

[laureloak]

21. Isn't Edwards pulling in the Independent vote? n/t

[Clark2008]

29. What red states?

He wasn't going to win re-election in his own state for Senate and is polling poorly there for president. I don't know where you live, but I live one state over from NC - he is NOT popular around here..

Well, that's not entirely true... it's not so much a lack of popularity, it's that most people don't even remember who he is.

[question everything]

15. 2004 was the first time that the Iowa winner ended up the nominee

Neither Dukakis nor Clinton, not even papa Bush won the Iowa Caucus.

[Debi]

17. But Jimmy Carter did

:hi:

[surfermaw]

22. You got it, and Edwards is going to win also.

[Debi]

25. You may be right, he has the largest solid support I've seen

People who don't just go to events to gawk or get their picture taken with him, but want to ask him serious questions and get answers. At the last event there were almost 400 people in attendance and we were all very attentive to his education comments and responses to requests. Edwards is acting like the #1 out of Iowa.

[mtnsnake]

24. I don't know but Obama must love it. For all Edwards negativity, it will only boost Barack's ratings

and diminish his (Edwards) own. Edwards isn't going anywhere but down.

[PresidentObama]

26. That is true, how?

[William769]

27. Give him a booster chair for the grown ups table.

[mmonk]

28. Speak double talk.