Edwards and the Endgame

Edwards needs a win in SC of course, in the same sense that Gephardt needed one in Iowa. However, there is a looming question - why can't he make better use of his bounce? Where else can he win? Who does he represent.

For John Edwards, the question comes to rest in Missouri and Oklahoma: because if he can't show that he has appeal, then he won't be accepted as being serious. Missouri is the kind of state that would confirm that his win in Midwestern Iowa was no accident. It will confirm that he has strength and some sort of message.

Let me say upfront that John Edwards has enormous talents and potential. He and Wes Clark are the two most charismatic figures in the race, and he has gifts in how he deals with people which are exceptional.

However, so far he has not managed to convert sometimes good message: "War on Work" is  a great phrase that leads to solid policies - and his personal charm into something more vibrant: a movement.

Part of this is that there is, as yet, no air in Edwards space, no room for other people to join and deliver their ideas. This lack is keenly felt. If you are an Edwards fan, what do you write about? What do you say? You can only talk about him, and not about what others can do. He uses phrases like "I am going to need your help" - and that is what is killer.

John's about John.

Can he turn the corner from being a good story with a good story teller? Yes, there is substance there, but without the connection between substance and style, Edwards remains a case without that compelling piece of evidence required to sway the jury.