Fare Thee Well, John Edwards. You Are Already Missed.

Today is a sad day in American politics. The most progressive, and arguably the strongest, candidate has left the race. The mainstream media has achieved its goal of a two-candidate race on the left (and are one step closer to getting their way on the right). Yet again, the American people are denied the true opportunity to choose their leader in a fair election. I have always been interested in politics, but John Edwards is the first candidate who moved me to act. He made me want to get up and spread his message to everyone I saw. I am deeply saddened today because the flame in this election has gone out.

John Edwards is the candidate of the people, but he is also the candidate of principle. His mission is to put the government back into the hands and service of the people. He is dedicated to lift up the people who need it most and bring conscience back into government. He truly believes in strengthening the middle class by strengthening our government. He has the bold initiatives and progressive ideas for health care, education, and corporate reform. He is not afraid to act for what is right and to live his life as an example of the American dream.

He is also highly principled, and unfortunately, that may have ultimately led to his exit. John Edwards does not accept money from lobbyists or special interests. He believes in the grassroots nature of American politics. The only people he indebted himself to are the American people. However, without the special interest money and backing, he couldn’t run the $100 million campaign that is required these days.

And then there is the problem of the media and corporations. They all knew that John Edwards would hold them responsible for their actions. They knew that Edwards would work to break up the monopolies that are breaking the American people. He scared them, so they actively worked against him. I’m no conspiracy theorist, but the blatant disregard for the campaign of John Edwards was astonishing. The mainstream media refused to cover him, refused to put his message and candidacy out to the people. The American people were kept from knowing their biggest advocate.

Earlier in this race I thought that Edwards didn’t need the media to win. I believed so strongly in his message that I thought others would catch on and throw their support to him. I believed that the people would recognize the importance of this election and of choosing the strongest candidate. For seven years we have been suffering the backlash of the “corporate candidate” and of the “media favorite.” We have seen the detrimental results of ambivalence. I was dad wrong. I completely underestimated the determination of the mainstream media to willfully direct the course of this election.

In the back of my mind, I know that there is something greater at work (maybe this is denial, maybe it is hope). I have to believe that Edwards would not pull out so close to Super Tuesday without knowing that something greater is in the works. I am grateful that he has not sold out his supporters for a gamble with another candidate. That may be politics, but it is not John Edwards. Besides, there is no guarantee that any of us will support any of the other candidates in the primary. I have already cast my absentee ballot, and John will be receiving my vote. I do believe that we will see more of John Edwards in the next Democratic administration.

But now we turn our attention to John Edwards’ final task: “One America, one America that works for everybody.” I will fully support the Democratic nominee because I believe that this election is still about ideas. It is still about making America a better place. We have strong Democratic candidates who are dedicated to reversing the Republican downfall that has stricken this country. Now, no one is perfect, so we will have to compromise. But, that is what “One America” is all about. We must out our differences aside and come together for a greater purpose. And we must not let the mainstream media steamroll us any longer. We are smarter and we are stronger, but we can only win if we unite.

How The Mighty Are Falling

Has it really come to this? Is the Democratic Party, aided by the mainstream media, going to implode before the general election? Why have we let ourselves get caught up this media frenzy? Honestly, I have mostly ignored the Clinton/Obama fray. In part, it has to do with the fact that I am an Edwards supporter. I don’t make a point of reading anything that these candidates do or say that is outside of the scope of the issues. But, more importantly, I believe that people should not let themselves get drawn down into this media frenzy. It is petty and it does not add to the election process. It actually detracts from the professionalism and electability of the Democratic Party in the general election and it needs to stop. In today’s polls, McCain is leading Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. This is not where we need to be, and it’s all of our faults.

Why are people so unwilling to compromise? Specifically, Obama supporters. It has been shown that likely Hillary Clinton voters would vote for Obama, but the reverse is not true. Why? This idea is absurd and irritating, and it has a hint of reverse racism to it. Many of the Clinton detractors use extremely offensive and racist language when describing her. Where were these protests when she was First Lady and Bill was President? When you look at the three remaining Democratic candidates, you will see that not much separates their positions. When you look at the way our government is supposed to work, you will see that a President cannot single handedly run this country (note that I said “supposed to”). So then, what we need is a candidate who will direct Congress, lead the country, and act diplomatically abroad. All of the Democratic candidates are capable of fulfilling this role. The personal preference is in the details, and as we all know, details are subject to change.

Why are African Americans so firm in the idea of “Obama or bust”? There seems to be some sort of idea that Obama is entitled to the nomination because he is black, or at least this is how I interpret their comments. I have a hard time believing that people who are so mobilized to vote in the primary would just abandon the general election. I have a hard time believing that people would be so selfish in such an important election. Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t the Republicans done more that enough damage in the past seven years? How could a supporter of Obama believe that a vote for a Republican, or no vote at all, would be better for America?

Will John Edwards be the beneficiary of this bickering? It’s interesting that for the first time, a white male is at a disadvantage in an election. The media frenzy surrounds the successful minority candidates, but it also drags them down. As Clinton and Obama continue to bicker, Edwards is gaining independent and crossover support, simply because he looks increasingly like the only adult in the room. And it has nothing to do with looks. It has everything to do with attitude. Of course, having the strong message doesn’t hurt. We need a president with attitude to stand up to special interests and those that have systematically driven this country further right.

So here’s my bottom line: This race is about restoring America. It is about Iraq, the economy, education, protecting the Constitution and our personal rights. It is not about race or gender. Unfortunately, some people just can’t let that go. They continue to bring up these issues and perpetuate racism and sexism. To me, the white male candidate is the best not just because he has the best ideas, but because he has risen above the despicable bickering. And to all those that continue to sling mud in the form of racism and sexism: “Stop. It makes you look bad.”

The Color of Hope

What is the one thing every American child grows up learning? Any one can grow up to be President. Over time, though, we learn that’s not exactly true. "Anyone" technically means American-born citizens (sorry, Arnold). And, up to this point, every president has been a privileged, white male.

What do minorities grow up believing they actually can be? Most don’t have visions of investment bankers or doctors dancing through their heads. Instead, they have images of diamonds and dollars. They want to be Rappers or Running Backs. Those are the options for many minorities. And this is constantly reinforced through a mix of popular culture and reality. But, with the grim statistics of the business world, who wouldn’t want to be famous?

According to 2002 census figures, black men still earn roughly 25 percent less than their white counterparts who have the same level of education. Specifically, the median income for a black man with a high school diploma was $27,224 in 2002, compared to $35,738 for whites. For those with higher educations, the discrepancy is even wider. The median income for a black man with a master's degree was 27 percent less than his white counterpart: $50,763 for blacks versus $69,655 for whites.

And, discrimination doesn’t stop at the paycheck. Many people discriminate without even realizing they’re doing it. Here’s one example (and I’m not making this up): Six weeks into my freshman year at the US Naval Academy, midterm grades came out. Each student has to meet with their superior officer to discuss their grades. Being the outstanding student that I am, I had earned 3.5 and was quite proud of it. So, I sit down with the superior officer, he pulls my grades up on the computer, and says “Wow! You’re actually really smart!” I was shocked. Was this man mentally ill? This is the Naval Academy, not a shopping mall. I had applied, along with everyone else, and was accepted. But, because of my minority status, some people automatically assumed that I was not as capable as my white male counterparts.

And now we come to this historic time. Barak Obama is really a black man. He is very capable and he is running for President of the United States. Every black and brown person should run out and vote for him because he represents the culmination of the Civil Rights movement, right?

In my opinion, this is the wrong attitude. Simply because someone is of a certain race does not mean that they bring any more hope or change than any other candidate. Barak Obama is a great and ambitious man. He is also a privileged man. He graduated from Columbia and Harvard. These are great accomplishments and should be regarded as such. But, has he overcome the struggle that is rampant among so many minority communities? Absolutely not.

If people actually look past the surface of the candidates, they will see that John Edwards is the candidate that has the humble roots. I’m sure you’ve heard it many times, but it’s true; John Edwards is the son of a mill worker. He worked his way through state schools in pursuit of his law degree. John Edwards is a self-made man. He is a prime example of hope and the American dream. Hope does not have a color. Hope is not about race. Hope is a feeling. One can only bring hope if they have the personal experience. John Edwards is that candidate.

The Man With The Plan

Money. Media. History. All of these factors have people prematurely counting John Edwards out of the Democratic presidential nomination race. But, when you look at the field, John Edwards should be leading the pack, not fighting for attention.

John Edwards is the only candidate who has detailed his plan to provide health care to all Americans. He is not afraid to take on the big pharmaceutical and insurance companies in the effort to make health care affordable. Where the other candidates are vague and rhetorical, John Edwards is specific. He has outlined corporate responsibility, personal responsibility, funding, and a time frame. His plan will also eliminate wasteful spending that is hurting so many Americans in the fight for health care.

John Edwards has also strengthened his position on Iraq. He doesn’t make excuses about voting for the war, but he has learned from he previous positions. Edwards isn’t a flip-flopper or a hypocrite, but someone that has learned from the past. He knows that there is no military solution and has admitted that we must leave sooner rather than later. Edwards knows that reducing troop levels raises security concerns, but the Iraqi people must take part in the restoration of their nation. And again, Edwards has detailed his plan to restore America’s military power and regain the trust of the international community. Obama may have opposed the war from the beginning, but because he was not a US Senator, he never had to vote on the issue.

Edwards has a stronger, more specific stance on the issues than the other Democratic candidates, yet the media continue to push him aside. Sure, Clinton and Obama are running historic races in their bids for the presidency, but Edwards is not one to be ignored. Unfortunately, that’s just what happened after the Iowa caucuses. Between the accolades for Obama’s “win”, the dissections of Hillary’s “loss”, Edwards was practically ignored. His second place finish should have been the headline story.

Here is a campaign that is operating on a fraction of the budget than those of Clinton or Obama, yet has a strong enough message to edge out the media “front runners.” How did he do it? Because he cuts through the circus and the hype. Clinton and Obama are counting on the fact that their minority status will convince voters that they can bring change. However, the people that aren’t influenced by appearances know that changing the outside won’t necessarily change the inside.

John Edwards is the man with the plan. He can bring positive changes to America. He might not be the biggest story of this election cycle, but he is the most solid candidate. So, when you look at your choices, look past the media hype and the money. Look at the message. When you do, you will see that John Edwards is the best choice for Democratic Presidential nominee.


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