2004 Presidential Election
The Denver Post has an article about Colorado political mover's reaction to Senator Kerry's choice of Senator Edwards as his running mate [July 7, 2004, "Move ignites Colo. talk about role of lawyers"]. From the article, "Colorado trial lawyers and tort reformers squared off immediately Tuesday after news of John Kerry's selection of John Edwards as his running mate. The Massachusetts senator's announcement triggered what likely will be more than a four- month debate about the legal profession and its influence on Democratic politics. In Colorado - one of the first states to pass laws limiting damages in civil lawsuits - Republicans blame trial lawyers such as Edwards for increasing the cost of health care and otherwise crippling businesses."
Will the duo of Kerry and Edwards play well in the west? The Rocky takes a look at some of the issues [July 7, 2004, "Owens criticizes Kerry, Edwards over West"]. I don't think that the Healthy Forests Initiative will play well here but who knows? According to the article it passed in the Senate, 80-14, with both Edwards and Kerry absent on the day of the vote.
Update: Matthew Gross: "From MSNBC, 'According to the poll, which was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, a Kerry-Edwards ticket gets support from 49 percent of registered voters, while President Bush and Vice President Cheney get 41 percent, and independent Ralph Nader and running mate Peter Camejo get 4 percent. In a two-way race, Kerry-Edwards leads Bush-Cheney, 54 percent to 43 percent.' Since Ralph isn't going to make the ballot in most states, that's a pretty good number. 'When asked who would do a better job of running the country, 45 percent said Edwards, while 38 percent said Cheney.'"
Update: The Rocky Mountain News editorial staff weighs in on John Edwards [July 7, 2004, "Kerry chooses a Southern populist"]. From the editorial, "Of course, it is one thing for Edwards to have made a splash in liberal Democratic Party primaries and quite another for him to energize crucial swing voters in the fall. Most middle-of-the-road voters aren't yet acquainted with Edwards' theme of the 'two Americas,' in which the senator contends this country is divided between the privileged rich and everyone else. Will this portrayal of America ring true to them at a time when the economy is growing at its fastest pace in 20 years? Do they really see themselves as desperate victims of predatory elites? Will they embrace the costly programs the senator believes are needed to prevent them from sinking into the ranks of the working poor? For that matter, centrist voters are not yet aware that Edwards is an aggressive protectionist who denounces NAFTA and who regularly denigrates the benefits of free trade. Are they willing to risk reversing the political consensus on trade that has held sway since World War II?"
Update: The Denver Post editorial staff, [July 7, 2004, "Edwards spices up Democratic ticket"], writes, "By picking John Edwards to be his vice presidential running mate, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry has injected energy and charisma into a Democratic presidential ticket that needed juicing up. Edwards, with his good looks and upbeat style, likely will appeal to those who have had trouble cozying up to the less warm-and-fuzzy Kerry. The North Carolina senator was Kerry's toughest competitor for the presidential nomination. He brings a fresh face to the ticket, a campaign style that energizes audiences, and an ability to appeal to small-town values and working-class Americans worried about such changes as the offshoring of jobs. Kerry's selection of him now will help define the ticket leading up to the Democratic convention in Boston later this month"
Update: Blogs for Bush "I see where John Kerry has picked the Breck Girl, Sen. John Edwards, for his running mate. He must have thought Edward's famously perfect hair will win him votes, because there's precious little else to suggest that Edwards would make a good president at a time of war."
Update: D. Note "Thank the gods! John Edwards is a hell of a fighter and is part of the political future. No way around this one: Edwards' main competition for the VP position, Rep. Dick Gephardt, a good and honest man who by all accounts is someone who is truly respected on both sides of the aisle, is part of the political past."
Update: TalkLeft: "We're not alone in our belief that the greatest impact the 2004 President will have is in picking Supreme Court Justices. The Boston Globe reports that the new President will select up to four new Justices."
Update: From the 'Ol Coyote's favorite North Carolina blogger, Ed Cone, "Underestimate Edwards at your own peril. I'm hearing a lot of whistling past the graveyard from Republicans, but I suspect they know this is not good news for their guy."
6:51:04 AM 
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