Edwards just doesn’t have the online infrastructure. When you google “Edwards” + “money bomb” my site is the first thing to come up. That should give you some indication as to just how small and uncoordinated Friday’s effort was. I can’t find official numbers, but according to a comment left at Democratic Underground dotcom, the Edward’s “money bomb” fell dismally short of the $7 million dollars that had been hoped for. Apparently, about $1 million was raised. That’s not bad, I suppose, for a really unorganized last-minute effort, with no help at all from the national campaign, but I think we were all hoping for quite a bit more.
That’s not the worst news this weekend, though. It seems as though Edwards did dismally in Nevada today. Given the way the Nevada caucus system is structured, as I understand it, a candidate needs to break a threshold of 15% in each precinct in order to stay viable. Edwards failed to do that in at least two-thirds of Nevada precincts. Word is that, when all was said and done, he only took about 4% of the vote. (Hillary won with 51% and Obama took 45%.) After coming in second in Iowa, and being competitive in New Hampshire, it seems as though he’s completely fallen off the map… The media calling it a two person race, it seems, may have turned out to be a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy… Hopefully he can rebound in South Carolina.
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I don’t think Edwards ever was viable in the media’s eye. Even in the earlier debates, the post debate analysis by the media focused on Clinton and Obama, more than Edwards. To be sure, some of the blame might also go to Edwards’ campaign.
Even though I lean towards Edwards still, I myself, have a hard time expressing why that is the case. The thing I can remember Edwards saying over and over is that he is the champion of the middle class. While that is certainly a good thing, in my opinion, it’s just not enough. Edwards’ campaign has tried hard to differentiate him from the other two candidates; but, I still can’t articulate what Edwards’ policy stances are that differentiate him. Or for that matter, what his policies are that are the same as the other Democrats.
Well, ok, one of his policies is unique: No to nuclear power. Unfortunately, I disagree with that policy. Maybe that’s why I remember that one, in particular.
Edwards needs to get past the “I’m the middle class champion” and on to a concrete list of policy statements. Surely he can embellish that list with reasons why it supports his middle class values; but, the policies themselves have to be the focus.
Personality wise, I think Edwards would benefit from a face lift of sorts that cast him as more of a leader. To me, he comes off too much as a guy with good ideas, if someone will just implement them (for him). Not only does he need to say something like “I will form a coalition to go do xyz;” but he actually needs to say “I’ve formed an alliance with so-and-so and together we are doing xyz.” Bottom line: He needs to look more like a leader of the free world than he does right now.
I agree with a lot of what you say about Edwards, John. I still think, however, that, even with all of that, he’s the best person to be leading our country at this point in history. I was hoping that somehow he could compete with Obama and Clinton, even with much less funding, no corporate support and little attention from the media. Something good could still happen in South Carolina. I’m not ready to count him out yet. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I didn’t expect more in Nevada.
Judging from the lack of news, it doesn’t sound like it went very well. Neither did Kucinich’s a month or two ago. And I mean this sincerely, I’m sorry that he hasn’t been able to raise more money to compete with the pro-war, empty message Clinton and Obama.
Unfortunately, it’s not just that the corporate media is “money-focused.” If it were, Ron Paul would be getting some real press. Instead, Fox News left him out of Nevada graphics (showing Romney, McCain, and Huckabee; 1st, 2nd, % 4th) last night, and the NYT leaves him off of their online listings (despite having defeated Giuliani in most races). Rather than fundraising, the bias is ideologically driven. Most of the corporate owned media has close ties to the defense (offense?) industry.
Oh. Maybe it is money-focused.
Concerning Ron Paul, you
From today’s NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/us/politics/21edwards.html?th&emc=th
Mr. Edwards has also been having a difficult time breaking through between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, whom he often calls “the $100 million candidates.” One study said Mr. Edwards received 7 percent of national news coverage during five days this month, while Mrs. Clinton received 37 percent and Mr. Obama 32 percent.
Letter from MLK’s son to Edwards:
Only Edwards can beat McCain.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-mudcat-saunders/only-john-edwards-can-bea_b_82734.html
Edwards met privately with Clinton yesterday. Some think it signals that he’s going to endorse her:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/22/offstage_action_at_dem_debate.html
John Edwards is still at it. Today he spoke at the fourth annual Campus Progress National Conference. It’s nice to see that he is so genuinely committed to the causes he supports.
CSPAN carried the speech live and I think they will probably schedule repeats later in the day.
I know Presidential nominees don’t, as a rule, announce the individuals they will be putting in their cabinets, but I wish that Obama would come out and say that Edwards will be Attorney General, and that Gore will be Secretary of the Environment.
And, while he’s at it, why not make Hillary the head of Health and Human Services? If we’re going to make it though this mess, we’re going to need all of our best people involved.
and Richardson, Dodd, and Kucinich?
Sec of State
Sec of Energy
Sec of ?