I'm sure most people are sick of candidate diaries by now. However, I feel that John Edwards must not be ignored or discounted. I am here to confirm my support for John. If you disagree, you are free to state why.
I'm sure most people are sick of the Democratic primaries and the bickering back and forth between various supporters of the top three candidates. It's a normal occurence during election years. I'm sure it was no different in 2004 when Howard Dean and John Kerry were vying for the Democratic nomination.
However, I do want to clarify that even though I'm tempted to switch allegiance to Barack Obama, I will not do so. I cannot bring myself to give in to all the Obama hype out there. I respect his credentials and he strikes me as a man of character.
I respectively disagree with his talk of working together with Republicans to accomplish change. For the past 8 years, Democrats have taken one beating after another from Republicans. In 2006, Democrats finally regained control of the US Senate. However, the politics of the Beltway insiders and the politics of capitulation have reared their ugly heads collectively since then.
All three candidates are far from perfect. All three have their strengths and weaknesses. But, John Edwards speaks the loudest and clearest to ME. As I mentioned in a previous diary at DailyKos, I relate strongly with John's description of his working class roots.
Just as John was the first in his family to graduate college and make an impact, I am the first in my family to graduate college and I hope to make an impact as well. My father was a custodian, my grandfather was a custodian, my brother was a custodian, my mother was a custodian and I am a head custodian. In my family, hard work and dedication are two of our strongest traits. I was told when I was younger by my mother that I had more ambition than she ever had in her life.
John Edwards speaks loud and clear to that. His pledge to not accept money from PACs and corporate donors speaks volumes. His health care plan is the most thought out of all three candidates and in fact, he was the first to have such a comphrensive plan, forcing Obama and Clinton to play catch up with their plans.
His record as an US Senator from North Carolina is far from spotless. However, who has a spotless record nowadays? I believe that John is sincere and that he has evolved as a politician since his 2004 Vice Presidential run alongside John Kerry.
My mother said it perfectly when she said that she would rather vote for a candidate with "20 different flaws" than a candidate that appears to be too perfect, a molded candidate if you will. John Edwards has flaws like every other human being. What we must remember is that we have the ability to overcome our flaws and to rise above.
John Edwards strikes fear into the Washington establishment. I am discouraged by people who dismiss John Edwards. They are doing a disservice to progressive politics and playing on the side of the mainstream media and even the DLC by casting Edwards aside or ignoring him.
Whether John comes back to win,depends on each and every single one of his supporters. Your money, your time and your support are what will help John continue his fight against major corporations and the centrist Democratic cynics on K Street.
Remember, there is no such thing as a wasted vote. Vote with your conscience and not the influence of others.