Edwards bashing

I think Jeff Cohen gets it just about right in this piece when he says the media are out to get John Edwards. In addition to the things Jeff points out about coverage of his haircuts, mansions, and speaking fees, I note that there is almost no reporting when Edwards puts forth a new policy position, yet Obama and Hillary get front page coverage when they do. In fact, the New York Times barely ever mentions Edwards' name.

I'm not sure Cohen offers up any really convincing reasons why the press is out to get Edwards, but maybe he's right. Maybe it's because he's rich but won't play their game. It is somewhat mystifying, and it's a terrible shame. Unfortunately, he's getting lost in the shuffle, while the press focuses on the race between Hillary and Obama. Frankly, I have some serious problems with Hillary, and I don't yet know enough about Obama to get really excited by him. I would hate to seem them run away with the lead by default because a bunch of idiots in the press preordained Edwards' demise.

Of course, in a long season, this may work to Edwards' advantage in the end. After people begin to get bored with the Hillary/Obama stories, they may delight in a last minute surge by a "dark horse," and Edwards may be that dark horse. There are still many months to go.