That was the most sensible speech I've heard out of all the major candidates. I've been uncommitted on choosing a candidate up until this point, but for me, I now feel it is full steam ahead for Edwards.

Adrift in the Sea of Humility

OK, any of these candidates will be a better president than the idiot in chief we have now, and I'll support the nominee whoever it is, and yada yada yada, but...

When you get a chance to see the "squabbling" Edwards refers to (and trust me, you will, because it will be in heavy rotation on all the cable and network news today), you will also see how Obama responds to pressure. He may be the inspirational candidate, but his reaction did not inspire much confidence.

Obama complained that it's not fair to go back and pick out certain votes from his record to criticize. Welcome to national politics. What did he think would happen? He also complained that the Illinois state legislature is different than politics at the national level. But that's the only record he has to run on. Probably not smart to remind people of his lightweight resume.

You will also get to see how "the game" is played by the masters -- the Clinton machine. Obama got a schooling in what's ahead, and as Clinton said, she's "just warming up." And she's on our team. Imagine what the other team has in store. Obama doesn't appear to understand this, or that singing Kumbaya is not going to be an effective countermeasure.

Clinton may in fact be the only candidate who understands how it works, and therefore the only one able to get anything done. Her argument is that maybe some good things might accidentally get done along the way. If that's what you want, she's your candidate. We could do a lot worse.

Obama now seems to be the candidate being set up for coronation by the corporate media. Which means he is the corporate Chosen One. Which means he's the candidate Republicans want to run against. Wonder why that is?

If we're going to end up with a candidate chosen for us by corporations and their lapdog media, we'd be better off with Clinton, their second choice. In her case, they should be careful what they wish for.

Edwards, on the other hand, is the only candidate talking about core Democratic Party beliefs and the only candidate sticking to the issues and offering specifics (which the other candidates borrow from when it's convenient -- just watch it happen live in the debate). Why he is not resonating with voters is a mystery.

But, any of these candidates will be a better president than the idiot in chief we have now, and I'll support the nominee whoever it is, and yada yada yada...

Under Edwards' plan, since I'm self-employed, there'd be no cap on my Social Security/Medicare taxes. Great, an opportunity to pay an additional 15.3% on earnings above the cap, with little chance of ever getting it back later.

Your title is correct, this told me everything I need to know about Edwards.

Edwards is the best choice, again in a debate he kept to the issues.

And a very important letter from MARTIN LUTHER KING, III PRAISES EDWARDS FOR LEADING THE FIGHT FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN AMERICA

Read it here:

TN For Edwards: MARTIN LUTHER KING, III PRAISES EDWARDS

Every vote should count!

Under Edwards' plan, since I'm self-employed, there'd be no cap on my Social Security/Medicare taxes.

So?

Besides, there's still a problem with Edwards' and Obama's plan to remove the cap. Most people making "$5 million" (as Edwards refers to them) who aren't paying Social Security over the cap are probably paid most of that in dividends and stock options that aren't subject to payroll taxes anyway. This is another loophole that needs to be closed.

Here's a link to video of the seven minutes prior to the Edwards clip. I suppose who looked worse depends on your preconceptions... they weren't exactly arguing about policy or ideas.

Maybe the Clinton/Obama squabbling will help Edwards. I hope so. Otherwise it's just going to make it really difficult for some people to wholeheartedly back whichever of the other two end up being the nominee.

While the Conservative base was worried sick about gay marriage, abortion, and Mexican Terrorists, the Conservative elite was stealing America Blind.

Shouldn't that statement be posted somewhere as the quote of the day? The week? the year? the Bush administration?

Wearybottom Associates

Watched the seven minutes last night. I thought it pretty darn nit-picky, which I guess just showed that Obama/Clinton positions aren't different enough for the exchange to have been substantive. So they were just honing debate smackdown skills, and I thought both were pretty sharp at defending and then shoving it back. Whatever.

I think skb's analysis is worth consideration, though probably and sadly moot since Edwards is not getting the numbers. The most interesting turn will be to see the nominee's pick for VP. Lot of options there and a lot more critical than it used to be. No more Lieberpicks will do. I have no idea whether Edwards would be a plus there this time, unfortunately. That is, I have doubts he would add to the ticket, since his numbers are low and he'd (sadly) attract the liberal tag for needed swing voters.

I don't think Edwards would accept (again) even if offered.

I like what Edwards has to say. I like his tenacity and vehemence. I love that he seems to want to know the scope of the crimes of the current (mis)administration and adjudicate them accordingly. However, I also have to acknowledge what I have said in the past about our entire line up being far superior to what we have now. Then I have to consider the larger goals of our society and what effect this election will have on them.

I would love for every kid in the nation, regardless of "racial" appearance, to believe that they could grow up to become president or, to get an actually desirable position. Much of what is wrong in our poorer neighborhoods stems from a lack of belief in what is possible. Kids who are clearly smart enough for college never become educated enough because they do not believe that path is open to them. The paths they see, drugs, gangs, violence, prostitution, graft, theft (damn, sounds like the republicans don't it?) etc, are the bane of this nation's existence. Edwards is a smart, involved, capable, caring, and experienced White Guy. While I hardly consider him personally "more of the same", visually that is what he represents. I hate that for him and us.

For now I'm sticking with Obama. I sincerely believe that specifics of policies aside, he stands the best chance of doing the greatest good.

CAFKIA

p.s. I have in the past acknowledged Ms Clinton's intelligence and qualifications as well as my distaste for the dynastic appearances her election would cause. However, if the Dems run a shit sandwich and the rethugs run a biblical saint, I'm voting shit sandwich.

----------------------------------------------------------- 

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
  - William G. McAdoo

Edwards keeps asking THE question and Obama and Clinton won't answer it.

You know which one:

What do you think the corporate lobbyists expect in return for the millions they donated to your campaigns?

You go Edwards!

He's 'da man.

While I was hoping and praying the debate would be about issues, it was clear right from the start Hillary was itching to get personal and Obama was itching to defend himself for a change. Considering the way he's been double-teamed by a pair of expert machine operators, he hasn't dissolved into being unable to control his emotions as Hillary often does. She really gets close to losing it when she doesn't get her own way. I really admire her lawyer-ly skill at being persuasive. She's a brilliant woman, but she gets really weird and can't handle it when she's challenged by someone else's calm in the midst of her disdainful wrath. At one point I thought she was going to start stomping her foot and emitting steam from her ears. Obama had no choice but to respond to all the twisting of his quotes and votes. If he hadn't everyone would be posting about his lack of backbone. I thought he did really well in this debate. Much better than Hillary actually.

I agree, Rachel, the two front runners together would not be a bad ticket. Or maybe Clark or Richardson as possible VPs?

There are probably thousands of Barack Obamas out there in state legislatures and legal aid clinics and corporate board rooms doing all kinds of good work,...

Did you hear Andrew Sullivan, of all people, say on Colbert about how valuable it would be for the U.S., given how we've come to be viewed around the world, to get a new president of color named Obama? It was a good point coming from an unlikely source.

The right way to settle it. Kareem and Magic. Just like old times. Ahhhh...

P.S. Saw Kareem awhile back talking his book on C-SPAN. Dude would be awesome in politics. Talks like a seasoned political expert already. Kareem for Secretary of State!