Daily Kos

John Edwards for DNC Chair

by BrooklynBoy

Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:07:03 AM PDT

As of today I think Edwards should be our party's candidate for President in 2008. I don't see a better candidate as of today, perhaps one will emerge. I don't see how Hillary can win.

Edwards needs to keep a high profile, political position from now until then.

Edwards speaks to the South, to the working class, to "moral values".

Here's a perhaps radical thought, but how about John Edwards as DNC Chair? I'm not sure what other position he can hold that would keep him in the national eye.

Thoughts? What should John Edwards do for the next four years?

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  •  Whatever works. (none / 1)

    All I know is I want to see more of John Edwards.  If being the chair is the way to make that happen, then so be it.

    by Drew on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:06:25 AM PDT

  •  This is one of the best suggestions I've heard (none / 0)

    DNC chair would be a solid position, since he doesn't hold an elected office.

    He could run for congress in 2006, but that's not enough, and a shade too late if you ask me.

    Other than that, I was thinking "a-political" organizations -- a non-partisan environmental advocacy group, or a non-partisan organization that criticizes free trade.

    I'm stumped, quite frankly. I bet Edwards has some ideas?

    It's not a campaign. It's a movement. Will you stand up?

    by danthrax on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:08:52 AM PDT

  •  john (3.50 / 2)

    edwards need to find a way to gain more "grey hair."  While canvassing a lot of people who didn't support kerry/edwards talked mostly about how they thought edwards was a lightweight.  He's got so much potential, key is figuring how harness it.

    I'm also not sure his no negative campaign ads thing will fly.  I hope he drops that after the primary ala the cheney debate.

    by tristan on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:09:42 AM PDT

  •  Edwards wife (none / 1)

    should run for something.  just throwing that out.

    by tristan on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:10:17 AM PDT

  •  Please Recommend (none / 0)

    if you want to.
    i think its a good conversation.

    what other positions could Edwards hold that would give him gray hair and keep him high profile? I can't think of any others.

    Know all your enemies. We know who our enemies are. Stop Eminent Domain Abuse. End Corporate Welfare

    by BrooklynBoy on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:11:07 AM PDT

  •  John Edwards (none / 0)

    Would be a great DNC Chair.  I volunteered for his rally in Nashua, NH and I swear, he is a freakin' rock star.  He really got the crowd fired up.  

    Elizabeth Edwards is also a great speaker.  I caught a few of her rally appearances on CSPAN.  I would love to see her get involved too, but sadly, right now, she's fighting breast cancer.  

    I think the Edwards' family involvement will depend on how well Mrs Edwards does in treatment.  

    Beesly/Halpert '08

    by Mariposa on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:19:20 AM PDT

  •  CNN reported this (none / 0)

    I think on Thursday morning - that Edwards was a strong possibility for this role. Either he or Dean would be great.

    I also heard that Donna Brazille was lobbying for it - what a disaster that would be! I like Donna, but honey, you were in charge of Gore's campaign which really, really sucked. I had been a Gore fan for a decade because of his positions on the environment and understanding of high-tech - after she got done making him over, even I didn't like him.

    by Proud SW FL Lib on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:27:30 AM PDT

  •  Please no flame throwing... (none / 0)

    I love you all like a brother, but...

    That's one of the worst post-mortem ideas I've heard yet. I know he's a fighter. But the problem is that he'd be seen as no different than Terry McAwful by most people (even if you know better).

    Let's not grab the middle from this. Let's grab onto our guts and clutch our hearts and light a torch together. We need fire in our bellies, and we desperately -- DESPERATELY -- need totally new, even controversial and shocking, new ideas.

    The winning Republican Fascists evidently have no fear of a radical agenda. And we're just trying to do what's sensible. (And now that's considered extreme in the SCLM.)

    Look at them getting away with murder. Literally. Learn from that. We are in a war of many battles, and it's time to start paying attention to tactics as well as message.

    VOTERS ARE NO LONGER BEING WON OVER, THEY'RE BEING TAKEN HOSTAGE.

    John Edwards will do nothing to help that.

    "We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further." - Richard Dawkins

    by TX Unmuzzled on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:28:35 AM PDT

  •  Excellent suggestion (none / 0)

    This would keep President Edwards in the political spotlight for the next four years.

    Remember, no more Republican light doesn't mean abandoning centrism.

    by darth chenney on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:30:22 AM PDT

  •  Elizabeth Edwards (none / 0)

    should take on Liddy Dole.

    Edwards might be a good choice for DNC chair.  How he performs would determine his viability for 2008.

    Candidates that court voters who won't vote for a black man are called Republicans.

    by PrometheusSpeaks on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:31:00 AM PDT

  •  He Damn sure (none / 0)

    didn't speak to the south this last Tuesday

    "In Japan, American occupation forces quickly became 50,000 friends. In Iraq, they would quickly become 50,000 terrorist targets. " James Webb, Sep 02

    by ParaHammer on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:31:04 AM PDT

  •  I suggested this too (none / 0)

    The rumor was Bill Clinton taking over the DNC, but I think John Edwards would be an outstanding choice.  He can raise money but will be good on the Sunday morning roundups.  Two Americas and showing the basic difference between the parties is fairness for four years will be effective.

    The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much;it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little-FDR

    by wells on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:41:26 AM PDT

  •  But I thought from reading dKos that (none / 0)

    Dean will be DNC chair, DfA leader, run for Senate in Vermont, be the candidate in 2008, and eliminate world hunger.

    :)

    Seriously though, there's been a ton of ideas thrown out for all of the top people (Kerry, Edwards, Dean, etc).  DNC chair is the only one that will be filled in the short term.  That list with Brazille on it might just have been floated out to see what the reaction would be.

    Do we know who actually picks the DNC chair?  Can we try to reach that person somehow?  DNC chair should be the focus of all efforts right now.

    -6.88, -6.36

    by lemuel on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:45:14 AM PDT

    •  DNC Governing body (none / 0)

      It is my understanding that the DNC Giverning body picks the chair (from their website):
      "The DNC's governing body, however, is made up of approximately 400 elected and appointed members of the Democratic National Committee. The Governing body elects the officers of the National Committee: the Chairmen, five Vice Chairs, Treasurer, Secretary, and National Finance Chair."

      The Governing body is made up of officials elected by all the State Parties (as elected in their Central Committee meetings).  These people are usually listed on the state parties website.  With that said, there are probably very influental people with in that group that may have more say.

      by VA Dem on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 10:24:31 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Off the board (none / 0)

    How about the greatest Democratic orator of our lifetime as DNC chair......Mario Cuomo!!  How I would love to see Cuomo take on Racicot and rip hip to shreds.

    Edwards needs to run for governor of North Carolina, or await a Democratic president in 2008 and hope to be appointed to a cabinet post (not Attorney General...that should be Spitzer) or Chief of Staff.

    "There is no barrier of people's acceptance. The only barrier is the media. Remember what people cannot see or hear, they cannot think about."

    by dugjxn on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 09:47:12 AM PDT

  •  no. (none / 0)

    just no.

    John Cornyn is an asshole with shoes. Support Rick Noriega!

    by anna on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 10:19:21 AM PDT

  •  He gets my vote (none / 0)

    He gets my vote

    by VA Dem on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 10:25:15 AM PDT

  •  Donna Brazile is trying to become DNC Chair (none / 0)

    I really like Brazile. It looks like were going to have a chairwoman. I don't like Edwards very much.

    by skipper2379 on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 10:27:56 AM PDT

  •  Don't Blame Edwards for NC (none / 0)

    I am very concerned that Democrats are using this tired accusation that Edwards did nothing for Kerry because he didn't carry NC.  I grew up in NC (although I am now an Ohio resident)and all of my family live there -- all Democrats.

    Everyone in my family says that in the current environment, no Democrat will carry NC in a Presidential election.  There are apparently a few Democrats who have a local base.  But, at the national level, NC votes along Republican lines.  

    The driving force behind this Republican lock is the influence of Churches on the vote. My mother tells me that she was the only person on her street who was voting for Kerry. All her neighbors had Bush signs.  When she asked her neighbors if they knew what Bush stood for they all answered "No."  So she asked each one why he or she had a Bush sign in the yard.  To a one, they all said "Because my minister told me I needed to put one in my yard."

    What's amazing, given the environment in NC, is that Edwards ever got elected to the Senate in the first place. All things considered, the fact that he was elected speaks, I think, to his talent as a politician.

    by Getreal1246 on Sat Nov 06, 2004 at 10:53:25 AM PDT

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