West Virginia Blue
The Best Blogging Community in West Virginia Democratic politics, progressive policies, the good life and free living in Wild, Wonderful West Virginia.
With a week remaining before the early state results arrive from Iowa and New Hampshire, John Edwards is starting to draw significant Netroots endorsements. In the last few days, I've read several:
I find it no coincidence that as John Edwards has (a) sharpened his populist rhetoric and (b) improved his standing in the race that (c) more progressive bloggers are ready to jump in with support.
Consistently, the candidates and politicians who have gained the most Netroots attention (Dean, Lamont, the veteran in Ohio whose name I can't remember now, Darcy Burner, Gore v. 2008, Senator Dodd v. 2008) are the ones who clearly articulate contrasts between Democratic and Republican values. Of the top 3 Democratic contenders, John Edwards is drawing the sharpest contrasts.
There's a lot to chew on in the article -- the new Democratic majority may not have delivered as much as hoped for, but it doesn't really matter. On every issue voters prefer Democrats over Republicans.
...the biggest factor working in the Democrats' favor continues to be that they are not the Republicans.
The GOP is still reeling from the steep drop-off in public confidence that hurt the party so deeply last November - a result of the waning public support for the Iraq War, economic uncertainties, ethics controversies and other problems that concomitantly turned Bush into one of the most unpopular presidents of modern times.
If I was running for office I would constantly, repeatedly and incessantly remind voters I am a Democrat running against a Republican. If ever there was a time to whole-heartedly embrace the Democratic Party brand, this is the election cycle to do it.
There's a new political book out with a West Virginia connection. The author, Melinda Henneberger, had the idea for the book on a hiking trip to West Virginia with her college friends. Curious why even more traditionally Democrat women voted for George Bush in 2004 (than 2000), journalist Henneberger travelled around the country interviewing over 200 woman.
The next West Virginia connection? One chapter, entitled "Together we stand, divide we beg" covers Henneberger's time with (West Virginia Blue reader) Janie Poe, while working for and with unions in Ohio River Valley. [You go girl!!]
Copyright 2011 West Virginia Blue
Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified.
This site exists thanks to financial support from BlogPAC, dedicated volunteers and participation by members of this community. The views expressed at West Virginia Blue belong solely to their respective authors.
