Posted on 07/07/2004 3:46:16 AM PDT by dawn53
Many say they will hew to the party line, but others say selection of a trial lawyer leaves them with a sense of alienation.
Marty Traber, a securities lawyer with Tampa's Foley & Lardner, was having lunch with a couple of other local businessmen Tuesday when the talk circled around to Sen. John Edwards, Sen. John Kerry's choice for Democratic vice presidential candidate.
Their response to Edwards, a successful trial lawyer who has won more than $175-million in settlements and verdicts, was "distinctly negative," said Traber, a registered Independent.
"There's certainly a visceral reaction to having a plaintiff's trial lawyer in the position of leading our government," he said of the casual discussion.
That was definitely the case for Steve Raymund, chief executive of Tech Data Corp. in Clearwater, who considered himself to be undecided about the presidential election until Tuesday.
A self-described fiscal conservative and social liberal, Raymund said he has been concerned about rising deficits under President Bush. But Kerry's choice of a former trial lawyer as his vice presidential candidate gives Raymund little choice but to vote Republican in November.
"I can tell you (the choice of Edwards) will play badly in the business community," Raymund said. "We're disappointed that Kerry picked (the litigators') champion as his running mate."
(Excerpt) Read more at sptimes.com ...
It didn't exactly wow the moderates over.
For those of you not in the know: The St. Pete Times is better known as "Pravda West"
Yeah, that's what I thought too.
However, their editorial this morning praises Kerry's choice of Edwards and makes some cutting digs at Bush/Cheney (especially Cheney...I think they called him "treacherous", LOL).
Still an interesting article in relation to the reaction of business folks.
Looks like the productive Americans are lining up behind Bush.
Also-
"I imagine the choice of Edwards will sway a scant few people. But it may re-affirm for some people that Kerry makes wise decisions."
I believe the word is "cynical", not "wise". Then I agree with the quote.
That's an interesting phrase.
Perhaps FR should introduce a new hyphenated class: Productive-American.
I pulled the quote.
I guess the world is back to normal.
Amazing in one sentence, they take a stab at Quayle indirectly bashing Bush 41, praise Edwards as youthful and charismatic, Cheney is a old and treacherous (evil mean spirited Republican)
Ah, the lovely St. Pete Times. There is a reason why I still call the Ice Palace it's original name.
Not just a "trial lawyer" -- A personal injury trial lawyer. He chooses his cases carefully, not with an eye toward providing justice, but rather with an eye toward defendants who have deep pockets (large corporations or government entities) and/or large insurance policies.
He attempts to seat jury members who are gullible, emotional, and anti-corporate in cases where a corporation is the defendant. Generally, he takes a healthy percentage of the "winnings," rather than working for a set fee, confident that his hand-picked jury will be sympathetic to his client's tale of woe.
A lot of the Dem donors in the 1990s were Silicon Valley executives...
Who were sued PERSONALLY if the stock price ever dipped.
Kerry picking a trial lawyer just closed the spigot.
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