Posted on 07/08/2004 2:35:37 AM PDT by familyop
"I love him. He's so damn cute," Piner, 38, said Wednesday as she ate at the Golden Nugget Pancake House, a popular breakfast spot in the suburbs of this industrialized city.
Piner's reaction was just the sort that Kerry hoped for in this politically divided state, where the new Democratic ticket spent its first day campaigning together in Cleveland and Dayton.
Of the dozens interviewed here over pancakes, omelets and waffles, many described the 51-year-old Edwards as a down-to-earth and engaging politician whom they said filled Kerry's charisma deficit. Even most Republicans offered only tepid criticism of Edwards.
"He's a nobody," said Bush supporter Ron Sellers, 49.
But whether his middle-class appeal translates to victories in several swing states such as Ohio remained sketchy on Wednesday.
Though many in the restaurant confessed to knowing little about Edwards, a millionaire trial lawyer and first-term senator from North Carolina, overnight national polls suggest that Americans approve of the choice.
A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll found that 57 percent believe Edwards was qualified to be president -- the same percentage that found Vice President Dick Cheney to be ready for office four years ago.
The poll also said 64 percent thought Edwards was a good or excellent choice, compared with 55 percent who felt the same way about Cheney in 2000.
In Ohio, where polls show the race close, political scientist Herb Asher said Edwards is likely to help the Democrats with women and in the southeast part of the state, which culturally resembles the South.
"He will help to humanize the ticket," said Asher, professor emeritus at Ohio State University.
During an afternoon appearance in Dayton, where Kerry and Edwards bounded on stage with their wives and some of their children, the two men sought to bury tensions from a spirited primary contest.
Kerry called it "the dream team," joking that aside from having a better vision for America, "we've got better hair." A tanned Edwards referred to his small-town roots and said the Democratic campaign "will be celebrating and lifting up of American values."
Republicans have already countered with an aggressive campaign to paint Edwards as too liberal and -- with less than six years in the Senate -- too inexperienced. During a visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, President Bush expressed confidence that he would win on Edwards' home turf. And he suggested Vice President Dick Cheney was much more qualified than Edwards to move into the White House. "Dick Cheney can be president," Bush said. At the Dayton rally, Kerry shot back that Edwards is more qualified than Bush when he was elected. But he added the president "was right that Dick Cheney was ready to take over on Day One -- and he did, and he has been ever since."
Although Bush won Ohio in 2000, he has run into trouble here in part because of the large losses of jobs, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
At the Golden Nugget restaurant, voters appeared as anxious about Iraq as the economy, with a number saying the conflict abroad will determine how they vote in November.
Nonetheless, Bush supporter Carol Scott said Edwards came across as energetic and suggested that the Democrats "maybe need to reverse the order, Edwards then Kerry."
Barbara Lude, 55 and a retired teacher, is an undecided voter. She supported Bush last time but believes he has mishandled Iraq. She's also worried about Edwards' lack of experience.
"He seems like a likable person," Lude said. "I don't know about his qualifications."
Others said they liked that Edwards was not a longtime Washington insider and noted that Bush had only been governor of Texas for six years when he was elected.
Republicans also have attacked Edwards for making his fortune as a trial lawyer. That argument appealed to Chuck Michael, a retired General Motors supervisor and Bush supporter. He predicted that voters will resent that the senator helped drive up health care costs by suing health care companies.
But most of those interviewed said they had no problem with trial lawyers.
"I don't think that makes him a bad person," said Karen Gouge, a 38-year-old teacher and Bush supporter. She added that "Cheney was in corporate America and made millions of dollars."
;-)
Aww c'mon folks. Any of us here could have written this crap in advance. It ain't like the liberal press is predictable or anything.
"I love him. He's so damn cute"
Why do these peoples vote count the same as mine?
He doesn't appeal to me in any way, and not just because he's a Democrat. His looks are not formed and he has no character in his face.
Also, if the press does not report on his smirk my head will explode. His smirk is much more evident than Bush's ever was.
Pretty good argument for repealing the 19th Amendment.
I know, Rice hasn't run for elective office and Cheney is also a superb debater, but the way Rice handled the 9-11 commission was without equal.
Don't laugh. Millions are still saying it about Bill Clinton.
There seems to be something about liberal women going gaga over good-looking guys. Goes to show that judgment about a person can be pretty superficial. If Edwards wasn't so telegenic, I wonder how many of them would have still liked him...
Now that Kerry is 60 years old (and married to a 65 yo wife), he must have changed his view of his generation's cry not to trust anyone over 30.
"Why do these peoples vote count the same as mine?"
More than likely because they're American citizens and registered to vote - just a guess mind you. The same thing happened with the voting on 'American Idol'. Maybe Cheney needs needs a facelift.
Six years as chief executive of a fairly large state and six years as a senator ... big difference.
"Well, what do you think, ladies?"
Oh, heck no!!! Come on. Sophisticated ladies prefer men who really look like men. Russell Crowe comes to mind, for one. I'm not so insecure in my feminity or gender to want to associate with men who have all the appeal and non-threatening persona of a rosy-cheeked boy who represents some universal childhood. Besides, tort lawyer be d@mned.
Edwards will appeal to the great portion of democrat women as did Bill Clinton simply because of the aw-shucks factor. Look, the "smartest woman in the world" stays with an absolute bounder and fool because of his glib tongue (no pun intended). How many other democrat, and yes, some fence-sitting republican women fall daily for an insincere, smooth talking flatterer who will dump her the morning after. That's Edwards.
The rosy-cheeked neophyte that Kerry has chosen has all the starch and threat to the terrorists of Odie, Garfield's companion.
> "I love him. He's so damn cute,"
The Suffragettes would be turning over in their graves, looking for a barf bag. Women should be ashamed of this kind of reaction.
"But he added the president "was right that Dick Cheney was ready to take over on Day One -- and he did, and he has been ever since.""
This is such a blatant cheapshot from Kerry, implying that Cheney is the evil puppetmaster and W his Howdy Doody. The amazing immaturity of Kerry and his ilk is beyond belief.
If these brainless females want something cute to adore, buy a kitten or puppy. Edwards looks like an alligator in a moat.
We just need to tell these people that the election is the first Tuesday BEFORE the first Monday in November. :)
Which puzzles me to no end. To me Clinton looks like a fat, middle-aged cracker with a red nose. I don't understand the attraction of him to women other than that he's kind of a punk who abuses them, the type of guy the girls in high school go for. As much as women today say they want sensitive, intelligent, nurturing type men, when it comes down to a choice, they go for the punks.
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