Reply #24: I don't think the media has been that hard on Edwards [View All]

Edwards is presenting himself in 2008 as a very different canddiate than he ran on in 2004. In 2004, he was the most conservative candidate and with Gephardt the most pro-war other than Leiberman. On February 29, 2004, he claimed that Kerry could not pay for his campaign promises on healthcare, environment etc, citing a Washington Post article. This was 3 days before Kerry effectively became the nominee. (From page 205 in Paul Alexander's the Candidate. Kerry's response, "Don't believe everything you read in the papers".)

On many many things, Edwards has made huge swings. He needs to offer a narrative on why he changed. Instead, he wants people to think this is who he is - but does that mean he wasn't the fiscal conservative he told us he was in 2004? He needs to integrate they 2 images or hope people really do have short memories.