JRE Buzz (32): Weekend Edition

Welcome BW readers to the weekend edition of JRE Buzz, the place to get the latest news on fmr Senator John R. Edwards.

In today's Boston Globe, Derrick Z. Jackson writes the second of a two part series about the challenges and opportunities for the Democratic Party. Immigration, Iraq, and education are all issues discussed. In looking at a future window for presidential candidates for 2008, one Jackson reports:

Back at the bowling alley, Jim Northcutt’s wife, Delia, 41, arrived in the middle of a game. She is a registered Republican but likes 2004 Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards and Illinois Senator Barack Obama on education. ‘‘I’m divided,’’ she said. ‘‘If Edwards runs, I might go for it and vote for him.’’

Delia, I can't tell you how many Republicans told me that if John Edwards had been on the top of the ticket, they would have voted for him. I like John Kerry, but that's what quite a few said.

One article I missed earlier in the week, discovered Thursday, and just couldn't figure out where to put it except here is by Tim Funk that was published in the Miami Herald. It's John Edwards' tireless campaigning on behalf of other candidates. Other national candidates are beginning to follow suit, which is a good thing. What Funk is positing here is that Edwards is helping himself for a run in 2008. Candidates don't seem to care. As Funk wrote:

"Candidates appear thrilled to get a hand from Edwards. As a national political celebrity with Kennedy-esque charisma, he can attract crowds, cameras and cash.

Counting the $50,000 haul at the Webb fundraiser, Edwards has helped 2006 Democratic candidates raise almost $7.2 million."

Political Wire found something from the Hotline this week about pols and their number of appearances on different talk shows. Here's a little tidbit about Bill O'Reilly, who boasted that "no one could be president without being on his show. "

Guess who hasn't be on the show, according to Hotline and Political Wire: George Allen, Evan Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards and Al Gore.

Alex of Choosing our President posted results of a poll on the Daily Kos which listed Clark as number one for 2008 last month, but that Edwards was number one this month. I went and voted. No brainer on that one!

Mbair captured Edwards's appearance on Rocketboom (as reported here yesterday) and put it on YouTube last evening; it was about his trip to Uganda. The Blue State blog has picked up already and featured it as one of the vlogs for their Saturday morning clips. Mbair also did a separate one for Elizabeth. It's much appreciated because there's not any interruptions as sometimes can happen when watching Rocketboom via QT and modem speeds vary.

Iddybud, one of my favorite writers, posted an excellent digest about JRE's Uganda visit at blogcritics. I liked the way she tied it to Jimmy Carter's book, Our Engendered Values: America's Moral Crisis by writing this:

In his book "Our Endangered Values - America's Moral Crisis," former President Jimmy Carter has pointed out that in 2002, President Bush announced a Millennium Challenge fund of $5 billion annually for development aid, but three years later (at the time the book was written) only $400,000 (less than one percent) had actually been distributed. The annual U.S. foreign aid budget for fighting malaria has been $90 million, but 95 percent of that money is being spent on consultants and less than 5 percent is being spent on mosquito nets, drugs, and insecticide spraying.

There is no time to waste regarding our need to show the world a great example of moral leadership. We must actively demonstrate our nation's responsibility toward humanity now, because every wasted second means there will be more unnecessary and preventable deaths and abuses of innocent children in remote places to which the American media pays no attention.

I couldn't have said it better.

Here's a link to an article (via the Connection Newspapers site) about a young man in middle school who has started the Young Sully Democrats in Virginia. His name is Shane Grannum. He met JRE last week at the Webb Rally (I presume). He's the next generation of hope that many of us long for in tailspin of negative campaign ads which produce voter apathy.

Snarkville

Today's snark is from the Seldom Wrong blog. The blogger, whose name is not articulated very well, predicts that voter turnout in Cincinnati will be low compared to 2004 as he has only seen a few yard signs for this year's candidates, but more leftover bumper stickers from 2004. He writes, "Usually in Cincinnati, yard signs sprout like dandelions. But there are few to none compared to the typical crop. The same can be said for bumper stickers. There are more leftover 2004 stickers (the only thing preserving public memory of John Edwards, by the way) than current ones."

I guess the professor forgot that John Edwards was in Cincinnati not too long ago doing a minimum rally and to help do a private fundraiser for John Cranley, who is running for Congress. (photo credit: Luke Blocher, via Flickr) I guess Seldom Wrong is wrong here.

Upcoming Events

JRE will be the lead discussant and questioner of a panel at UNC-CH's Center for Poverty, Work and Opportunity (where he is Director) on October 11. The discussion topic is "The High Cost of Being Poor. "

The Center will also have a program on "High Poverty Schooling in America: Lessons in Second Class Leadership" on October 13th. After that, JRE zips over to do a rally for Larry Kissell, who is running for Congress.

Two events in Iowa on October 14. One at the University of Iowa Law School to give a keynote luncheon speech about welfare reform, and a rally later in the evening down at Fort Madison for Dave Loebsack, who is running for Congress.

More buzz l8tr...

Tags: John Edwards, Elizabeth Edwards, JRE Buzz, Benny's World, Blue State blog, Choosing Our President, Daily Kos, Mbair, Uganda, Political Wire, Derrick Jackson, Tim Funk, Larry Kissell, John Cranley, Dave Loesack, Shane Grannum, Iddybud, Congressional Races 2006