Okay - THAT I can understand (re: why didn’t he just do it himself). I really did not get that that was what you were trying to say.

Maybe it’s a division of labor - he makes attacks on certain folks and certain topics and she does it on other topics and people? (joking partly)

I see them as one unit - I’m not saying that’s good or bad, I’m just saying, she’s been out there with him campaigning pretty much from the beginning, and it was the same when he ran as VP. It seems very normal to me to hear her speak out.

On the other hand, if all of a sudden Bill Richardson’s wife started up on stuff - does he even have a wife? I didn’t want to pick on Republicans - they have too many wives to choose from ;) - that would be odd to me.

Just the view from where I’m watching, on the fence (h/t to Joe).

The Edwards thing is about using a spouse to make an attack you don’t have the courage to make yourself, and that you should have made yourself. Admittedly my judgment, but I believe a valid one.

I just don’t see the issue.

I have since learned that:
- she said this in a scheduled interview.
- the involved talk-show interviewer said that Rush’s deferment would be among the things her front people (i.e., Edwards campaign workers) said she wanted to be asked about (IOW, he was doing her bidding).

This shows almost beyond doubt that this was a planned Edwards campaign attack, and not something that she came up with on her own, which also means that they consciously decided to send her out to do the attacking instead of the person whose name is on the ballot.

If you’re still going to hold out and say, despite the above, that she was just saying what’s on her mind without any consideration of what effect it may have on the campaign, then you’re saying that the Edwards’ campaign does not have internal coordination.

If John Edward and his campaign want to attack Rush, John Edwards, or perhaps his chief of staff, should attack Rush. What’s really rich is that John will be the first one to whine “how dare you attack my wife” if Rush dares to say anything that has an inkling of being untoward.

Everyone else - we have different opinions on this. I’ve made mine clear. Thanks for writing up yours.

$6 Jill —

First of all, I don’t want her to be invisible. Second of all, so what if she uses their researchers’ information? Is that any different than a candidate using their researchers’ information?

Well, the researchers work for him (John Edwards for President), not for her.

As noted, they both had to know of the information, and if they’re planning their campaign at all, they’re deciding together who’s going to comment on it.

I suppose I could concede that they really aren’t planning the campaign and their respective roles at all, which seems more “insulting” to both of them than any “insult” directed towards Mrs. Edwards you’re attempting to create out of whole cloth.

You say here, “So what is it about John Edwards that he uses his wife to the dirty jobs for him?”

And I’m saying, you don’t believe she can decide to attack for herself? For goodness sakes, Tom.

First of all, I don’t want her to be invisible. Second of all, so what if she uses their researchers’ information? Is that any different than a candidate using their researchers’ information?

I’m not an Edwards groupie in the least. But the way this woman has conducted herself on the trail indicates that she makes her own decisions - you’re casting her as a tool being manipulated.

That’s insulting.

Good for her for making “a political decision to attack” - I can’t understand why you have to attribute that decision to someone else, like a researcher or her husband. They have advisors and strategists just like everyone else.

I don’t get your attack on her attacking. What bothers you about it? Seems very much like everyone else’s darts to me. What’s different to you about it?

Don’t get me wrong, I support student loans, however, if the government is going to interfere with the supply and demand market clearing of price by creating a higher demand for education, then universities need to be placed under regulations much like utilities that prevent them from hiking tuition costs just so they can push their own social agenda at everyone’s expense.

In this case especially, it is highly doubtful that Mrs. Edwards independently did the oppo research to question Limbaugh’s draft deferment. If that is indeed the case, the oppo researcher would have brought the matter to the candidate first. Then the decision as to who should do the attacking was made. The choice was Mrs. Edwards. Why?