Did you catch the press conference today? It was so refreshing, and so real, that it almost felt like "no way this guy could ever get elected - he's too honest with us." Yes, I too have gotten quite cynical about all things political. But a few comments on the presser.
There was a moment when Elizabeth was talking about how she got her rib injury, and John joked that he was actually beating her and made a motion like he'd been punching her. It was clearly a joke, and something that, had he been listening to all his handlers, would have been an absolute no-no. I mean, undoubtedly Drudge will pick up on it and claim John is beating his wife - the media just have that good a sense of humor. But instead he displayed uncommon humor in a time of great personal pressure.
At another moment, one reporter asked a "trap" question: whether John had insisted on continuing the campaign. Either he claims he didn't, and it appears that he's disingenuous and no better a triangulator than Hillary, or he claims he did, and it appears he's putting his career ahead of family. Instead he shared a personal story about a one-on-one conversation between him and his wife. And he also shared how he asked the doctor the extent to which this diagnosis should impact his campaign, and apparently the doctor's response was "how much do you want it to?" When have we ever heard such candor from a candidate?
Everything I have seen about John Edwards '08 has impressed me, from the way he dealt with the VRWM attacks on his bloggers, to his intense focus on poverty, to his personal admission of being wrong on his Iraq vote. He's not being unfair and personally attacking Hillary or Barack, and he's staying in this race because he (rightly) recognizes that he represents a commitment to issues that neither Hillary or Barack have really come around to addressing as adequately or forthrightly.
He is honest, speaks his truth, tells his story, and has shown compassion in very challenging situations. These all come in strong contrast to the current regime and what I've heard particularly from Hillary and, to some degree, from Barack, although he has some resonance on a few of these points as well for me.
We deserve a man like John Edwards as our President. We've gone from an actor, in Reagan, to a bourgeoisie in George I, to a triangulator in Clinton, to a frat boy jerk in George II. We're ready for a refreshing change, someone who speaks from his heart and stands up with dignity and courage when he is most under fire, politically, professionally, and, especially, personally. If he is nearly as committed to the things he wants to do for our country as he clearly is to his wife and his family, then he is absolutely the right man for our time.
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