Diane Johnson – 2/22/08

This page was last updated on February 23, 2008.

Media unfair to Edwards; Diane Johnson; Beaver County Times; February 22, 2008.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“The Feb. 13 editorial “Power failure” quoted research showing that voters are angry and disgusted with the status quo.

“The editorial concluded that the candidate who casts aside politics as usual will have a good chance of winning the election.

“There was a candidate who stood up against politics as usual, 100 percent of the time, and that candidate, John Edwards, was destroyed by the corporately owned mainstream media.”

[RWC] You have to love this. Folks like Ms. Johnson who usually have no problem with liberal bias in the “mainstream media” suddenly develop concern when they perceive one of their own has been shunned, wronged, etc.

Instead of complaining, the correct liberal response should be satisfaction that “the corporately owned mainstream media” practiced “affirmative action” and “diversity.” After all, the white male got bounced instead of the half-black/half-white male and/or the white female. Isn’t that how “affirmative action” and “diversity” are supposed to work?

“They barely acknowledged his campaign, and the attention that was given to him was superficial.

“He was criticized for his hair, his home, his past work for a hedge fund.”

[RWC] Mr. Edwards was criticized for his hypocrisy.

“The fact that other candidates had makeovers, wore designer suits, had five houses or lived in a million dollar mansion and had personal investments in hedge funds was never mentioned.”

[RWC] Mr. Edwards didn’t just have “personal investments in hedge funds,” he worked for a hedge fund (Fortress Investment Group) between his last run for president and this campaign. There’s nothing wrong with this except Mr. Edwards routinely rails against similar businesses. According to Wall Street Journal online, “The Wall Street Journal has identified 34 New Orleans homes whose owners have faced foreclosure suits from subprime-lending units of Fortress Investment Group LLC.”

“Edwards never accepted money from lobbyists or PAC groups, while other candidates are financially deeply indebted to these special interests. Edwards represented people who needed change — the poor, the middle class, labor, veterans.”

[RWC] Keep close watch and see if Ms. Johnson describes the “change” she mentions.

Regarding the PAC money comment, Ms. Johnson should check her facts. The most any of the leading candidates got from PACs was 1% of total contributions (Clinton, Giuliani, McCain, and Thompson). That’s hardly “financially deeply indebted” in my book. In addition to Mr. Edwards, Messrs. Huckabee, Obama, Paul, and Romney accepted no PAC contributions, at least according to the January 31^st FEC reports.

“He brought the shameful issues of poverty and homelessness to the political discussions, and he returned to New Orleans again and again and again to work with those still suffering from Katrina.”

[RWC] As noted above, “The Wall Street Journal has identified 34 New Orleans homes whose owners have faced foreclosure suits from subprime-lending units of Fortress Investment Group LLC.” Some help.

“He formed his platform ideas more than a year ago and never wavered from them. His economic policy was endorsed by 25 of the nation’s leading economists.”

[RWC] Ms. Johnson doesn’t give Mr. Edwards enough credit. “[M]ore than a year ago” was really four to five years ago. Mr. Edwards was spouting the same old “two Americas” stuff that didn’t work during the 2004 campaign.

“Edwards’ populist message lives on with his supporters and is being copied to some extent by the remaining candidates. Some day, if we can have media coverage that is not corporately manipulated, a candidate such as this may have a chance. Godspeed, John Edwards.”

[RWC] At least Ms. Johnson got one thing right. Mr. Edwards spins a “populist message.” The only thing is, Ms. Johnson doesn’t realize “populist” isn’t a compliment. Populism is simply pandering.

As I wrote in a previous critique, after you dig below the candidates’ campaign rhetoric, there isn’t/wasn’t a sliver of a difference between all three candidates.