This might explain why Obama has started attacking Edwards by name over the past few days (from NBC/National Journal):
The two candidates both spoke at Mason City on Saturday night, and experienced a reversal in roles, with Edwards packing a huge hall that was so crowded that the press left their risers and went into the balcony to shoot the event. Obama also drew a sizeable number of people, around 450, but in a comparison of press reports by NBC reporters, it lacked the frenzied enthusiasm that greeted Edwards.
There is no doubt that after Edwards dominated the final Des Moines Register debate, we can summarize his closing argument to Iowans with one word: FIGHT. While one candidate thinks that lobbyists are actually a good thing, and another hopes we can all get along, Edwards understands that this kind of thinking by Democrats in the Senate and the House is why we're seeing one surrender after another to President 24%.
Edwards knows that taking our country back from the corporations and their lobbyists will be a FIGHT, and he's counting on Iowans to understand that fact as well.
Apparently Obama's internal polling numbers reflect that Edwards' message is getting through, because you don't go after another candidate by name unless you think you have to. In Spencer, Iowa, today (Monday, Dec. 17):
At a town hall here, Obama directly questioned Edwards' record in the Senate, contrasting his record with Edwards' in regards to taking on the special interests. "The reason now that I raise this issue of the special interests is because everybody now in the campaign talks about how I am going to fight for you. Like Sen. Edwards, who is a good guy -- he's been talking a lot about, 'I am going to fight the lobbyists and the special interests in Washington.' Well the question you have to ask is: Were you fighting for'em when you were in the Senate. What did you do? Because I did something, immediately upon arriving in the Senate, despite the fact that it wasn't a popular position to take."
Obama's campaign obviously is worried about Edwards, but notice they aren't willing to take him on head-on by running a more pro-working people, anti-corporation campaign. This kind of negative, backward-looking attack isn't what works with Iowans, who want to know how a candidate will go to battle for them and their families against the special interests.
"I guess the Obama campaign is starting to realize what others have already: There is growing excitement on the ground for John Edwards as we enter the homestretch," said Edwards communications director Chris Kofinis in a statement. "But the truth is that John Edwards is the only candidate in this race who has never taken a dime of PAC or lobbyist money and he’s also the only one urging the Democratic Party to reject lobbyist money. Unlike others, John Edwards has beaten corporate special interests his entire life, and won’t be obliged to compromise or negotiate with them as President."
The American people voted for Democrats in November 2006 because they wanted to FIGHT back against Bush and the Republicans. They haven't gotten their money's worth. In order to convince them to show up again next November, the Democrats need to nominate a FIGHTER. There's one candidate who has demonstrated clearly that he gets this and is ready to battle for us: John Edwards.