Shameless Self Promotion Moment
For those in Los Angeles, I will be on KABC (AM 790) radio with host Al Rantel to analyze the vice presidential debate tomorrow immediately after it concludes.
On to the debate itself: Edwards is a smooth talker, and not to be underestimated. He is likable and glib. Even so, he has a much more difficult task than the Vice President. In some sense, it doesn't matter to Cheney whether he's "liked" as long as he's effective -- he's not planning to run for anything in four years. But Edwards is all about 2008, which is why he's been so reluctant to play the traditional role of a vice presidential candidate and engage in sustained attacks on the opponent (he was, after all, completely AWOL in the whole Swift Boat debate during the month of August . . . don't want to run those negatives up before the next primary campaign season!).
Tomorrow night, he must walk a tightrope. Again, he doesn't want to drive up his own negatives and lose his image as the "positive" candidate; at the same time, he must be tough enough that he doesn't alienate and disgust the Democratic partisans who, in 2008, will have a lot to say about how well he does in those early primaries (including the earliest -- the "money primary"). Jack Kemp lost a lot of Republican good will during his debate with Al Gore in 1996; lots of disappointed partisans concluded that he cared more about seeming like a good guy than in having his ticket win. Edwards won't want to make the same mistake.
All this analysis, of course, sets aside the fact that it seems pretty obvious, barring some unforeseen event, that Hillary Clinton will be the 2008 Democratic nominee (whether that's good for the Dems is a subject for another day). What's going to be interesting is watching how Edwards threads the needle on this one -- and watching Cheney likely eviscerate him with a minimum of fuss. Good hair and an ingratiating style get you only so far.
On to the debate itself: Edwards is a smooth talker, and not to be underestimated. He is likable and glib. Even so, he has a much more difficult task than the Vice President. In some sense, it doesn't matter to Cheney whether he's "liked" as long as he's effective -- he's not planning to run for anything in four years. But Edwards is all about 2008, which is why he's been so reluctant to play the traditional role of a vice presidential candidate and engage in sustained attacks on the opponent (he was, after all, completely AWOL in the whole Swift Boat debate during the month of August . . . don't want to run those negatives up before the next primary campaign season!).
Tomorrow night, he must walk a tightrope. Again, he doesn't want to drive up his own negatives and lose his image as the "positive" candidate; at the same time, he must be tough enough that he doesn't alienate and disgust the Democratic partisans who, in 2008, will have a lot to say about how well he does in those early primaries (including the earliest -- the "money primary"). Jack Kemp lost a lot of Republican good will during his debate with Al Gore in 1996; lots of disappointed partisans concluded that he cared more about seeming like a good guy than in having his ticket win. Edwards won't want to make the same mistake.
All this analysis, of course, sets aside the fact that it seems pretty obvious, barring some unforeseen event, that Hillary Clinton will be the 2008 Democratic nominee (whether that's good for the Dems is a subject for another day). What's going to be interesting is watching how Edwards threads the needle on this one -- and watching Cheney likely eviscerate him with a minimum of fuss. Good hair and an ingratiating style get you only so far.
posted by LadybugUSA at 10:05 PM
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