Elizabeth Edwards needs some kind thoughts right now. We don’t know much, but we do know that whatever is happening is important enough that her husband, John Edwards, has curtailed his Presidential campaign to be with her. Elizabeth has battled breast cancer, which she wrote about in her book “Saving Graces.”
Pawn hasn’t endorsed anyone in the 2008 Presidential race, and isn’t saying that Edwards is his choice, but feels a strong affinity for the sonofamillworker who has come a long way since his awkward introduction to national politics in 2004.
You see, John Edwards has a black mark against him for having been the signing majority senator on the original (and poorly named) U.S.A. Patriot Act in 2001. That shameful bill, written largely by Viet Dinh (currently at Georgetown Law) needed a respected Democratic senator with legal credentials to “author” it for introduction, and John Edwards was just the man. You would be hard pressed, given his current, populist spiel, to deduce that. But, so it is.
All that aside, Elizabeth Edwards is immune from all of that. She is just a dedicated woman who deserves all of our kind thoughts as she weathers whatever her newest travails are. And John, we’ll cut you a break, too.

Some time back Pawn penned a rant about the role of an opposition. There is new currency on this issue, given the state of affairs in Washington (and across the country). This recent posting on Politico details Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean’s efforts to reach out to leaders both domestic and overseas, and to build an opposition mentaility. Here is a quote:

“I am trying to build relationships with other governments in preparation for a Democratic takeover,” Dean told me. “I want to make clear that there is an opposition in America and that we are ready to take power and that when we do, we are going to have much better relationships with them.”

The morning’s mail brought this missive from my buddy Russ (channeling H. S. Thompson):

This campaign season is going to get really ugly.
Special Interest groups are going to run with this like crap thru a goose!
“buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, ’cause Kansas is going bye-bye.”
http://redtape.msnbc.com/2007/03/the_nuclear_mus.html#posts

He has a point here. This election cycle has already brought us an almost unprecedented level of “civilian” involvement in campaign material production. I saw this coming a few years ago when, during the 2004 primary season, my friend Geri produced a 10 minute promotional video to distribute in support of the Howard Dean campaign. You can find an account of that effort here.
Further exploits from that campaign season may be found here.

Rudy Giuliani has been facing one after another embarrassing exposures of late. His son won’t campaign on his behalf, fallout from Rudy’s nasty second divorce. His previous positions on such hot-button issues as public funding for abortions or gays in the military have come back to haunt him, YouTube style. His law firm’s lobbying on behalf of Hugo Chavez connected Citgo hasn’t helped, billing $5,000 a month for well over a year while Rudy refers to Chavez as “not a friend to the US”.

And now Tim O’Brien, the campaign’s director of rapid response, suddenly quit.

After serving years in the House from Massachusetts, Martin Meehan will be leaving Congress to take over as Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. One of the most powerful members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation, as chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Meehan has led the way on issues such as the Walter Reed scandal, elimination of the folly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and a string of liberal causes.

He will be missed.

Already 8 challengers have lined up to vie for his seat.