Gravitas
Looking back to former N.C. Sen. John Edwards' announcement he was running for president again, Asheville's Kerra Bolton compares Edwards and another likely contender. Sen. Barack Obama. She writes first of Obama:
He’s charming, intelligent and has a compelling personal story that he documented in his best-selling memoirs. But other than serving in the Illinois Legislature, Obama has no previous political experience.Edwards, 53, has faced this "gravitas" question in the 2004 campaign. He slyly dodged it by focusing on his dreams for America’s future instead of dwelling on his past.
Click here for her full column.
While Edwards has done some work on this issue, and executed some artful dodges, he’s not out of the gravitas woods yet. Case in point, this column from Shawn Macomber:
Those who say John Edwards doesn't have the foreign policy credentials to lead the nation in a time of global war obviously haven't noticed the bracelet he wears to express solidarity with Sudanese refugees in Darfur. (Don't worry. He isn't shy about pointing it out.) Actually, if Edwards primary foreign policy goal weren't surrender in Iraq, I'd assume Elizabeth augmented this year's stocking full of Wendy's gift certificates--you know, the fast food joint where John, Elizabeth and a few dozen of their favorite media sycophants spend the Edwards' wedding anniversary--with a Weekly Standard subscription.
Hat tip to Bubba on the link.
Now, Edwards campaign won’t spend a whole lot of time trying to win over folks like Macomber or Bubba. But in some primaries where there are bunches of conservative Democrats – North Carolina’s comes to mind – and, if he gets that far, a general election, they will be going after some of the folks on the center-right that may be reading those two and others like them.
Which means the gravitas question is going to be around for a while. The question will be whether his work as a private citizen traveling and advocating will count as much in the minds of voters as the experience that comes serving in an elected position like the Senate.
Comments (2)
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North Carolinians were "endeared" so much to one of their own that in 2004 when the opportunity arose to vote a North Carolinian, a son of the South, into a position one heartbeat away from the Presidency, they went with the other guys by a wide margin.
In light of the fact that Edward's had his sight set on the WH from the outset of his Senate election which smelled of opportunism, and not bringing his home State to his party in the 2004 Presidential election or at minimum making it a close race at the home front, tells me his chances aren't that great in 2008.
Posted on January 3, 2007 10:58 AM
Fair enough, although I think any Democrat would be hard pressed to win North Carolina.
Putting the general election aside I would say that the 2008 primaries are a long way off and lot of things can happen. But given the current environment, from purely a tactical perspective, Edwards is well position to be a player for his party's nomination.
Posted on January 3, 2007 11:05 AM