I had a nice diary written on the position similarities between Lamont and
Edwards all written out before I left town for the weekend only to find that
my dad's historic computer can't find my flash drive (needless to say, they
have similar ideas about Iraq (steady, gradual withdrawal starting immediately),
jobs, fair trade, early and higher education, universal healthcare,
infrastructure investment, etc, see
http://nedlamont.com/...).
Still, this is an important event, so I wanted to put something together.
So here's a media and blogger roundup on the event:
Mainstream Media
AP Story at
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/...
Poll: Lamont faces challenges with independents, Republicans
Former Sen. John Edwards, the 2004 candidate for vice president, campaigned
Thursday with Lamont in New Haven and held a fundraiser for his campaign.
Edwards added his voice to those calling on Lieberman to drop out,
despite the poll results suggesting the incumbent could run a strong race
as an independent.
"I don't think it has anything to do with the polls," Edwards said. "This
is about democracy. He's a Democrat, he ran in the Democratic primary, and
he didn't win. Democrats chose Ned Lamont as their candidate - he should
be the candidate."
"I voted for this war. I was wrong," Edwards, of North Carolina, told a
crowd of about 300 people gathered outside the Yale University School
of Medicine. "I should not have voted for this war and I take responsibility
for that."
The New York Times, "Edwards, at Lamont Rally, Says Democrats Must
Beat G.O.P. Fearmongering" by Jennifer
Medina
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Edwards on Lieberman:
"He should not be running as an independent, Mr. Edwards said
at a rally with Mr. Lamont outside the Yale School of Medicine. I
dont think it has anything to do with polls. This is about democracy.
Hes a Democrat, he ran in a Democratic primary and he didnt win.
Democrats chose Ned Lamont as their candidate; he should be their
candidate.
Edwards, ... later held a $250-a-head fund-raiser here for Mr. Lamont....
Alternative Media
New
Haven Independent by Paul Bass about the the Lamont-Edwards New Haven
rally. Of note:
A Heavyweight Stumps For Lamont
Introduction
A mill worker's son and a millionaire's son -- one hoping to become America's
next president, the other Connecticut's next U.S. senator -- made two confessions
to hundreds of supporters at a campaign rally in New Haven Thursday night.
One apologized for voting to authorize the war in Iraq. The other said he
should have spoken more about urban poverty in his successful campaign
for the Democratic Senate nomination.
In his remarks, Edwards called post-Katrina New Orleans "our great
moral challenge."
"We're not the only ones who saw those images out of New Orleans. We're not.
The whole world" is watching, he said. "They want to see if we're going to
turn our backs on 37 million of our own citizens" nationwide who live below
the poverty line. He called a spike in the minimum wage, making it easier
for unions to organize, universal health care, and an "Apollo-like project
to move the United States away from our dependence on oil. We need to tell
people the truth. We need to tell people to be patriotic about something
other than the war" and to stop "driving around in vehicles that get
10 miles per gallon.."
He also called for distributing $1 million of new housing vouchers for poor
people to move into better neighborhoods. He said that he believes all people
have equal intrinsic worth. "If we believe that, when are we going to start
living together?... Rich people should not be the only ones in American"
who have a choice where to live.
On Iraq:
Like Joe Lieberman, Edwards, a former U.S. senator, voted in favor of launching
the war in Iraq. In marked contrast to Lieberman, who continues to defend
the decision to wage war against Iraq and to portray the American effort
as succeeding, Edwards offered a mea culpa Thursday night.
"I voted for this war. I was wrong. I shouldn't have voted for this war.
I take responsibility for that," Edwards said. He apologized to the troops
stuck in the quagmire in Iraq; unlike the Senate, they did nothing wrong,
he said.
Edwards expressed incredulity that "anybody can say" the Iraq campaign "is
working." He noted that 6,000 Iraqis died in May and June, that there were
two times as many attacks this month than in January, more roadside bombings
in July than in any other month to date. "We have to start leaving," he
said, pulling 40,000 to 50,000 American troops out of the country immediately
and drawing up a plan for withdrawing the rest over 12 to 18 months.
On Lieberman's independent run (and preference for bloggers over
traditional media):
Edwards was meeting privately with pro-Lamont bloggers in a cafeteria
at the medical school's Harkness Hall. He answered the bloggers questions
about issues ranging from poverty to Joe Lieberman. (He said Lieberman
should leave the race.) By contrast, he had no scheduled press conference
for mainstream print, TV or radio reporters.
Edwards the Multitasker
Edwards came to New Haven Thursday to support Lamont as well as Yale-New
Haven's blue-collar union organizing drive at a spirited rally before
hundreds of people inside a Yale Medical School courtyard. Before the event,
Edwards also kibbitzed with bloggers as well as with hospital
workers.
Edwards gets it about blogs, about union workers, about progressives. He
just gets it.
Lamont Really Paid Homage to Edwards' Signature Issue: Poverty
"I should have been talking more about poverty" in the primary campaign,
Lamont told the crowd. "It's a disgrace, and we should do better."
Blogger Reports
Spazeboy has video from the JRE/Lamont event!
http://www.spazeboy.net/2006/08/sen-edwa
rds-speaks-to-spazeboy/
I was super excited to meet John Edwards today in New Haven. He's the first
big-name Democrat to come to Connecticut in support of Ned Lamont. I'll have
much more on the rally, and much more video as well (keep your eyes open
for CTBlogger's pictures...the few I saw were amazing!). I just wanted to
post this clip of John Edwards answering two questions-one from me about
poverty, and one from a reporter about his 2008 intentions.
Zen Blade citizen journalist report "JRE and Lamont in New Haven"
on the OAC blog as
http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/...
Anyways, JRE was running a bit late but then he showed and was GREAT! Since
there was a relatively small crowd in the room he spent a lot more time talking
and making eye contact with those present....
During all this time both JRE and Ned Lamont came off as quite genuine and
GOOD HEARTED people. Lamont was focused mainly on some issues and listening
to some of the local bloggers who were PISSED at Lieberman....
After her, Ned Lamont got up and spoke. He spent a lot of time on poverty
and healthcare--he also mentioned poverty in the pre-rally when JRE wasn't
there. I got the impression that Lamont thought JRE was very impressive
because JRE is talking about something noone else is willing to talk about.
What else... well, I am damn proud that JRE decided to get out of DC and
do some good for this country and elsewhere. He's a leader worth following
and his most recent speech(es) are very good....
JRE was STELLAR today... he spoke with moral authority AND HE ASKED FOR SACRIFICE
FROM US ALL. HE WAS HONEST and HIS CALL FOR CONSERVATION WAS REFRESHING.
Edwards' One America Committee Blog:
http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/...
Includes this report from Aldon Hynes, Ned's technology coordinator.
We had a special session with Sen. Edwards for bloggers before the main rally.
He walked around and thanked the bloggers personally for their help in Ned's
victory. He remembered me from when I met him during the
Opportunity Rocks tour and
remembered mbair from all the places where she has seen him.
Tim Tagaris at the Lamont Blog at
Sometimes
Events Meet
Expectations...
Oh, how could
I forget?
and Tim's got video too at
http://nedlamont.com/...
(by the end of this diary, it ought to be clear video-blogging is the
wave of the future)
But before the event began, Senator Edwards held court with a number of local
bloggers. He thanked them for their support, answered questions from the
group, and talked about the depth of coverage they are able to provide people
with a keen interest in Connecticut politics. Ned joined the event as well
and he talked poverty with Senator Edwards and a few bloggers.
Tim also has photos from the rally, or the crowd (looks like more than 300
to me AP), and Ned and John listening to the bloggers.
Mbair will has promised a full citizen journalist report with video
from Lamont's and Edwards' speeches and discussions with bloggers. See:
http://mbair.dailykos.com/ , she's
doing some pathbreaking stuff, really tip of the spear leading blogging to
video and from just analysis of media report and polls to scoop journalism.