Edwards delivering stronger criticism of Bush, Cheney _ with a smile

[Kadie]

Edwards delivering stronger criticism of Bush, Cheney _ with a smile

LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
Monday, September 13, 2004


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(09-13) 11:06 PDT SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) --

Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards has sharpened his criticism of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney over the past week, but his style has remained the same. He couches his criticism with charm.

The North Carolina senator with the Southern drawl and populist message is no pit bull on the campaign trail, the role that vice presidential candidates sometimes take as they do the dirty work for the No. 1 on the ticket.

Rather, Edwards draws distinctions between John Kerry and the president in a folksy tone, mixing sarcasm with jokes while flashing his toothpaste-ad grin and promising that "tomorrow can be better than today."

It's an approach that crowds, typically filled with Democratic loyalists, eat up. And one that softens his ever-increasing attacks on Bush and Cheney.

At an outdoor town hall meeting in battleground New Mexico on Monday, Edwards noted that Bush was giving a health care speech the same day. "I hear it's a short speech," Edwards quipped as the audience roared. "The best I can tell, his health care plan is pray you don't get sick."

more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/09/13/politics1406EDT0558.DTL

[JI7]

1. John Kerry understands Edwards appeal and strength very well

which is why he picked him for vp.

[Generator]

6. Yes I was pleasantly surprised

when he picked him. Smart move. John Edwards is just impossible to dislike.

[VoteJohn04_com]

19. It's all in the delivery...

There's just something about the way Edwards delivers his speeches that make it impossible NOT to listen to him. I saw him several times in person and it was simply amazing to see the effect he had on the crowds!

Honestly, I think it would do Kerry well to have JRE out there
more often talking to large crowds. He is one of the few out
there that can energize every single person and leave them talking
about the event for days or weeks!

More info on Edwards...
http://www.jregrassroots.org

[faithnotgreed]

20. hi votejohn04! welcome to du - were glad youre here

[newyawker99]

22. Hi VoteJohn04_com!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[rfranklin]

2. Republican reply: "Kerry attacks President's religion..."

Can't you see it now?

[Catfight]

3. OH MY GAWD...THAT IS GREAT! I'm laughing so hard! n/t

[dogtag]

4. Pray you don't get sick -

I love it! Keep using it, over and over and over. It's a winner!

[Malva Zebrina]

5. Hea is looking good also

great smile

[Catfight]

7. He is irresistibly cute, I have to admit it. He'll be a great President in

eight years. Now THAT makes the repugs shake, to THINK, we'd have a surplus AGAIN! Shake in your boots repugs, real money, real jobs, a real president, it's SCARY isn't it.

[MsTryska]

11. can you imagine

an edwards/clinton campaign in 2016. you think amercia would be ready for hilary then?

[VoteJohn04_com]

17. America ready for Hillary? I don't know...

I think that it's a MUST that she run as VP first, b/c that will
set her up BIG TIME! Plus, it has the major benefit of sort of
"easing" America into the idea of a woman in charge and then they
are ready to accept her as the Presidential Candidate.

Luckily for Hillary I think she already has the respect of
many foreign leaders, so there wouldn't be any trouble defending
arguments that a woman wouldn't be as respected etc.

In the end I think it mostly becomes an issue of how old
she is when America decides that it's ready to have a woman
in the "drivers seat"

[MsTryska]

18. Well that's what i'm saying....

ease her in as Edwards VP after Kerry's 2 terms. ;)


the team we have right now, is the first team i have been really excited about and really appreciated both members. I can see a 16 year democratic run.


but for it to really work well, we're gonna have to get a dem majority on capitol hill too.

[tjdee]

8. He's a winner, alright.

And he comes off completely natural.
He'll be a great president on his own one day.

[sfecap]

9. I was there...Edwards was great!

And I shook the hand of the next VP!

[A Brand New World]

13. I shook his hand too!

A month ago in Springfield OH at a church service both he and Kerry attended. I got Kerry's autograph. I must say, I made a fool of myself and told Edwards I loved him. But, oh well, he is cute!

[mourningdove92]

10. I love this part

Steve Schmidt, a Bush campaign spokesman, accused Edwards of engaging in "the politics of division" no matter his style.

"The Kerry-Edwards ticket has talked about taking the high road, but in the last few days have descended to the low road of negative attack politics," Schmidt said.



hehehe, how dare we come off the high road? How dare we fight back? Don't we know that we are just supposed to sit and take all the crap they throw....NOT!

[Myrina]

12. It amazes me that they consider THOSE comments 'low road'

when Cheney's perfectly ok in threatening the American populace that a vote for Kerry guarantees Armageddon.

The Pugs are such whiney weenies !!! :mad:

[iwantmycountryback]

14. HAHAHAHA

The Bush people accusing Kerry people of dirty negative politics? How many times can the pot meet the kettle with these people?

[spooky3]

15. John Edwards: The Ann Richards of 2004

[faithnotgreed]

16. many months ago i heard this line from kerry (pray you dont get sick)

does anyone else remember that? its been some time ago

[TexasSissy]

21. Kerry or Edwards - same thing. Hey, that's a great line. And true.