The Edwards Decision To Go the Public Funding Route is Not a Good Sign for His Campaign

Published Sep 28 2007, 11:38 AM by webteam

    John Edwards announced yesterday that his campaign will go the public funding route, following an identical step by John McCain earlier in the summer. It's not a good sign. Edwards is attempting to portray this as a principled stand against the flood of money in politics. But that explanation is unlikely to fly because it raises the question why it took Edwards this long in the campaign to realize the evils of big money.
    The likelier explanation is that Edwards is having trouble raising money to compete with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Fair enough -- almost anyone would. And this move will likely give him a needed infusion of cash for the early states. But by doing this, Edwards is going to run up against spending caps in later individual states and will have great trouble, even if he's successful in the early states, sustaining major efforts down the line.
    The real problem with his announcement is that it is likely to be read by Iowa supporters and unions who might have endorsed him as a sign his campaign is in trouble. And they may well begin to drift away.
    Edwards already has a reputation as being a bit two-faced -- he's for the poor but he gets fancy haircuts and lives in a mansion. Trying to sell this latest move as based on principle (which McCain never did) is likely, alas, to cement that reputation.

Filed Under: Democrats, Edwards

Biden to Put All His Eggs in Iowa Basket

Tote Board Odds Now List Hillary Clinton as Democratic Favorite for Nomination

1 Comments

LorenzoJennifer said:

John Edwards' being two-faced extends to his earning $500,000 at the Fortress Investment Group, a hedge fund whose activities include sub-prime lending - that is, loaning mortgage money to poor people who don't have credit good enough for a regular bank loan. The default rate tends to be higher than usual and the predatory lender gets the house when the borrower defaults on the loan. When he criticized other sub-prime lenders for foreclosing on Hurricane Katrina victims, Edwards had half his net worth - $16 million - invested in Fortress as it was foreclosing on a couple of dozen homes in New Orleans. (source: New York Post, 8/21/07, Rich Lowry column, p. 27).

Now, the two-faced has extended to two-hands - the one accepting donations from private citizens like you and me along with labor unions - the other beseeching public funding. What makes this so maddening is that Edwards is the only major candidate who supposedly wants to help poor people. My circumstances fit that category and I'm angry and tired at all the friggin' political hypocrisy! Are Gravel and Kucinich the only Dems out there who have only one face? Damn!

September 28, 2007 12:30 PM

Follow the Boston Phoenix

All Blogs

Phlog (1,423)
Dont Quote Me (519)
On The Download (2,165)
Talking Politics (1,524)
Laser Orgy (34)
Outside The Frame (305)

Filed Under: Democrats, Edwards

Boston Phoenix
Has Obama peaked? No, he hasn't
Published 11/13/2009 by DAVID S. BERNSTEIN
Obama’s days of greatest power and popularity lie before him. But be warned: he might not do what you want with it.

Boston Phoenix
Our journalism echoes our politics
Published 7/31/2009 by LANCE TAPLEY
If the press reflects the times, which way will it go now?

more by webteam

Bald bears baffle Bavarians* | November 06, 2009

PODCAST: John Irving at the Coolidge [MP3] | November 05, 2009

DOWNLOAD: Augusten Burroughs Q&A and audio excerpt [MP3] | November 03, 2009

10 games that shouldn't have scared us, but did | October 30, 2009

Build a Better Halloween Party: 20 Creepy Video Clips | October 28, 2009

See all articles by: webteam

Latest Comments

RIP, Mike Penner / Christine Daniels - I think the hypersensitivity from the "trans" community is a bit absurd, and smacks of wanting...

By O-FISH-L on 12-01-2009 in Dont Quote Me

DJ Hero: Enter to Win a Free Copy! - I need some help Christmas is coming ang my mother just passed away (I swear to god and on her grave...

By Austin on 11-30-2009 in Laser Orgy

RIP, Mike Penner / Christine Daniels - I reread your earlier piece about Aiden Quinn, but I can't say I understand your logic. Yes, I agree...

By Brian on 11-30-2009 in Dont Quote Me

Khazei Sneaking Up? - I was going to vote for Coakley but switched to Khazei over the weekend after a few of my friends got...

By Matt on 11-30-2009 in Talking Politics

Lee Ranaldo picks his favorite albums of the decade - We asked Fletcher the same question: "Um, dude? Why is the camera on you instead of on Lee?"...

By Carly Carioli on 11-30-2009 in On The Download

Latest Comments from Stark Ravings

The Edwards Decision To Go the Public Funding Route is Not a Good Sign for His Campaign

1 Comments

LorenzoJennifer said:

Leave a Comment