After failing to get the kind of support he needed in the South Carolina primary, John Edwards bowed out of the race for the Democratic nomination for President. My only question is, what took you so long?
After running in 2004 and then being chosen as John Kerry’s running mate, Edwards failed to even help carry his home state in that election. That should have sent a pretty strong message, but evidently it didn’t.
Personally, I think he made a huge mistake in running for President after serving only one term in the Senate. He was doing well, but I think he started reading too many of his own press clippings. And to be honest, I think the Democratic party was desperate to find someone to run against George W. I think that the other thing that hurt Edwards this time around was that he got a lot more radical in his views, or at least his willingness to talk about those views.
In the time from 2004 to when he began the campaign that just ended, John Edwards was the head of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That Center was created through contributions and sponsorship by Edwards after the 2004 election. Here in North Carolina, Chapel Hill is often referred to as the Socialist Republic of Chapel Hill. Jesse Helms once remarked that they should put a fence up around Chapel Hill to keep the crazies from being able to leave there. Building a multi-million dollar home in that community did not do much to endear him to the increasingly conservative population of North Carolina.
I have a lot of questions about the current political situation in this country. My frustration is that I don’t know where to go to get good answers. I don’t trust the political teams for the candidates to provide factual information. It seems as if the media is too wrapped up in muck raking and sensationalism to do a good job of reporting facts, and anyone that is easy to find on the Internet seems to have some axe to grind. How do you get good information quickly? Like everyone else, I don’t have a lot of time to go through my own research project to answer all of my questions.
I know that I have several regular visitors here who are from Canada. I’m envious of the apparent lack of drama in your political landscape. You guys haven’t had anything exciting going on in your government, it seems, since Pierre and Margaret Trudeau. Are things really that calm and relaxed in your country? If it wasn’t so cold up there I might even consider a move.
Anyway, the last time I talked about politics no one left me any comments, so maybe I better change the topic. I could talk about throwing up after my workout this morning. I bet that would get them busting down the doors to read my blog!
Or maybe I could talk about Britney Spears latest trip to the hospital for an involuntary visit to the psychiatric unit. Frankly, I’m way to bored with that drama to even comment. I think I’m going to work on a separate post about how the idea of celebrity has changed over the years. Makes me wonder if people roll their eyes and grimace when I start going on about how things were different "when I was a young man."
You know, come to think of it, I would probably have been further ahead if I had just left it at posting the joke my wife sent me today. Oh well, to late for that now.
I have often thought of political ideas for my blog – that would really freak people out!
In this day and age especially, we seem to know the REAL 3-4 possible presidents long before election. I even think that many are “cheated” out of their vote when election day results are spewed out all over tv and internet. Is it time to go to a “real count” … or majority wins instead of the electorial college?
I am still a bit surprised the Rudy was out so quickly.
I should stop there, as my conservative thoughts get me in hot water very quickly!!!
One last thought … I predicted long ago that Gore would jump in at the last minute. I still think this could be a possibility. (far fetched, but I’ll take the odds in Vegas)
Eric
ps .. bring on the stories from when you were young!!!
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Eric: I am a little surprised that Gore hasn’t jumped into the fray myself. I think the main thing preventing that is the head start that Hillary and Barak have at this point.
Robert: Unfortunately, it wasn’t the workout that caused the vomiting. I’ve come down with some bug.
Loz: I think you may have something there. The whole idea behind our system was to prevent abuses by having the three branches of government exert checks and balances on each other. However, it seems that there are too many loopholes that have been introduced into that system. And in the case of the current administration, I think that the rules have been completely ignored and there hasn’t been enough courage to confront that fact.
Dawn: Yes, the idea of different personalities makes perfect sense. And I wish that the Canadian personality would take over here! Also, I won’t talk about Britney because I don’t want to be the cause of you throwing up.
Barbara: I don’t think either Hillary or Barak is going to want to try to make a run with Edwards as a running mate. After all, it didn’t work out too well for Kerry. I think John Edwards’ brief political career is pretty much over. I may be wrong, but I think he’s developed a negative image he’ll never be able to overcome.
Linda: Amen!! I’ve said the same thing for a long time. Not only should the length of time be limited, each candidate should be given, say, two million dollars in federal funds to run their campaigns on, and that’s it. That would eliminate the buying of the office. In fact, it might even open up the possibility that truly qualified people might be able to run for the office. Too many good candidates are not able to run because of the money issue. And to a certain respect, the same principle needs to be applied all the way down to the local level. The size of a bankroll should not have an influence in any way on who gets into office.
Jaffer: Decisions made by the political leadership in the United States does have a profound influence on life in Canada. For that matter, politics in this country has a profound effect on the whole world. Unfortunately, in many cases the responsibility inherent in the role of Superpower has not been handled in a responsible way by the current administration on many levels.
well being Canadian I stay on the sidelines with the political stuff..but..as a fellow thrower upper after workout guy…I feel your pain…:))))
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I have to say for all its faults, I think our Australian system is far superior to yours because we do concentrate on party politics rather than popularity contests. The Executive power here lies with the Parliament not with the Head of State.
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“I’m envious of the apparent lack of drama in your political landscape.”
I guess this is the way it would appear… the same way as American politics appear overly dramatic to me. It’s as though each country has it’s own personality… you can give the same problem to two different personality types and the outcome will be entirely different.
Does this make sense?
And if you start talking about Britney Spears…(overly dramatic American celeb) …. I will throw up!
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At one point, I thought he [Edwards] might pair up with Hillary….
They did seem cozy (of like minds) at a few debates.
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To be honest, I have had it up to my eyebrows and beyond with the whole 2008 political shenanigans. I was sick of it when it all began way too long ago in early 2007 and feel that there should be a limit put on not only political spending but the amount of time that one can spend campaigning. Enough is enough and by the time November finally rolls around we’re all going to be heartily sick of ALL the candidates.
I’ve been watching things with a very leery eye as I am horribly afraid that people are going to put Hillary back in the White House – this time in the Oval Office. Nothing for nothing but the Clintons need to go away along with the Bushes. It’s time for a change, it’s time for some new blood, it’s time that the media stopped running the campaigns and the elections. Somehow we need to get a collective national voice to say “ENOUGH!!” and make it loud enough to be heard not only in Washington but at every news headquarters in the country.
There – those are my political views which have also gotten me in trouble over on my own blog hence I very rarely, if ever, write about politics anymore!
As for Britney … please … who cares? Let’s move on from that tortured soul’s drama, too, and while we’re at it, can we let Heath Ledger rest in peace or do we have to make him out to be another Anna Nicole Smith? I think you should definitely do that post on celebrity not being what it used to be!
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Things do work a bit differently here in Canada.
But we also have our share of problems which mostly affect those living in Canada – so you won’t see much international coverage !
The people I am surrounded with mostly speak about financial woes like the inflation and figuring out loop-holes in the tax system.
The grass always seems greener on the other side.
For Canadians it is important the United States have a good leader and government to make sound political and economic decisions. Because what ever it may be it hits North as well !
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