Don't Count John Edwards Out

Nice article by Tim Dickinson in Rolling Stone about Edwards. (h/t TomP via MyDD)

But counting Edwards out would be a big mistake. Flying below the radar, the former vice-presidential candidate is pulling off a feat that Democratic consultants have long considered impossible: staking out the most progressive platform among the viable candidates while preserving an aura of electability. In head-to-head polling against the likes of Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney, Clinton and Obama have managed to post only modest leads. Edwards, by contrast, not only bests every Republican candidate in the race, he trounces them -- by an average of twelve points.

"Edwards' message is more left than it was in '04, and it's attracting the right kind of people for the primaries," says Bill Carrick, a veteran party strategist. "But the general electorate still sees him as mainstream. He's doing a good job of threading that needle."

Read the rest here.

Eric Clapton, an inspiration

I got this tip from Taylor Marsh's site. My spouse looks somewhat like EC, but can't play like Eric. Eric has dark eyes, whereas my spouse has handsome blues. Both the same height and both Scottish.

Kossacks for Edwards

Yours truly is standing to JRE's right (reader's left). This was taken right before the break out session.

Great conference. He was the best at the forum and at the breakout session.



JRE also signed his book on Poverty for me. What a guy!

Benny's World Salutes Taylor Marsh

That amazing "American Woman" to your left and my right is Taylor Marsh. In my view, she is the best radio talk show host on the Internet and on regular frequencies--AM and FM.

This picture was taken after a Hot Topics panel she was on at the Yearly Kos Convention(soon to be renamed the Netroots Nation). Taylor spoke about National Security issues, especially concerns about a potential Dem president inheriting the baby, the Iraq war. She also spoke to an issue near and dear to her: media consolidation. Taylor likes being on the regular frequencies, but she is concerned about big conglomerates buying everything, then limiting our voices.

I hope she will get on XM radio. Meantime, one can listen to her show 2-3 CT Mon-Thur and I guarantee, you will get the most recent political news and commentary on her show. If you can't listen live, she has podcasts within a couple of hours up on her site.

Taylor is a true progressive, and I like that she is herself and never phony in what she says. Not that many radio talk show hosts are phony, but I like her show because she's not so bent to the far left. She has a clear understanding of security issues, and she doesn't believe government is the answer to everything either.

Give her a listen. Taylor, BW salutes you and your work.