The Rove Edwards Debates

by Todd Beeton, Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 05:54:12 PM EST

What I wouldn't give to be in the audience for this.

GOP strategist Karl Rove and former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will debate the issues of the presidential campaign Sept. 26 as part of the university's Distinguished Speakers Series, The Buffalo News has learned.

As surrogates for the parties' standard bearers, the two also could square off more than once at other locations around the nation.

"We're working on something like that for our Distinguished Speakers Series," said Bill Regan, UB's director of special events. "We're not really sure of the format yet. But we do think they are scheduled to do it at least once together before they come to UB."

One piece of advice for Edwards: watch your debates with Cheney from 2004...and do the opposite. I hope we see fierce trial lawyer guy come out against Rove rather than tactful polite but tough guy from the presidential debates last year. This is not the time to be respectful, this is the time to take Rove out.

No pressure though.

I agree with Nate at FiveThirtyEight that the fact that Edwards would agree to what looks to be a series of appearances at all that close to the election is pretty much a sign that we're not going to be seeing an Edwards as Veep redux.

Committing to a series of high-profile and sure to be much-discussed debates with Karl Rove is a great way to stay important in the Democratic Party; it's also a telegraphed sign that Edwards knows the answer to whether he'll be the pick.




Tags: john edwards, karl rove, debates (all tags)

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Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

The "no pressure though" line made me chukle.

I hope he goes for the jugular.

Edwards for Sec. of Labor!!


Government derives its power from those that it governs.
by lockewasright on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:03:17 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (2.00 / 1)

I saw him at the Radio City Distinguished Speaker series. He faced Rudy Guiliani and ate him for lunch- without getting in his face or being overly aggressive. He did a great job then, and I'm sure he'll be just as effective against Rove.


"Fear not the path of truth, for the lack of people walking on it" Bobby Kennedy
by Narrowback gal on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:55:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

I hope it's on the teevee.  I'd love to see Rove get taken down a peg or 12.

I dig your RFK quote.


Government derives its power from those that it governs.
by lockewasright on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 07:58:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

chukle= chuckle


Government derives its power from those that it governs.
by lockewasright on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:13:36 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

Maybe C-Span will cover it?  It would be very interesting to watch.


by Juno on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:15:49 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

I don't know if it necessarily means that Edwards is out of the running.  Presumably no person right now has a 50% or greater chance of being tabbed as the VP nominee, so it would make sense for potential nominees to make their fall schedules as if they were not going to be the nominee.  I'm sure that they could easily stick Biden or someone else in as a replacement, if need be.


by rfahey22 on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:22:12 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

This is probably true.  I would, however, like to see Edwards in an office where one can actually get some stuff done.  I like his brand of economic populism.  VP, barring the worst, is sort of a no impact job (at least low impact).  I want an attack dog in that slot so BO can keep trying to look post partisan.


Government derives its power from those that it governs.
by lockewasright on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:26:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

I don't think it matters. Obama has a very effective way of 'deploying' forces. All of the big wheels in the Democratic Party seem to be operating as a roughly cohesive unit. I mean, note the pattern. Gen. Clark hits McCain on the military, Biden hits him on Foreign policy and now argueably one of the best debaters/trial lawyers in the Democratic Party is taking on the personification of Bush's failed policies. Hell, Rove created many of Bush's  failed policies.

Traditionally, by the time a candidate gets to the presidency, their career is so long, he has had to appoint everyone who helped get him there to a position. Obama may not have that problem.  
Because his previous career is so limited, he may have the ability to appoint high-profile Democrats to positions in the government, regardless of their personal standing with him.
An Obama cabinent may look like a an all-star lineup of the Democratic Party:

  1. Sec Dev - Clark
  2. Attn Gen- Edwards
  3. Sec State - Biden/ Hillary
  4. EPA - Gore

The possibilities are limitless.....


A PROUD Hopium user!
by xodus1914 on Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 04:15:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

I remember those debates with Cheney, it was ugly.
But Karl Rove is no Cheney...
"Who are you for? That is the wrong question. It should be who is for you?" HRC
by skohayes on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 06:46:43 PM EST

Nate Silver didn't say (none / 0)

any of that Todd; it was his stooge Sean, who occassionally writes stuff on th blog.

Silver is awesome because offers very good, slightly biased Obama anlaysis with numbers to back up his claims.  Sean is a pure Obama partisan/HRC hater.


by Blazers Edge on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 07:04:50 PM EST

No mercy (none / 0)

Edwards should go uber-attack dog.  There's no reason to be polite to an obvious scumbag like Rove.  

And since he's scheduled these debates I think that guarantees no Edwards for VP.  Even if it made sense in a normal campaign, no way is Obama going to cede control the message in this way.


McCain = Iraq. John McCain = overturn Roe.
by PantsB on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 07:29:06 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

Reminds me of those old Timothy Learey -- G. Gordon Liddy "debates." Or the Billy Jean King v. Bobby Riggs "matches."


by Beren on Sat Jul 05, 2008 at 10:42:26 PM EST

No reason for Edwards to try to (none / 0)

behave like a candidate.  He can just go right after Rove, as people have said above.

But Rove is way smart and shouldn't be underestimated.  He doesn't believe that logic is what motivates or influences people, and he's probably right about this.  So it's entirely possible that while Edwards is making logical points Rove will be aiming for something entirely different.  


by Garret on Sun Jul 06, 2008 at 06:00:22 PM EST

Re: The Rove Edwards Debates (none / 0)

I would love to see Edwards become the next Attorney General.


by cameoanne on Wed Jul 09, 2008 at 01:46:18 AM EST


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