A good week for Edwards in Iowa.
It's been a good week for John Edwards in Iowa, the nation's first election in the race for President. First, he has been featured by Newsweek as the "Sleeper" candidate.
Then, he appeared on almost all the Sunday talk shows.
Then, he gets another major Iowa endorsement. The first lady of Iowa, Mari Culver. From the Register:
Iowa's First Lady To Back Edwards For President
by Tony LeysIowa's first lady, who had said she would stay neutral in the presidential race, has changed her mind and plans to endorse Democrat John Edwards Monday.
"I decided to join in the fray," Mari Culver said in an interview today.
Culver said her husband, Gov. Chet Culver, will not endorse anyone, and she said her stance does not imply that he supports Edwards. "If the governor wanted to show a preference for a candidate, he would do so," she said. "My endorsement is as Mari Culver, Iowan. ... I'm my own person. I have my own political interests."
Mari Culver's predecessor as first lady, Christie Vilsack, endorsed Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry before the 2004 caucuses, which he won.
Edwards, who also ran for president that year, said in an interview today that he believes Vilsack's endorsement helped Kerry. "She campaigned with him, did a number of events with him, and I think it gave some energy and momentum to his campaign."
All week I've been hearing from people who have said that they are going to Iowa for Edwards. He has the unions, he has been in all 99 counties, he has precinct leaders in over 95% of all precincts, he's ready. What I didn't know, was that a caucus in a rural town where only 25 people show up is equal in weight to one in Des Moines where 2500 people show up. John Edwards is the candidate for rural America and he'll win those 25 person caucuses.
A good week indeed.
Did anyone catch Coast to Coast AM last night?
Daniel Sheehan of the New Paradigm institute talked about government secrecy and his plans for a Peace and Reconciliation process for government-related criminal acts done in secrecy. He worked on the Silkwood case, Iran-Contra and the Ellsberg papers for the New York Times. He had a lot of interesting things to say.
The most notable, however, was how he kept getting in promos for John Edwards for whom he's working in Iowa. Anyone familiar with that radio show knows it's not particularly supportive of Democrats and politicking of any kind is pretty much off limits. So it was a particularly delicious coup for the Edwards campaign to get mentioned peripherally over and over by an expert in fighting government secrecy . . .
"I just talked to John about that three hours ago" was one casual comment.
The best was his just-as-casual comment: "And we'll have the nomination wrapped up by the first week in February."
For those of you unfamiliar with this radio program: it's the biggest overnight show in the country. Known for four-hour in-depth interviews about UFOs, futurism, meditation, and unusual and complex science stories. Tops in New York and LA and lots of places in between. Particularly big with truckers and police. Don't know how many primary voters listen but it definitely reaches the heartland in a big way.
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
My husband downloads it and listens to it the next day.
I'll have ask him about it. Thanks for the heads up.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Ask him if it wasn' more effective than an outright
show about Edwards. People are used to not having them get too political so I think the casual namedrop all the way through was better than any advertising any candidate could have bought. And because it wasn't a show about John, there was no negative discussion (unless it took place after I feel asleep!)
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
He'll listen to it tonight.
He's such a creature of habit. I'll let you know in the morning what he thought. He did confirm that the show is virtually apolitical, and almost militantly unpolitical.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Me and the king are headed for New Hampshire
Can you say white Christmas?
Any other JRE supporters headed north?
News of the 10th district: See Pat Go Bye Bye,
It was a good week for Edwards, indeed!
I think the Democratic voters in Iowa are going to give more credence to their Democratic First Lady than to a corporate MSM newspaper, who also endorsed a Republican and gave him a glowing review.
Speaking of Iowa, my husband and I are headed up to volunteer for the caucus! We're pysched.
I hope I see you in Iowa.
Don't know if I'll make it, so take lots of videos.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Iowa is a little far for me.
Iowa is a little far for me. I'm going to SC for JRE. Does that count?
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"In my life, I have learned two great lessons ... One is that there will always be heartache and struggle; the other is that people of strong will can make a difference. One is a sad lesson; the other is an inspiration. I choose to be inspired." -- JRE
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
I"m not in a position to travel, even to SC
but I'm writing letters to Iowans. And will be glad to write to New Hampshire-ites, South Carolinians, and Nevadans.
We all do what we can.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Writing letters is excellent.
Seems like it would be something special to get a nice letter in the middle of a mail box full of junk and bills.
rock on, lcloud.
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"In my life, I have learned two great lessons ... One is that there will always be heartache and struggle; the other is that people of strong will can make a difference. One is a sad lesson; the other is an inspiration. I choose to be inspired." -- JRE
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
That definitely counts.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Sam is in Iowa for Biden....
he doesn't count. :)
I'm not going. I wish I could. I think in 8 years when my girls are older and almost on their own I will go....then again...they might want to go with me. :) I wonder which candidate I'll be supporting in eight years?
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
Which candidate will you support in 8 years?
John Edwards' VP, of course -- whoever that is. :)
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"In my life, I have learned two great lessons ... One is that there will always be heartache and struggle; the other is that people of strong will can make a difference. One is a sad lesson; the other is an inspiration. I choose to be inspired." --JRE
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
Fightin' words.
I've been trying so hard to be nice to that guy since Blue South started working for him ...
And I've been trying so hard to be nice to you since you were kind enough to leave my county ... :-P
1 Thessalonians 5:21: But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
I always wanted to be the avenging cowboy hero—that lone voice in the wilderness, fighting corruption and evil wherever I found it, and standing for freedom, truth and justice. - Bill Hicks
I think the thing to keep in mind is this...
most of us like Biden. He's not going to be President, but we like him. If he had run in 2004 he might have had a chance, but this year he's just being overwhelmed.
That said, I hope that he and Dodd have positions in the next Democratic Administration. Obama....I'd prefer he go to the Supreme Court where his logic and moderation would be better served.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
This is a great interview, a personal look at Edwards....
I've never seen an interview quite like this. He touches on staying in shape, missing the family, the loss of his son, his wife, his Dad, his best teacher, etc.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Corporations and corruption
I think JE is really starting to focus on what the people really want solved by their government. The tie between these 'big' corporations and our government in Washington DC. The other candidates don't want to really get into it because of their lobby money, or their own involvement in avoiding the 'business' of the people. So I really think he will get the response needed to win in the end.
It's a very good message for winning blue-collar votes.
In rural areas, like where I grew up, there is a tremendous mistrust of the government. At the same time, there is a tremendous mistrust of big corporations. Tying the two together is a natural extension.
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Anyone going to Iowa other than Sam?
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me