I saw Elizabeth Edwards in East Brunswick, NJ at a Women for Kerry fundraiser/rally. I've now seen her, her husband, and that guy who is going to be the president. Don't tell anyone, but Elizabeth Edwards was my favorite. It may partly have been because there were a lot less people there - tickets were $300 and $1,000, or $50 for students (another reason to be happy I haven't finished my dissertation and am therefore still a student) so it didn't quite get the same crowds as the free events. Plus I was smart and came early, so I was near the front. But mainly I think I liked it so much because she doesn't really give a speech. I mean, she doesn't just go up there and ramble, but she does seem more like she's just talking.
Also, she gives the most comprehensive but succinct argument against the Bush approach to homeland security I've heard from a candidate or surrogate. In addition to listing all the Bush failures, she notes that, while it is nice to play offense, you can have both and offense AND a defense. Money quote: "A president should be able to do two things at once." And of course she points out that the Bush administration didn't do such a hot job with the offense portion either. Another money point (I can't quote it) - Dred Scott was mentioned more often during Friday's debate than Osama bin Laden.
Did I mention she's also funny as hell?
I kinda wish she had talked about something other than homeland security, but most of the campaigning in NJ seems to be pretty homeland security heavy, which makes sense given our vulnerability and how hard NJ was hit in the 2001 terrorist attack. But on the whole, if you have a chance to see her, I highly recommend it, even if you have to cough up 50 bucks.