JRE Buzz (22)

Hello BW readers...time for another round-up of JRE buzz, some not seen yet.

Speaking of round-ups, NCDem has put out another JRE News, vol 25. Recommended and a most for JRE news-hungry bloggers and readers. She found one picture I did not on there: it from the SC fundraiser. So do go visit!

You may wish to see another video captured by NCDem and her fellow CJ's in which they caravaned with Schuler and Edwards to visit a Habitat for Humanity family. How proud the family must feel.

Paul Bass wrote a somewhat provocative piece in the NE Magazine section of the Hartford Currant. It was about Edwards stumpin' for Ned Lamont and purposely not meeting with the MSM, but rather with local Connecticut bloggers, just as I reported a couple of weeks ago:

Accounts of this exclusive press conference appeared on his web site, other Connecticut sites, as well as the national Internet commons known as the Daily Kos.

snip

This wasn't a scheduling failure. This was deliberate. Edwards was well aware of what happened in Connecticut on Aug. 8. The nation's political establishment got a glimpse of how centers of power are shifting on the ground in election campaigns.

Then Bass gave examples of how editorials of some prominent papers in CT endorsed Joe Leiberman; he lost, as well as another Dem, Dannel Malloy over John DeStephano for the governor's race. DeStephano also won that primary.

Bass further asserts "One big story in American politics is how the Internet, the decline of old party powerbases, as well as other trends are gradually changing the rules. Power is shifting to real voters and away from consultants, insiders and the kind of campaigning that basically serves as a bipartisan incumbent-protection racket. "

Hat-tip to nationalchronicle.com for linking to Bass's article. Kos also has it linked and a shout out as well.

Speaking of blogger power, The American Propsect's TAPPED has asserted a challenge about the race in 2008 of the usual HRC and will she run or not. The blogger, Franke-Ruta had this to say about the race: "

"Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of discussing Clinton in the abstract. Until someone can make the case for how John Edwards or Evan Bayh would beat McCain or Giuliani, the criticisms of Clinton don't strike me as being much more than the politics of personal distaste. Clinton could probably beat 75 percent of the Republican field. So could most of the Democratic contenders. But the two candidates she'd face a tough race against would be tough for any Democrat to beat, and until someone makes the case for how the other Democrats would do any better in contests against the toughest Republican contenders, it's not at all clear we're actually discussing Clinton's "electability," rather than her personality or gender difference."

Blogger David Mizner took up the challenge and this was his comment:

Garance, do you want numbers or common sensical political analysis? If you want numbers, you have John Edwards's favorability/unfavorabiliy ratings (64/26) versus Hillary's (56/44). Notice that 18 point difference in unfavorability.

As for analysis: Edwards would, with his populist economic message and opposition to the war, do a much better job of mobilizing the base. He would also put the entire South in play and stand a good chance of winning North Carolina, Virgnia, Lousiana, Tennessee, and Florida. (This is crucial because McCain--forget Guliani: he doesn't stand a chance--would be competitive in blue states.)Plus there's the perception that Edwards's, because of his Southern roots and appealing personality, is moderate. That's the irony, Edwards is a strong progressive who appeals to independents while Hillary is a triangulating centrist who scares moderates.

Lastly for now--I could go on and on--Edwards is articulating a broad political vision based on moral principles. People, whatever their party, like candidates who have strong beliefs. That excludes Hillary, and Evan Bayh for that matter."

Another blogger, DivGuy made responded this way: " I can see the case that someone else's numbers - say, Evan Bayh's or Mark Warner's - are only good because the Republican machine hasn't hit them yet. But Edwards was subject to constant attacks as a "trial lawyer", and they didn't stick. All the attacks slid off, to the degree that people now forget even that the attacks were made.

I don't see much of a case, on electability grounds, for a Warner over Hillay. John Edwards, though, is the nearly the perfect storm of electability, and he's a better progressive than Russ Feingold."

Strong words. Philgoblue offered one other perspective: "But in general, Edwards is far more likeable (see David's polling numbers) and able to win the "cares and understands people like me" vote than HRC could hope to.

Edwards would run a 50-state campaign and could peal off some Border states and at least put Southern states in play. With HRC, it's again putting all our eggs in winning Florida or Ohio."

And lastly, Diane, another blogger had this to say:

American voters don't like dynasties except on TV. We need fresh faces. We need to move past the Vietnam War and not fight it again in our PResidential election. We need an optimistic vision for the future, not Ms. Scoldy McSchool Marm. Reagan had fake folksiness and optimism. Clinton had real optimisim and folksiness and smarts, but it was all about him. John Edwards has not only optimism and smarts, but he is part of something bigger. He's part of a movement, a people's movement against the two party corporate state.

Yeppers, Diane.

Meantime...

The Chillicothe Gazette jumps on the bandwagon that the Dem Primary schedule will benefit other candidates and not Hillary. But what I didn't understand is why they think Nevada will hold for Bill Richardson, Evan Bayh, or Tom Daschle (remember him?), when clearly Edwards has the advantage with the largest voting block in the state: hospitality workers.

Speaking of Nevada, the Las Vegas Sun reports JRE is planning another visit sometime next month. Update, August 29: Looks like he will be in DC to help stump for Andrew Hurst, DCCC for Virginia's 11th District.

The New Republic has officially declared JRE the anti-Hillary candidate. They have some poll numbers, but one has to be a subscriber.

OMG.. Faux News mentions JRE as a contender in 2008. The writer is Susan Estrich, who is a lawyer and a Democratic pundit, so I guess I don't need bug spray. Her comment that stood out in this piece, "Edwards, more so than any of the other candidates, knows how to run in Iowa, and has the time, inclination, and ability to do it. If anyone is currently situated to upend Hillary in Iowa, he is."

The FMNN (Free Market News Network) had a catchy headline on their site today: John Edwards to the Fore. Hmm, what's that about? Well, its about pejoratives that 2008 potential candidates such as George Allen uses and gets caught for everyone on the Daily Kos to see within a few hours. Then the article shifts towards the 2008 primary season and the schedule we already know: Iowa, Nevada, NH, and South Carolina, which seems to bode well for Clinton, Kerry, and Edwards. But the article takes it one step further: "Of the three mainstream candidates, Kerry, Clinton and Edwards, Edwards stands to gain in this new political environment. "

"Both Clinton and Kerry will now spew venom on Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld and already they are doing so. Among these three, Edwards alone seems not to have the Revenge Gene."The author had another observation about bloggers at DK: "Among the young voters at the Daily Kos, the Dark Horses ride high. Warner and Clark have consistently scored highest in this past year, but among the mainstream candidates only John Edwards has strong appeal." Then the accolades, so geniunely written, come out of the author:

"There is much to like about him. He knows how to throw a football. He is a great debater and although his debate with Vice President Cheney was overlooked by the press, it was one of the best debates in recent years.

And he is one of us. When the primary season first started, I brought my children to one of his first events at the Coffee Cup in Littleton, NH. As it turned out, we ended up having lunch with Edwards, his wife Elizabeth and his daughter Cate. I compared him then to Tip O’Neil and the old real world politicians in these parts who came from places like Hell’s Kitchen and South Boston."

The article concludes very much in line with the One America vision: "And at that tragic, pivotal moment of 9/11 they cast their net, bringing in the army, the government, the press and 80 percent of the American people. With Edwards, perhaps we can put the war behind us without venom or vindication, and go forth into the world again in faith and good hope."

Yep. Have to agree with that. Swe-et!

This just in...

NCDem reports that CTblogger's vlog of Ned and JRE on Youtube has netted over 5700 views. Wow.

More buzz l8tr...

Tags: John Edwards, NCDem, JRE News Roundup, Paul Bass, New Haven Independent, Susan Estrich, Hartford Currant, FMNN, Free Market News Network, New Hampshire, Presidential Race 2008, Daily Kos, One America, One America Committee, Chillicothe Gazette, Benny's World, TAPPED, David Mizner, Philgoblue, The New Republic, Diane, JRE, JRE Buzz