Today's NY Times ponders the role of John and Elizabeth Edwards in the primary battle between Obama and Clinton asking: "What will the Edwardses do?" There are rumors that Elizabeth Edwards wants to endorse Hillary Clinton.
Who knows if either will actually endorse. But it is probably helpful to review the speech John Edwards gave called "The Moral Test of Our Generation." It was one of the most powerful speeches Edwards gave during his campaign. Which candidate passes the moral test laid out by Edwards?:
And a few weeks ago, around the sixth anniversary of 9/11, a leading presidential candidate held a fundraiser that was billed as a Homeland Security themed event in Washington, D.C. targeted to homeland security lobbyists and contractors for $1,000 a plate. These lobbyists, for the price of a ticket, would get a special "treat" -- the opportunity to participate in small, hour long breakout sessions with key Democratic lawmakers, many of whom chair important sub committees of the homeland security committee. That presidential candidate was Senator Clinton.
Senator Clinton's road to the middle class takes a major detour right through the deep canyon of corporate lobbyists and the hidden bidding of K Street in Washington -- and history tells us that when that bus stops there it is the middle class that loses.
When I asked Hillary Clinton to join me in not taking money from Washington lobbyists -- she refused. Not only did she say that she would continue to take their money, she defended them.
Today Hillary Clinton has taken more money from Washington lobbyists than any candidate from either party -- more money than any Republican candidate.
She has taken more money from the defense industry than any other candidate from either party as well.
She took more money from Wall Street last quarter than Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Barack Obama combined.
The long slow slide of our democracy into the corporate abyss continues unabated regardless of party, regardless of the best interests of America.
We have a duty -- a duty to end this.
I believe you cannot be for change and take money from the lobbyists who prevent change. You cannot take on the entrenched interests in Washington if you choose to defend the broken system. It will not work. And I believe that, if Americans have a choice, and candidate who takes their money -- Democrat or Republican -- will lose this election.
For us to continue down this path all we have to do is suspend all that we believe in. As Democrats, we continue down this path only if we believe the party of the people is no more.
Not kidding. According to NBC's David Gregory we're all missing the very important points that Ann Coulter makes because we get caught up in her hate speech. He just said to Elizabeth Edwards "if you strip away some of the inflammatory rhetoric against your husband and other Democrats, the point she's trying to make about your husband, Senator Edwards, running for the White House is in effect that he's disingenuous..."
Okay, so much wrong with the way Gregory defends Coulter. Her hateful, inflammatory rhetoric can't be stripped away -- and let's be honest, that's why NBC and ABC put her on their t.v. shows. In typical fashion, he also tries to paint everyone with the same kind of hate speech. So, instead of putting Coulter on, NBC now has one of their top reporters defending her approach. Because, you know, if you strip away the fact that Coulter advocated the assassination of a leading presidential candidate, and mocked his dead son, there's really such an important message buried inside.
Huh? Says so much.
Elizabeth Edwards handled it well, pretty much laughing at him -- and made the key point -- this is not about stripping away hateful rhetoric. The hate speech is the issue:
The traditional media has created Ann Coulter. They feed the beast. They enable her and her hate speech. And, we're just all really stupid because we think the hate rhetoric matters.
The woman should be in prison. Has the Secret Service investigated Coulter yet for wishing John Edwards assassinated? Oh that's right, George Bush's Secret Service only investigates liberals, while conservative man-whores are given free rein of the White House without even getting the basic background checks required of other frequent White House visitors. Why should we expect the Secret Service to investigate death threats against a Democratic presidential candidate? That would require them to do their job in an impartial manner. Just like they didn't care when Pat Robertson suggested that terrorists nuke the State Department. It's not their job to care, it's their job to protect Republicans. More from AP.
If you or I said this, we'd be arrested. And we certainly wouldn't be given TV time on ABC, NBC or any other show than FOX. Why did NBC let her on the show after this? Why would anyone? This woman is the biggest book seller, biggest TV personality, and biggest public speaker of the Republican party. She represents everything that has gone wrong with that party, and the reason why so many of us have left it.
Mrs. Edwards is really starting to make me happy. She just phoned in to Hardball and asked Ann Coulter to stop the "language of hate." I missed the first part of Edwards' call, and will tape it all later, but here is Coulter and Edwards replying to her. And Chris Matthews did his usual "ask a hard question, then when she doesn't answer, move on to the next hard question."
And don't miss the nipple on the woman to the right of Coulter - it's simply bizarre that any human being would dress in public like that. You really have to see it live on TV, it's inappropriate as hell, and actually quite apropos of the entire broadcast (and typical of a Republican Coulter fan - no marriage for me, but feel free to flaunt your nipples in public).
Elizabeth Edwards, starring at the kickoff event of San Francisco's signature Gay Pride Parade, came out in support of legalized gay marriage today -- taking a position which she acknowledged is at odds with her husband, presidential candidate John Edwards.
"I don't know why somebody else's marriage has anything to do with me,'' she said. "I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage.''
In 2004, aides to Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.), the Democratic presidential nominee, were so worried about black voters' feelings about same-sex marriage that they put Bill Clinton on a conference call with 3,000 black pastors so the former president could reassure the pastors that Kerry truly did oppose same-sex marriage.
Democratic political consultant Bob Shrum claims in his new book that during the 2004 elections, Bill Clinton advised John Kerry to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, i.e., the anti-gay amendment to the US Constitution that would have banned gay marriage and vitiated scores of other rights that gay couples may have, including health insurance, inheritance, child custody, parenting, and more. Shrum reports that Kerry refused to endorse the amendment.
I decided to check with Bill Clinton's office and the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign to find out if this is true. Here is what I found.
Jay Carson, spokesman for President Clinton told me:
"I checked and it's completely untrue. He never advised John Kerry to support the gay marriage ban President Bush was pushing."
A senior Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign staffer told me:
"It's definitely true. Newsweek had reported that Clinton had said Kerry should support some of the state [anti-gay] ballot initiatives. Clinton believed it would be this grand master stroke to neutralize Bush's base."
Pillow talk matters. I want my civil rights, I don't want to be on the receiving end of constant triangulation. Mrs. Edwards will be a force for good, at least as it concerns the civil and human rights of gay and lesbian Americans. As much as I like the man, I can't say the same about Mr. Clinton. He's going to be advising Hillary to throw us under the bus. That doesn't mean Hillary will, but her top two advisers have a history of legislative gay-bashing for political gain. That's of legitimate concern.
John Edwards, the North Carolina Democrat, said today that his wife’s cancer had returned, but that his bid for the presidency “goes on strongly.”
“The campaign goes on, the campaign goes on strongly,” he said, with his wife, Elizabeth, at his side.
Mr. Edwards said he learned earlier this week that the cancer had reappeared in his wife’s rib cage and that the couple recognized that it was no longer curable, though it could be managed with treatment.
The announcement came a day after Mr. Edwards cancelled a campaign appearance in Iowa to rush home to join his wife at a visit with doctors who are monitoring her treatment for breast cancer. He attended a fund-raising picnic here Wednesday night.
Mrs. Edwards received her original diagnosis of breast cancer at the end of the 2004 campaign, but deferred a public announcement until after the election results came in. Mr. Edwards has said he waited to announce a second bid for the presidency until he and Mrs. Edwards’s doctors were confident about her recovery.
Watching John and Elizabeth Edwards doing their news conference from Chapel Hill.
John Edwards said the Elizabeth's cancer has returned. Her cancer is back. It's largely confined in the bone, which is a "good thing." They are very optimistic about this. Given that the cancer is in the bone, it is no longer curable, but it is treatable.
John: "We will be in this every step of the way together."
Elizabeth also spoke. The kids have the same hopeful attitude. Need to keep a positive attitude.
This is what happens to every cancer survivor. Every time something suspicious happens, it puts you in to alarm mode.
They are encouraged -- and optimistic.
She does not expect her life to be significantly different.
After they spoke, a reporter asked what it means for the campaign. John replied that the campaign goes on. Nothing changes.
Elizabeth is "immensely proud of John's campaign." It's not about John Edwards.
Elizabeth explained how she injured her rib, which led to the diagnosis. She said, we have a new house...you might have heard? (That was a good one, Elizabeth)
Their doctor told them campaigning won't make a difference.
John: Any time, any place I need to be with Elizabeth, I will be there.
John: If you're not ready to deal with this kind of pressure, you're not ready to be President. They've been through things like this before.
John Edwards is expected to suspend his presidential campaign Thursday, and might drop out of the race altogether, after doctors found his wife Elizabeth's cancer had possibly re-appeared in one of her lungs, according to a source close to the former North Carolina senator.
"He has always said his wife's health comes first," said an Edwards insider, who said as of mid-morning the candidate was choosing between two statements, one suspending his campaign, the other withdrawing from the race. "It's heartbreaking for him and for her."
UPDATE: Edwards staffers are pushing back very hard.
"Anything you are getting from someone claiming to know right now is not true - anyone claiming to know something right now is making it up. There is no information from this campaign until John and Elizabeth speak at noon," says spokeswoman Kate Bedingfield.
