Last week, DailyKos had a diary that intentionally attempted to impugn John Edwards character.
Unfortunately, the diarist used the perception of change in John Edwards to make a conclusion that I view as grossly incorrect. The theory was prefaced as such:
He says he regrets the war vote, yet there is solid evidence of his cheerleading leading into the war.
It is not contradictory, let alone dishonest, to have supported a vote in the past and to regret that vote. In this case, it is called progression. The conclusion of the diarist is if John Edwards is different, he must be a panderer, an opportunist, and a fraud.
That is obviously incorrect as people change on a daily basis and it isn't for some sinister purpose. Also, the obvious contrast with Bush's absolute stubbornness is actually quite complimentary to John Edwards.
The progressive policies and plans that John Edwards is putting forth, speak for themselves. This has lead to the acceptance by many that John Edwards is the most likely to succeed in implementing progressive ideas. Therefore, the question that is being asked is not so much how he is different, but why is John Edwards different?
Beyond the criticism of John Edwards 2002 vote, the unsupported statements at the end of the diary have been debunked repeatedly and often in previous discussions of these issues. The bias of the diarist comes out in more than one place in the diary and is typified by another obviously incorrect statement:
"Why does everything John Edwards say not match his record?"
1. So first, let me answer where John Edwards is not different:
Ezra Klein talked about John Edwards including his "trial lawyer" past.
Rather, it's Edwards, who Dana says " such a "lifetime liberal" narrative," who gets the most mileage out of his backstory. It's the millworker stuff, and his history as an anti-corporate lawyer -- "I beat, I beat them, and I beat them again," he says -- that tends to undergird his support. And that's because spending a lifetime battling with corporations actually changes your view of capitalism, and of corporate power, and of economics. Edwards narrative isn't of a "lifetime liberal" so much as a "professional populist," but it's served him well.
...
So what does spending day after day confronting the grievous, heartbreaking damage done to individuals and families by powerful, profit-driven corporations do to a man?
"Every single day," says his wife, Elizabeth, "what he saw, were good people, in great need, who were being mistreated by big corporations. Corporations that knew that they had done wrong, and often insurance companies that were taking a calculated risk going to trial – though they quit doing that with him after awhile. And that’s what he did. He went to work every single day, and that’s what he did. He did nothing else, except that. If you took that person, a person who chose that as his life, you would end up with the politics that he’s talking about today."
...
Back in May, david mizner tackled the perception that John Edwards was somehow suddenly a populist.
His economic populism can be seen in his early opposition to the "Free" Trade regime, also know as the Washington Consensus. He wasn't in Congress when NAFTA was passed, but he opposed it at least as early and 1995 and made his opposition clear during his Senate run. Once in the Senate, he opposed free trade agreements with Chile, Singapore, and Carribean nations, and he voted against giving President Bush fast-track trade authority after provisions to help workers and the textile industry were dropped.
...
And his name is on the Patients Bill of Rights, an admirable attempt to provide important protection to all people in HMOs. Populist and pro-consumer, the bill predicts Edwards' recent leadership on health care.
Recently, david mizner described his case for John Edwards where he further shows how John Edwards has always had a populist streak.
He's changed, critics say. He's gotten bolder, perhaps--that's a good thing--but he's long been a populist fighter.
He then brings up how the Nation's John Nichols talked about John Edwards:
[...I]n the Senate, Edwards was willing to stand up on a number of anti-corporate issues more so than most Democrats. It's the reason that not just Ralph Nader has kind words for him but also people like Ted Kennedy and remember, internally within the Kerry campaign, Ted Kennedy was advocating for Edwards. Because he saw Edwards as a gutsy guy who is willing to take on some bigger issues and to do some rough stuff with it. I think that's where the appeal is, to a lot of the older Democrats and even non-Democrats who see Edwards as a relatively young guy with a little bit of spark.
Drew's diary brought eyes to how Molly Ivins saw John Edwards in 2003.
Molly Ivins
John Edwards in the early appearances struck me as almost a little too pretty, a little lite. But he's got a populist streak I like--his daddy spent thirty-seven years working in a North Carolina mill, and Edwards ain't forgot it. Seemed to me he might develop. In a recent speech at Georgetown University, the sumbitch hit a home run. (Look it up.)
Drew shows us the speech that Molly saw and then shows us how John Edwards hasn't changed:
It's an article of faith among Edwards' opponents - and even some of Edwards' supporters - that he's changed radically since 2003. In one important respect, he has: he's changed his position on the war, from that of a strong supporter, to that of a forceful opponent.
But in most other respects, he's the same candidate who four years ago, spoke against a nation that rewarded wealth, rather than work. That's the John Edwards I supported four years ago, and it's the John Edwards I've been proud to support since.
Similarly, the John Edwards who refused campaign contributions from Washington lobbyists in 1997 is the same John Edwards who refuses those contributions today;
The John Edwards who stood up to the far right and defended Bill Clinton from impeachment in 1999 is the same John Edwards who stands up defends us today;
The John Edwards who fought against hostile insurers for a true Patients' Bill of Rights in 2001 is the same John Edwards who is fighting for universal health coverage today;
And the John Edwards who spoke of Two Americas in 2003 is the same John Edwards who is still speaking about the issue of poverty in America today.
If all of that seems too good to be true, well, so be it; instead, you can pick a candidate who's bad enough to be plausible.
I'll stick with the one who is plain right.
John Edwards' speech at the 2003 Iowa Democrats Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner:
...
We need to strengthen these families. We need to help 'em buy a house. We need to help 'me save. We need to help 'em invest. We want to create wealth in America, but not just for those who already have wealth--for those who need financial security. I will create five million jobs in the first two years of my presidency. We will make health care a birthright for every child born in this country. We will make college available to every single young person who's willing to work for it. This is the America I believe in. This is the America I will fight for, and I'll tell you something else, I will never, ever put down this great Democratic party that we are all so proud of.
And these families who are struggling so much to make ends meet, to try to pay their bills, to try to put a loved one into a nursing home, to try to take care of their kids and give them a chance to go to college, what do they see when they look around the country? They see politicians yelling at each other. They hear politicians talking so much about what they're against, they can't even remember what they're for.
Well I remember what I'm for. And I will never forget who I am fighting for. You know I am so ready for this fight.
...
I could go on and on here, but I simply must go on to the point of my diary.
2. Now I will answer what I think has been some of the elements to help John Edwards progress:
First let's talk about from where John Edwards gets his information. During his time as a freshman Senator, he was surrounded by the Beltway environment that DailyKos and John Edwards' 2008 campaign has criticized for its inability to independently address the issues facing the American people. Other candidates have been criticized recently for being unwilling to lead, in part due to being in this environment. John Edwards' experience in it has caused him to reject it.
FedUpDan's post makes this point.
Edwards is doing something peculiar: he's giving the middle finger to Beltway advisers. Not afraid to speak loudly, clearly, firmly, strongly, progressively. In short, he is a leader, and I for one freakin' love it.
I believe the differences between his past and present stances can be explained primarily by the sources and quality of the advice he was receiving then compared to now.
That's why Mr. Edwards is my favorite at this point. Despite his past, I believe he has genuinely learned to follow his true core beliefs instead of following the Beltway advice. In other words, he leads. And that is what is needed to break Republican obstructionism on all fronts: someone to lead that charge without fear, and without hesitation, guided by the core principles that define progressivism.
This is further supported by John Edwards answer during a previous debate about where he gets his moral inspiration. He answered, the Lord, his father, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth Edwards herself has changed where she gets her information. Since John Edwards time as a Senator, she has become well known for her participation in the dialog in the blogsphere. I believe this has had a great effect on John Edwards himself. The person who is his daily confidant is contributing to this online community. A community which has grown to be a strong voice for everyday Americans who are fed up with conservative policies. The progressive movement itself has grown in part due to the free flow of information that is possible with today's online political forums. There is no more filter to John Edwards or back to us.
Beyond Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards campaign has made a concerted effort to not only treat the blogsphere as an avenue for dissemination of campaign information, but they actually consider us to be a constituency.
Matt Stroller on Edwards and the blogsphere:
Clinton, Dodd, and Richardson are using the blogs as a messaging vehicle, whereas Edwards sees us more as a constituency ... I prefer the latter.
If John Edwards' constituency has changed from "Red State" North Carolina circa 2002 to the blogsphere circa 2008, that means that the people he is listening to are completely different. This is a major win for the blogshpere and the progressive movement. Of course, the people he represented in North Carolina who said the wrong things in 2002 are sounding a lot more like us now too.
Besides changing his constituency, John Edwards has intentionally surrounded himself a group of people who have been leading in their respective areas in moving Democrats and the country in the right direction. These people show where John Edwards is now.
If you don't know, John Edwards campaign manager is Congressman David Bonior, former House Democratic Whip. This man has surprised me, as the things he says often sound like they are coming out of my mouth.
David Bonior
"Evidently, Rudy Giuliani has taken a break from reality. It is outrageous for Giuliani to suggest, in any way, shape or form, that he did more at ground zero or spent more time there than the brave first responders who worked tirelessly around the clock for many months during the rescue and recovery operation. It seems that Giuliani is determined to take every opportunity to exploit the memory of 9/11 for political gain, rather than honor the incredible sacrifices of our first responders. Enough is enough.
"Mayor Giuliani should start answering the serious questions of why firefighters and other first responders didn't have proper equipment and support. The 9/11 Commission and National Institute of Standards & Technology reports have documented the failures of the broken radio communications system, a splintered chain of command and an unprepared Office of Emergency Management under his watch as mayor. These are the questions he needs to answer."
John Edwards also has two Wakeup Wal-Mart activists at high levels in his campaign, Paul Blank and Chris Kofinis.
About WakeUpWalMart.com
WakeUpWalMart.com is about Americans joining together in common purpose to change Wal-Mart. There is only one force powerful enough to change the #1 Fortune 500 company in the world – the American people.
WakeUpWalMart.com is about giving Americans the tools to empower themselves to change the world’s largest employer. We are Wal-Mart’s customers and we have the power to make Wal-Mart live up to its responsibility to its employees, our families, our communities and the nation.
Joe Trippi can be a controversial person to mention on the blogsphere, but his advocation on the national media circuit during the 2004 general election brought my attention to the blogsphere. Because of a segment he did on one of the major networks during the 2004 Democratic National Convention, I eventually found my way to DailyKos. He advocated for the importance of the American people having a voice in the blogsphere and has brought that view to the John Edwards 2008 campaign. Joe Trippi does not have a large roll like he did in the Dean 2004 campaign, however the limited roll has already shown that John Edwards has his ear open to this community.
Tracy Russo writes about the online element of the campaign on OneWebDay:
Blogs play a huge role in our campaign. The progressive political blogosphere has covered the campaign from its very first day when John stood in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans and announced his intention to run. Since then we have reached out to bloggers across the country, inviting them to take part in the campaign at every level - to see for themselves what is happening on the road and to give them the access that, in the past, has typically been reserved for those with media credentials.
...
We can't possibly discuss blogs with out also giving a shout out to Mrs. Edwards who, John has joked, would be the official White House blogger when he becomes president. Mrs. Edwards has been a long-time advocate of online communities, and has spoken and written passionately about the role those communities have played in her life. This year, she was the closing keynote speaker at the BlogHer convention, which aims to create opportunities for women who blog to pursue exposure, education, community and economic empowerment. She is also a regular reader and commentator on blogs - often popping up and commenting in threads where she is least expected. Her understanding and support for online communities has been a driving force behind the campaign's ever-expanding online efforts.
...
Together, this combination of online tools, virtual communities and open source information has transformed our campaign. And while we celebrate OneWebDay, we must also acknowledge the challenges we face. There is a growing digital divide in America. While half of urban and suburban households have broadband, less than a third of rural homes do. African Americans are 25 percent less likely to have internet access at home than whites.
That is why John Edwards has said the starting place is to set a goal of giving all U.S. homes and businesses access to real high-speed internet by 2010.
All of these new people and sources of progressive thought go along perfectly with what John Edwards already was. An anti-corporate populist who fights for the people who aren't getting the chances he had growing up.