by Molly Ivors
Sorry for the double-decker post, but I just wanted to point your attention to this interesting piece by CBS News' Chip Reid, which might explain why my man Edwards is receiving such little press (though it does seem to be improving slightly).
Reid notes that, from the perspective of political journalists, Edwards is No Fun:
I’m a bit unhappy with John Edwards. I’ve been covering his campaign for 10 days and he hasn't made a lot of news. Let’s face it – a lot of what political reporters report on is mistakes. The campaign trail is one long minefield, covered with Iowa cow pies, and when they step in one – we leap.
I’ve done very little leaping – and I blame Edwards. While other candidates misspeak, over-speak, and double-speak, Edwards (at least in these 10 days) has made so few mistakes that I end up being transported -- newsless -- from town to town like a sack of Iowa corn .
He has a remarkable ability to stay on message. Not just in “the speech,” but even in Q and A. Nothing throws him off. He turns nearly every question into another opportunity to repeat his central theme. Global warming? We need to fight big oil. Health care? Fight the big drug and insurance companies. Iowa farmers’ problems? Blame those monster farm conglomerates. And the Iowa populists eat it up. We'll see how well it works in other states.
He’s even disciplined in his daily routine. While most reporters use the campaign trail as an excuse to over-eat and abandon their exercise routines, Edwards squeezes in a run EVERY DAY, rain, sleet, or shine.Come on John – relax. Step in an Iowa cow pie and let me do my job.
Maybe that's why they're so anxious to gin up confrontations between the candidates: they're more fun. I honestly believe that any of the Dem candidates *could* be president, and well, but as with everyone else, I have my fave. Still, this is pretty starkly confessional on Reid's part, and surprisingly honest.
Reid's other observations, that Edwards is a regular guy who really believes what he says and understands the crises that matter to most Americans, that he respects his wife and hands over the mic to her readily, that he's an idealist, don't surprise me.
But it was a commenter at Bleeding Heartland that really put it in a nutshell for me:
You know why Iowans "eat it up" Chip? I was at three of these events and I know why I and they eat it up. It's because his "theme" is about rewarding work over wealth. All the other candidates' themes are about themselves i.e. how much experience they have. How their judgment is perfect. How many times they voted the right way.
But Edwards central theme is about us , not about him. He has a crystal clear vision of the kind of America he would like to see in 30 years and how we can get there; all of us together. It's because of the passion in his voice that you feel in your gut as he speaks. It's like going to church and hearing a sermon that has you raring to go out and do something useful. He's the candidate with a clear and powerful agenda that can be achieved. It's not about him. It's about us. He's a champion, not a rock star.
Beautiful. The commenter, Montana Maven, loves Edwards maybe even more than I do. All hail the rural liberal shitkickers! My peeps!
(Image courtesy of The Tattler.)