John Edwards Strikes Out

Election 2008 (USA) Comments (0)

John Edwards announced he was stepping aside, abandoning his run for the Democratic Nomination to be President.

“It is time for me to step aside so that history can blaze its path,” he said. (source)

If you are a supporter of Obama, you might take that to mean that there will be a Black American running for President, possibly winning, If you support Clinton you might take that to mean that Woman will be at the forefront of a race for President, but frankly I think it indirectly refers to Barack Obama more than to Hilary Clinton.

But then I am rather a bit of a wishful thinker, dreamer.

I rather liked John Edwards, he had some good ideas that simply weren’t well publicized, and it does draw some attention to the role that the Media plays into this whole Election Process. I seriously question the ethics of the media during this whole Primary Season. I mean there were so many candidates, with similar but unique policies that never really saw the light of day.

And I wonder why not?

Leading up to Iowa, just how many News Groups bothered to highlight the various candidates? Even from the beginning, the race focused on a select few, specially when it came to the Democratic Field. It was always Hilary This, Hilary That, and yet how often did they talk about Ron Paul, Chris Dodd, Kucinich, Brownback, and the others? It wasn’t like they didn’t have the time, given how early the campaign season started, so why did mainstream media ignore so many of the candidates?

Until Iowa, they also ignored Barack Obama. Almost as if THEY had decided that Clinton should and would be the Nominee.

Even in the big debates early on, the so called ‘second tier‘ candidates rarely got a look in, even people like Governor Richardson. So, in so many ways, it is sad to see a man like John Edwards drop out of the race. His foreign policy made sense, his trade policies certainly make more sense than anything Hilary Clinton has espoused so far, or that the Bush Administration has enacted. Even the current Congress hasn’t come close to addressing the Trade Issue as John Edwards has in this campaign.

Yet where do you get to find out about it?

Unlike Rudy Guiliani, who also quit the campaign today, John Edwards was passionate about his message, about standing up for the little guy, for making a difference. It is reflected in statement by both Obama & Clinton when asked about Edwards dropping out. Yet if you look at the two statements, you get a sense of the differences between them both.

“John Edwards ended his campaign today in the same way he started it — by standing with the people who are too often left behind and nearly always left out of our national debate,” Clinton said in a statement. (source)

“At a time when our politics is too focused on who’s up and who’s down, he made a nation focus again on who matters — the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, the families who live in that other America that is not seen or heard or talked about by our leaders in Washington,” Obama said Wednesday. (source)

Maybe it is me, maybe I am biased, but I don’t think Hilary Clinton gets what John Edwards was about. Her remarks seem like what any survivor would say about a departed contestant, and yet in reading Obama’s, it just sounds more like he does get it. It also is a good swipe at Clinton, indirectly & even unintentionally, maybe.

Clinton’s remarks seem to acknowledge the problem, but keeps it distant from her. It is like there is a problem, but she isn’t part of it, even though she is engaged in that National Debate right now. It is like a disconnect, similar to that America has with George W. Bush. After all, when you are the leading candidate, the inevitable choice not all that long ago, you have the opportunity to lead the debate, to set its course, and yet Hilary Rodham Clinton didn’t seize that opportunity.

Obama on the other hand seems to be coming to grips with it, to at least appear to be willing to explore new ideas. He is a rookie on the National Stage, and at least he is willing to look outside of Washington for the solutions. He does talk MORE about these issues, about how it is about ALL PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER. Unlike Clinton, he doesn’t set PREREQUISITES for negotiations, for discussions.

John Edwards tried to get his message out. He spent the money, yet the media ignored him. Even last night, they ignored him or when they did discuss his campaign, it was more like he would be a ‘king maker‘ in a brokered convention, or hang in to be the third wheel, to drive some sort of back room deal. It wasn’t about his message, but they sure were quick to point out where is support came from, or didn’t.

In all the discussion by the so called pundits on television, how many mentioned John Edwards in any meaningful manner, other than as an after thought? Makes you wonder, just what is it about the Media, that makes them feel they know what is best to report, what isn’t? I mean who gave them that power, that authority over people? Sure, they will claim constraints due to manpower, to resources, but this campaign began over a year ago. They couldn’t find a reporter to tag along with Edwards, to scope out his policies, or those of Chris Dodd? Richardson? Paul? Kucinich?

The airwaves are owned by the people, rented to the various media outlets. Perhaps it is time, that the people reclaimed them, and insisted on some better coverages. I don’t mean endless public relations debates, or grand stand showcases for so called ‘media stars‘ like Wolf Blitzer or Larry King. I mean let’s put up so many minutes per day or week, for candidates to simply discuss their issues, at no cost.

There used to be up here, a weekly free air time, where various political parties could have 5 or so minutes of air time, to air their views. This increased during an election period, and you know, it makes sense. It is after all, our air waves. Today, they charge gazillions for air time, media buys, and yet the people who need to hear it, get nothing but 20 second sound bites.

The loss of John Edwards from this primary season isn’t about money, isn’t about failed dreams at the ballot box, but is about being shut out by the Media. I think it is a travesty, that a man who really has put up a good campaign, is leaving, because the Media failed to give him the same coverage they gave Hilary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, and non candidates like Fred Thompson and oh yeah, let’s not forget the attention they have given to Paris Hilton, & Brittany Spears.

How about all the airtime that Anderson Cooper devoted to the theories about the death of actor Heath Ledger? While it is a loss, perhaps that valuable air time would have been better spent having John Edwards or Sam Brownback discussing their policies, their values, their goals, instead of idle rumor mongering & speculation about an actor’s death? Just a thought, one that the media won’t like, but then it isn’t their opinion that counts, now is it?

I figure if they can cover those two spoiled nut jobs, they can afford to insure that ALL POLITICAL CANDIDATES are given amble opportunity to make their case before the public, AT NO CHARGE.

Ian @ February 1, 2008