Elizabeth Edwards on campaign's troubles: 'We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman'...

Drudgereport ^ | 08/07/07 | kik5150

[kik5150]

Web video and social networks are two of the hottest technologies for Campaign '08. Video is ready for prime time, social networking is a relative unknown.

Video arrived in 2006, when George Allen, then a Republican Virginia senator, called a rival staffer the crypto-racist slur "macaca." The clip of the incident helped tip the Senate to the Democrats.

The Web can be liberating. "It's about bypassing the sieve of the mainstream media," says Elizabeth Edwards, wife and confidant of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards. "The idea that you have people standing between you and the voter is diminished, and the capacity to speak directly empowers candidates to trust their own voices." With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama hogging media coverage, campaigns can push their messages without paying for ads.

"In some ways, it's the way we have to go," Edwards says. "We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman. Those things get you a lot of press, worth a certain amount of fundraising dollars. Now it's nice to get on the news, but not the be all and end all."

Candidate Edwards, dogged by stories about his expensive haircuts and a YouTube video showing him primping before the camera, released a video set to the song "Hair," with images of Iraq and New Orleans and a tagline, "What Really Matters?" Clinton warmed her image earlier this summer by starring in a Sopranos spoof.

Social networks made their mark during the 2004 presidential race when Meetup.com helped organize thousands of people in physical space. MySpace, Facebook and others improve on that with communication and networking tools, and people are signing up for campaigns by the tens of thousands. But to what end?

"The thinking across the board is uninspiring and lacking in strategic focus," says Fred Stutzman, a University of North Carolina PhD candidate who studies social networks. "The outcomes haven't been clearly defined. If it's raising money, perhaps it's not the right medium. If it's microinfluence, one person influencing two people, there are some interesting opportunities."

Earlier this year, the Obama campaign took over a MySpace domain created by a volunteer, then balked at the price he asked for his work. That generated bad buzz, and temporarily reduced the campaign's contact list. But GOP Internet strategist Michael Turk thinks the campaign misunderstood the deal. "The price wasn't bad when you can message people and set up contribution buttons," he says. "A misconception among people who don't spend all day thinking about the Internet is how much it costs to do things online."

One technology notable for its absence: mobile devices. "It should be maybe the most important technology of 2008, but it isn't," says Republican consultant Patrick Ruffini.

Then again, that could change by Election Day.

[kik5150]

"we can't make him a woman"

TOO LATE.......

[Crim]

“we cant make him black....”

Who says?

[Long Island Pete]

'We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman'...

You can in Photoshop.

[snarks_when_bored]

“Don’t hate him because he’s beautiful!”, Mrs. Edwards complained.

[Enterprise]

And they can't make him a MAN either! LMAO!!!!

[Rummyfan]

we can't make him a woman'...

Well, I don't know about that!

[Rider on the Rain]

As I said on another thread, he’s got a black heart, and he’s a pu$$y. That should count for something.

[kik5150]

They made Bill Clinton Black

[johnny7]

Pathetic...

[massgopguy]

Why? Doesn’t he WANT to be a Black Woman? Is there something wrong with being a Black Woman?

[Responsibility2nd]

"we can't make him a woman"

Oh yes we can!!

[Lee'sGhost]

You can’t make him a man, either.

[SlowBoat407]

I see a nation where a man is judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.

Wouldn’t that be nice, Elizabeth?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"we can't make him a woman"

"Not even with estrogen injections. And God alone knows it isn't as if we haven't TRIED!"

[mewzilla]

'We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman'...

I Feel Pretty

Well, Liz is half-right....

[sappy]

maybe he could channel Rosa Parks....

[Chi-townChief]

Too funny!!!

[showme_the_Glory]

Let’s see if we can make him poor. Just so he can....you know...relate to the little people.

[Responsibility2nd]

Yes we STILL can!!!!

[SlowBoat407]

[Corin Stormhands]

In just seven days, I can make you a man. Dig it if you can.

[popdonnelly]

Poor John - a victim of affirmative action.

[kenmcg]

Shoooot! Rush made him a woman some time back. He even coined a hit song in the “Breck Girl’s” honor.....”I Am Woman”.

[trisham]

"In some ways, it's the way we have to go," Edwards says. "We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman.

**************

LOL! You can't make this stuff up..

[Responsibility2nd]

This is TOO EASY!!!

[TChris]

"In some ways, it's the way we have to go," Edwards says. "We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman. Those things get you a lot of press, worth a certain amount of fundraising dollars. Now it's nice to get on the news, but not the be all and end all."

You could try making him honest and sincere. That would be a good start.

...but then, that would make him a Conservative, wouldn't it?

[mo]

God forbid his problems have ANYTHING to do with his “ideas” such as they are....

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"... and then the Blue Fairy said: 'But John: you've been a real, live woman all along, you big silly, you!"

[pissant]

Hey, he’s the other diverse class: faggot.

[dfwgator]

If Michael Jackson can go from a black man to a white woman, than anything is possible.

[theDentist]

Edwards...released a video set to the song "Hair," with images of Iraq and New Orleans and a tagline, "What Really Matters?"

Aparently, his hair really matters. The rest is bumper-sticker fodder.

[Tx Angel]

LOL! Now that is funny — I don’t care who you are!

[Michael Barnes]

...we can't make him black"...

Oh really?

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Oh, you all so very, very definitely need to be here. ;)

[DeFault User]

a man is judged ... by the content of his character.

Unfortunately for Johnny Boy, the jury has ruled on that already, "Your Honor, we find the defendant to be a vapid, self-centered, egotistical empty suit."

[griswold3]

Uh Oh!!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

What about having him be honest and straight-talking?

[reagan_fanatic]

Why not a black or a woman - nothing else seems to be working...

[Responsibility2nd]

Same Caption, different photo:

"... and then the Blue Fairy said: 'But John: you've been a real, live woman all along, you big silly, you!"

[Secret Agent Man]

To make John black: high quality spray-on tans. Gottat get the brand I saw “Carrie” use on “King of Queens” (”You look like Seal!”)

To make John a Woman: find a good sex change surgeon and have a ‘lopadictoffamee’ operation.

They’ve got the money, the technology exists. We can build a black woman from a white man. And that man, is John Edwards.

[crazyshrink]

This tells me the length this politician would go to get elected. For shame.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

My hat, sir! LOL!!! ;)

[SlowBoat407]

"Your Honor, we find the defendant to be a vapid, self-centered, egotistical empty suit."

I am indeed dismayed with the description you posted, and I am compelled to ask you to correct it...

There should be a comma between "egotistical" and "empty suit".

[Michael Barnes]

Ain’t that the truth...

[NeoCaveman]

He’s more of a woman than Hill....

[Allegra]

That video just doesn’t get old. I love it.

[Wiser now]

They could try to make him less of an hypocritical prick, but that would never occur to them.

[gridlock]

'We can't make John black, we can't make him a woman'...

I would say that Elizabeth Edwards is doing a fair job on the latter...

[SlowBoat407]

Correction. Looks fine to me after all.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Earth to Elizabeth Edwards, your husband is ALREADY a woman.