by Don Wheeler
I am feeling sorry for myself, my daughter and my country today.
John Edwards leaving the race is a wicked blow. I have spent over a year in the Campaign To Change America and what makes it really hard is that I didn't just throw in my time and and my money - I threw in my soul.
Since Dr. King was murdered in 1968, the silence has been deafening regarding poverty issues and the struggle of the working poor to achieve middle class status. Until John Edwards brought up the subject again, I'd sort of lost track of the fact that we hadn't been talking about it - at least as a nation. So there's that.
This is particularly bad news for Indiana progressives, because it will certainly ensure the Republican nominee Indiana's electoral votes. I know that Edwards would have had a tough time winning our state in the general election, but he had some appeal to rural voters the other two don't. Lets be honest, there are certain constituencies in our state which are not particularly cosmopolitan. So there's that.
It has been infuriating today to hear all the laudatory comments about John Edwards (suddenly) that any objective analysis would have recognized long ago. It's as though the popular media suddenly read his position papers, listened to his speeches, witnessed his works, etc. Had they used that approach earlier, this election might have lost the "Survivor" theme which has characterized so much of the coverage. But "Survivor" is wildly popular and profitable, isn't it.
Maybe we should sell naming rights for our Presidency. The Haliburton/Blackwater Bush Administration just rolls off the tongue. Just think, we could fund wars outside the budget process!
Oh, I guess we kinda do that now.
To be fair, Senator Obama made some very gracious remarks in front of supporters. I thank him for that. Senator Clinton, not so much.
John urged us to not turn away from the fight, not to give up. I'm sure I'll heed his request soon.
Today, it's a little tough.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
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2 comments:
Edwards had the misfortune of going against the star power and identity politics of Hillary and Obama.
You're right he did raise important issues but right now the national political landscape seems more ready to elect a woman or an African-American than they are to elect a true progressive.
Here's hoping that Edwards sticks around and stays involved. Who knows what the climate (ha ha) will be like in 2012, 2016- he's still a young guy.
Regarding Indiana's electoral votes, it's unlikely that they'll make or break a candidacy. If that's any consolation.
//
Karl
a few thoughts...
...let's not discard the movement for the man. edwards has done two things: he has brought the two americas theme to his own campaign, but he has also brought the same theme to the other campaigns--as we have so often noted in this space when we comment that "edwards caused the others to bring up the subject of poverty".
both obama and clinton will be seeking the support of the edwards constituency, and as you have noted in this article obama already seems to be trying to differentiate himself from clinton in that regard.
although this is a setback, it is also an opportunity for us to continue to advance the same issues--and let's not forget that edwards leaving the race does not change a lot of the dynamic that has developed since the '04 cycle: a public dispirited by the war, the economy tilting more toward monied interests at the expense of the rest of us, and a voting public frustrated that 20% of us have no health insurance...and most importantly, the idea that the american dream is becoming more and more unobtainable for more and more of us.
these issues and more remain out there; and there's no reason whty we cannot continue to push the remaining two candidates and see where we end up...and my opinionated guess is that obama will be the more welcoming candidate from our point of view.
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