"This government does not belong to that crowd of insiders in Washington, it belongs to you," said John Edwards.

"I'm going to win South Carolina," John Edwards said. "Not only that, I expect to do well in other states today. And I expect to be the Democratic nominee because I believe I will prove in South Carolina today and in Oklahoma and other states that I'm the candidate who can appeal all across America."

“I think John Kerry and I have run very serious, disciplined campaigns with very substantial policy foundations,' John Edwards said. 'I think he was in it for the long run, and so was I.”   (2/3/2004)

Kerry and Edwards duplicitous

The NY Times reported on how Sen. John Kerry and Sen. John Edwards rile against lobbyist and special privileged interest and then take their money:

While Senator John Kerry regularly promises to stand up to "big corporations," his campaign has taken money from executives on Wall Street and those representing the telecommunications industry, which is under his purview in Congress. Mr. Kerry denounces President Bush for catering to the rich, but he has depended more heavily on affluent donors than the other leading Democrats except for another populist, Senator John Edwards. Mr. Kerry's spokeswoman, Stephanie Cutter, said the contributions had no effect on his votes.

Edwards’ special interest of choice is his fellow trial lawyers:

Mr. Edwards, a former trial lawyer, received $7.5 million from members of the legal profession through September 2003, the analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics shows. That was half the money he had raised to that point.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said while visiting N. Carolina, “[John Edwards] gets 40 percent of his campaign contributions from trial lawyers at the same time he is blocking tort reform and medical liability reform legislation."

Although Edwards criticized Kerry for taking money from lobbyists, the North Carolina senator accepted one donation in 2002 directly from a lobbying firm and collected more than $80,000 from people who aren't formally registered as lobbyists yet work for lobbying firms in Washington. Edwards also has accepted more than $150,000 worth of flights aboard the corporate jets of special interests.

"I don't mean to sound holier than thou about this. Every presidential candidate has to raise money to run a serious presidential campaign. That includes me. But I have drawn lines that are voluntary, that the law permits contributions from those people and I've decided not to take money from those people," said John Edwards.

Kerry tends to favor large corporate financial interest that he oversees in his commerce committee:

Mr. Kerry is an experienced fund-raiser, having worked to raise money while on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and for his own campaigns. In his campaign for the nomination, he has collected more than $1 million from employees of securities and investment businesses. He took in $70,000 from employees of Citigroup and $62,500 from workers at Goldman Sachs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks campaign finance trends.  (2/3/2004)

More Money

Money is the necessary ingredient to continue to win delegates. At this point there is some good news in the Howard Dean camp. It is reported that fundraising is coming in at around $10,000 per hour. Not enough to match Kerry or get Dean back into the Feb. 3 round, but it will set Dean up for Michigan (Feb.7) and Wisconsin (Feb. 17).

Meanwhile, Kerry has dragged in over $500,000 since New Hampshire’s election. He has raised $1.6 million online since the Iowa Caucuses.

Bad news came in for Sen. John Edwards and Wesley Clark.  They have opted into the public financing of elections program. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is not able to pay 100 percent of the money owed. So, They will be paying out 43 to 45 cents on the dollar. Rep. Dennis Kucinich had been expecting $2.4 million in his February check; Wesley Clark, $1.4 million; Joe Lieberman, about $389,000; and John Edwards, about $302,000.

Candidates normally borrow against the money owed by the FEC.

Howard Dean

Howard Dean got some good news and some bad news in the poll numbers. The good news is that Sen. John Edwards is now 4 percentage points ahead of Sen. John Kerry in S. Carolina. The bad news is that Kerry is solidly in the lead in five of the other six states and has pulled within 3 percent of Clark in Oklahoma. Dean needs Clark and Edwards to slow Kerry’s gathering of delegates. His best hope is in these words from pollster John Zogby:

"Edwards moved up a couple of points over Kerry in South Carolina, is running respectably in Oklahoma and is within striking distance of achieving delegates in Missouri," Zogby said.

"Clark appears poised for a solid second place showing in Arizona. If Clark can couple that with a victory in Oklahoma, he will certainly make this pollster look twice."

If Kerry continues to build momentum, Dean will have a very difficult time creating a firewall. One of the big problems facing Dean is the latest USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll that has Kerry beating President Bush 53 percent to 46 percent. In the same poll Dean loses to Bush 45 percent to 53 percent. The other problem is that the number one factor for Democrats voting for a candidate is the question of who can beat Bush. The other candidates fail to beat Bush in the latest poll. The CNN poll also showed Edwards beating Bush, 49% to 48%.

Wesley Clark

Clark needs the second place finish in Arizona and the win in Oklahoma just to stay in the race. Edwards has to win S. Carolina to stay in the race. Money will dry up for both of them if they do not make a decent showing.

"Our intention and our focus is to go forward," said Chris Lehane, a senior campaign strategist for Clark.

As of Monday the poll numbers showed that Clark could still be in the race. We will see if the numbers translate to voters today. One of the factors for Arizona is the fact that half of the votes in that state have already been cast prior to today’s primary. Many of the votes were cast before the New Hampshire Primary.

Another factor is that Arizona is having bad weather today and polling places will be hard to find because they are only using 1/3 of the number of polling places than usual today.

McAuliffe asks for Unity Pledge

Democrat National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe is asking candidates to sign a unity pledge he has mailed out, "Another four years of a George W. Bush presidency would be a disaster for the nation and the world. I pledge to stand with the Democratic Party and support the Democratic nominee for President in 2004. I will do everything I can to help win back the White House for America."

What happens after today…

After today’s election results, there will be candidates who have run out of money and hope and the pledge will be important.

Also after today’s election we may still see John Edwards, Howard Dean and Wesley Clark creating such scenes as envisioned by ABC’s The Note, “…we can look forward to several weeks of attacks on special interest ties; comparisons of life experience; accusations of a do-nothing Senate record; talk about a French castle, off-shore tax shelters, the Big Dig, voting rights for felons, and the death penalty; and Roy Neel blog postings.”

However, if Kerry moves forward as the inevitable nominee, The Note suggest that we can look forward to: “tax cuts for the wealthy; Iraq credibility; Halliburton; manufacturing job losses; the Texas National Guard; Maverick Media finally doing something visible for all that money; several weeks of attacks on special interest ties; comparisons of life experience; accusations of a do-nothing Senate record; talk about a French castle, off-shore tax shelters, the Big Dig, voting rights for felons, and the death penalty; and Chris Heinz and Laura Bush blog postings.” (2/3/2004)

Who can win in the South

One of the questions that’s supposed to be answered today is which Democrat can win votes in the South. Sen. John Edwards must win South Carolina -- the state where he was born -- or he will not be able to claim that title of Southern vote winner. 

Clark was the person who boasted that when the campaign turned South he would be in the driver’s seat. But now his best shot is in Oklahoma. If Edwards loses South Carolina and is out of the race, Clark will get the chance to prove he is the candidate that can win in the South in some head to head race with Kerry. He certainly ski-daddled out of S. Carolina, as a Southerner would put it. Clark is also faced with a delegates problem – with the exception of Florida, there are not a lot of delegates in the South. And Florida is not considered a real Southern state anymore… then again, Southerners seem to question whether Clark is real Southerner, too.

If Kerry beats Edwards in South Carolina can he claim the title of Southern vote winner? Well, I wonder what former Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi -- who is appearing on Hardball as an election analyst tonight -- will say about it.

Electability continues to be the driving force for all candidates and winning in the South is important only so far as it demonstrates the ability to win needed electoral votes.

The Wall Street Journal writes, "With the war issue fading, the party's 2004 competition increasingly revolves around an issue normally confined to strategists' back-room discussions: the candidates' 'electability' in November. The focus on electability reflects a country more sharply polarized between Democrats and Republicans than at any time in a generation. Mr. Bush has become both a symbol and a cause of that polarization. And it is increasingly clear that Democrats' antipathy toward him is driving primary voters far more than are familiar intraparty splits pitting the liberal left against the moderate center, or the old guard against a new generation."

The NY Daily News reports if Edwards wins South Carolina he will be going South:

Edwards' strategists said he would likely bypass the Michigan and Washington votes on Saturday to focus on Virginia and Tennessee next Tuesday.  (2/3/2004)

Edwards attacks RNC

 With Republican National Committee Chair Ed Gillespie fundraising in Raleigh today, Edwards for President press secretary Jennifer Palmieri issued the following statement on cleaning up Washington:

"If the Republican plan to rein in Washington lobbyists starts by sending their party leader and former Enron lobbyist Ed Gillespie down to North Carolina to raise money, then it's clear that the only way we are ever going to clean up Washington is by putting a Democrat in the White House."

Senator John Edwards (D-NC) has never accepted a dime from Washington lobbyists or Political Action Committees, and he has proposed the toughest lobbying reforms of any candidate. To help get lobbyist money out of Washington, Edwards has proposed:

Stopping Politicians from Taking Lobbyists' Money

·        Edwards will ban members of Congress and the president from taking campaign contributions from federally registered lobbyists.

Stopping the Revolving Door From Both Directions

·        Edwards will bar individuals who acted as federal lobbyists in the preceding 12 months from taking senior executive jobs with responsibility for the subject areas on which they lobbied.

·        Edwards will reinstate the five-year ban on top executive branch officials becoming lobbyists. This ban will apply to all top-level officials throughout the executive branch, including officials at independent agencies and in the United States Military.

Shining a Bright Light on Back-room Lobbyist Meetings

·        Edwards will require lobbyists to specifically disclose every two weeks which members of Congress or executive branch officials they met with, what specific regulatory or legislative matters they discussed, and what money they spent on that lobbying and how they spent it.

·        Edwards will require expert witnesses at congressional hearing to disclose all their clients or financial supporters with an interest in the matters at issue.   (2/3/2004)

Edwards on Bush’s budget

Senator John Edwards (D-NC) today released the following statement on George Bush's fiscal year 2005 budget:

"Today President Bush didn't propose a budget for America's future; he proposed a budget to no where. When you comb through the hundreds of pages one thing is clear: this president values wealth and not work. The numbers do not lie. He would rather do more to drag our nation deeper into debt, than do more to lift our families up.

"In the tax breaks he would add and the corporate loopholes he would ignore, the president is once again shifting the tax burden away from wealth and onto work. Big corporations get to run away from their responsibilities and take good paying jobs overseas. The wealthiest Americans watch their share of the tax burden drop even more while our hard working men and women and their children and their grandchildren are stuck with the bill.

"This budget reflects the values of George Bush and his insider friends, not the values of the American people. This budget is wrong for America, and I will make it right. When I am president, we will have a budget that honors our values: rewarding work, not just wealth; investing in education and health care; and acting responsibly for ourselves and our children." (2/3/2004)

Poll watching

Zogby tracking polls as of Monday:

Arizona, 55 delegates: polls open at 8:00 am ET and close at 9:00 pm ET.

John Kerry 40 (36)

Wesley Clark 27 (24)

Howard Dean 13 (14)

Joe Lieberman 6 (6)

John Edwards 6 (4)

Dennis Kucinich 1 (3)

Al Sharpton less than 1 (less than 1)

Undecided 5 (13)

Missouri, 74 delegates: polls open at 7:00 am ET and close at 8:00 pm ET.

Kerry 50 (43)

Edwards 15 (14)

Dean 9 (8)

Lieberman 4 (3)

Clark 4 (3)

Sharpton 3 (3)

Kucinich less than 1 (1)

Undecided 11 (22)

Oklahoma, 40 delegates: polls open at 8:00 am ET and close at 8:00 pm ET

Clark 28 (25)

Kerry 25 (23)

Edwards 21 (18)

Dean 8 (8)

Lieberman 7 (8)

Kucinich 1 (1)

Sharpton 1 (1)

Undecided 9 (16)

S. Carolina, 45 delegates: polls open at 7:00 am ET and close at 7:00 pm ET.

Edwards 31 (30)

Kerry 24 (23)

Clark 11 (12)

Sharpton 10 (10)

Dean 9 (9)

Lieberman 4 (3)

Kucinich 1 (1)

Undecided 10 (12)                  (2/3/2004)

Moving on

The race moves next to Michigan, 128 delegates and Washington state, 76 delegates on Saturday, then on to Maine, 24 delegates on Sunday, and Virginia, 82 delegates and Tennessee, 69 delegates both on next Tuesday.

Clark squeaked out a victory in Oklahoma, allowing him to stay alive for a while longer. Sen. Joe Lieberman should have heeded his staffs’ advice after New Hampshire and quit then. The race is beginning to look like it will be a battle between Senators John Edwards and John Kerry.

Howard Dean never made it into the top two in any of the Super Seven states. Dean is facing a big challenge Saturday in Washington where he hopes he can find the Democrat wing of the Democrat Party. Dean is not expected to do well in Michigan, making Washington state all the more important before Wisconsin, 72 delegates, Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Wisconsin is the only race on that Tuesday and the Southerners will have to show up in the North as well. Howard Dean has put his campaign future on the line in Wisconsin.

"This entire race has come down to this: We must win Wisconsin," the former Vermont governor said in a memo to supporters. "A win there will carry us to the big states on March 2 -- and narrow the field to two candidates. Anything else will put us out of the race."

Dean is asking supporters for $50 contributions so he could raise $700,000 by Sunday to pay for advertising in Wisconsin.

The Associated Press, Bloomberg, Fox News, CNN and others have reassigned their top Dean reporters to cover Kerry, Edwards or Clark."

Edwards announced that his campaign will begin running the 30-second television ad "Two Americas" in Wisconsin on Thursday. The campaign also announced that Senator Edwards will stop in Milwaukee on Saturday, February 7.

The ad "Two Americas" renews Edwards' pledge to create an America that works for all of us. Under George Bush, America has become divided-with one America that is doing well and another that is living paycheck-to-paycheck and struggling to get by. Edwards will create one America by taking on the insiders and big corporations and strengthening the middle class and helping working families.

Script for "Two Americas:"

"It seems today, we have two Americas. With two health care systems...one for the privileged; another rationed by insurance companies. Two public school systems...one for the haves: and one for everybody else. Two tax systems...where the wealthy and corporations pay less; working families pay more. Two governments one for powerful interests and lobbyists; the other for the rest of us. I'm John Edwards. And I approved this message because together you and I can change America and make it work for all of us."

Edwards was in NY hoping to raise $200,000 - half at a Fifth Avenue party with actress Glenn Close and the other half in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., before doing the "Top Ten" list on Letterman.  (2/5/2004)

Who is the Southerner?

With Senator John Edwards and Wesley Clark still both in the race, the question of who is the person who can win in the South remains contested. They are both concentrating on Southern states. So, we will know which one stays in the race and which one is out of the race soon. The best bet is that Clark is already done and doesn’t know it.

However, Edwards cannot have a chance at winning the nomination with another pretender to the throne dividing the vote in the South. Kerry could be perceived as not being electable in the South. This could provide Edwards with votes he needs to challenge Kerry for the nomination. Edwards needs to defeat Clark in two upcoming states.

Clark has become more strident in his campaigning. His latest statement expresses his tone:

"I'm not part of the Washington problem. I'm part of the solution," Clark said during a stop in Jackson, Tennessee. "There are some people in this race that are part of the problem. The people I am talking about are John Kerry and John Edwards."

"General Clark is not a Washington politician, but it's questionable whether he's a Democrat either," replied Kerry   (2/5/2004)

Edwards responds to Clark’s attack

Edwards’ Tennessee campaign spokesman Colin Van Ostern today issued the following statement in response to the negative attacks launched by Wesley Clark earlier today:

"It's sad to see General Clark making these negative attacks. The fact is, Senator Edwards voted against Bush's tax cuts and has proposed rolling back his tax cuts for the wealthy, he has a plan to fix and fund No Child Left Behind, and has been a strong advocate for more international involvement in military action and reconstruction in Iraq."   (2/5/2004)

• "Several years ago we talked about 'Buy America,' remember that? Instead of 'Buy America,' how about 'Hire America." John Edwards said.

• Part of keeping America secure is keeping our jobs secure," John Edwards said. "It is wrong to have over a million manufacturing jobs leave this country because of the Bush administration's trade policy."

• "What George W. Bush and the people who support these trade policies don't understand is that when you shut down the factory -- when you shut down the mill -- you shut down the town," said John Edwards.  (2/7/2004)

Delegate Counts

As of Saturday, February 7: John Kerry 274 delegates, Howard Dean at 121, John Edwards at 110 and Wesley Clark at 82. It takes 2,162 to win the nomination.

Upcoming delegates to win: Michigan had 128 delegates at stake in caucuses, and Washington offered another 76. Maine, with 24 delegates at stake, was holding caucuses on Sunday.   (2/7/2004)

Edwards acknowledges tough battle

Eyeing Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin, John Edwards acknowledged he must have a strong showing to prove he’s the alternative to leading rival John Kerry. Campaigning in Wisconsin, Edwards was handed his first union endorsement -- the 250,000-member Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees. This pales, however, in comparison to Kerry’s recent endorsement by the American Federation of Teachers this week, with its 1.3 million members. According to an Associated Press article, Edwards remains optimistic:

"This is very much for me a long-term process. It's a war of attrition," Edwards said. "I'm in it until I'm the nominee."

In Wisconsin, he mentioned a request by Gov. Jim Doyle that all the candidates remain positive when they campaign in the state.

"He's right about that. It's exactly what we should be doing," Edwards told a rocking crowd of several hundred, mostly union members.

Edwards also continued to level his harsh attacks on President Bush:

Edwards told an overflow crowd at the University of Memphis that Bush is out of touch.

"He lives a sheltered existence," he said. "He needs to be out here in the real world doing what I'm doing." (2/7/2004)

Money check

John Kerry's campaign said it had raised $4.5 million since his come-from-behind win in Iowa on Jan. 19. John Edwards’ campaign said it had raised about $200,000 online in the first 24 hours after his win in South Carolina, and Howard Dean's aides said they had raised about $400,000 on Thursday after his dramatic e-mail plea for help in Wisconsin.   (2/7/2004)

• In separate interviews on "Fox News Sunday" and ABC's "This Week," Edwards noted that some 75 percent of delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be up for grabs after the Wisconsin primary. -- AP story   (2/8/2004)

Tough act to follow

Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton gave fellow Dem candidate John Edwards a tough act to follow yesterday in Richmond, Virginia. Sharpton preached down the glory cloud as he stumped and spoke to the congregation at the Cedar Street Baptist Church of God. Touting “timing” and “like views” as the plumb line for voting, Sharpton reminded worshippers that good things happen in “God’s timing.” Obviously inspired, Reverend Al had the congregation clapping, stomping and singing to his message as the gospel bank backed him up.

Then it was John Edwards’ turn in the pulpit.

Edwards spoke his piece, no doubt wishing the boisterous Rev. Sharpton hadn’t set the bar quite so high. But the congregation applauded politely and Edwards was soon on his way – Edward had arranged to speak at three area Baptist churches as he campaigned in Virginia.   (2/9/2004)

Edwards, the True Tennessee Son

It’s credentials that John Edwards is flashing in Tennessee – you know… birth certificate kinda stuff. Yessire, Edwards has played his trump card on Clark (and Kerry) and proclaimed his holy birth in the great state of Tennessee. Now that’s a reason to vote for the guy!! According to the Raleigh News & Observer, the claim is legit:

In the days leading up to the South Carolina primary, Sen. John Edwards reminded voters that he was born in the Palmetto State. Sunday, he offered another bit of his biography to voters in Tennessee.

"By the way, I used to live in Tennessee," Edwards told a crowd in Jackson. "My first child was born in Tennessee."   (2/9/2004)

Clark & Edwards spar over taxes

John Edwards and Wesley Clark – the “Southern” fellas – are making a ruckus over taxes, namely, who’s got the best plan. The Raleigh News & Observer gives a full report, citing Clark as he mounted a full front attack on Edwards (and Dem leader John Kerry):

“Real middle-class tax cuts aren't just a matter of rhetoric --they're a matter of action," Clark said. "And while both men talk a lot about middle-class tax cuts ... they're all talk," said Clark….Clark said his plan would provide about $1,500 in tax relief for "typical families" -- a figure much higher than his rivals' plans provide.

That did set too well in the Edwards camp. Jennifer Palmieri (Edwards spokesperson) cried foul and accused Clark of faulty conclusion. Palmieri said Clark only used part of the relief Edwards proposes as the basis of his attack:

"The fact is, Senator Edwards' plan offers thousands of dollars in tax relief to millions of middle-class families and helps them with the toughest challenges they face today -- building their savings, buying a home, taking family leave and giving their children a better future," Palmieri said.  (2/9/2004)

Kerry leads Wisconsin poll

It’s a week away from voting day in Wisconsin and John Kerry is showing strong. A new poll, used in an AP story and taken by Market Shares Corp. for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel & WTMJ-TV, show Kerry at 45 percent. Kerry was followed by Wesley Clark at 13 percent; Howard Dean at 12 percent; John Edwards at 9 percent, Al Sharpton at one percent and Dennis Kucinich at one percent with 17 percent undecided

The Wisconsin primary is February 17th. The poll of 666 likely Wisconsin voters was conducted by Market Shares Corp. for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WTMJ-TV, from Wednesday through Saturday. The poll has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

According to the AP story, of Wisconsin voters who said they were likely to vote for him, two-thirds said they decided to do so in the weeks since Iowa.  (2/10/2004)

Edwards goes to Wisconsin

From the Edwards for President website:

The Edwards for President campaign in Wisconsin Tuesday began airing two 30-second television ads titled "American Jobs," and "Better Life." "American Jobs" highlights Senator Edwards' commitment to creating and protecting manufacturing jobs. "Better Life" discusses Edwards' background and vision to make an America that works for all of us.

"When you remember where you came from, you'll always know where you're going and what you need to fight for - real change that will give today's families a chance to give their kids a better life," Edwards says in "Better Life." "As president, that's what I'll fight for every day."

The following is the script of "American Jobs":

"It's easy for candidates to talk about manufacturing and jobs, but I've lived it and I have not forgotten it. My Dad worked in textile mills to put food on our table and clothes on our backs. Today, the mills are gone. And so are the jobs. That's why I opposed NAFTA and why I'll end tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. I'm John Edwards and I approve this message because no one will do more than I will to keep American jobs right here in America. That's something you can count on."

The following is the script of "Better Life":

"I was born 50 years ago, and this was my first home. The folks I grew up with they weren't famous, and they sure weren't rich. They just worked hard every day to give their kids a better life. I'm John Edwards, and I approved this message because I believe that when you remember where you came from, you'll always know where you're going, and what you need to fight for: real change that will give today's families a chance to give their kids a better life. As president, that's what I'll fight for every day - an America that works for all of us."  (2/11/2004)

Edwards asks the President about jobs

"Dear Mr. President:

I read with interest today's article in the Los Angeles Times entitled, "Bush Supports Shift of Jobs Overseas." The article notes the statement of N. Gregory Mankiw, chairman of your Council of Economic Advisors, that, "Outsourcing is just a new way of doing international trade." Mr. Mankiw added: "More things are tradable than were tradable in the past. And that's a good thing." I noted a similar passage in CEA's report released yesterday.

To my mind, these statements show incredible indifference to our country's job loss. I respectfully request answers from your administration to the following questions:

1.      Is it "a good thing" that some 1 million American jobs have gone overseas since March 2001?

2.      Is it "a good thing" that high-paying manufacturing jobs are leaving America and being replaced with low-paying services jobs?

3.      Is it "a good thing" when companies lay off fairly paid workers in the United States and replace them with workers in other nations who are paid pennies per hour to work in terrible conditions?

4.      Is it a "a good thing" that America's manufacturing sector, which brought us through World War II to unprecedented prosperity, has now lost jobs for 42 months in a row?

5.      Would it be "a good thing" if the current members of the Council of Economic Advisors saw their jobs outsourced to economists elsewhere in America who better understand the need to save good jobs?

I look forward to hearing from you."   (2/11/2004)

Clinton, “Edwards stay in”

The USA Today reports:

A USA TODAY reporter following former president Bill Clinton for a day asked him Tuesday whether Edwards should stay in the race. He advised a "look at the elections of the last 30 years. And ask yourself, is this election the same or different?"

Lagging candidates sometimes surge as voters in later states take second looks at front-runners. One beneficiary was former California governor Jerry Brown, who won several March primaries in 1992 after Clinton had almost clinched the nomination.  (2/11/2004)

ABC’s delegate count

Kerry has 512 overall delegates and has nearly three times as many delegates as Howard Dean, who places second in ABC’s estimate with 179 delegates. Edwards has 159; Clark, 94; Sharpton, 11; and Kucinich, 2.  (2/11/2004)

Poll watching

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel gives Kerry 45 percent in the Wisconsin primary, Clark 13, Dean 12 and Edwards 9, with 17 percent undecided."  (2/11/2004)

"I'm the candidate, if you look at the exit polling from these various primaries, who is attracting independents and the kind of voters we have to have to win the general election," John Edwards said.  (2/13/2004)

Wisconsin’s lament

Today is the Jefferson Jackson Dinner in Madison, Wisconsin and the Democrats will be in the cheese state campaigning all day and night with a debate in Milwaukee on Sunday. The Wisconsin Primary is Tuesday, Feb. 17th.

Last night Sen. John Edwards was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Edwards even had trouble there with Leno referring to him as a vice-presidential candidate. Edwards has raised $3.3 million since finishing second in Iowa's leadoff caucuses, including $500,000 he was expecting to raise at two events in Los Angeles Friday night.

Former Governor Martin Schreiber and six members of the Wisconsin State Assembly have endorsed Sen. John Edwards. Edward, campaigning in Wisconsin, continued with his ‘the economy is terrible lament’ and took a swipe at President Bush and the trade deficits:

"The record trade deficit is a sign that our nation is losing economic strength. Today, because of the record trade and capital deficit and the record budget deficit, we have to borrow $1.5 billion a day from China and other foreign investors just to keep our economy afloat. This is not the way of a great nation. This is not our America. Yet this administration is not serious about stopping China's manipulation of its currency, or about enacting trade and tax laws that create good jobs here at home. It is time for us to create jobs in America and restore our economic strength."

In Wisconsin Edwards heard from workers who are about to be displaced and there was not a lot nice said about NAFTA as well according to Reuters:

"We're basically selling our country out, in my opinion," said Dale Wilson, 49, a Tower Automotive worker who said he will lose his job after 28 years at the plant because DaimlerChrysler is moving truck frame assembly to Mexico.

"It's morally wrong to take children and put them into slave labor just to satisfy some rich fat cat ... They're making 10 million and the kid on the street makes 10 cents," Wilson said.

While Edwards is putting up a valiant fight, there are growing signs that the coronation of John Kerry is about to begin. The 13 million-member AFL-CIO announced plans to endorse Kerry next week. There is also the fact that 70 percent of all delegates will have been chosen by March 2 when California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont cast ballots.

Kerry has claimed 539 delegates, compared to 182 for Dean and 166 for Edwards. It takes 2,161 delegates to win the nomination.   (2/14/2004)

• “If California chooses to recognize same-sex marriage, that's fine and the federal government ought to honor it," John Edwards said.

• "Right now we've leaned so far into free trade that we've forgotten what fair trade is," John Edwards said.  (2/14/2004)

Edwards main page