Bob Herbert in today's New York Times has an op-ed entitled "America in 2026"
on John Edwards, his political philosophy and policies.
Here are some excerpts:
Herbert frames the article around Edwards' JFK-RFK-esque challenge to the
American people to come together to work as patriots to improve our society
in its entirety (not just wallow in the private life and the consumer culture):
Have we become too selfish and cynical? Or is the U.S. despite being
shaken by terror and distressed by the unending conflict in Iraq ready
to roll up its sleeves and renew its commitment to some of the goals and
themes that once formed the basis of the American dream?
It's a speech [Herbert obviously has the advance National Press
Club speech, from which he liberally quotes] that's different from the
poll-tested, freeze-dried political pap we've come to expect from
politicians. For one thing, Mr. Edwards, who's part of the growing pack
of Democratic marathoners seeking the party's 2008 nomination, wrote it
himself. For another, he unfashionably (and unabashedly) appeals to the
better angels of the electorate.
I think that the Edwards stress on poverty demonstrates that, as in writing
his own speeches, he speaks from the heart (not focus groups; and note that
he walks the walk by
giving $300,000
to help low-income, rural North Carolina kids afford and thus go to
college).
Mr. Edwards asserts that with the proper leadership, the United States can
"restore the moral core and legitimacy that has been the foundation
of our influence" abroad, while at the same time tackling tough issues here
at home: poverty, the need for greater energy independence and a fairer shake
for all Americans who have to work for a living, including "the forgotten
middle class."
By expanding from poverty to include the struggling middle-class, Edwards
returns to the best narrative Democrats have: Two Americas. And he
does so in a way that stresses values and patriotism.
Edwards will go on to discuss the scandals in homeland security:
"I want to live in an America that has not sacrificed individual liberties
in the name of freedom; where, in the fight to preserve the country
we love, we do not sacrifice the country we love; where we don't make
excuses for violating civil rights, though we understand that the test of
liberty is in the moments when such excesses almost sound reasonable."
and then move on to specific proposals on Iraq, the minimum wage, ending
pockets of poverty through housing vouchers to create mixed economic
neighborhoods, etc.
Herbert ends the article by suggesting that Edwards might be able to strike
a cord with Americans -- that after 9-11 (when are initial heroes were all
public servants -- fire-fighters, police, and soldiers) and Katrina, America
could have (and still can) come together in a renewed sense of Patriotism:
a values-based belief that we're all in this together and owe something to
each other as American citizens (rather than being just individuals existing
in the same marketplace):
To remake American society in a way that is broadly beneficial (and that
re-establishes our prestige and influence abroad) will require not just
leadership, but sacrifice something that is seldom asked of most Americans
and a real commitment to working together to solve the nation's biggest
challenges.
I think America has a rare window-of-opportunity to take up these themes
of community, solidarity and progress. What do you think?
Edwards will be discussing these themes today at 1:00 pm at a
major
speech at the National Press Club in Washington (broadcast live on
CPSAN3).
The full article is restricted on Times Select:
http://select.nytimes.com/...
PS: Blog with Elizabeth Edwards on Bush's possible pardon of Scooter Libby
at
http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/...