The two top front-runners got a verbal beating from John Edwards' wife in the current issue of Progressive Magazine. She hit on a theme that really resonates with me. It is a question of leadership, and what candidate can be a true leader after the terrible disgrace that is George Bush. Now the top three are all good people, and they'll all be miles ahead of the current President, but we need someone that has passion and convictions. I do not see that in Hillary and I'm not so sure about Barack. Elizabeth Edwards certainly has a bias, but there's a lot of truth in her words.
From the ABC News Blog:
Mrs. Edwards praised her husband for apologizing for his vote in favor of the Iraq War, and questioned Senator Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., for not doing the same.
"She even, in the New Hampshire debate said, 'I made a mistake.' People are looking for a mea culpa from her. And when she buried a line like that –- I give her credit for saying that –- but when she buries that line... we're electing a leader of the free world, and just like the votes on this last funding bill, we're looking for a leader," Edwards contended.
And while Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., was in the Illinois state legislature and not the Senate in 2003, Mrs. Edwards equally questioned his motives.
"Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district," Edwards said, "and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way."
"Holier-than-thou," ouch! In a way though, there is some truth in it. Watching Obama and Hillary slip into the Senate to vote against funding the war a couple months ago at the last minute was sad to see. I know they made the right choice, but how they went about it was so cowardly. Of course Edwards has nothing to lose when he speaks out because he is no longer in the Senate, but its more than a political calculation to him.
The two of them, John and Elizabeth, make such a great team together. The leadership that both of them take on the issues that matter to them (like poverty and health care) is inspiring to say the least. It would almost be nice to see the Edwards' on the top of the ticket instead of just John, but as long as they are together, thats what counts.
Until I see any other candidate (thats in the race) stand up the way Edwards does.....I do not know who'd I vote for when the primaries come to New York in February.
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