Tonight's really big news is the Democratic debate tonight at 9 P.M. Eastern/6 P.M. Pacific on MSNBC. If you're like me and don't have cable, you can watch it here. Join us here for discussion!
Before we get to the news, let's take a moment to honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Here is a statement on Dr. King's birthday by John Edwards.
"Today we honor the incredible life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a man of peace, a man of principle and a man of profound conscience.
"As someone who grew up in the segregated South, I have seen firsthand the change we have achieved thanks to Dr. King and all those who shed their blood, sweat and tears. Our country is forever changed thanks to Dr. King's work and the work of so many other Americans who were determined to restore the promise of America.
"If we are going to truly honor Dr. King, the heroes of Greensboro, Selma, Birmingham and Orangeburg, and all the heroes of the civil rights movement, then we must be honest that we still have work to do. The fight for civil rights and equal rights and economic and social justice is still going on across our country. Today, we still live in two different Americas – one America for those who are doing extraordinarily well and one for everybody else. We still have two school systems, two health care systems, two systems of justice and two economies.
"America can do better than this. We've seen that a group of people with the courage to stand up for what's right can struggle and survive, and even change the course of history. Today, let's commit ourselves to igniting the revolution of values that Dr. King dreamed about, to speaking out against unfairness and injustice, to making sure the voice of every American is heard and to building One America."
Saturday's Nevada Caucus
With polls showing Edwards in close competition with the other candidates in Saturday's Nevada caucus, this could be an exciting week for Edwards supporters!
Yesterday's Reno Gazette-Journal poll had the caucus race looking like this with a MOE of 4.5 percent:
Barack Obama: 32 percent
Hillary Clinton: 30 percent
John Edwards: 27 percent
A new ARG poll out today definitely confirms that Edwards is in the running. The overall poll shows:
Clinton - 35
Obama - 32
Edwards - 25
Clinton leads among democrats, 37-32-23 (COE), while Edwards leads among non-affiliated voters, 42-34-17 (EOC).
We hope all Americans win the Nevada caucus with John Edwards coming in first and picking up momentum for his cause, which is OUR cause!
Check out this video of an interview on TV in Nevada today.
Of course, the other exciting news this week stands to be made by Edwards supporters themselves.
Grassroots supporters have set a goal of raising $7 million for Edwards in one day on Friday, January 18th.
This is totally a grassroots effort with no connection to the campaign. Let's make it happen!
Edwards draws direct contrasts with rivals
In other news, the Edwards campaign released 4 new ads in South Carolina today that challenge the media's framing of the race as a two person race. These are great!
Our debate diaries tend to get heavy traffic, so I'm making these links to YouTube, rather than embedded videos. This brings me to a request: Please go easy on the YouTubes in the comment thread tonight, so that the diary won't be too slow to load.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Narrator: Who’s the only Democrat that beats all the Republicans in the recent CNN poll? John Edwards is the only one.
John Edwards: I’m John Edwards and I approve this message
http://www.youtube.com/...
Narrator: Which Democrat opposed NAFTA and other trade deals that send American jobs overseas? John Edwards is the only one.
John Edwards: I’m John Edwards and I approve this message.
http://www.youtube.com/...
Narrator: Which Democrat has never taken a dime of campaign money from Washington lobbyists? John Edwards is the only one.
John Edwards: I’m John Edwards and I approve this message
http://www.youtube.com/...
Narrator: Who’s the only Democrat who would ban Washington lobbyists from the White House staff? John Edwards is the only one.
John Edwards: I’m John Edwards and I approve this message.
Maybe you have your own idea for a John Edwards ad? There is only one more day to enter the My Vote, My Voice contest!
Presidential Hopeful Edwards in for the 'Long Haul'
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina says that the upcoming South Carolina primary is important, but will not "make or break" him — or any of the other Democratic presidential hopefuls. He expects a long-term contest for the Democratic party's nomination.
Listen to the interview on NPR
John Edwards calls for ban on coal-fired power plants
PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards says a proposed coal-fired power plant should not be built in the Pee Dee.
Edwards said Monday in Pawleys Island that the state owned utility Santee Cooper should not build the $1 billion plant on the Pee Dee River.
Great Newspaper Endorsement in Florida
John Edwards, in a strong field of Democratic candidates, best inspires our confidence for his sound judgment and thoughtful preparation on issues that matter to most Americans. His policy proposals are more comprehensive than the other contenders, offering carefully detailed and compelling solutions for health care, job security, the Iraq war, global warming, immigration and more.
Upcoming Events
For several upcoming events in Nevada tomorrow through Thursday, please click here. Too many to list individually.
Rally with John Edwards in Los Angeles
January 17th
12:30 p.m. PT
SEIU Local 721
Office of Southern CA Public Service Workers
1015 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Click here to RSVP
John Edwards Plans Campaign Stop In Oklahoma
Friday, January 18th - 6:15 p.m.
OK City Teamsters Local 886
3528 W Reno Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
Click here to RSVP
Edwards to visit St. Louis on Saturday
January 19th
Edwards is scheduled to appear at the Carpenters Union Hall at 1401 Hampton Avenue at 9:15 Saturday morning, according to his campaign website. The tentative plan calls for him to speak to supporters and undecided voters.
Click here to RSVP
Rally with John Edwards in Atlanta
January 19th
2:30 p.m. ET
IBEW Local Union 613
501 Pulliam Street
Atlanta, GA 30312
Click here to RSVP
Blog Roundup
John Edwards for President by scootmandubious
Nevada Outdoor Democrats Support John Edwards by Greg Brown
What Do John Edwards, Mexican Miners, and Our Sorry Ass Economy Have in Common? by MontanaMaven
Why I'm Contributing to Edwards On Friday 18th by Rob in Vermont
Mistakes and Traditional Media Narratives by democracy inaction
John Edwards--Its the electability Stupid (mit poll) by Redstateresident
Senator Edwards Supports Communities Everywhere He Goes by OneCarolinaGirl
Al From's Worst Nightmare: A John Edwards Presidency by JedReport
Canvassing in Las Vegas for Edwards by Ellinorianne
Let's Continue Dr. King's Work by RDemocrat
I apologize if I missed your diary.
Special request: Please refrain from posting non-debate YouTube videos tonight, since we are likely to get a lot of traffic and it makes the page load slowly for some people.