Kerry/Edwards: Is the left shifting right?

The odds of this slate running for the White House appears fairly high at the moment, an outcome that many liberals would not have expected.

We have Kerry which I would call a moderate Liberal as potential President and Edwards a more right or centre liberal as VP.

Is this a trend in politics in the developed world?

I think it is just demographics playing its hand in the game and expect to see more of it.

There is nothing with leaning right, leaning left, dead center...the problem is extremes.

Except that Kerry is left of Clinton/Gore..

And don't expect Edwards as Veep. Expect someone who can deliver in the SouthWest. Gov. Richardson, keep yer phone lines open..

No the problem that three left turns make a right. The key to it all my friend.

Originally posted by Sidhe
Except that Kerry is left of Clinton/Gore..

And don't expect Edwards as Veep. Expect someone who can deliver in the SouthWest. Gov. Richardson, keep yer phone lines open..

He appears to be but is he really?

lets consider the facts here,

he is from old money, is a bonesman, and is married to a billionaire.

sounds like a real socialist to me, ahem, socialism for us and not for him of course....

Edwards, is a bootstrap kinda guy, normally they are only closet liberals and they tend to change when the rubber hits the road.

Kerry will have to pick very carefully who he runs with if he wants a chance to win.

[Edited on 23-2-2004 by THENEO]

Absolutely I believe that the Dems are turning more towards the right. Kucinich is probably the closet to true left, yet compared to Kerry he seems almost communist. Does that mean that he is communist? No that just means Kerry no longer represents the left in the classic sense. Kerry would get very few votes from true liberals if it wasn't for the urgency of KOing Bush IMO.

[Edited on 23-2-2004 by Aliceinwonderland]

Originally posted by THENEO
The odds of this slate running for the White House appears fairly high at the moment, an outcome that many liberals would not have expected.

We have Kerry which I would call a moderate Liberal as potential President and Edwards a more right or centre liberal as VP.

Is this a trend in politics in the developed world?

I think it is just demographics playing its hand in the game and expect to see more of it.

Neither is Liberal. It's a mislaeling that goes n American politics that's less true with Democrats than with Republicans.

Is it???
It happened a long time ago.

I'll betcha I'm one of the only Democrats around here..

OK, Kerry *is* rich, no denying, but that isn't what pegs you left or right. Voting record ought to be considered..

Kerry is pretty lib'ral on the record..

But if you mean that he seems like a careful politician, well many Dems would agree with you. We have our doubts that he will be much of a change from Gore.

Kucinich is way leftie guys. He's left of me by just a smidgeon (that thing about removing all troops and cancelling NAFTA and WTO which would be isolationist and protectionist and just dang unfriendly to our neighbors..) He's a silly vanity candidate, but he's got his upsides too.

I do like Edwards. I think he's just a tad left of Clinton.. or wants you to think he is. He's a very capable politician. It may be that we don't really know what he'd do. His record is not long, after all.


[Edited on 23-2-2004 by Sidhe]

NAFTA and WTO which would be isolationist and protectionist

Who exactly benefits from NAFTA and WTO? Certainly not the average joe. 'Free trade' for highly connected men and power players that's for sure.

Looking at a red/blue cartogram based on electorial votes from 2000 the northeastern states are pretty much a given for the democrats as is california (unless arnie pulls a miracle)
These states are bastions of liberalism and Kerry will have no trouble here, edwards on ticket might swing undecideds to dem camp.

The upper mid-western states also voted electorial votes for gore in 2000, here is where edwards becomes a strength for kerry because he can bolster kerrys bad voting record on defense in an area where that issue is more important.

So yeah the trend to the center is going to happen and its the only way to win the middle of the country.

Maps;
www.geog.ucsb.edu...

[Edited on 23-2-2004 by Phoenix]

So you don't see Arnie making any change of attitudes in California?

There is a rumour going around that Bush may run with former NYC mayor Rudolph Guliani (sp?), inorder to help carry New York state.

Originally posted by THENEO
So you don't see Arnie making any change of attitudes in California?

There is a rumour going around that Bush may run with former NYC mayor Rudolph Guliani (sp?), inorder to help carry New York state.

Again it would be a miracle after 35 years of liberal politics in California to sway that state to the republican ticket for president.

Alas I used to live in New York, those people will vote for the Devil if he/she was on the democratic ticket, why do you think Hilliary chose that state as a target for her senate run instead of Arkansas where she lived most of her adult life?

The A.D.A rates the liberalism of congressional members. Kerry has a higher "liberal" rating than Ted Kennedy. As strange as it might seem, that rating makes Ted Kennedy the "conservative" senator from Massachusetts.

Kerry voted for almost every cut in the defense budget during the Clinton years. I don't understand how anyone can say he is to the "right."

Furthermore, he stated during an interview with the Harvard Crimson that he would not take on any military action that was not first approved by the United Nations.

Frankly, that position wouldn't make me feel very safe in the event of terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Originally posted by THENEO
So you don't see Arnie making any change of attitudes in California?

Well he did completely cut off disabilty checks. Guess those people who are disabled can eat cake per Arnie.

JD,

Arnie completely cut off disability cheques? didn't hear about that anywhere.

You sure?