Can Edwards be an attack dog?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

That's the traditional role of the VP candidate. But Edwards is such a nice guy. Can he be an attack dog?


He's coming up on Late Edition, let's see...

[billybob537]

1. IMHO

YES I'd love to see John Edwards on the ticket!:yourock:

[Khephra]

2. The idea that Edwards is a nice guy is a myth

He attacks others, but in a "lawyer"ish way. I'm astonished that people think of him as a nice guy, as he attacked other candidates all the time, but people kept on saying he didn't. You have to listen to him carefully, but he does.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. He's not really an nice guy? It's an act?

Surely that's not what you meant.

[Khephra]

11. He may be a "nice guy"

But the idea that he's not an attacker is a myth. I don't know if I'm explaining myself right, but I've always been PO'd when I hear that he doesn't attack others on the left or right as being BS. He does. You just have to listen to him carefully. When he was running against Dean I would constantly read about his "positive campaign", yet I would read it right after I had just heard him attack Dean...he just does it differently than the others...he does it in "lawyer-speak". It's hard to define.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

50. Say it isn't so

+ =

[chimpymustgo]

3. That's part of the beauty. Watch CNN now, he's on.

Edwards can attack, without breaking a sweat, without losing his likeability. Hitting Bush now on the war.

[smiley_glad_hands]

4. All he needs to do is look the people in the eye and tell the truth.

[chimpymustgo]

10. Edwards speaks directly, tells the truth, looks you in the eye.

He just tells the truth, and they think it's hell.

[AP]

5. Which VPs were the attack dogs? Gore?

Gore and Clinton were both nice guys.

Dole was his own attack dog to Kemp's nice guy.

Ford was the nice guy to Nixon's attack dog.

Mondale and Carter were nice guys.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Umm

Ford and Nixon never campaigned together, Ford was appointed. And that epitomizes the inaccuracy of your analysis.

[AP]

13. So VP duties end after the election? Begs question:

who are these good cop bad cop P-VP tandems which prove the theory?

The fact that the two responses to my post fail to give a supporting argument to the thesis epitomizes the problem with the thesis.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

18. You are putting words in my mouth

I never said anything about a good cop bad cop tandem.

I said the traditional role of the VP candidate is as attack dog. You don't agree. Ok, in that case, Edwards doesn't need to be an attack dog.

[Forkboy]

23. If the traditional role of VP is to be an attack dog

which VP's were?

Cheney comes instantly to mind,but that's about it.If there's more,who were they?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

26. I gladly concede my premise was completely flawed.

I was wrong. The vp candidate doesn't need to be an attack dog.

There is no historical precedent for it either, at least none that is worth my time to google for other people, lol.

[Forkboy]

28. fair enough answer

though I dont think it was completely flawed.There may be some historical precedent.And I also would have no problem with an attack dog VP.

[Dr.Phool]

29. Spiro Agnew

Him and his nattering nabobs of negativism. And his effete core of effeminate something or other. William Safires greatest hits.

[Forkboy]

31. there we go!

:thumbsup:

[mot78]

37. Spiro Agnew was the perfect attack dog

He did all of Nixon's dirty work for.

[AP]

43. Nixon didn't need an attack dog. Remember Watergate?

The point was that he was pulling all the strings, making all the decisions.

I can't think of one nasty thing Agnew did for Nixon, and I don't think he played much of a roll in the election, other than creating an appeal for Greeks.

Can anyone think of an example of Agnew attacking for Nixon?

[AP]

44. Nixon didn't need an attack dog. Remember Watergate?

The point was that he was pulling all the strings, making all the decisions.

I can't think of one nasty thing Agnew did for Nixon, and I don't think he played much of a roll in the election, other than creating an appeal for Greeks.

Can anyone think of an example of Agnew attacking for Nixon?

[tishaLA]

9. Ford was the nice guy to Nixon's attack dog?

But they didn't run together, did they?

[AP]

12. Begs the question: who are the attack dog VPs to nice Ps?

[tishaLA]

16. Well, some say Kemp was pretty nasty himself.

He just did it with an ex-jock's sensibility and the rhetoric of an emergent "compassionate conservatism." Dole had mastered his Darth Vader persona by then and anyone would make him look sunny.

[AP]

19. Kemp was the football hero happy guy.

Dole was defnintely the bad cop in that duo, and that was a problem.

They would have been doing better if they had two good cops.

[tishaLA]

24. I personally think they had two bad cops

but you're free to disagree with me.

At any rate, I don't know that the VP candidate has to be an attack dog. My initial post concerned the Ford/Nixon snafu. That's all.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

17. You are adding the 'nice President' part.

I never said anything about that. I said attack dog is the traditional role of the VP candidate. And I would advance virtually every one with the exception of Jim Stockdale, I guess, as an example.


Ok, you disagree with my premise. Sorry, I guess that makes the question moot for you.

[AP]

20. Gore was an attack dog?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

25. If you don't want to talk about whether Edwards is an effective attacker

fine.


I'll gladly concede your point, my premise is flawed, the vp candidate doesn't need to be an attack dog.

You win.

[AP]

27. Trial lawyer. I think he always wins his arguments. I don't think

he does it by, uhm, "attacking."

I think Gore helped Clinton win his argument about himself.

[Sandpiper]

6. Edwards was a trial lawyer

You bet he can an attack dog. To be as successful a trial lawyer as he was, you have to be equal parts charming and ruthless.

I have no doubt that he'd run rings around Dick Cheney in Veep debate.

[fearnobush]

14. Edwards knows the fine art of getting under the skin of an opponant.

I actually felt the freeper blood boil as Edwards, on the GOP Wolf CNN show, tore up * on his handling of Iraq with no UN international or NATO support and how now, * "kinking and screaming" is finally attempting that route.

Edwards would do fine work in this roll. He's not the angry attack attack type , which is much better because he assaults with a smile and the media whores like that.

[Darkamber]

32. Also..about Republicans...

this type of attacking doesn't anger them. He doesn't make it feel as though he is attacking. There's nothing that can turn a group against you then attack the leaders of that group with tons of negs.

Edwards does it in a way that leaves you wondering..."Maybe he's right. Hey...he's not so bad for Democrat."

And personally, I think that is what we need to win in Nov. The ABB will vote for Kerry anyway. It's the other groups that we need to grab and maybe Edwards can grab them with his style.

[Gothmog]

15. You do not have to be Nasty to attack someone

Senator Edwards is a trial attorney and one of the most effective ways of tearing someone up is to do so in a very polite and professional manner.

Senator Edwards could easily take the point on the hard positions and get these position across without being nasty or unprofessional.

[AP]

21. What matters isn't your apparent demeanor, but whether you get

your point accross, and you don't have to be mean to win an argument.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. I was disappointed in his statement on the June 30th handover

instead of attacking by pointing out that it is an arbitrary, politically chosen date, and questioning the legitmacy of whoever it is we not really handing decision making power to, he said it was important to go through with it.

[patricia92243]

30. He will the best "iron fist in a velvet glove". Can he help Kerry win?

He really has no experience in war or in handling the budget. So, I'm not sure what he could really add to the ticket.

[AP]

34. I'd rather have a candidate with an opinion about taxes and

middle class opporutnity which could result in a budget easier to balance (because it creates an economy which produces more wealth) than a candidate with, uhm, 'budget experience' who, say, doesn't understand the first thing about progressive taxation, or the role of the government in leveling playing fields and increasing opporutnities from people born with few opporutnities (and the wealth-producing effects of government invesment in the infrastructure).

As for experience with war, I'll take Lincolns and Clintons over Eisenhowers and Grants any day.

[VOX]

33. The best kind - he's very engaging as he rips into a pant leg...

and won't let go.

This is a formidable quality, to be able to tear into an opponent, make the salient points, and yet come off as a nice guy nearly all the time.

No one can gripe that he's mean-spirited, cruel, etc.

[FrenchieCat]

35. Sorry,

But based on what I saw on Wolf Blitzer, I didn't see an attack dog who wouldn't let go. I also didn't hear anything about Iraq from Edwards' mouth that would enlightened anyone. The question was asked...the response typical.

Kerry's doing fine with the economic issues. That's not where he needs assistance from a VP.

I will say that John Edwards is cute in a soft teeny bopper sort of way. But Kerry has no problems getting the women's vote on his own. It's the male vote that he has a problem with......

"but support from women is not Kerry's biggest problem. Closing the male side of the gender gap is." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4863243/

[surfermaw]

36. Well then Edwards is your man, men like Edwards.

He is a man's kind of man. My husband spotted him first in his race for the Senate spot in North Carolina, and said that guy is going to win and that my friends before most in North Carolina knew there was a John Edwards. I understand that the Court Houses in N.C would fill with men when he was trying a case.

[FrenchieCat]

38. I too spotted Edwards......

Long ago, way before he even announced that he would run....I also saw Edwards and thought...Hey, that guy could be President!(I am a woman).

Later, I also read a WAPO article about him and in this wonderful article was the story of his son .....I actually cried....which is extremely rare!

Problem is Edwards changed my mind when he opened his mouth and I started paying attention to what was coming out of it. Unfortunately, the imagery (of him making a good president)didn't match the rethoric and how it was delivered.

Sorry.....but that was my impression of Edwards....looks good for the job but that's about it. I made that determination way way before Clark came into the race...when I was initially shopping the candidates.

Telling me what your husband says is just not the kind of evidence that will make me convinced that Edwards can wrap up the votes we need with Nascar Dads (maybe with soccer moms...yes..although my understanding is that they have become Security Moms....and I don't see anything in Edwards background that would sell them other than a pretty face).

A former Personal Injury lawyer Junior Senator ain't necessarily going to light up the Nascar Dads and make them pull the lever for Kerry, IMO. Now a General? Well I can see them going for Kerry with the "He's got a real General on the ticket with him" ...as opposed to voting for the Bush Machismo Myth. You see the Nascar Dads have to be given a reason to dump Bush and go for Kerry. Edwards is not that missing link.

[wishlist]

39. Don't underestimate Edwards' toughness

His wife has said because of his nice guy image, people may not realize just how strong minded and tough he really is. I agree.
I live in N.C. and think he can help with veterans and NRA votes and stand up against the smear machine. He has positioned himself for years as solid and not a flip-flopper or wimp .

[newyawker99]

46. Hi wishlist!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[FrenchieCat]

52. That Media persona

will be picked to taters....like him not accepting any pro-bono cases. The fact that his dad was a Republican Mill Manager for most of his career...his questionable fundraising methods during the primaries.......the fact that he has no experience during a time of war means he is of no advantage to John Kerry in shoring up that flank that leaves Kerry weak. Cuteness and charisma (mainly media induced...and they'll take it away as easily as they gave it)ain't going to suffice in helping John Kerry against an incumbent Wartime President.

By the time the media gets through attacking Edwards (since they never really got to that).....there won't be a dog left.

We will need a vaccuum cleaner to pick up those pieces!

[markm]

40. Pretty boy makes for poor attack dog

He just looks too nice.

Just think about all those ambulance chaser commercials we'll see if Edwards is on the ticket. Yikes!

[Darkamber]

48. Why do you think this this?

I can't remember in the past when the ads were all directed at the VP choice. Also, Edwards has faced that form of attack before and was able to counter it without any problem.

Second question, why does looking nice make him unable to attack. He puts people off with his looks. My family are republicans. Most of my friends are republicans. I'm the wayward child of my family. Of everyone out there of the Democrats they like Edwards.

Infact, that is a bonus because those swing republicans are the votes that we need. We can't win this with only Democrats. You don't win people over by calling their leader a liar. You win them over by showing a different and better option. I think Edwards does this well without going for the throat. Kerry attacks enough. Edwards does it, but in a manner that almost makes you want to smile with him as he does it. You don't come off being angery at Democrats when he's done.

Dont' under estimate this skill. Many republicans are pissed with Bush. They want someone to vote for besides Bush. Edwards on the ticket might pull them over to our side.

[dolstein]

41. Edwards wields a stilletto, not a sledgehammer

Edwards isn't an attack dog. He's a charmer. He can make people feel good about voting for him, as opposed to making them feel bad about the other guy. Of course, I'm not sure even Edwards can charm people into liking John Kerry. But hey, if Edwards can't, nobody can.

[Maccagirl]

42. They don't call him "The Silk Assassin"

for nothing. I do feel that his good looks actually work against him sometimes. I think he'd be a fine V.P., but Clark would be Da Bomb.

[JNelson6563]

45. I didn't see Late Edition but I'd say yes

I'll bet Edwards could be a real hard ass. One needn't be crass. I've seen Dick Durbin leave a bloody mess on the Senate floor without raising his voice or any name calling.

One of those "eight places to beat a man and not leave a mark" kinda things. ;-)

Julie

[blindpig]

47. you don't become a megabuck trial lawyer

without being able to draw blood. That and the decidedly populist tone of his campaign work for me.

[John_H]

49. Sure he can. The question is whether Edwards scalpel beats Cheney's axe

Edwards attacks his opponents surgically, making little cuts that bleed them to death. Uncle Dick, in the patented Rethug method, hacks at you with an axe.

One of the reason I like Clark slightly better than Edwards is that Clark will rip that hatchet out of Cheney's hands and metaphorically rip him limb from limb.

[citizen snips]

51. Edwards proved himself time after time in court.

Old man Chaney will not stand a chance.

[Carolinian]

53. Edwards is the Silk Assassin

The Grand Master of Finesse.
He's so good even his opponents are in awe of him.
He can handle toughness better than anyone out there without strong arming, which is where Bush & military leaders such as Clark fall short.

[FrenchieCat]

54. Yea.....Edwards...

is so smooth, the media has to sell him every minute of the day...and still, he ain't passing mustard.

Please....he's a "silk Assassin" in what way, may I ask? And who exactly is in awe? you, maybe.

Please provide a tape link or transcript where Edwards is smoothly assassinating someone. Please do.

What I saw, during the primaries up to this day, is the media working overtime to promote Edwards. Never have yet laid a glove on him. Guess they are hoping that sheeples listen to the media drones and buy into the "just like Clinton" claims....

Edwards is a "smooth Assassin" ...and would Kill us if he got the VP nod.

I can picture it now. Not only do we have John Kerry, Senator, former Prosecutor...but now it will be double John, Double Senator, double attorney.....Double Iraq yes vote, double no on the 87 billion dollars....but not double national security, the area that Kerry lags in the polls. Great idea, NOT!

Ain't nobody gonna vote Kerry cause Edwards is cute and a populist. NPR program today was talking about how Kerry DOES NOT WANT TO be identified as a populist. Already has got the LIBERAL label hanging on him......said he wants to show large corporation that he is not the enemy.

It's just not a good match.......Kerry Edwards is a losing combo.

[Tweed]

55. Not a chance n\t