So That's Why John Edwards Is Angry / But Keep Edwards Alive!

The Boston Globe tells us that John Edwards lost his sunny optimism after his wife's first cancer diagnosis:

The days and months that followed [the diagnosis in late 2004] changed John Edwards. He and Elizabeth say the awareness of their mortality made them recommit themselves to helping the downtrodden. Others say that Edwards's personal agony and political disappointment hardened him in other ways, firming up his beliefs but also infusing him with an undercurrent of urgency and, at times, anger.

Well, then, I am very sympathetic.  See, I thought the anger thing was just more of his re-positioning in an attempt to earn the affection of the Nutroots and the BDS left, who love a slash and burn fighter.  Since 2002 Edwards has flip-flopped evolved on health care, the Iraq war, driver's licenses for illegals, nuclear waste at Yucca mountain, and I shudder to think what else - why couldn't he have made a political decision that Nice Guys finish last?

But evidently not, if the spin in the Globe can be taken seriously.

The Globe does not attempt to explain this:

It was typical of Edwards to respond to personal grief by taking purposeful action. He first entered politics just a year after the death of his 16-year-old son, Wade, in a Jeep accident in 1996.

Hmm - the death of his son did not remind Edwards of his own mortality and make him angry?  Interesting.  Straws and camel's backs, maybe.

KEEP EDWARDS ALIVE:  This, from David Yepsen of the Des Moines Register, is interesting:

John Edwards should have stayed home. Clinton took the wind out of his sails early in the evening by implying he was "throwing mud." He never seemed to bounce back from that slap, and he also got hooted when he talked about her as a corporate Democrat.

Edwards also had a poor night because for the first time, the differences between his votes as a U.S. senator and his talk now came into clear focus. He voted for the Iraq war, the Patriot Act and using Yucca Mountain as a nuclear-waste disposal site. Those votes are at odds with the populist rhetoric he serves up today, and it will undermine the credibility of his message.

Ironically, Edwards' poor performance may be bad news for Clinton in Iowa.

That's because Clinton, Edwards and Obama are in a statistical tie for first among caucus-going Democrats here. If either Obama or Edwards should fade in Iowa, his supporters may move to the other candidate, making that man the leading anti-Clinton candidate.

By that logic, Barack does not need to outshine Hillary directly in these debates; he just needs to do better than Edwards.

Naturally an old joke covers this.  Two guys, let's say Barack and John, are hiking in the woods when they are spotted by a seemingly angry bear.  Barack immediately puts down his pack, pulls out his running shoes, and commences to lace them up.

"Barack, waddya doing?" says John.  "You can't outrun a bear, even with running shoes".

"John", says Barack as he looks back over his shoulder, "I don't need to outrun the bear.  I just need to outrun you."

OK, anybody here from Jersey?

Comments

[kim]

He's in it for the wrong reasons.
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[Sue]

Thankfully, I watched the Mavs beat the Spurs in a good ole fashioned Texas spanking. Thanks to Elliott, I was able to see I chose wisely.

I just heard Mark Davis, WBAP, Ft.Worth/Dallas, tell Tom's joke about the bear. Is he reading here? Or is Tom listening to WBAP on the net? Hmmm...

[Rick Ballard]

Vote Jmax

[maryrose]

Edwards is descending in Iowa and Obama is hitting his stride. Hil remains stagnant in Iowa.

[Tom Maguire]

Or is Tom listening to WBAP on the net?

I am not; maybe it is a "Great minds" thing (in contrast with a "Fools think alike" thing, natch.)

[Ralph L]

Someone may have told the Edwards that the hormone treatments to produce their younger children likely brought on her cancer, a twist of the knife. As if her OB/GYN wasn't nervous enough.

[Sue]

You both have great minds. If you've never listened to him, I suggest doing so.

[TruthIsHere]

But what about our TORTURER-IN-CHIEF???! Will he GET AWAY with his CRIMES?! Which DEMOCRAT supports IMPEACHMENT!!!!!

[donald]

I'm not so much interested in impeachment, as much as I'm interested in an honest look at that fat bitch from Illinois campaign finances.

[Scrapiron]

TruthIsHere must have been in the rubber room for the past 200 years and just excaped. Didn't learn anything about the constitution, but excaped. A few more phony Impeachment post and they'll have him back in the looney bin soon. How did 48 million people become democrats and stupid at the same time?

[sophy]

I do not know how to use the Cheap metin2 yang ; my friend tells me how to use.