Missing John Edwards

By Libby

Krugman posts a good column today, curiously entitled "The Edwards Effect." I say that because yesterday I posted on another Krugman column and called it The Iraq Effect. I love those odd moments of synchronicity in Blogtopia. Anyway, Paul says we should thank John Edwards for the substance in the Democratic campaigns. He's right about that. Edwards framed the issues that matter. Poverty. Health care. Environmental awareness.

If he hadn't made them a focus of his campaign, I feel certain the other two wouldn't have addressed them. We would have seen another Kerry-lite campaign filled with cautious rhetoric that said nothing. Instead Obama and Hillary, aided and abetted by the media, stole Edwards issues right out from under him. If it was three white guys running, instead of this history making firsts mix, I think he would have done better despite the media vendetta. I regret now, not supporting him more strongly. He deserved better.