Who are you planning on voting for?

[martha]

Yeah, he really demonstrates love for "the little people" by not getting to know his next door neighbors.

Make a connection, please.

 

[2861U2]

Make a connection, please.

If John Edwards had such compassion for the poor and people who arent anywhere near as wealthy as he, it just seems like he would get to know the people who live in shacks and trailors across the street from him. They've hardly ever seen him, and he's never come over to talk to them. His neighbors dont like him.

 

[Irvine511]

If John Edwards had such compassion for the poor and people who arent anywhere near as wealthy as he, it just seems like he would get to know the people who live in shacks and trailors across the street from him. They've hardly ever seen him, and he's never come over to talk to them. His neighbors dont like him.

true.

it's not like he's busy or anything.

 

[2861U2]

true.

it's not like he's busy or anything.

His neighbors have seen him jogging around the neighborhood multiple times. He must spend (or at least have spent) a fair portion of his time there, and his neighbors dont know him.

 

[phillyfan26]

You seem to interpret that as regularly. That could mean like two or three times.

 

[martha]

If John Edwards had such compassion for the poor and people who arent anywhere near as wealthy as he, it just seems like he would get to know the people who live in shacks and trailors across the street from him. They've hardly ever seen him, and he's never come over to talk to them. His neighbors dont like him.

Source?

 

[deep]

Elizabeth
that bitch even admits it!!!!

The Associated Press
Elizabeth Edwards says she is scared of the "rabid, rabid Republican" who owns property across the street from her Orange County home — and she doesn't want her kids going near the gun-toting neighbor.

Edwards, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, particularly recalls the time neighbor Monty Johnson brought out a gun while chasing workers investigating a right of way off his property. The Edwards family has yet to meet Johnson in person.

"I wouldn't be nice to him anyway," Edwards said in an interview. "I don't want my kids anywhere near some guy who when he doesn't like somebody, the first thing he does is pull a gun out. It scares the business out of me."



But Johnson defended the occasion he brandished a gun, saying those on his land didn't have the proper approval.

"I use the gun for protection, and I considered that an appropriate time," Johnson said. "Sometimes you have to take drastic measures."

Edwards views Johnson as a "rabid, rabid Republican" who refuses to clean up his "slummy" property just to spite her family, whose lavish 28,000-square-foot estate is nearby on 102 wooded acres.

Johnson, 55, acknowledges his Republican roots. But he takes offense to the suggestion he has purposefully left his property, including an old garage that he leases for use as a car shop, in dilapidated condition.

Johnson said he has lived his entire life on the property, which he said his family purchased before the Great Depression. He said he's spent a lot of money to try and fix up the 42-acre tract.

"I have to budget. I have to leave within my means," Johnson said. "I don't have millions of dollars to fix the place."

Johnson, who has posted a "Go Rudy Giuliani 2008" sign on a fence just 100 feet from the entrance to the Edwards' driveway.

 

[phanan]

Well then, I can see why they don't mingle too often.

 

[Irvine511]

His neighbors have seen him jogging around the neighborhood multiple times. He must spend (or at least have spent) a fair portion of his time there, and his neighbors dont know him.

and Rudy spends more time at Yankee games than firefighter funerals.

does any of this matter at all? or are you just looking for more American Idol criteria upon which to base your vote?

 

[2861U2]

does any of this matter at all?

YES!

For crying out loud, the guy is supposed to be running on a "I understand the poor people" message, but he doesnt talk to the poor people who live next to him, which he should regardless of their politics. Him not doing that demonstrates that he is not a friendly person. I'm not asking him to talk to them "politician to neighbor" but sheesh, he doesnt even talk to them as "neighbor to neighbor."

Oh, and martha, they did a story about this on the O'Reilly factor. They sent a producer to go interview the people who live in the trailor park across the street, and not one of them had anything nice to say about the Senator.

 

[Vincent Vega]

And Guliani is riding the "I'm the hero of New York" wave, yet many of the police and firefighters have nothing nice to say about him.

 

[Irvine511]

YES!

For crying out loud, the guy is supposed to be running on a "I understand the poor people" message, but he doesnt talk to the poor people who live next to him, which he should regardless of their politics. Him not doing that demonstrates that he is not a friendly person. I'm not asking him to talk to them "politician to neighbor" but sheesh, he doesnt even talk to them as "neighbor to neighbor."

Oh, and martha, they did a story about this on the O'Reilly factor. They sent a producer to go interview the people who live in the trailor park across the street, and not one of them had anything nice to say about the Senator.

the answer is NO!

it does NOT matter!

what matters is not whether someone is nice to one's neighbors but whether or not someone actually addresses issues like poverty and homelessness in their stump speeches! it's the POLICIES that matter, not the anecdotal, American Idol bullshit that so many people fall for.

i don't care if Rudy is a gigantic asshole. i'm sure he is. i care what he says about the War on Terror, what he'd do to the Constitution if we were to suffer another terrorist attack, and whether or not he'd bomb Iran. i don't actually care about the ratio of time spent at Yankees games vs. firefighter funerals in 2001/2.

if you think that matters, if you think that anecdotes matter more than what a candidate actaully says and what what his platform is, then you deserve the American Idol candidate you say you're opposed to.

and i'm not even going to touch your O'Reilly "anecdote." that's too easy.

 

[Irvine511]

And Guliani is riding the "I'm the hero of New York" wave, yet many of the police and firefighters have nothing nice to say about him.

in fact, they tend to hate him.

 

[phillyfan26]

YES!

For crying out loud, the guy is supposed to be running on a "I understand the poor people" message, but he doesnt talk to the poor people who live next to him, which he should regardless of their politics. Him not doing that demonstrates that he is not a friendly person. I'm not asking him to talk to them "politician to neighbor" but sheesh, he doesnt even talk to them as "neighbor to neighbor."

Oh, and martha, they did a story about this on the O'Reilly factor. They sent a producer to go interview the people who live in the trailor park across the street, and not one of them had anything nice to say about the Senator.

What makes you think he's home all that much? Because he's been seen running in his neighborhood a few times?

C'mon. That's weak. They don't say they hate him. They say they don't know him. Why? Cause he's out there helping run the government!

 

[BVS]

Oh, and martha, they did a story about this on the O'Reilly factor. They sent a producer to go interview the people who live in the trailor park across the street, and not one of them had anything nice to say about the Senator.

The O'Reilly Factor this should have been your red light!!!

If they don't know him, how are they suppose to have anything to say about him? Good or bad?

Someones reaching...

 

[2861U2]

what matters is not whether someone is nice to one's neighbors but whether or not someone actually addresses issues like poverty and homelessness in their stump speeches! it's the POLICIES that matter,

The policies do matter, but they arent all that matter. A person's character is important and they need to live out their policies. How does John Edwards expect us to take him seriously when he says that he cares about the poor when he doesnt seem to care about the poor people closest to him? They need to back up their statements with actions. Otherwise, someone could say whatever they wanted, however outlandish, and win the presidency. Same rule applies to the global warming nuts who take private jets and live in huge mansions. I cant take seriously a thing they say.

Doesnt matter though. Edwards doesnt have prayer.

 

[phillyfan26]

The policies do matter, but they arent all that matter. A person's character is important and they need to live out their policies. How does John Edwards expect us to take him seriously when he says that he cares about the poor when he doesnt seem to care about the poor people closest to him? They need to back up their statements with actions. Otherwise, someone could say whatever they wanted, however outlandish, and win the presidency. Same rule applies to the global warming nuts who take private jets and live in huge mansions. I cant take seriously a thing they say.

Doesnt matter though. Edwards doesnt have prayer.

So instead of having policies and trying to help the poor in the government, you'd prefer he skip out on being senator and chat with his neighbors all the time?

Nothing you are saying has anything to do with his character. He's got a job, a relatively important one, and a time-consuming one. Maybe you forgot. Or maybe you're ignroing that.

 

[Irvine511]

The policies do matter, but they arent all that matter. A person's character is important and they need to live out their policies. How does John Edwards expect us to take him seriously when he says that he cares about the poor when he doesnt seem to care about the poor people closest to him? They need to back up their statements with actions. Otherwise, someone could say whatever they wanted, however outlandish, and win the presidency. Same rule applies to the global warming nuts who take private jets and live in huge mansions. I cant take seriously a thing they say.

Doesnt matter though. Edwards doesnt have prayer.

that's fine. you want simplicity.

just don't cry about the "American Idolization" of politics any longer. if you want image, then image is all you get.

 

[melon]

that's fine. you want simplicity.

just don't cry about the "American Idolization" of politics any longer. if you want image, then image is all you get.

Americans, statistically, vote on image anyway. It's probably why we have ended up with a long string of lazy and/or terrible politicians.

 

[2861U2]

that's fine. you want simplicity.

just don't cry about the "American Idolization" of politics any longer. if you want image, then image is all you get.

Why is judging a person's character and personal behavior a bad thing? I'm not asking him to have a conversation with his neighbors and have it be nationally broadcast. I want to see Edwards be a good person and a friendly guy and introduce himself to the people around him. Until he does, his crusades for the poor and unnoticed will be just that- unnoticed.

I do not care about image though. If I did, I'd be jumping on the Obama bandwagon and voting for him because he is young and black. As it is now, I'm going to be voting for Giuliani or Thompson or McCain- a bunch of old, bald guys.

You're confusing image with character.

 

[BVS]

The policies do matter, but they arent all that matter. A person's character is important and they need to live out their policies. How does John Edwards expect us to take him seriously when he says that he cares about the poor when he doesnt seem to care about the poor people closest to him? They need to back up their statements with actions. Otherwise, someone could say whatever they wanted, however outlandish, and win the presidency. Same rule applies to the global warming nuts who take private jets and live in huge mansions. I cant take seriously a thing they say.

You don't know the actual scenario of him and his neighbors so get off it. There are many neighborhoods and communities throughout the nation where people don't know their neighbors... who cares? I guarantee you, you won't always know yours, some scenarios are set up different than others, plus add the fact that this man is probably home very little.

Do you hold the same priniciples for all the right wing Christian hypocrites? The ones who want to screw the poor, quick to wage war, and are the first to judge? If so that's more than half your base.

 

[BVS]

I do not care about image though. If I did, I'd be jumping on the Obama bandwagon and voting for him because he is young and black. As it is now, I'm going to be voting for Giuliani or Thompson or McCain- a bunch of old, bald guys.

You're confusing image with character.

 

[melon]

Why is judging a person's character and personal behavior a bad thing? I'm not asking him to have a conversation with his neighbors and have it be nationally broadcast. I want to see Edwards be a good person and a friendly guy and introduce himself to the people around him. Until he does, his crusades for the poor and unnoticed will be just that- unnoticed.

I do not care about image though. If I did, I'd be jumping on the Obama bandwagon and voting for him because he is young and black. As it is now, I'm going to be voting for Giuliani or Thompson or McCain- a bunch of old, bald guys.

You're confusing image with character.

"Image," in the context of this conversation, has little to do with superficial characteristics. It has everything to do with someone "looking presidential" or pulling gimmicky PR stunts that, beyond the surface, have nothing to do with potential presidential performance.

Bitching about Edwards' relationship with his next door neighbor? That has nothing to do with how he might perform as president, and, as such, has everything to do with "image."

 

[Irvine511]

Why is judging a person's character and personal behavior a bad thing? I'm not asking him to have a conversation with his neighbors and have it be nationally broadcast. I want to see Edwards be a good person and a friendly guy and introduce himself to the people around him. Until he does, his crusades for the poor and unnoticed will be just that- unnoticed.

I do not care about image though. If I did, I'd be jumping on the Obama bandwagon and voting for him because he is young and black. As it is now, I'm going to be voting for Giuliani or Thompson or McCain- a bunch of old, bald guys.

You're confusing image with character.

honey, "character" is nothing more than a politically manufactured image.

 

[phillyfan26]

You're confusing image with character.

You're confusing Bill O'Reilly character with real character.

 

[martha]

I want to see Edwards be a good person and a friendly guy and introduce himself to the people around him. Until he does, his crusades for the poor and unnoticed will be just that- unnoticed.

Only you could make this sentence make any sense at all. He doesn't talk to the guy who owns 42 acres next to him, the guy who brandishes a gun at trespassers, and somehow you think he doesn't give a shit about poor people?!? Have you looked at your beloved Republican guys on the "poor and unnoticed" front at all? How do they stack up here?

I do not care about image though.

Dude, most of your postings are all about how crappy the "image" of a particular Democrat is.

 

[martha]

You're confusing Bill O'Reilly character with real character.

Or confusing that whackjob with a real journalist.

 

[diamond]

Is Edwards phony?

Bitching about Edwards' relationship with his next door neighbor? That has nothing to do with how he might perform as president, and, as such, has everything to do with "image."

Well perhaps this would be a pertinent article, this journalist assigned to cover Edwards shares his observations on Edwards and Dean and how they contrast:

Why I see John Edwards as a big phony

By BRAD WARTHEN - Editorial Page Editor

MONTHS ago, I observed on my blog that I think John Edwards is a phony — a make-believe Man of The People.

It’s not so much that he’s lying when he says he wants to help One America — the Deserving Poor, whom he wants to vote for him — get what it has coming to it from the Other America (that of the Really Rich, to which he disarmingly admits he belongs). I think he believes it. But I don’t, and here’s why:

Strike One: Sept. 16, 2003. The candidate was supposed to appear on a makeshift stage on Greene Street in front of the Russell House.

He was supposed to arrive at 4 p.m., but it was past 5 before he showed. When his appearance was imminent, his wife appeared on the stage and built expectation in a manner I found appealing and sincere. Then I saw Mr. Edwards step to an offstage position just behind the bleachers to my left. None of the folks in the “good” seats could see him.

His face was impassive, slack, bored: Another crowd, another show. Nothing wrong with that — just a professional at work.

But then, I saw the thing that stuck with me: As his introduction reached its climax, he straightened, and turned on a thousand-watt smile as easily and artificially as flipping a switch. He assumed the look of a man who had just, quite unexpectedly, run into a long-lost best friend. He stepped into view of the crowd at large, and worked his way, Bill Clinton-like, from the back of the crowd toward the stage — a man of the people, coming out from among the people — shaking hands with the humble, grateful enthusiasm of a poor soul who had just won the Irish Sweepstakes.

It was so well done, but so obviously a thing of art, that I was taken aback despite three decades of seeing politicians at work.

Not enough for you? OK.

Strike Two: Jan. 23, 2004. Seeking our support in the primary he would win 11 days later, he came to an interview with The State’s editorial board.

He was all ersatz-cracker bonhomie, beginning by swinging his salt-encrusted left snowboot onto the polished boardroom table, booming, “How do y’all like my boots?” He had not, it seemed, had time to change footwear since leaving New Hampshire.

The interview proceeded according to script, a lot of aw-shucking, smiling, showing of genuine concern, and warm expressions of determination to close the gap between the Two Americas. Then he left, and I didn’t think much more about it, until a week later.

On the 30th, Howard Dean came in to see us for the second time. Again, I was struck by how personable he was, so unlike his screamer image. I rode down on the elevator with him afterward, along with my administrative assistant and another staffer who was a real Dean fan (but, worse luck for Gov. Dean, not a member of our board). I paused to watch him take his time to greet everyone in our foyer — treating each person who wanted to shake his hand as every bit as important as any editorial board member, if not more so. I remarked upon it.

“Isn’t he a nice man?” said our copy editor (the fan). I agreed. Then came the revelation: “Unlike John Edwards,” observed the administrative assistant. What’s that? It seems that when she alone had met then-Sen. Edwards at the reception desk, she had been struck by the way he utterly ignored the folks in our customer service department and others who had hoped for a handshake or a word from the Great Man. He had saved all his amiability, all his professionally entertaining energy and talent, for the folks upstairs who would have a say in the paper’s endorsement.

At that moment, my impression acquired stony bulwarks of Gothic dimensions.

Strike Three: Sept. 22, 2004. I dropped by a reception held for then-vice-presidential nominee Edwards at the Capital City Club that afternoon. I had stuffed my press credentials into my pocket after arrival so as to mix freely with the high-rollers and hear what they had to say. (They knew who I was, but the stuffy types who want writers to stand like cattle behind barriers did not.) Good thing, too, because there was plenty of time to kill, and there’s no more informative way to slaughter it than with the sort of folks whom candidates want to meet at such receptions.

It was well past the candidate’s alleged time of arrival, but no one seemed to mind. Then a prominent Democrat who lives in a fashionable downtown neighborhood confided we’d be waiting even longer. We all knew the candidate had a more public appearance at Martin Luther King Park before this one, and no one begrudged him such face time with real voters. But this particular insider knew something else: He had bided his own time because he had seen Sen. Edwards go jogging in front of his house, along with his security detail, after the time that the MLK event was to have started.

As reported in The State the next day: “Edwards was running late, and the throng waiting to rally with him at Martin Luther King Jr. Park took notice. They sat for two hours in the sweltering heat inside the community center, a block off Five Points.”

We were cool at the club, drinking, schmoozing, snacking. So he’s late? What are these folks going to do — write checks for the Republicans?

But my impression had been reinforced with steel girders: John Edwards, Man of The People, is a phony. And until I see an awful lot of stunning evidence to the contrary, that impression is not likely to change.

 

[CTU2fan]

The policies do matter, but they arent all that matter. A person's character is important and they need to live out their policies. How does John Edwards expect us to take him seriously when he says that he cares about the poor when he doesnt seem to care about the poor people closest to him? They need to back up their statements with actions. Otherwise, someone could say whatever they wanted, however outlandish, and win the presidency. Same rule applies to the global warming nuts who take private jets and live in huge mansions. I cant take seriously a thing they say.

So you're saying Edwards is a hypocrite? So what does that make GWB the warhawk, who saw how much combat again?

C'mon, the whole "rich hypocritical liberal" thing has been done to death. Conservatives love it. You do realize it's just the old formulaic "Why doesn't Bono give all HIS money to the poor Africans if he cares so much" argument used against Edwards (or any other Democrat/liberal) right? Everyone says actions speak louder than words, but sometimes words really do speak louder. I don't need Edwards (or HRC, or Dennis Kucinich, or whoever) to come hang out in the hood to "prove" they care about poverty. They can do more for me & my kids politically than they can by sharing a beer on my front step to make me feel good.

I'm guessing you don't know many poor folks if you really think they care about this. We have lots of buddies...what I need from my politicians is for them to make sure my kids are getting as good an education as the rich kids get.

 

[BVS]

Re: Is Edwards phony?

Well perhaps this would be a pertinent article, this journalist assigned to cover Edwards shares his observations on Edwards and Dean and how they contrast:

Why I see John Edwards as a big phony

By BRAD WARTHEN - Editorial Page Editor

So no one else runs late every once in awhile or has a bad day where they have to fake a smile?

What a waste of an article...