John Edwards for President!

Dear Friends,

I previously endorsed Dennis Kucinich for President because of his progressive views on LGBT rights, Iraq, Healthcare, etc. He is a great, courageous American, but the unfortunate reality is that it is unlikely that he will be the Democratic nominee. That has left me with the question of who among the most likely candidates, who could win, could I support and why.

The current front runner, Hillary Clinton, is good on some issues, and would make a better president than any of the Republicans, but I think we can do better. She has the highest negative/unfavorable ratings of any candidate (55%) and fares the worst against the top GOP candidates than Obama or Edwards ( Rasmussen Reports ). If she is the Democratic nominee, she would probably loose the general election. She will not win any southern states and only a few states on the East and West coast. That would be another disaster for the Democratic Party and the American people. I also have many disagreements with her, especially on economic and military issues. She is part of the moderate-conservative Democratic Leadership Council, now led by Harold Ford Jr., that is moving the Democratic party further to the right. She has equivocated on Social Security, and “free trade” (NAFTA). She is probably the most conservative Democratic candidate!

Barack Obama is looked upon more favorably by the general population and would do better in a general election. But he too has been using GOP talking points and taking “moderate” positions on Social Security and other issues. He has also been misusing religion and appealing to religious anti-gay bigots in the south to win support in the African-American population. He has very little political experience. I don’t think he is ready to be President.

That leaves John Edwards. Edwards is not perfect either, but on economic issues he is the most progressive of the “front-running” candidates. He has the most progressive universal health care program. He has made fighting poverty (something you don’t hear about in mainstream politics anymore) a main issue in h is campaign, he even went on a “poverty” tour of rural American going to places most candidates would avoid. He has a very strong record on labor issues, opposes NAFTA, and wants to take on political corruption. He comes from a poor, working class rural background. And he is a southerner (the last two Democratic Presidents have come from the south!).

ON LGBT issues, like all of the Democratic candidates he supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ending the don’t Task Don’t Tell military policy, and though he doesn’t support gay “marriage,” he supports providing equal rights for gay and lesbian couples (civil unions, etc.). I wish he supported gay marriage, but neither does Hillary Clinton or Obama.

As much as I would like to support Kucinich, who does support single-payer universal health care and gay marriage equality, as well as the impeachment of Cheney and Bush, I think it is more important to make sure Democrats win in 2008. Kucinich will not win. According to most polls, Hillary Clinton would loose to all the top GOP candidates, except Giuliani, and would beat him by a smaller margin than Obama and Edwards. IF DEMOCRATS WANT TO WIN IN 2008, WE MUST NOT NOMINATE HILLARY CLINTON!

Edwards can win! He needs our support, and I’m endorsing John Edwards for president in 2008 and encourage you to join me.

Please take a moment to check out the campaign website at:
www.johnedwards.com
And Join the Campaign to Save America!

Also, see John Edwards: Like FDR, the Real Deal by Katherine Newman, THE NATION