John Edwards for President? for Monday, December 3, 2007

According to Mark Halperin's The Page:

According to this Radio Iowa News story: Clinton in Iowa questions Obama’s experience in rich and evocative language; Obama calls it “silliness.”

Earlier: Clinton questions rival’s character in the Des Moines Register, says he doesn’t measure up on Social Security, Iran, health care or taking a stand when it’s time to make tough decisions.

Obama campaign replies: “…Obama doesn’t need lectures in political courage from someone who followed George Bush to war in Iraq, gave him the benefit of the doubt on Iran, supported NAFTA and opposed ethanol until she decided to run for president.” Read more here.

Monday morning: Obama campaign launches Web site chronicling Clinton’s attacks; Clinton camp calls it “disingenuous.” Read full statement here.

According to this New Republic story today by E. J. Dionne, Jr:

Standing in the way of a straight Obama-Clinton struggle is Edwards. He has been campaigning in Iowa since 2003, nearly won the caucuses over John Kerry four years ago, and stubbornly remains within easy striking distance of the front-runners. The Edwards campaign has a theory of how he can beat both of them.

As Trippi sees it, Clinton has relied on support from less affluent voters, particularly women, who are especially engaged on economic questions.

Trippi argued in an interview that some of these soft Clinton voters could eventually move to Edwards because his message of economic populism and his background as a mill worker's son will trump Clinton's arguments based on her experience. Trippi claims to see "lots of potential" among "blue-collar women who are currently leaning her way."

Similarly, he says, some of Obama's less-committed voters actually prefer Edwards' fighting style to Obama's pledges to bring Washington together across party lines. Clinton, with her emphasis this weekend on what she's "willing to fight for," clearly senses the same vulnerability.

....The big choice Edwards faces will be whether to move his campaign more to the sunny style that became the trademark of his 2004 effort. Edwards insists that he's as optimistic as he ever was.

Given the flow of the news, he has to be. Edwards needs a January surprise. But if he achieves it and pushes one of his leading foes into third place, he will revolutionize the Democratic campaign.

Check out the John Edwards speech at the recent DNC meeting where all the top candidates addressed the DNC.

Edwards outlined his vision for America and for the Democratic Party at the Democratic National Committee Fall Meeting in Vienna, Virginia. With hundreds of supporters cheering him on, John Edwards told Democrats he will break down the wall that separates Washington from the American people.

Mark Halperin of Time had praise for this “very passionate, enthusiastic speech emphasizing issues.” Noam Scheiber at The New Republic chimed in: “Edwards really poured his heart into this effort just now. That’s one of the better, more impassioned speeches I’ve seen him give.”

Watch the full speech here.