Obama borrows from Edwards
By Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor January 5, 2008 01:19 PM
By Sasha Issenberg, Globe Staff NASHUA, N.H. -- After beating John Edwards in Iowa on Thursday, Barack Obama has decided to join him -- repeatedly poaching his opponent's themes, language, and even jokes.
"We shouldn't just be respecting wealth in this country -- we should be respecting work," Obama told an overflow crowd in a high-school gym today.
Edwards's 2004 presidential campaign was centered around the idea that the Bush administration had launched a "war on work" through tax cuts that offer incentives for investment over labor. "Hard work should be valued in this country, so we're going to reward work, not just wealth," Edwards said in accepting his party’s vice-presidential nomination at the Democratic’ convention in Boston. In this campaign, he has sharpened his populist rhetoric, railing against greedy corporate CEOs who are waging war on working people and the middle class.
Since arriving in New Hampshire Friday, Obama has borrowed Edwards's favorite verb by bragging that he had "fought" as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer, and conceding that "insurance companies and drug companies will not give up their profits" -- which Edwards asserts repeatedly to ridicule Obama's talk of conciliation. Obama repeatedly invoked those interests, as well as "big oil and big insurance," common villains in Edwards speeches.
For months, Obama has been telling crowds, "I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change."
Edwards gave a similar spin to his short political resume when he announced his candidacy in September 2003, declaring, "I haven't spent most of my life in politics, but I've spent enough time in Washington to know how much we need to change it."
The two candidates share a common strategist -- David Axelrod, the mastermind of Obama '08, helped launch Edwards '04 –- and now a common goal of standing as the reformist outsider against Hillary Clinton.
Even a new Obama laugh line -- joking about pharmaceutical ads that "have all these people running around in the fields and stuff" -- evokes an anecdotal staple of Edwards's 2004 "Two Americas" stump speech used to ridicule the marketing budgets of pharmaceutical companies.
"I love the ads," Edwards said then. "Buy their medicine, take it and the next day you and your spouse will be skipping through the fields."
Obama wins the biggest response when he punches up the Edwards observation with a slyly racy kicker. After observing that the ads are so vague they do not identify the drugs' function, Obama jokes, "Actually, I know what one of them does."
These are two candidates with similar political views and a similar level of experience preaching a similar message (change).....OF COURSE THEY'RE GOING TO SAY SOME OF THE SAME THINGS!
What you have to focus on is how each of them intends to get the things done that they are talking about. It's obvious that Edwards has a "take no prisoners" approach and Obama wants the "sit down and talk" approach.
For months, Obama has been telling crowds, "I know I haven't spent a lot of time learning the ways of Washington. But I've been there long enough to know that the ways of Washington must change."
Edwards gave a similar spin to his short political resume when he announced his candidacy in September 2003, declaring, "I haven't spent most of my life in politics, but I've spent enough time in Washington to know how much we need to change it."@ anyone who believes just because of these similarities he copied him. Umm.. most candidates spent time in Washington and should be talking about change.
What's funny is that on the Daily Kos, one of the Edwards supporters referred to the fact that Obama referred the his wife as "the love of my life" as evidence that Obama borrows from Edwards. Evidently, Edwards is unique in referring to his wife as "the love of my life" when introducing her to a group of people.
I guess I could allege that Edwards borrows from me because I referred to my wife as "the love of my life" when I introduced her to some relatives over Christmas.
Quit plagiarizing John Edwards, Mr. Peabody!!
As a fan of plagiarism, Obama just won my vote.
Most candidates say the same things when talking about issues. No bid deal. Plagiarism my ass.
Nice to know we've got Joe Rogan starting threads at SpursTalk.
John Edwards interview on CNN today...
Better than Seth Rogen. Wait, no.
CAN THEY ALL QUIT TALKING ABOUT CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE.
Is someone in the media who is worth a damn going to actually ask Hillary what she HAS changed? They throw that ing word around 1k times during a debate (literally) yet don't go into any god damn details.
I know Hillary started listing off some things the other night but let's hear something with substance that didn't just take her signing some bills to achieve.
CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE.
Please quit using that word. Please.
Middle class blah blah blah. They talk about the middle class every election :wank:
He actually means it.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
