Now Edwards wants taxpayers to carry his lagging campaign
John Edwards has taken another "principled stand," just when it happens to suit him.
He'll accept public financing for his presidential campaign, abiding by spending limits, and he urges Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to do the same, The N&O reports.
Edwards rejected the idea earlier this year, but since then he's been clobbered by Clinton and Obama in fundraising and trails badly in the polls.
"I think that is what underdogs do when they are behind in the race for money," Peter Francia, a political science professor at East Carolina University, told The N&O. "They will call on an opponent to take public funding to equalize the playing field. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be laughing at the suggestion."
They ought to laugh, because this is just more phony moralism from Edwards, the guy who condemns subprime lenders although he's invested in them, condemns hedge funds' offshore tax shelters although he's taking a big salary from one, condemns Rupert Murdoch although he accepts an overly generous book deal from a Murdoch company, and so on.
This is also why I oppose public financing. I don't think tax money should be used to keep afloat the campaigns of sinking candidates.
Comments (11)
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Dear old Senator Gone -- a piece of work he is.
He's a wax figurine of a man. His ability to flip the caring-charisma switch at the first sign of a photo op is unparalleled.
This would be a great subject for the next above the fold skewering of a public personality.
Posted on September 28, 2007 9:46 AM
doug, problem solved. I just have to scroll down about a mile to find the little box...
sorry
Posted on September 28, 2007 10:16 AM
This is also why I oppose public financing. I don't think tax money should be used to keep afloat the campaigns of sinking candidates.* Doug
Good for you! Now tell your republican conservative buddies to stop taking taxpayers money against their will......
Posted on September 28, 2007 12:13 PM
Who's that?
Posted on September 28, 2007 12:16 PM
Who's Dat'? Doug
My! You have already forgotten about last year state wide judical races.
SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Sarah Parker D 1,138,346 * Accepted 340 thousand dollars of state funding
Rusty Duke R 568,980 * Did not apply for state funding....Spent 450 thousand dollars from special interests
SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE (MARTIN)
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Mark D. Martin 901,792 R* Did not apply for state funding. Spent 890 thousand dollars from special interests
Rachel Lea Hunter D 761,676 * Did not acccept state funding nor Donations from anybody. Spent 245 thousand in campaign
SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE (TIMMONS-GOODSON)
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Patricia Timmons-Goodson D 953,976 Accepted State Funding....350 thousand dollars
Eric Levinson R 682,641* Accepted 345 thousand dollars, apply for 200 thousand more and was rejected
SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE (WAINWRIGHT)
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Robin Hudson 806,861 D * Accepted 350 state funding thousand dollars
Ann Marie Calabria R 786,310 * Accepted 340 thousand state funding, apply for 200 thousand more and rejected
COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE (HUNTER)
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Robert C. (Bob) Hunter D 903,691* Accepted State funding 190 thousand dollars
Kris Bailey R 652,733* Did not apply...spent 120 thousand dollars
COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE (STEPHENS)
Name on Ballot Party Ballot Count
Donna Stroud R 774,819* Accepted state funding over 200 hundred thousand
Linda Stephens D 771,353* Accepted state funding over 200 hundred thousand
Posted on September 28, 2007 6:49 PM
Has there ever been a more phony character running for POTUS in the history of the republic? There may have been some that just were not well-qualified, but any more phony? This guy is just an expensive haircut in an empty suit (with the exception of when he is wearin' his workin' man jeans). He even looks phony in his jeans.
Posted on September 29, 2007 12:09 AM
Has there ever been a more phony character running for POTUS in the history of the republic?*Stormy
Yes! Edwards campaign blogging consultant and journalist Ed Cone. No wonder Edwards is in trouble with his comments below about the Republicans presidental candiates.
"Huckberry Hound said Bush blew it with the Axis of Evil Speech, didn't send enough troops to Iraq, gave Rumsfeld too much latitude, and turned his back on diplomacy. Also, we're in trouble in Afghanistan. Oh, and the draw-down of the surge was foreordained by constraints on manpower.
It would have been more refreshing if he'd said it before the duck was quite so lame, but better late than never" * Ed Cone
This is the same republican presidental candiate, who told the NRA last week that Duck hunting in heaven is okay and not sinful.
Posted on September 29, 2007 12:20 AM
Stormy:
Fred Thompson can give John Edwards a good contest in the "most phony" departments. Maybe Fred will start wearing his "working man" blue jeans and "driving" his red pick-up truck again (see, e.g., http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/archives/9612.cottle.html ).
Posted on October 4, 2007 10:43 AM
In my view, Ronald Reagan was unfairly belittled by many of his critics as just an "actor." In reality, he was one of the most genuine politicians of our era.
Fred Thompson strikes me as an actor. But I have yet to look closely at his candidacy.
On the other hand, I have known Edwards' politics long enough and well enough to be unimpressed.
Posted on October 4, 2007 10:57 AM
So the mega-millionaire needs a handout?
If Bloomberg weren't so bland, I'd say draft him now, at least he doesn't need to go begging.
The public financing could work, but it should become mandatory and have strict limits as to the sorts of ads that can be run, for example; none of those "Swifty" ones that impugn and run.
Reagan surely was exactly that: a genuine politician. Guy sold his friends out, snoozed through the office and let Mommy run things.
Posted on October 4, 2007 10:02 PM
We'll have to strongly disagree about Reagan.
As for public financing, the system would have to change for me to support it or check off the little box on my tax return. For one thing, you don't run through your own campaign cash then ask the taxpayers for a bailout, like Edwards.
Posted on October 5, 2007 8:10 AM