Why Edwards Supporters are Sticking to Their Guns

From DailyKos Post

Why Edwards Supporters are Sticking to Their Guns
by RDemocrat
Wed Jan 09, 2008 at
10:23:04 AM PST

One thing that is becoming increasingly aggrevating is
the call of other candidate's supporters to the supporters of John Edwards to
switch their allegiance and vote against their concience. After the
inevitibility of both frontrunning, $100 million celebrity candidates have been
swept away by IA and NH, suddenly we are hearing comparisons of Edwards
supporters to Nader supporters in 2000. We are hearing how our support for John
Edwards is going to cause the sky to fall, and the birds and bees to stop
mating.

RDemocrat's diary ::
::

Before continuing to insult us, I wish everyone would realize what
the typical John Edwards voter is. There seem to be some myths about us, and our
allegiance to what we believe in.
First, John Edwards voters are highly
versed on the issues that face this country. We did not come by our support
lightly. We have investigated all the candidates and the promise they hold for
our country. Its not that we don't like your candidate, we think ours is much
better. The fact of the matter is that John Edwards has consistently led on
every issue that really matters in this election, and has consistenly shown in
head-to-head matchups with the Repugs that he is the most electable candidate
nationwide in this primary. We are wondering why YOU aren't leaving your
candidate and joining with us!!

Second, for more than a year now, John
Edwards supporters have seen their candidate blacked out by the media. If John
Edwards got half as much press as the $100 million celebrity candidates in this
race, I believe he would be very close to the top of the polls right now. I mean
look at what he has accomplished with what he has had to work with. Despite
being outspent at every turn, and despite the horrible failure of the media to
do their job and inform the American public about ALL viable candidates, Edwards
held his own in Iowa. He also EXCEEDED expectations in NH as all Edwards
supporters knew this was not going to be his strong state. Before you
continually trash Edwards, lets compare how much money each candidate has spent
per votes recieved and I am sure you will find Edwards smoking your candidate in
that regard. Edwards supporters have learned through hard experience that for
real change we simply must keep fighting against all the odds.

Third,
Edwards supporters support John Edwards because John Edwards supports us!! Many
of us have been waiting our whole lives for a Democratic candidate who is proud
to run on the ideals of our party, and that doesn't feel we have to water down
our principles to win. We believe strongly in the message that if we want real
change we are simply going to have to fight like hell for it. We have seen what
compromise and centerist rhetoric have gained the Progressive movement and
working Americans, and that is NOTHING!! Whether you want to face it or not, no
other candidate puts our goals and frustrations before their own ambitions. No
other candidate appeals to our sense of urgency, that we simply have to fight
the powers that be in this country and not reach out to them and pull back a
bloody nub.

Finally, John Edwards supporters are loyal to the Democratic
Party. Despite the comparisons, I think you will find that very few of us
actually voted for Ralph Nader. While some of us might agree with his message of
Corporate control of government, I would venture few of us actually voted
against Al Gore in 2000. I submit that John Edwards supporters are some of the
most loyal Democrats you will find. Why else would we continue to fight for the
true ideals of this party, through all the dispiriting poll and fundraising
numbers, and constant insults from the supporters of other candidates? Most of
us will support the nominee when decided, but we believe that our nominee should
have to EARN the nomination on their own merits, not by convincing us that we
are wrong. We strongly believe in the process of Democracy and that the more
choices we have in this primary the better for the American people.

Does
anyone who calls for us to switch allegiance or for Edward to drop out ever
consider the fact that millions of American Democrats are pleased with the
results of the NH primary not because they support Clinton, but they support
Democracy and realize their state may now have the chance to effect the primary
with THEIR vote? What is wrong with that? ALL Democrats should have the chance
to effect their nominee, not just a handful in a few small states.

So,
the message I want to put foward with this diary is to say that I support John
Edwards for a reason. He best represents my views and my hope for the future of
this country. I believe strongly in the Democratic process and really hope that
I will have the choice of as many possible candidates in the running when my
state of Kentucky votes in May. If my nominee is already decided for me, why
would I care to even vote in the Presidential primary?

To all of those
naysayers who constantly badger Edwards supporters about our god-given right to
pick which candidate we think best represents us I say, if your candidate is
truly the best one to lead this party, then Democrats will realize it and they
will win the nomination naturally. If they have the winning message they will
win. This primary has seen two inevitable celebrity $100 million candidates both
fall flat when their inevitability was shoved onto the American people. Whether
you want to face it or not, you, the MSM, me, Kos, or absolutely nobody else in
this party knows what is going to happen in this primary. We have three great
candidates and whether you like it or not all three still have a good chance of
winning this primary, although some have the upper hand.

So, if you
really want to do some good for your candidate quit telling me how I should
vote, get out there and WORK for your candidate, so that they can EARN this
nomination. I, or nobody else is going to give it to them on a silver platter,
as well we shouldn't. I believe in what I am doing, and I will be fighting like
a pit bull to see my candidate, John Edwards bring home the nomination at the
convention. I suggest you quit crying about the outcome of two little states and
do the same. It will make your candidate stronger in the end.