In the unlikely event John Edwards is elected the next president of the United States, don't look for Dee Dee Myers twirling on the dance floor with him at the Inaugural Ball. Appearing on this morning's "Today," the former Clinton press secretary took some serious shots at the former senator from North Carolina.At about 7:08 am EDT this morning, Meredith Vieira began a tour of the presidential horizon with Myers and conservative commentator and radio talk show host Laura Ingraham. Talk turned to Edwards, and Vieira framed the issue in a manner not particularly flattering to the ex-trial lawyer.
View video here.
TODAY CO-HOST MEREDITH VIEIRA: You have Democratic candidate John Edwards, who portrays himself as a man of the people but obviously a very rich man of the people. He has assets of just under $30 million and earned another $500,000 last year working for a hedge fund. So who has the bigger image problem, do you think, John Edwards or Giuliani? [Note: the panel had previously discussed Rudy's recent earnings of $16 million].Ingraham declined to bite at Vieira's class-warfare bait.
LAURA INGRAHAM: I don't think American people are concerned with what your portfolio says or how much money you've made. I think they're concerned with where you're going to take the nation.Myers was considerably less forgiving.
DEE DEE MYERS: But I do think that in the short term the press is going to make an issue out of the fact that he talks a lot about poverty and he works for a hedge fund, which is a very lucrative investment vehicle available only to the wealthiest Americans. He talks about poverty but he lives in a huge house. He talks about poverty but he pays $400 for his haircut. Those may not be fair but in the short run I think they're going to cause him a little heartburn. You know, I don't think you need to be a consultant to a hedge fund or invest in a hedge fund to learn how capital markets work and how they affect poverty in this country, and I'm not sure that explanation sticks.Ouch!
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Edwards Reminds me of another
May 17, 2007 - 06:59 ET by LeonEdwards Reminds me of another famous politician that pretends to be a man of the people but in reality is rich beyond imagination and was born with a silver spoon in his mouth...George W. Bush.
Note to all posters, most politicians are rich. A major problem with the American government is that it's difficult to pursue a career in politics/government unless you are rich. I have a personal story where after college I had the opportunity to work for a US Congressman. This was the job I wanted and I was tremendously excited until I got the bad news. I would be paid $8/hr for my work. $8/hr in Washington DC? You can not survive on this amount of money. Thus, I was forced to take a higher paying (non-political) job. My friends that were able to take political jobs were only able to do so because their rich parents paid for their apartments, food, and provided them with allowances.
Go to DC sometime and meet the young people on the Hill. Sure there'll be a few that pulled themselves up from the boot straps but not many.
Thanks for the gratuitous hit
May 17, 2007 - 07:11 ET by ncstevemThanks for the gratuitous hit on the president.
However I would agree about your comments on politicians in general. I've come to the conclusion that many if not most are crooks. Career politicians have made passed laws making it more and more difficult to vote them out of office. They lavish themselves with incredible benefits and retirement and then the public is dumb enough to name roads/building after them.
All politicians should be term-limited just like the president. Six years for a congressman and 12 years for a senator.
Anyone know how many states term limit their state legislators?
Hey the hit on the president
May 17, 2007 - 07:15 ET by LeonHey the hit on the president was too easy to pass up.
My main point is that it's absurd to attack one politician for being rich when they all are. These Edwards attacks just seem to be overly petty.
I agree with your post entirely.
I disagree. Edwards has mad
May 17, 2007 - 08:36 ET by kathleenirishI disagree. Edwards has made it the cornerstone of his campaign, this "two America's" b.s. He, like Gore and most of their elite friends, lectures us on how to live and how we are responsible for other people's poverty. They are obnoxiously hypocritical. I don't believe that because someone is successful, that means they are necessarily bad or didn't earn their income, but John Edwards' preaching and purposely setting up one group against another in the pursuit of his own political goals is wrong.
" 'Fred's Slacks' is a winner!!"
I agree in a large fashion kathleen
May 17, 2007 - 09:37 ET by SportPoliticsI agree in a large fashion kathleen. Bush talks about getting out there and being an entreprenuer- starting up a business, working hard, making something of yourself. You can do it - is his attitude.
Edwards says there is no hope and you're all crushed losers, so please elect him he knows the pain you are suffering, since he braggingly was the first one in his family that went to college, and was extremely lucky and blah blah blah blah - blah...only he - MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE - is the lucky one who took advantage of his disadvantaged life.
I'm waiting for him to tell us the little girl is inside him, and she's talking to him, and he hears what she is saying (LOL).... so tens of thousands of women should have their guts sliced open unneccesarily...
Yeah, great, I can just imagine - and it's horrifying -comtemplating the endless liberal diatribes about some health operation or procedure the gawking masses are being denied and that so and so stripped a bazillion from hillarycare to pay for a tank or icbm, and that 43,000 more Americans will go uncared for because of the greedy uncaring republican neocon warmonger, and that surrending another 3,000 a year in taxes will fix the problem for all Americans...
Gawd, all the babbling heads will be obscure homeopathic lay doctors and the already disgusting medical commericals that dominate the TV realm will be outnumbered by the ten thousand talking points on someone's gallbladder and their prostate and bowel movements. I know, Katie Couric can appear for another rump reaming with perky smiles, an on TV breast clamp exam, a roto rooter job, and can explore her fears on air concerning her unmentionables and their latest bought with disease since she didn't have the chance to get the lib inspired HPV shot in gradeschool. Then comes mandatory aids testing, in an effort to eradicate it from the USA, and reduce the ten thousand dollars per month it costs to care for fellow Americans and hard working undocumented exploited laborers.
Yeah, forget lawyer boy, and hitlery.
I'm already prepping for the endless internal organ commercials they're already ramping up for the "greatest generation" and the "baby boomers" who are living on average until they're 103.
Cripes, they'ell make it a federal law that transgender operations are taxpayer funded and nationally televised.
Pretty Funny Leon
May 17, 2007 - 08:01 ET by JimboLeon – I find it pretty darn funny that you take a blog that talks about how the Democrats are so busy cannibalizing their own candidates to mention a Republican, and use that post to take a poke at the President. You should work for the MSM, assuming you don’t already.
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
I'll offer the obvious. Myers
May 17, 2007 - 07:07 ET by KC MulvilleI'll offer the obvious. Myers' comments make sense when you remember that Myers used to work for the Clintons. Other Democrats only matter to the Clintons to the degree that they support the Clintons. Now that they are temporarily at odds, Edwards is open to attack. It's pretty mild so far, but if Edwards remains a threat later on, you can expect it to get nasty.
I'm slightly surprised at Ingraham. IMO she usually reflects common sense, but in this case she missed the point. Edwards' entire campaign is based on class warfare, and that's why his portfolio matters but Giuliani's doesn't. I'd expect Ingraham to point it out without attacking viciously, but she passed on the chance this morning. Probably she was more focused on the idea that making money is not a sin, but I don't think that's why Viera brought up the contrast in the first place.
Dee Dee's Spring Break
May 17, 2007 - 08:05 ET by JimboDee Dee’s position is so transparent that anyone outside the MSM and the loony left can see it a mile away. She is clearly out there campaigning for her old boss Bubba and his wife of convenience Hillary. She probably figures another Clinton presidency will guarantee her another position in the four year long spring break that would be called the Clinton White House. Sorry Dee Dee – ain't gonna happen! You are going to have to pony up for your own air fare to Daytona Beach if you want to be part of that scene.
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
I'm upset!! I thought John
May 17, 2007 - 08:47 ET by charlietexasI'm upset!! I thought John Edwards had more money then just 16 mil??? Whats up with that? The Clintooons probably have more money than that. Geeezzzz. When I vote for someone they better have more than just chump change.
" I'm not sure that
May 17, 2007 - 16:58 ET by jwm45" I'm not sure that explanation sticks "
a polite way of saying John Edwards is full of s***
Dee Dee is just jealous becau
May 17, 2007 - 18:41 ET by P.J. GladnickDee Dee is just jealous because Edwards is prettier. Maybe she should also visit the Pink Sapphire salon and get herself fixed up as nicely as Edwards.