For those of you who may not have noticed, John Edwards is running for president. His presence has been strong enough to keep him in the debates, but the media has all but left his campaign and, for most of the election season, his message has been lost.
Which is a shame because Edwards' campaign has been about the people who have mattered most to the Democratic Party and who most depend upon the party for a better life.
Edwards has been talking about the poor, those in need and the rest of us who don't have the financial resources to protect us against whatever challenge life may bring.
He has been criticized for this, being called a pretty millionaire, but if his goal were simply to be elected, he made a poor choice of campaign themes ... and Edwards is smarter than that.
Thomas Shaller, writing on Salon said,
John Edwards has run a principled campaign. He talks about poverty even though poor people can afford to give him little money and turn out to vote at low rates, especially in primaries. His "Back Home, Back Roads Barnstorm" campaign this week took him by bus from one small, rural area of South Carolina to the next, even though small cities like Lancaster, Seneca and Greenwood are not nearly as vote-rich as Greenville, Columbia or Charleston. Whatever else might be said of him, if Edwards suffers a crushing, third-place defeat on Saturday, nobody can say he abandoned his core campaign themes or target audiences. One could argue that his rhetoric, his stance on the issues, has slowed Clinton and Obama's rush to the center, has increased their focus on economic issues.
South Carolina may well be the end of Edwards' presidential ambitions. It won't be the end of career as he has the resources to protect his family against life's challenges.
But when Edwards leaves, who will be left to speak for the poor and those in need. Members of Congress, even those with poor constituencies, can't push through important issues like health care and a hike in the minimum wage that actually allows people to live a decent life. So divided has the Democratic Party become from wedge issues generated by the GOP, that its vision of prosperity for all has been all but abandoned.
When Edwards departs, Obama will talk about hope and Clinton will talk about experience, but neither has spoken about those who most need those qualities in a new leader unless the issue was forced upon them.
America offers many riches to be enjoyed, but it does not offer them to everyone. Whoever sits behind the desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue next, needs to take a moment to consider the responsibilities that lie ahead. Their actions will impact all levels of society, most of whom can make their voices heard.
But who will speak for the poor? And will the next president take the time to listen?
- Jim Grinstead
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