Hi Everybody!
Pioneer111 here at the EENR desk for you. I am filling in as the anchor for Ellinorianne on the Sunday Edwards Evening News Roundup. Ellinorianne is in Nevada this weekend voluteering for Edwards. It has been another busy week for Edwards as he campaigns in South Carolina on his "Bringing it Home" bus tour. We have six days to the to the Nevada caucuses (33 delegates) and thirteen days to the South Carolina primary (54 delegates). You can check out what is happening on the state pages at the Edwards website.
Tonight's Stories
- Edwards is Being Marginalized in News Coverage
- Pics - Edwards meeting people in South Carolina
- Tonight's Policy Highlight - Edwards Plan to End Poverty in a Generation
- RedJet is EENR's own graphic designer
- Supporting the Edwards Campaign
- Edwards Diaries
1. Edwards is Being Marginalized in News Coverage
Edwards is being deliberately marginalized by being left out of polls. CNN has four Republicans in the poll released today but only two Democrats. Why are they leaving him out? He came in second in Iowa and third in NH. Of course our own Democratic establishment is trying to marginalize Edwards (D.L.C. Leaders Cut Edwards Out) so the media is quite bold in its process. This is really outrageous.
Please contact CNN - CNN Feed back forms
and complain about Edwards being omitted in polling!
Look at the CNN story - headline, picture and slant of the story.
Poll: Eventual GOP nominee faces tough general election
The Republican candidate who gives Clinton and Obama the closest race in the new poll is Arizona Sen. John McCain, who is essentially tied with both: He draws the support of 48 percent of those surveyed to Clinton's 50 percent and Obama's 49 percent.
Of course we have seen Edwards do better than either Obama or Clinton against McCain. However that might promote his candidacy and so they leave him out making it seem that Democrats only have two choices.
Obama is second to Clinton in potential voters who say they would definitely vote for him in the general election, with 30 percent. McCain, who is third in that category with 22 percent, is FIRST among voters who say they'd consider voting for him if he were the Republican nominee, with 35 percent.
President McCain anyone??? The Republicans are getting excited about winning again and Democrats are so focused on two interesting stories in their candidates that they are not paying attention to electability.
I started to say this is really outrageous. They are shaping the election for Democrats to lose the White House. The Democratic insiders don't want Edwards either. But we already know that. Outrage and frustration about this process can really drain us. We have seen this all year how Edwards has been covered as little as possible. The regular Democratic voters just don't know much about him and what he has accomplished this year.
So what do we do?
I don't know what we can do other than to just keep on trucking with Edwards and try to get the message out. We need to stay confident that Edwards message does make a difference in the race. Hillary was channeling Edwards today on MTP. An opportunity may come up to really change things in the race. I know that Edwards is looking for such an opening. We too need to keep looking for such an opening. I like what Edwards said on the campaign trail:
Presidential candidate John Edwards said Friday he feels "at peace" campaigning in his native South Carolina, though he acknowledges that how Democratic primary voters will receive his populist message remains anyone's guess.
So this is my prescription about how I plan to be at peace through this campaign:
a. I am sticking with Edwards through to the convention no matter how the results look like at the moment. I think he may win some states on Feb. 5th.
b. I inform everyone I know about Edwards. I point out the media is shutting him out.
c. I am proud of my candidate, John Edwards, who has led the Democratic primary on all issues.
d. I refuse to be manipulated by the msm and the DLC wing of the Democratic party.
e. Though I may have moments of discouragement I choose to stay positive and resilient about Edwards and his campaign. It is important that he and his message be heard.
f. I trust that Edwards being in the race makes a huge difference to the Democratic platform.
g. I provide information to anyone who will listen and to my email list. I ask them to do the same.
h. I will share the 80 page Repair Manual with as many people as I can and ask them to do the same.
THE PLAN TO BUILD ONE AMERICA: BOLD SOLUTIONS FOR REAL CHANGE
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2. Pics - Edwards meeting people in South Carolina.
As I have watched John Edwards campaign all year and saw him bring out plan after plan to make life better for working Americans or as he has put it plans to Build One America I have been amazed at his stamina and his work ethic. Blue Waters Run Deep put it perfectly in last night's EENR - Edwards has "TRUE GRIT".
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3. Tonight's Policy Highlight - Edwards Plan to End Poverty in a Generation
While in South Carolina Edwards focus is on talking about Ending Poverty in a Generation and Strengthening the Middle Class. The two concepts support one another.
"In America, every child should be able to go as far as her God-given talents and hard work will take her," said Edwards. "As the first in my family to go to college, I know that our system of public education should be our sturdiest ladder of opportunity. To build the better America we all believe in, we must find ways to make college more affordable. We've got to make sure that every qualified student has the opportunity to go to college and fulfill the American Dream."
Edwards has spent his life building One America, where every person has the same opportunities to work hard and get ahead. To make sure everyone has the same chances that America has given to him, Edwards plan calls for:
Ending Poverty within a Generation: Edwards called for a national goal of ending poverty within a generation by cutting poverty by one third within a decade and ending poverty within 30 years.
Rewarding Work: To create more opportunities for work and reward those efforts, Edwards will raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2012, helping the 33,000 South Carolinian workers who earn the minimum wage or less; cut taxes on low income workers; create 1 million Stepping Stone jobs; and strengthen workers' rights.
Overhauling Housing Policy: Edwards will create 1 million new housing vouchers over five years to help low-income families move to better neighborhoods, invest in struggling neighborhoods, and promote state and local efforts to build affordable housing close to good jobs and schools.
Strengthening Schools and Making College Affordable: Edwards will create a universal system of Great Promise early childhood education centers; invest more in teacher pay and professional development; radically overall No Child Left Behind; create Second Chance schools to help high school dropouts; and pay the public college tuition of everyone willing to take a part time job through a new College for Everyone initiative.
Helping Families Save and Get Ahead: Edwards will subsidize bank accounts for the 28 million Americans without them; create new Work Bonds to help low-income workers build up savings accounts; and protect families against abusive financial products, including payday loans, predatory mortgages, and abusive credit card terms.
Supporting Responsible Families: Edwards will encourage and reward responsibility from fathers by helping them find work and requiring the help support their children and discourage teen pregnancy. He will also call on community leaders to recognize that there is only so much that the government can do, and we all share the responsibility of promoting strong families.
This weekend Edwards is on a four-day South Carolina "Bringing It Home" bus tour to rally supporters and bring his fight for the middle class to the Palmetto State. Edwards is the only candidate in the race who was born in South Carolina and he is the only Democratic candidate to ever win in a "red" state. Edwards leads the Democratic field in both campaign stops and money raised in the Palmetto State, and his campaign boasts an impressive statewide grassroots organization strengthened by deep support from Edwards' 2004 campaign.
Please see the "Ending Poverty in South Carolina Within a Generation" policy paper for more information on Edwards' plan to create a Working Society and end poverty in America.
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4. RedJet is EENR's own graphic designer
with an amazing talent and creative mind. She has designed all kinds of Edwards products. Her latest are new lawn signs that are far more interesting than the standard ones.
Check these out. Aren't they terrific? All profits go to the Edwards campaign.
You can go to RedJet's CafePress Account with wonderful designs for Edwards Paraphernalia
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5. Supporting the Edwards Campaign
Donate: Go here and give what you can and get others to give a little. Thank you.
Want to Volunteer? Go here to volunteer in Nevada or volunteer in South Carolina.
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6. Edwards Diaries - We have a very prolific and talented group of Edwards bloggers.
NY Times: The Recession is Here and will be Worse than You Think by TomP
Edwards Remains Rock Steady in Progressive Fight by NCDem Amy
I'm Remarrying My Abusive, Addicted, Cheating Ex-husband AGAIN by TXsharon
John Edwards Supporters: Sharpen Your Quills! by Clarity Penn
Unbelievable! CNN narrows the Field of Candidates! [Updated] by jamess
Corporate media and the Edwards unelectability myth by JedReport
About John Edwards (Media Rant involved) by funluvn1
Edwards: Net Worth of Black Families - $8,000 Whites - $80,000 by jsamuel
Should I switch from Edwards to Obama? by mickeynATL
Check out JRE Blog. It is a wonderful open blog that works much like Dailykos with some variations on how to post. It is easy to sign up and codes are much the same as at the big orange.
What Exactly Is The `Actual' Economic Price Tag of Poverty??? by Roadon
Edwards Rising: Stone Soup Edition and Open Thread by BruceMcF