<p>Mini–William Howard Taft was elected before the advent of 24-hr-a-day electronic media. He’d NEVER be elected today, do ya think? Nor Teddy Roosevelt, who’s voice was high-pitched and shrill. Nor Franklin Roosevelt–some enterprising reporter thesedays would have figured out early on that FDR was in a wheelchair, thereby rendering him unelectable.</p>
<p>Hey, we elected GWB - twice! - now that should tell you somethun. ;)</p>
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<p>Personally, I can’t get past the nature of his ambulance chasing personal injury legal career.</p>
<p>No, Mini. We only elected him once. The other time he was “appointed.” The only explanation I have is that enough dim-witted voters thought he was someone they’d like to have a beer and barbecue with, rather than an intellectual discussion.</p>
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<p>I’ve really listened to him talk. I view him as both a lightweight and a sleazeball.</p>
<p>Can’t argue with the fact that Edwards is a trial lawyer. Somehow, I just can’t get all worked up over that one.</p>
<p>Difference of opinion, interesteddad. I see John Edwards as thoughtful and smart, sincere, articulate, and charismatic–the polar opposite of the man in the White House now.</p>
<p>Well, Liz, I’ll try not to use any humor to lighten up the very serious discussions we have here on CC. Given that no one here (as far as I know) actually has any influence on decisions made in Washington, I will continue to view CC as a forum to debate topics with people in a way that I would never do in real life. For what it’s worth, I did not use the Breck girl phrase to describe anything more than Edwards’ grooming. I think that anyone with a sense of humor would have to agree that the Youtube video is funny. I will add that I view Edwards as a vacuous personal injury lawyer, who seems to lack the gravitas required for leadership.</p>
<p>sjmom–Clearly, our political beliefs have everything to do with how we perceive a political figure. For me, Edwards has more than enough gravitas. President Bush has none.</p>
<p>Weenie’s quote,
“Hey! You just caused me to spit out my coffee! Lord knows, we wouldn’t want to seem divisive. Far better to Actually divide America.”</p>
<p>Good point. I was thinking the same thing. </p>
<p>Hindoo, you seem like too smart a guy not to recognize all the Republican tools of manipulating discussion. “A Trial lawyer is not to be trusted” is another one typically used to dismiss candidates. Republicans don’t like trial lawyers - the reason escapes me right now but I’m sure with all the lawyers present on this site, someone will know.</p>
<p>I think a trial lawyer - one who stands between individuals and the rapacious predations of corporate socialism - is precisely what we need. Wives of mass killers of children I have my doubts about.</p>
<p>"“If they’re fat, homely, or look like Herman Munster, they’re unelectable.”</p>
<p>Tell that to William Howard Taft." </p>
<p>He was elected pre-TV and pre-women’s suffrage. Today, sadly, appearance counts.</p>
<p>Hmm, sjmom now what is it about a trial lawyer that is so reprehensible and makes one a bad candidate for president? How are trial lawyers as a group any different from say an engineer or a school teacher. I know a few trial lawyers and I would say their personalities and values are as varied as any other people that I know that fall into a group.</p>
<p>Liz, if you re-read my post, I described Edwards as a “personal injury lawyer” not a trial lawyer. I have many friends who are attorneys, and I don’t disparage them as a group. I’m not so sure about personal injury lawyers in general, and Edwards in particular. My understanding is that his practice dealt largely with obstetrical malpractice, which is a factor in the number of C-sections these days. </p>
<p>What else has Edwards done? At least Bush had been the Governor of Texas, and had the experience of an executive office at the state level. Suing MDs for malpractice might make for a nice 28,000 square foot house, but I don’t think it equips him to deal with Islamic terrorism. Once again, Bush had acted as an advisor to his father, and was exposed to the realities of life in the White House.</p>
<p><a href=“http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1131AP_Edwards_House.html[/url]”>http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1131AP_Edwards_House.html</a>
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He’s just a regular guy, right?</p>
<p>“Once again, Bush had acted as an advisor to his father, and was exposed to the realities of life in the White House.”</p>
<p>Oh, that explains it! :eek:</p>
<p>So let’s look at Edwards’ most famous case:</p>
<p>The defining case in Edwards’ legal career wrapped up that same year. In 1993, a five-year-old girl named Valerie Lakey had been playing in a Wake County, N.C., wading pool when she became caught in an uncovered drain so forcefully that the suction pulled out most of her intestines. She survived but for the rest of her life will need to be hooked up to feeding tubes for 12 hours each night. Edwards filed suit on the Lakeys’ behalf against Sta-Rite Industries, the Wisconsin corporation that manufactured the drain. Attorneys describe his handling of the case as a virtuoso example of a trial layer bringing a negligent corporation to heel. Sta-Rite offered the Lakeys $100,000 to settle the case. Edwards passed. Before trial, he discovered that 12 other children had suffered similar injuries from Sta-Rite drains. The company raised its offer to $1.25 million. Two weeks into the trial, they upped the figure to $8.5 million. Edwards declined the offer and asked for their insurance policy limit of $22.5 million. The day before the trial resumed from Christmas break, Sta-Rite countered with $17.5 million. Again, Edwards said no. On January 10, 1997, lawyers from across the state packed the courtroom to hear Edwards’ closing argument, “the most impressive legal performance I have ever seen,” recalls Dayton. Three days later, the jury found Sta-Rite guilty and liable for $25 million in economic damages (by state law, punitive damages could have tripled that amount). The company immediately settled for $25 million, the largest verdict in state history. For their part, Edwards and Kirby earned the Association of Trial Lawyers of America’s national award for public service."</p>
<p>If it wasn’t for John Edwards, there’d probably be still more kids being pulled down into the drains. While Clinton was killing children, Edwards was saving them.</p>
<p>Now that’s no particular qualification for being Pres. But it’s nothing to scoff at either.</p>
<p>Do you have to be poor to advocate for the poor? </p>
<p>What a concept, a wealthy person advocating for the poor. Not something a Republican has much understanding of since they prefer to spend their time legislating tax cuts for rich individuals and Corporations.</p>
<p>Well, Liz, the Republicans I know are actively involved in youth and church organizations, volunteer in schools, support specific orphans in the Dominican Republic, volunteer at an orphanage in Vietnam, work on Habitat for Humanity project, shovel snow for neighbors and on and on and on. </p>
<p>Actually, I think what Edwards did in the case above is admirable. It would be even more admirable had it been on a pro bono basis.</p>
<p>This drain lawsuit hammered the drain cover manufacturer for $25 million in an injury caused because the drain cover HAD BEEN REMOVED.</p>
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