John Edwards likes to say that America wasn't built by cynics, it was built by optimists. And tonight, we Democrats sent a powerful message to the American people by embracing Edwards' politics of hope.
I'll have a lot more to say about all this in the next few days, of course. Right now, I'd just like to ask you to consider getting involved with the campaign. (The official site is here. The individual state sites that you can use to get involved in your local Edwards campaign are here. And campaign contributions are gladly accepted here.)
Together, we really can rekindle the natural optimism of America, and put our government back on the side of regular people. Please join us today.
(Updated 1/21: See the comments for details.)
Posted by Jack O'Toole on January 19, 2004 11:30 PMI generally enjoy your writing, and though I would not pick Edwards as my first choice for the nominee to go toe-to-toe with Bush, I can see the appeal in Edwards campaign. Truly, it has flummoxed me why he wasn't consistently higher in the polls earlier than this.
But this statement in this post just made me do a double-take:
Together, we really can rekindle the natural optimism of America, and put our government back on the side of the middle class.
It's that last half of the sentence that's the cause of the double-take.
Is that really the most important thing? I understand that both parties, over the past decade or more, have been almost religiously courting the middle-class vote, and there is no denying they're voting power. But... I don't know, Jack. When you put it so baldly like that - "back on the side of the middle class" - it kind of makes my skin crawl.
I'd rather have a candidate who puts our government back on the side of people, no matter they're class. And if Edwards is only concerned with the middle class, well... I can tell you I'd have to seriously rethink my vote come the primaries in my state in February.
This is not meant to bash you or Edwards or anything - I don't want to seem like I'm trolling here - but rather a humble opinion from a truly interested and invested party. Namely, me.
Take this how you will. Full disclosure: I've been leaning Dean or Clark for most of the run-up, but am still in the "undecided" category.
jpb --
You know something? You're absolutely right -- it sounds pretty awful. (It doesn't even quite reflect what I was trying to say...) Thanks for bringing it to my attention.