Good evening, and welcome to a semi-retro version of the EENR: the Edwards Evening News Round-up.  John and Elizabeth have been traveling and speaking at venues this weekend about the issues Democrats care about.   As many Kossacks know by now (or if you don't), EENR for Progress (especially via the EENR blog) focuses more on issues and less on the remainder of the primary race for the Democratic nomination.

Our top stories:

1. John Edwards in Durham, NC

2. Elizabeth Edwards in Alexandria, VA

3. Upcoming Events for the Edwardses

4. Noteworthy issue-oriented diaries at the EENR Blog

5. Upcoming EENR for Progress Diaries

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Last week I received a "Thinking of You" card from my 76 year young mother.  It's one of those cards that she bought in bulk, probably at a Dollar store, but she keeps them around as she gets older because her friends are having health problems and spending more time in hospitals or being confined to their homes.  Receiving a caring note through the US mail is nice for anyone, especially since we either see only bills or advertisements, and her friends do appreciate them.   I appreciated it too, but for a different reason.

Why is this card so special to me?   Follow me beneath the fold.    

Hard to believe the POTUS 2008 campaign season has been so long, yet short in other ways.  The Iowa caucuses are upon us in 6 days, and even a year ago, they were to be a week or so later in 2008.

So many candidates, so little time.  

My diary is about looking back at the launch a year ago today and how his message has been consistent throughout the year.  It has developed though with great substance, and he has provided leadership with his agenda.  The launch laid out the foundation for his campaign.

Let's take an abbreviated look back after the jump...

At the Yearly Kos, I got to hear two famous people who are known for progressive message framing, George Lakoff and Jeffrey Feldman.  Lakoff seems to believe that Obama has his frame down the best with the concept, "Get rid of the very idea of the right and the left and the center."  Feldman believes that Clinton will win the Iowa via Intellect,Politics, Service and Revolution.   The latter word is one I personally quibble with, but that's his opinion and apparently the DMR Register agreed with him when they endorsed Clinton.

I believe there is a third way to frame the message, but more from an agenda view, and not just rhetoric.  It's understanding how the Republicans played the game, but how they failed or lied to voters, then change it whereby everyone gets a chance to have a piece of the pie.  The person who has some clear ideas about this strategy is Dave Mudcat Saunders.   This first part is to talk about the importance of rural voter.

Slide under the fold and have a cup of coffee..

Earlier today, Al Gore and Rajendra K. Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, accepted their Nobel awards in Oslo.   Sven from My Silver State has wonderful photos from the event.  

In Gore's acceptance speech, I was struck by the notion that his passion had increased and with stronger resolve to raise awareness about this ongoing issue after the SCOTUS vote on the 2000 election.

"The distinguished scientists with whom it is the greatest honor of my life to share this award have laid before us a choice between two different futures - a choice that to my ears echoes the words of an ancient prophet: "Life or death, blessings or curses. Therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

But instead of looking back on their work and all what they have accomplished, Gore and Pachauri gave a sobering look at the future by stating the present dangers of global warming, and urged all countries to stop the assault on the planet.  

Follow me after the jump...

Just saw this breaking on John Edwards' website:

The Communications Workers of America in Nevada today announced its endorsement of Senator John Edwards for president. The Communications Workers of America represents both active and retired members throughout the state of Nevada.

The Nevada CWA joins several other Nevada labor unions that have endorsed Senator Edwards, including the Steelworkers, Carpenters, and Transport Workers, giving the Edwards campaign the largest block of labor support in the state.  Combined the unions represent 28,000 members.

You may recall that Jonathan Tasini predicted that the CWA would go for Edwards.  Of course, we know they decided to let locals endorse whomever, but Tasini was right.

But if you don't remember, let's communicate below the fold..

Pundits lauded John Edwards and are falling over themselves about his performance at last night's debate in Philly.   I'm generally very skeptical of these critics, as they have put out so much negative press, and sometimes meaningless, or have practically ignored Edwards whenever he has come out with a new plan.  But their comments seem to mirror some of my reactions to the debate, so I am using their commentaries in this diary.

Note: Title Updated

Follow me below the fold.

For months, the Progressive sphere has been pushing candidates not to participate in any of Fox News’ antics.   Remember in March, when Kos himself posted this?

I've asked several campaigns whether they plan on attending the Fox News debate in Nevada. I've started collecting responses, and expect to post them tomorrow. I can say off the bat that the question clearly has campaigns conflicted. It's not a position they want to be in, and I'm sure they're cursing whoever it was that negotiated the deal with Fox News. (That Democratic Party decision maker, by the way, is still secret. Everyone claims they don't know who signed the deal.)

The campaigns could make things easier for themselves by just stating, en masse, that they won't do a Fox News debate, but that they'll be happy to debate in Nevada with another media partner.

Snip

Update: This is the media outlet that these Democrats would legitimize with their appearance at their debate:

Which candidate (s) agreed and responded to this Freeze Out?  

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Good Evening, I'm Bennyo5, and I'm the guest anchor here.  I was at the Yearly Kos, and I will report only news with a couple of tidbits from the MSM and from Kos.  Yearly Kos announced that it will be Netroots Nation convention next year.

Yesterday, I got home from a 5 day trip to Wisconsin, the home state of Frank Lloyd Wright and Senator Russ Feingold, the only senator who seems to want censure of King George and Prince Grumpy. Wisconsin is full of hills, trees, lakes, golf courses, etc, just like the state of North Carolina. But Wisconsin doesn’t have Brad Miller, and as a resident of Ilinois, I have a do-nuthin’ congressman who happens to be a Republican. I wish Brad Miller were my congressman.  Follow me after the flip, and I’ll tell you why.

Good Evening. I am Benny, the Guest Anchor and our regular Wed night anchor is off, due to an earlier day assignment.  Here's the news.

Good evening, I'm Benny05 and have been asked to guest anchor. LadyLib has the night off. Today, many events took place, but the lead off is Elizabeth Edwards engages nouvelle Queen of Mean, Ann Coulter, in her comments about John Edwards.  

Context: Ann Coulter is not married, does not have children, and yet attacks the Edwardses for losing young children and they talk about them when asked.   As Elizabeth Edwards points out, Coulter is not asking for participation on issues as her commentary is turning away potential voters for any candidate.

Follow me under the fold.

Good evening. I'm Benny, the guest anchor for the EEN as TomP is on a work assignment. I'm reporting almost live downstate from Senator Barack Obama's HQ but where John Edwards has visited more than once and has good friends/supporters in Central Illinois.

The news starts after the jump.

Good evening.  I'm Benny, the guest anchor for the EEN as Ladylib has the night off.  I'm reporting almost live downstate from Senator Barack Obama's HQ but where John Edwards has visited more than once and has good friends/supporters in Central Illinois.  

Here's a picture of Edwards and me from February 5th, in which I attended an event as a blogger and a groundbooter.  I'm less in weight since then, but I wanted readers here to see what I look like. Democracy via the netroots and grassroots is very much a theme throughout Edwards' campaign and we will see more about this in the news tonight.

Tonight's diary will be a little different as it will be recapping the news of the day that may have been diaried here, there, or anywhere.  Small, but very informal  commentary (aka not analysis) will be included in this diary at the end as I have been watching this campaign unfold for quite awhile.  As a long time supporter, I will use Edwards and "JRE" as he is known to many of us, interchangeably.

The news starts after the jump.

John Edwards' First Home

This morning John Edwards announced a rural recovery agenda while visiting his birth place of Seneca, SC. We always think about the urban places, which do need our attention, but the rural areas are overlooked.

Not by John Edwards and Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.   Many rural areas are struggling: his website reveals that rural families earn 27 percent less than other families; 244 of the poorest 250 counties are rural. Rural manufacturing has been hit particularly hard by international trade, the offshoring of jobs, and automation.

More under the jump...

I just listened to JRE's Saturday "E-cast"about overhauling the tax filing system.  It is a short podcast, but it presents an idea I've not heard before, which he calls "Form 1".

More..

This is the first of a series of webisodes that shows John Edwards unfiltered, or as Edwards says in the video, when he is not on the stage.   As I have seen on this blog and other places, there are folks who claim Edwards is a phony, pretty pol with great photo ops, but I would argue those same people do not know him otherwise.  

LINK to webisode

Newsweek published an article about this webisode this week:

"The Webisodes are the brainchild of Rielle Hunter, a filmmaker who met Edwards at a New York bar where Edwards was having a business meeting. "I didn't think it was John Edwards," Hunter recalls, "because the public persona did not mesh at all with the person who was sitting in front of me." Hunter pitched Edwards on the documentaries as a medium for bringing the "real John Edwards" to the people."

To take this one step further..from the summer, about six weeks before this was filmed (below the fold)..

On Saturday, I attended a rally given on behalf of David Gill who is running against the Republican incumbent, Tim Johnson.   Gill reminds me of something NYT's David Brooks wrote yesterday (or least the positive part of the Op-Ed):

Today's most prominent Democratic candidates are more Mines and Mills than Towns and Gowns.

I'll explain why below the fold why I believe Gill, the son of a single mom and who started working at 13 washing dishes and busing tables, is a solid candidate for Congress.