Reflections on John Edwards...

Note from Renee--Alan wrote this in the comments, and it's a more thoughtful assessment than I've been able to come up with. Frontpaging it for discussion since the announcements seem to be coming fast and furious these days.

I've been looking at some stuff about John Edwards today, and wondering if I could vote for him. I see some issues. In no particular order:

He didn't, and still doesn't, have any administrative experience (e.g., as a governor). That's not a deciding factor by itself, but it's not insignificant.

He has said that he was wrong to vote for the war on Iraq; well and good. But I (as well as many others) knew it was a very bad idea at the time. Why would I want someone as president who is less intelligent, or less knowledgeable, than I am?

I cannot forget his ad hominem attack on Howard Dean at the Rock The Vote debate in Boston: "The last thing we need in the South is people like you..." There is no rational possibility that it was an impromptu outbust; it was planned and seriously considered. It is the sort of thing lawyers with weak cases are trained to do, have done since Classical times (that's why the technique has a Latin name), and although it can be effective in an adversarial proceeding, I feel it bespeaks a significant defect of character.

I will also admit to a tendency to stereotype and prejudice. Senator Edwards speaks English with such a pronounced accent I find it difficult to understand him. And that accent has no good associations for me, but several bad ones. Still, I can recognize my prejudice, and I don't think it would overpower rational decision.

Senator Edwards says he regrets following the overcautious advice of the "professionals" and will do it differently this time--stand for something. Well, we'll see.

I'm not saying I absolutely wouldn't vote for Edwards. But he hasn't made his case with me, and he has quite a sales job. There's still about a year for a dark horse to materialize or for someone to seize the country's imagination who has not done so yet. Bill Richardson is rather shopworn, but might do.

P.S. from Renee...no, I haven't heard any updates about Kimmy. Hopefully if there are any, someone can post them in the comments. Light a candle for her here, if you like.

Also, totally unrelated, but interesting--and I'm not likely to be able to post again today--there's an article in the Faith and Values section of the Columbus Dispatch about Buddhism this week.

More thoughts on Edward from jc (from the comments)

I have many of the same items Alan listed on my Edwards evaluation list. A couple more items from my Edwards list.

He didn't just vote for the war in Iraq, he made fear-mongering speeches and helped sell the war to the public. He co-sponsored LIEberman's bill.

He drafted parts of the Patriot Act and voted for it (of course most did vote for it) and criticized it mainly because it would have been good if only the Attorney General could have been trusted not to abuse it. (I believe a good law is one that can stand up no matter who is in power.)

And on the gay issues, he was against gay marriage AND civil unions, although he did throw in a little pandering language on gay people in general.

Edwards makes a lot of pretty speeches, and is now saying a lot of the right things. I just don't know if this version of Edwards will stick around when the political winds shift again.

I'm holding out for a better candidate.
jc Homepage 01.21.07 - 12:45 pm

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