It looks like the Edwards campaign is running a national campaign.
Surprised? I'm not either, but we've heard a lot on Daily Kos from ... [cough] supporters of a certain candidate, a so-called "hopeful one," ... . Oh, hell, let's just be honest about it: A few very high-profile Obama supporters have claimed that we must choose lesser evilism instead of voting for the most progressive and electable candidate. And it's not just on Daily Kos. Aparently, there are Obama supporters in Iowa arguing for lesser evilism.
From Greg Sargent at TPM, an advance copy of an Edwards campaign memo, a memo described by Greg Sargent as "a snarky, pointed memo that the Edwards camp will soon send out calling out the press for its general coverage of his campaign.
Dear Friends in the Press Corps, We here at the Edwards Campaign urge you to not swallow the spin of our rivals. John Edwards is, in fact, running a national campaign. ... But you don’t have to take our word for it.
snip
Introducing, Edwards By The Numbers
Come around after the fold for Edwards By The Numbers
First, a comment about lesser evilism. I think Barack Obama is a decent person who understands the system is wrong, but I don't think he is willing to fight for the real change we need. It does not make him bad; it just means that his political philosphy does not fit our times. We are in a crisis and we need a fighter to create the deep changes necessary to get our country back on track.
Paul Krugman said it well today in an interview today on, yes, TPM (They are a great site):
Health care is make or break for whether we're going to have a real liberal turn in policy or not. Health care is the gaping hole in the welfare state. We all agree that the system is deeply flawed. And health care has political spillover. If Democrats get major health care reform, then it kind of re-legitimizes the idea of activist government policies. Even conservatives say that.
Yet on health care Obama is behaving as kind of, "Let's make a deal." The idea that he would be talking even in the primary campaign about the big table is suggesting that he is not all that committed to taking on special interests.
On the big problems there's a fundamental, deep-seated difference between the parties. I've always just felt that his tone was one suggesting that his inclination is to believe that we can somehow resolve these thing through a kind of outbreak of good feeling.
snip
No, but there aren't any moderates on the other side. And as far as sounding moderate goes, the reality is that if the Democrats nominated Joe Lieberman, a month into the general election Republicans would be portraying him as Josef Stalin. Obama's actually been positioning himself to the right of both Clinton and Edwards on domestic policy and has been attacking them from the right.
TPM Central
(Check out TPM for the whole interview. It's great. TPM has become the best political "mag" in the blogosphere, in my view.)
When I can support the most progressive candidate who also is the most electable, and who will fight for real change, voting for lesser evilism, especially where the differences are not that great between Clinton and Obama, just holds no appeal with me.
I am voting for the candidate that I know will fight for the things in which I most believe. So many times in the past I have done lesser evilism. Not this time. It's not right for me or this nation.
So, their lesser-evilism argument fails for me on that ground. But another predicate of the argument also is fundamentally flawed: Edwards can not only compete nationally against both Clinton and Obama, he can beat both of them. It's the wrong way and it's not necessary. That's a two-fer in reasons to reject lesser evilism.
Here's Edwards by the numbers:
Clinton advisers believe she can survive a loss there to Edwards, who is running well in Iowa but who has smaller organizations in the other early voting states. Associated Press, 1211-07 Some of Obama's people also suggest that a vote for Edwards is a wasted vote because he's a one-trick pony who can perform only in Iowa. Des Moines Register, 1218-07
Dear Friends in the Press Corps,
We here at the Edwards Campaign urge you to not swallow the spin of our rivals. John Edwards is, in fact, running a national campaign. In addition to the well-reported strength of our operation in Iowa, we have less-well-reported, but just as strong operations in states all across the country. We have eight times the number of field staff in the state of New Hampshire than the Edwards campaign had in 2004; we recently added two dozen field staffers in Nevada; and we were the first candidate to run ads in South Carolina (the state John Edwards was born in and won by 15 points in 2004). Given our support throughout the labor community and advisors at work in all February 5th states, we will have the infrastructure in place to seize on momentum from strong early place finishes. But you don’t have to take our word for it.
Introducing, Edwards By The Numbers....
- Number of presidential candidates actually born in SOUTH CAROLINA – John Edwards. He won the state by 15 points in 2004.
- Number of television ads John Edwards has been up on the air with in SOUTH CAROLINA – his home state – since being the first to go up on the air in the state in mid- November.
- Percentage of IOWA caucus-goers polled in November 2003 who supported John Edwards before he went on to finish second with 32 percent of the vote in the actual caucus.
- Number of percentage points gained by John Edwards in the latest McClatchy poll of SOUTH CAROLINA voters, putting him at a very competitive 18%.
- Number of percentage points separating John Edwards from frontrunner Hillary Clinton in the latest Clemson University Palmetto Poll of SOUTH CAROLINA voters.
- Number of television ads John Edwards has gone up on the air with in NEW HAMPSHIRE, since launching his first major television ad buy on November 3rd.
- Number of states where the campaign has organized "Road Trip for Edwards" volunteers to come to NEW HAMPSHIRE for canvassing, including the FEBRUARY 5TH STATES of NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT, RHODE ISLAND and MASSACHUSETTS.
- Number of television ads John Edwards has gone up on the air with in IOWA since launching his first major television ad buy on November 1st.
- Number of organizers John Edwards had on the ground in NEW HAMPSHIRE in 2003-2004. This cycle, we have eight times the number of organizers that we had in New Hampshire last cycle.
- Number of state SEIU COUNCILS, representing more than 1.1 million working families, which have endorsed John Edwards for president, including those in the critical early states of IOWA and NEW HAMPSHIRE.
- Number of field offices Edwards has in the state of NEW HAMPSHIRE.
- Number of visits John Edwards has made to the state of NEVADA in 2007 – more than any other major candidate.
- Number of states that will hold primary contests on FEBRUARY 5th .
- Number of FEBRUARY 5th STATES where Edwards has state political advisers working on his behalf.
- Number of FEBRUARY 5th STATES in which the Edwards campaign has organized statewide grassroots organizing calls this month.
- Number of days Edwards has spent in his home state of SOUTH CAROLINA – more than any other Democratic candidate.
- Number of field offices Edwards has in the state of IOWA.
- Number of chapters of the Edwards campaign’s local service arm organized in the state of SOUTH CAROLINA.
- Number of days John Edwards has spent in the state of NEW HAMPSHIRE during the 2008 primary campaign.
- Percentage of NEVADA Democratic caucus-goers contacted by the campaign who identify themselves as "undecided," which the campaign believes works in our favor.
- Number of paid staff Edwards has in the state of NEW HAMPSHIRE in 2007.
- Number of IOWA counties.
- Number of IOWA counties where John Edwards visited – and took questions from Iowans – this year (and also in 2004). He was the first Democrat to do so.
- Number IOWA counties where Edwards has announced steering committees, reaffirming the strength of his statewide organization. Again, he was the first Democrat to do so.
- Number of public events John Edwards has held in the state of NEW HAMPSHIRE in 2007.
- Number of paid staff Edwards has in the state of IOWA. (Note: Total number is greater than 150.)
1,000: Number of caucus trainings the Edwards campaign has conducted in the state of NEVADA.
1,690: Number of One Corps chapters, the local service arm of the Edwards campaign, across the nation, including 87 in WISCONSIN, 79 in OHIO and 74 in TEXAS.
6,000: Number of active and retired members of the United Steelworkers union in SOUTH CAROLINA, many of whom are actively campaigning and canvassing for John Edwards in the state.
8,000: Number of Communication Workers of America in ARIZONA who have endorsed John Edwards.
10,000: Number of Caucus for Priorities members in IOWA who have pledged to caucus for John Edwards.
11,000: Number of doors knocked on as part of Edwards’ "Bold Solutions to Your Issues" statewide canvass in NEVADA on December 15th.
28,000: Number of working families in NEVADA represented by the unions in the state that have endorsed John Edwards, including the Carpenters, Steelworkers, Transport Workers and local Communications Workers of America.
45,000: Number of UNITE HERE CHICAGO and MIDWEST REGION Joint Board members who have endorsed John Edwards.
96,031: Number of Transport Workers union members in FEBRUARY 5TH STATES who have endorsed John Edwards, including those in NEW YORK (53,729), OKLAHOMA (9,026), CALIFORNIA (8,860) and NEW JERSEY (7,574).
130,000: Number of phone calls Edwards campaign volunteers in NEW HAMPSHIRE made to voters in the state last week alone.
220,000: Number of NEW HAMPSHIRE voters in the 2004 primary.
235,000: Number of doors Edwards campaign volunteers have knocked on in NEW HAMPSHIRE.
330,044: Total number of dollars Edwards had raised in the state of SOUTH CAROLINA at the end of the 3rd quarter fundraising deadline – more than any other Democratic candidate.
656,000: Number of working families represented by SEIU CALIFORNIA, which has enthusiastically endorsed John Edwards and campaigned widely on his behalf.
3.2 million: Number of union members in states all across the country represented by the labor unions who have endorsed John Edwards for president.
Momentum from strong finishes in early states: PRICELESS.
TPM: Edwards by the Numbers
Priceless. Yes.
This is why many of us support John Edwards:
John Edwards speaks at a town hall in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Dec. 18, 2007.
If you want to help, here's how:
- Contribute on johnedwards.com:
https://johnedwards.com/...
Your contribution could be doubled. Public campaign financing matches your personal contribution total up to $250.
- If you live in Iowa, caucus for John Edwards and vounteeer. Check out Iowa for Edwards for more info:
http://www.johnedwards.com/...
Help Senator John Edwards change America by
joining his Iowa campaign today:
I support John Edwards and will caucus for him in 2008.
I allow my name to be used on a public list of supporters.
I want to volunteer to help the Edwards campaign in Iowa.
- Road Trip for One America:
http://www.johnedwards.com/...
With so little time left until the caucuses and primaries begin, we need your help now! Please join other supporters from all over the country as we travel to the earliest voting states—Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina—for a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks to help engage voters and spread John Edwards' powerful message.
I am volunteering, contributing, and blogging for real change. No lesser evilism for me. Join me and others in voting for the candidate who wil fight to do what we know needs to be done: John Edwards.