Laugh riot of the day: John Edwards as Democratic Party “elder”
posted at 9:15 pm on March 21, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The Democratic Party has produced an almost non-stop stream of hilarity already this season, but Politico distills it into one shining moment. In reporting that John Edwards will not likely endorse either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, David Paul Kuhn says that Edwards wants to retain a strategic influence over how events will unfold at the convention. One of his aides cast Edwards as — well, I’ll let Kuhn report it (emphasis mine):
John Edwards is unlikely to endorse either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton before the nomination is decided, according to interviews with several members of the former candidate’s inner circle.
At least three individuals who have recently spoken to Edwards expect that he will choose to stay out of the fight, though they warn that no one other than his wife, Elizabeth, can be certain of his thinking.
“My gut instinct, at this point: He’s probably going to remain neutral and sort of try to play on that Al Gore status as party elder,” said a former Edwards operative who is in regular contact with the former North Carolina senator and who asked that his name be withheld.
Party elder? John Edwards has served all of one term in public office at any level. He served in the Senate for six years, half of which he spent running for the Presidency and Vice-Presidency. He opted to retire after one term because his own state wouldn’t have re-elected him anyway, and then ran for President again and didn’t come any closer than he did on his first run.
How exactly does that make Edwards a party elder?
Of course, this thinking explains why the Democrats think that a candidate with only half a Senate term is somehow the most qualified for the party to nominate to run the nation. Obama is halfway to becoming a Democratic Party elder already. All he needs is two failed Presidential campaigns and a retreat from the Senate to make it.
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Oh man! What a mug shot!
Zorro on March 21, 2008 at 9:19 PM
I miss Fred.
Connie on March 21, 2008 at 9:25 PM
When the topic is Kindergarten, he’s obviously an “elder”.
Entelechy on March 21, 2008 at 9:26 PM
me too.
Zorro on March 21, 2008 at 9:26 PM
Heh I guess that makes Hillary a “Current Royal Offical Noble Elder”
Or for short C.R.O.N.E.
William Amos on March 21, 2008 at 9:30 PM
ole man edwards/
dat ole man edwards/
he must know somthin’/
but he don’t say nothin’/
he just keeps on rollin’/
he just keeps rollin’/
along
billy on March 21, 2008 at 9:30 PM
me too.
Zorro on March 21, 2008 at 9:26 PM
F15Mech on March 21, 2008 at 9:31 PM
Party elder as in this is getting old? Why would anyone care what the man thinks for all the reason Ed has listed!
Pam on March 21, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Doh!!! note to self use preview to check tags.
+2
However it has been fun watching the dems this week.
F15Mech on March 21, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Whenever I see Edwards I always think of Jimmy Carter. Could they be the same person ? Has anyone ever seen them together in the same place at the same time ? Gives me the creeps.
JonRoss on March 21, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Yeah, that pretty much sums up John Edwards………
Seven Percent Solution on March 21, 2008 at 9:34 PM
He has all that old sage advise on how to win elections… Oh wait, check that
Hummer53 on March 21, 2008 at 9:35 PM
He’s a big time loser?
mred on March 21, 2008 at 9:35 PM
They are fun to watch. Personally, I cannot wait to see the cage fights in Denver. Can you imagine John Edwards coming out in his wrestling tights challenging Hillary to a thumb fight…
Zorro on March 21, 2008 at 9:38 PM
They
blow up become tiersomegrow up so fast.MB4 on March 21, 2008 at 9:39 PM
OK that was a funny but sobering thought.
If either one of them get elected, that is exactly what they will do on the world stage.
Kinda reminds me of Vega Vacation.
Any one want to play rock paper scissors?
F15Mech on March 21, 2008 at 9:56 PM
In a party that seriously debates Hillry’s breadth of experience against Obama’s breadth of experience, I don’t think it seems out of place to call Edwards an elder.
snaggletoothie on March 21, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Seems more like the “hair apparent.”
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on March 21, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Wit Appreciated!
Seven Percent Solution on March 21, 2008 at 10:13 PM
Very witty, Dr. Charles G. Waugh, as usual :)
It’s also Good Friday – how about “hare apparent”…
Entelechy on March 21, 2008 at 10:16 PM
Party girl, more like.
Cicero43 on March 21, 2008 at 10:17 PM
John Edwards not so secret MySpace entry:
*
Hi. My name is Johnny Reid Edwards former Senator from the Great State of North Carolina, Vice Presidential nominee under
LurchJohn Kerry and now elder statesman for the Democratic party! You can just call me John if you want. I was born on June 10, 1953, although people tell me that I look at least 25 years younger, even though I am now an elder statesman!I was the very first person in my dirt poor family to attend college. I earned my law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It was a great accomplishment as I was so poor that I had to work 12 different part time jobs to pay for my tuition and just barely enough food to survive.
After getting my law degree I immediately went on my noble mission to save hundreds of victims of gross corporate negligence and gross medical malpractice. When necessary to win a case to help the poor victim that I was representing I would even feel the presence of dead people inside me, talking to me and through me to the members of the jury. If you don’t think that takes a lot out of a man, just try it sometime. I also split the settlement very fairly with my clients. I was VERY generous to them – 5% for them, 95% for me. More than fair. I mean I was the one who had to channel the dead, wasn’t I!!!
If I do say so myself I am so cute that you just can’t believe it! I can hardly believe it myself! I have such great hair! I am also very boyish looking in a good way, not in a gay way at all, but rather in an elder statesman way. Did I mention that I have GREAT HAIR!!! Sometimes I think my great looks are almost a curse, but not enough of a curse to keep me from being an elder statesman!
I sometimes like to chill out after a long day of
campaigningbeing an elder statesman to save America by eating at Wendy’s. I also like to spend some time at home sprucing up around my small modest and humble house. It is especially modest and humble for an elder statesman. I also like to spend hours in front of the mirror combing my hair. Wouldn’t you too if you had such great hair!!! I am probably the only elder statesman ever to have such great hair!!! Contrary to what some of my very few enemies say I never spend more than $395 on haircuts. That $400 on a haircut is a damn lie, as it included a very generous $5 tip.I would like to think that I am open minded, honest, polite and a real
manelder statesman of the peoples. And I appreciate the same qualities in others.Who I’d like to meet:
…other bloggers who grew up in poverty. Other people who like to
take advantage ofhelp thelow lifepoor. People with great hair so that I can comb your hair and you can comb mine. It’s going to be great!!! And always remember I am now an elder statesman, but still so young andprettyhandsome.MB4 on March 21, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Party elder? More like the party doll. What a lightweight! Edwards looks more like a superannuated member of the Mickey Mouse Club in that screen shot.
Does anyone else remember that caught-on-tape interchange between Hillary! and Edwards when they discussed clearing the number of debaters to only the serious contenders during the Gong Show eliminations?
onlineanalyst on March 21, 2008 at 10:26 PM
Campaigning is what qualifies you to be President and Commander in Chief of the greatest nation on earth!
waterfall on March 21, 2008 at 10:44 PM
As Rush always says, failure moves you to the front of the class in the Democratic party.
By the way, the Algore ad is making my eyes water.
labrat on March 21, 2008 at 10:52 PM
Edwards’ just hoping Hill and Barack damage each other so permanently and rancorously that the party begs him to jump in an take up the fallen mantle of the Dems at the convention.
He’ll tousle his mop and say:
“The two Americas call me and I answer: Yes and Yes!”
Then pick Geraldine Ferraro as his Veep.
profitsbeard on March 21, 2008 at 11:02 PM
I could be wrong,but ya know
Silky almost has that Tom Cruise
look about him!
And Silky is right,of course in the Lefty
perspective,that there are Two America’s.
The 1st. America is set in 1860’s to 1960’s
and those views are held by Silky,AL,Jesse,
and Obama.According to their views,nothing has
changed,apperantly thier still hoping!
The 2nd America is set in the 1985 to the 21st.
Century and those views are held by,Bill Cosby
Walter Williams,Supreme Court Justice Clarence
Thomas,Secretary of State Condi Rice,Colin Powell
J.C Watts and other great African Americans that
escape my brain at present!
canopfor on March 21, 2008 at 11:28 PM
He got the looks, the talk, the walk, the hair, the wife, the kids, the money, the attitude, he reached out to the poor, the Blacks, can anyone explains to me why John Edwards couldn’t appeal to a majority of Democrats?
I know the answer, but if you have another explanation, please let me know.
I think because people don’t like perfection, especially concerning the looks.
I would say, if John Edwards had the looks of Hussein, he would’ve clinched the nomination months ago.
People like ugliness.
Indy Conservative on March 21, 2008 at 11:46 PM
nice photo… he is such a homo
D2Boston on March 21, 2008 at 11:52 PM
He had to remind everyone that he was a candidate too in the middle of a debate between Hillery and Oboma.. He didn’t matter then and shouldn’t matter now..
and he’s an ‘elder’ in a party with just as many old white men as the GOP?
the demos really are on drugs..
DaveC on March 22, 2008 at 12:56 AM
Is Edwards old enough to be considered an “elder”???
Vntnrse on March 22, 2008 at 1:04 AM
maybe an ‘elder’ in a mature, grown up sense.. not an actual age.. ‘wisdom beyond his years’…
no, that can’t be it.. I’m at a loss.
DaveC on March 22, 2008 at 1:15 AM
Edwards is bumping Byrd?
Connie on March 22, 2008 at 1:55 AM
I was going to ask if anyone thought that JE looked like Tom Cruise in that photo. Has that same deadeye look to him.
ScoopPC11 on March 22, 2008 at 8:27 AM
Points at Connie
ding ding ding!!!11
rhodeymark on March 22, 2008 at 8:55 AM
Well, he’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut. You got to give him that.
Blake on March 22, 2008 at 9:19 AM
The simple answer is usually the best. Please think in politically correct logic. The speaker could not manage to describe Mr Edwards as ‘no longer relevant’, thought about a better term of ‘retired from usefulness’, and finally hit on ‘elder’ to describe the man who is like a soggy log spun into a backwater eddy of campaign footnotes.
LaMonte on March 22, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Dang, you’re right. The smile that’s all done with facial muscles but no corresponding warmth in the eyes. *shiver*
RushBaby on March 22, 2008 at 2:58 PM
Indeed.
joewm315 on March 23, 2008 at 2:17 AM
Edwards is trying to change his ’silky’ image to one of Tom Cruise. But, the change does not reverse the fact that he is a liberal.
MSGTAS on March 23, 2008 at 9:49 AM
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