Edwards' Life Clashes With Campaign Message

LA Times ^ | July 11, 2004 | David Gelernter

[neverdem]

The candidate's 'slob like us' story won't wash with the real slobs

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina seems like a decent and likable man, the political equivalent of a handsome, slightly under-ripe bunch of bananas, just the thing if you are looking for bananas and can't find any ripe ones, or don't know the difference. But I can't believe the public is going to buy this act. Last week, I heard an admiring TV pundit explain, to general agreement from his fellows, that Edwards' "two Americas speech" is his No. 1 asset, followed closely by his self-made-man, up-from-the-working-class life story. The problem is, they cancel each other out.

That "two Americas" stuff suggests a country divided by a barricade, with the poor stuck on one side and the rich living it up on the other. We know this is false. Economic historians keep telling us so; they love talking about the high "mobility among income quintiles" that continues to typify this country. American society is a perpetual-motion machine, with constant movement from poor to medium to rich (and, sometimes, back again).

More important to the campaign: Edwards' life story shows that his message is false. If your story is "poor boy makes good," your message can't possibly be "this is a two-part nation where poor boys are prevented from making good." Exactly how dumb are the voters supposed to be? And if the real, implicit message is different — "Sure, you can get over the barricade, but it's so tough that only geniuses like John Edwards can make it" — I doubt this version will play any better.

Edwards' whole campaign shtick suggests he's a regular guy, just plain folks, a slob like us. So if he got over this barricade (or barrier or whatever it is), why can't anyone who really wants to? Answer: Anyone can, and everyone knows it. Edwards' story says so loud and clear. This is still the land of opportunity, where a talented working-class boy can grow up to be stinking rich and even be (a candidate for vice) president.

[neverdem]

David Gelernter is a professor of computer science at Yale University and a contributing editor to the Weekly Standard.

[anniegetyourgun]

Great stuff....

[beyond the sea]

Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina seems like a decent and likable man

But, in fact.... John Edwards is the political equivalent of breast implants.

[Grampa Dave]

Did Hell just freeze over in LA.

What the heck is an article like this doing in the LA Slimes?

[neverdem]

Check this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1169832/posts

[SF Republican]

What the heck is an article like this doing in the LA Slimes - Buyers remorse

[areafiftyone]

HEH HEH even the LA Slimes is not thrilled with Edwards. Jeeze could Kerry have picked a worse choice or what.

[neverdem]

PING

[Grampa Dave]

Edward's WaaaAmbulance

Pretty Boy/Millionaire Lawyer Little Johnnie Edwards parks his company vehicle to drive to the next lawsuit.

The DNC's favorite Trial Lawyer, Little Johnnie Edwards, noted that driving ambulances to accidents was more effective for him than chasing them. Unstead of medical supplies and EMTs. He hauls law clerks and photographers to the scene of any accdident.

NASCAR is considering having a lawyer driven Ambulance Gran Prix Race in major Rat cities this fall. Edwards is an odds on favorite to win this new Trial Lawyer event. If it is successful, NASCAR will try to make Trial Lawyers driving Ambulance races an Olympic Event in 2008.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

This is still the land of opportunity, where a talented working-class boy can grow up to be stinking rich and even be (a candidate for vice) president.

In fact, you don't even have to become stinking rich to qualify as having gone from one level to the next. Countless people of modest talents have started out "poor" and ended up comfortably well off, with nice houses, decent retirement accounts and other amenities too numerous to list.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

I heard an admiring TV pundit explain, to general agreement from his fellows, that Edwards' "two Americas speech" is his No. 1 asset, followed closely by his self-made-man, up-from-the-working-class life story.

Echoes of the statement of the mainstream media's New York Times’ employee Pauline Kael in 1972 that "I don't know anyone who voted for Nixon" coming soon.

Nixon won 520 electoral votes to 17 for his opponent, a much better man and American than John Kerry. If this election is close then we're closer to Civil War 2.0 than even I think.

[snarkytart]

The FOB are also the FOH and pushing for their woman in 2008.

[KC_Conspirator]

David Gerlenter is a conservative college professor who lost one of his hands to a bomb sent to him by the Unimbomber - you know, the guy who had Algore's book in his backwoods shack. Gerlenter is probably just a guest writer.

[latina4dubya]

David Gerlenter is a conservative college professor who lost one of his hands to a bomb sent to him by the Unimbomber

yes--he is quite conservative... i enjoy seeing him interviewed... now, did he become conservative after the bomb package, or was he conservative before? i cannot remember...

[Integrityrocks]

Someone from YALE wrote this? I'm surprised!

[Desdemona]

John Edwards is the political equivalent of breast implants.

Who needs those? Definitely not me.

[beyond the sea]

I hear you. Edwards is a channeler. The other channeler Edwards had his TV show cancelled. Ann Coulter just had a funny article that included this channeling bull. Edwards is fooling himself if he thinks this "little man" story is going to fly! "

As a lawyer acquaintance of his said, "Edwards is for the little guy, as long as there is a million or two in it for him." LOL.

[Desdemona]

If Edwards was really for the little people, he would have given away most of his earnings and kept just enough to live and retire on.

[VOA]

"David Gelernter is a professor of computer science at Yale University and a contributing
editor to the Weekly Standard."

and, for the lurkers/posters benefit, Professor Gelernter is even more notable:

1. He makes graces Robert Bennett's "Morning in America" radio program (www.kral870.am),
making prudent and wise comment of contemporary issues.

and, as noted by other posters...
2. Professor Gelernter also survived an attack by The Unabomber, with substantial wounds.
http://www.unabombertrial.com/players/gelernter2.html

[neverdem]

LOL