One of the things that was a surprising during 2004, was just how steadfast John Edwards was in supporting the Iraq War vote and Invasion.
He stuck to that position in the face of considerable criticism and, unlike John Kerry, generally did not even try to elaborate on it or clarify it or contextualize it or identify what specific criteria motivated it.
For this reason and others I, personally, had found Edwards very disappointing throughout the 2004 Primary campaign and did not feel he was even a very substantive speaker at all beyond just 1 - 2 issues. I tried hard to
like his VP acceptance speech but found it rather bland & non-substantive.
I was, however, quite
impressed with his debate performance against Dick "Dr. Evil" Cheney and was
amazed that the Mainstream Media tried to portray that debate as either a
draw or even a Cheney win (Cheney had literally no response but a
mumble or a "no-further-comment" to many of Edwards arguments & responses, and, Cheney also
visibly lied throughout the debate in the places where he did counter-attack).
Well, last week Edwards made some news when he cleared the air in making the public remark that his Iraq War vote was wrong. Suddenly now, assuming Edwards is for real here, this puts John Edwards in a whole new light.
If Edwards advances this position and were to show a sense of passionate outrage & indigity for being lied to by the Bush Adminstration he could provide the motif by which the entire Democratic Party finally seizes control over the Iraq issue, and with it, the abuse of power & reckless contempt for human life shown by the George W. Bush and his whole War-Profiteering administration.
If Edwards can build upon these brief remarks, he could also at the same time set himself up as one of the very strongest & potent candidates for President during the 2008 Election season.
Everybody likes a guy who comes clean. It's good theater. Now, imagine if the vast majority within the Democratic Party also come clean.
It is good to see Edwards take this step. But, it can be so much larger than just this if both he & others within the Party play their cards right. This message can be the Democratic Party's coming out of the closet moment where they seize control as the voice of reason and the voice of integrity on, not just Iraq, but on National Security issues in general.
People don't like being lied to. Forcing the Bush administration to explain as to why they lied to Congress as well as why they lied to the American people will be a hard position from which the GOP as a whole can operate. Suddenly, the dissenters are not the unpatriotic ones here but the voices of honor & integrity.
Honor & integrity, that might not be a bad platform to run on in 2006 & 2008.