Edwards (D-NC): "This president will never use Ronald Reagan as an example."

[jackson_dem]

-snip-

The former North Carolina senator criticized Obama specifically for referring to Ronald Reagan as an agent of change in a newspaper interview. “I would never use Ronald Reagan as an example of change,” Edwards said. “You think about what Ronald Reagan did, to America, the American people, to the middle class, to working people. He was openly, openly intolerant of unions and the right to organize."

“I could promise you this,” Edwards said. “This president will never use Ronald Reagan as an example.”

-snip-

Later, Edwards called on a woman who complained that the “Eastern media” was acting like he wasn’t in the race. “Please, let the Eastern people know, the reason we’re in the West, the reason we’re doing this caucus, is to not count out people and have a coronation,” she said. “Don’t let them take your voice away cause you’re our voice.”

Edwards responded by saying the coverage is “remarkable.” “We’ve learned, whether it’s in a focus group … or any time I get in front of voters, people respond powerfully to the energy and the passion and the heartfelt ideas that I’m talking about,” he said. “I think you’re right. I think it’s time to call these people on it.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/17/585313.aspx

[jefferson_dem]

1. Never...again maybe.

He already did, at least once.

[jackson_dem]

4. Wrong there

Reagan never did that. Ask his big fan the next time you see him. ;)

[jefferson_dem]

29. You Johnny did, silly.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4096494&mesg_id=4096533

[jackson_dem]

32. I thought you meant the war

Apples and oranges. Everyone praises the bipartisan Cold War effort. Obama thinks Reagan as president did some good domestically. That is unique among our candidates.

Obama's book:

Pages 156-157

"The conservative revolution Reagan helped usher in gained traction because Reagan's central insight--that the liberal welfare state had grown complacent and overly bureaucratic, with Democratic policy makers more obsessed with slicing the economic pie than with growing he pie--contained a good deal of truth."

He makes the argument the DLC made about the size, role of government. When people talk of expanding the pie rather than slicing it they are using smokescreens for talking about cutting back on social programs.

Obama thinks Reagan "corrected" some of the liberal "problems" of the 60's and 70's. Which ones?

[Cant trust em]

30. I love how jefferson_dem and jackson_dem are duking it out

Is this a set up?

[OzarkDem]

2. Thanks, John!

I love the way he's taking on the news media. If they start covering his campaign, its all over for Clinton and Obama.

[Politicub]

3. Give 'em Hell, John!

What a pitch perfect response to Obama's evoking Reagan.

[Cant trust em]

5. Someone's been reading up on DU

[jackson_dem]

6. Edwards embraces the netroots. It beats bashing us or scolding us like another candidate

[hayu_lol]

16. Edwards will promise almost anything...

his campaign has been one of 'a chicken in every pot and a model T in every barn. He is anti-corporate, except that he has a personal investment of 16 million in Fortress Lenders(subprime)and further, a corp that is based OFFSHORE in the Cayman Islands. Oh yeah John...thats a Do as I say, not as I do sorta thing.

For the working man: NC is a Right To Work state. You get a union job, you don't have to join the union to work at those companies. Only about 4% of the workforce in NC is union as a result. John has proposed a minimum wage plan that will keep parity in the present minimum wage for ordinary workers. By the time his plan reaches its highest point--9.75/hr, the more progressive states will have a minimum wage of 12/hr or more. Too little John and definitely too late.

John is essentially to inexperienced to know that of all that he promises, he can actually deliver almost none of those promises.

[redqueen]

24. I'd rather vote for someone who promises us a real healthcare system

than candidates who promise us that they'll mandate health insurance coverage.

[Cant trust em]

28. I like the self-reflection

If you're not into pointing out some of our own party's foibles, I have to ask, are you happy with the direction that Pelosi/Reid have taken us?

[dogman]

7. But Elizabeth used Jesse Helms.

And the comparison was to JRE.

[Xipe Totec]

8. That's a dishonest quote

The actual quote is:

"I can promise you this: this president will never use Ronald Reagan as an example for change."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=4095609

[jackson_dem]

11. I caputered the spirit. It won't be "this president" until/if he wins

The actual quote is in the post. The title captures the spirit of his statement.

[Xipe Totec]

12. Do not compound the mistake

partial quotes capture nothing except personal bias.

[Bishop Rook]

13. You captured an entirely different meaning

"as an example of change" -> one example of a person who has made change.
"as an example" -> to be used as a template to follow, in general.

[jackson_dem]

15. Changed

[redqueen]

22. Thank you... edited as it is in the OP, it's fertilizer for more

"But he DID! Look at his quote about foreign policy!" threads.

[FrenchieCat]

9. "Except for when I want to make a point using Ronald Reagan"

For 50 years, presidents from Truman and Dwight Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton built strong alliances and deepened the world's respect for us. We gained that respect by viewing our military strength not as an end in itself but as a means to protect a system of laws and institutions that gave hope to billions across the globe. In avoiding the temptation to rule as an empire, we hastened the fall of a corrupt and evil one in the Soviet Union. The lesson is that we cannot only be warriors; we must be thinkers and leaders as well.


Millions of people imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain silently cheered the day President Reagan declared, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Even if these ordinary men and women did not always agree with our policies, they looked to our president and saw a person -- and a nation -- they could trust. Today, under the current administration, this is no longer the case.

With engagement comes far greater knowledge and the potential for progress and even trust. Presidents Kennedy and Reagan talked with Soviet leaders at the height of the Cold War, in both cases turning back major threats to our national security."
--JOHN EDWARDS, September 2007

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070901faessay86502/john-edwards/reengaging-with-the-world.html

[jackson_dem]

14. He won't use Reagan's example to curb the "excesses" of the 60's and 70's

Obama didn't just use Reagan as an example. He fundamentally agrees with what some of Reagan did.

[depakid]

17. Completely different context

Obama's statements- and the rationale behind them were utterly indefensible. He and his supporters should acknowledge that- the candidate should clarify and apologize and move on... though that doesn't seem to be his pattern whenever people question him.

[jackson_dem]

20. He won't He fundamentally disagrees with progressive on Reagan

From Obama's book:

Pages 156-157

"The conservative revolution Reagan helped usher in gained traction because Reagan's central insight--that the liberal welfare state had grown complacent and overly bureaucratic, with Democratic policy makers more obsessed with slicing the economic pie than with growing he pie--contained a good deal of truth."

He makes the argument the DLC made about the size, role of government. When people talk of expanding the pie rather than slicing it they are using smokescreens for talking about cutting back on social programs.

[depakid]

26. Obama saying things like that are akin to a Labor party leader lauding Thatcher

or John Howard.

Also of note: most of Europe and Canada didn't buy into the Reagan far right myth- or the DLC's Reagan lite.

And how's that working out economically?

Pretty well- if you're a Canadian or a Western Eurpean these days.

[GodlessBiker]

19. He should have known that his own statements would come back at him.

[Bishop Rook]

10. This just in

John Edwards reportedly "shocked," "horrified" at Adolf Hitler's inclusion in Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" list for the year 1938.

Come on, people. You can recognize that Ronald Reagan was an agent of change while still recognizing it was change for the worse.

[tishaLA]

18. The Edwards campaign has already apologized

for this: http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3284

[jackson_dem]

21. Edwards has thrice the class Obama does

[tishaLA]

23. It's unclear to me what Sen Obama has to do with

Sen Edwards' campaign issuing an apology for spreading lies.

[Unsane]

25. People can't be used as examples? WTF

Edwards, God bless him, just blows with the wind.

[Canuckistanian]

27. Bravo!

Our CBC made a recording of every time the Repub candidates used the words "Ronald Reagan" during the Repub Michigan caucus.

It was hilarious.

[pingzing58]

31. Great reponse to our outrage Mr. Edwards.