And it continues:
Edwards seems to have jumped the shark. His latest pitch has taken his natural populism over a cliff. It sort of sounds like: The Corporations Are Going To Eat Your Children. Actually what he says is, “We’re not going to let corporate greed steal our children’s future.” Over and over again. There is a strong argument to be made that the natural balance of the American economy has tilted toward the wealthy and the power of entrenched special interests, and needs to be tilted back in the direction of the middle class and poor. Both Clinton and Obama make that argument effectively, and place it in a reasonable context. For example, both say: Yes, the insurance and pharmaceutical industries will try to block universal health insurance, and we’re going to have to beat them. Edwards says, “I will never–never!–sit down at a table with them,” which is just ridiculous. If he wants to pass universal health insurance, he’s going to have to build a coalition that includes or neutralizes much of the business community–if not the insurance and pharmaceutical industries–or it won’t pass. As it is, he just sounds desperate, contentious and unreasonable.
Edwards is also wildly irresponsible on trade. He’s now saying that trade deals have cost “millions of jobs.” They haven’t. NAFTA has been a wash, creating as many jobs as have been lost. This is demagoguery–implying that if we just shut down the free trade regime, the global economy is going to go away, and stop taking low-value-added manufacturing jobs to other countries. It raises false hopes among the hardest working Americans, which is just disgraceful. It is also slightly out of date: with the weak dollar, exports represents a sector of the economy poised for real growth. A more responsible candidate, who really had the interests of the working class in mind, would emphasize the need for a stronger social safety net, more help for displaced workers and higher taxes to pay for it. Edwards believes in all that, but he’s not saying it these days–he’s choosing, instead, to use the heaviest, ugliest weapons in his arsenal.
Joe Klein…bought and paid for.
Sounds like they are doing a hatchet job on Edwards the way they did to Dean last time. Let’s just hope Edwards never speaks above a whisper. Yeeeeagh!
Well I’m in Europe and about to head out for the fireworks so Happy New Year to one and all!
Pax
Populists have cooties. HORRIBLE SPACE COOTIES.
Populists want pot for every child and a child for every pot!
did you happen to watch that piece of shit this AM on msnbc? What a performancxe! There he was, along with that witch Mitchell and that effing murderer scarboro and the focus was on attacking every dem. Its time that klein bump into someone somewhere and gets his clock rung!
I know, it won’t make a difference but that scumbag snob just needs a good cleaning.
Watching or reading him requires an instant shower. Ya come away from the experienc feeling filthy!
Oh well, when you get down to it, they all instill that dirty feeling.
and then there is guliani!
Can’t get much dirtier than that.
God! Now I have to tke another shower!!!!!!!!!!!
Take a look at the comment thread over at the Time link. I’d guess the word “excoriate” comes to mind. When I read thru them a couple of minutes ago I didn’t see ONE defending his hysterical diatribe. I guess it sucks constantly being on the wrong side of history, boy howdy. A little math is in order:
Pundit class = Peter Principle to its terminus.
Man, are they scared sh*tless by Edwards. But lets not forget the decades of animus cultivated by the GOP- on the very first day I had my Edwards bumper sticker on the back window of my car someone here in the OC came into my driveway and tried to peel it off. So, by that reasoning, if I don’t agree with what their Bible says I can break in their house and steal it?
This is a monster that is finally, thankfully going down, but most assuredly it’ll go down biting and gnashing and thrashing, mark my words.
first- they are not scared shitless about Edwards. They want Obama more than anythone else. If they can get Obama, then they have the racist card!
Then, if all else failed and there appears to be the slightest chance that he might win– Well, you know what happens then!
Second- If by Monster you are referring to the religion crap, ya better check again. There ain’t a gooper that isn’t playing that game! NOT ONE!
This time, if you want to see how bad it really is, put another sticker on your car and watch what happens. Either it will be gone or they will burn it right in your driveway!
These sick bastards will do ANYTHING to maintain the presidency- ANYTHING!
It continues to amaze me that Klein is supposed to be(yeah right)writing for the left point of view while being so anti-dem well progressive dem anyway. These inside pundits of either side continue to exist in their own little circle-jerk elite world basically talking only to each other.
The media has basically left Edwards alone except for some of the stupid haircut stories etc but I guess he’s creating more buzz now in Iowa so the have-more pundits got their orders to try and paint him as crazy and unreasonable just like Dean.
We can only hope that somehow Edwards can gain enough traction with the general public that the msm can’t bring him down like they did Dean.
I would like to point out that your phrase “Corporate Shill Villager” is an anagram for what they likely think of the blogosphere : Shrill Capitol Rage Lover.
This has been tonight’s random thought. Thank you for joining us.
So is Obama then bought and paid for too? Because, overall, this is his argument.
I admit I find Edwards-mania bizarre and Edwards himself dishonest and phony. Dishonest because the shrillness of his discourse stands in total contrast with his policy positions: If he “refused compromise” about a Europe-like single payer health care plan… ok I would buy that. But all this noise about a compromise healthcare plan that is quasi indistinguishable from those offered by his bought-and-paid-for rivals? Same on trade: While Nafta and Cafta may get the ignorant mightily excited, the fact is they are a tiny side-show when it comes to trade and globalisation and US jobs. What matters is the World Trade Organisation and membership in it. If Edwards came out against the WTO I would find him credible (irrespective of whether I agree with him or not), but playing outraged for the crowd while never even mentioning the WTO, is just taking people for a ride and setting them up for more disappointment. The tough but honest thing would be to explain to Anglo-Everyman and Everywoman that in a globalizing world their edge is eroding fast, and they had better get off their fat Anglo asses and learn, because what they know today won’t cut it tomorrow in a world that’s learning fast while much of America is caught in self-centered delusions.
Edwards’s rage is cheap. I watched him for an hour on Rose. Where does he want to take the country he is asked. Back to the America of Truman and Eisenhower, he answered. It cracked me up.
This is your radical champion? You people crack me up. You are acting like starved zoo animals: getting all excited over a half-rotten bone.
Uh, Mr. Guthman — who then would you recommend?
You want the real deal when it comes to populism you have Kucinich. You want a reform candidate with intelligence and class, you have Obama.
i live in mexico, and nafta is an absolute disaster for the farmers, the small business people, the poor, the indigenous and though some in the growing upper middle class and the rich love it.
the whole treaty should be abolished and started over. but first, obrador should be seated as the real president not this usurper calderon.