On the Stump, Edwards Skips the Specifics

A curious thing has happened to John Edwards’ stump speech as the campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination accelerates from individual primaries to the 10-state “Super Tuesday” marathon on March 2.

The details have gone away.

Just five weeks ago, the North Carolina senator sprinkled his talks with such specifics as mandating health coverage for people under age 21, raising public school salaries, offering a free year of tuition to public university students who do community service, and funding research of alternative fuels like biomass -- producing energy from plant byproducts.

But in an appearance here Saturday, Edwards’ speech surfed across broad themes of poverty, class privilege and trade while taking slaps at the Bush administration and the influence of corporations and lobbyists on public policy.

Exactly how Edwards would separate Wall Street from Capitol Hill went unexplored, and foreign policy, which never has figured prominently in his talks, was nonexistent.

While the lack of specifics leaves some voters cold, Edwards’ approach has been highly successful with audiences even though he remains far behind in the all-important delegate count.

“His speech was clear in his opposition to NAFTA,” said Kurt Errickson, 41, an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees business agent among more than 1,000 people who greeted Edwards at a union hall here. “He doesn’t have to go into every chapter and verse.”

In a campaign for support among primary voters who are largely united by one theme -- defeating Bush -- policy differences among the Democratic candidates might not matter.

More important is “the perception of who can be the strongest candidate,” said James E. Campbell, a political science professor at the University of Buffalo.

Campbell, who saw Edwards speak Friday night at a Buffalo social hall, said he was surprised the North Carolina senator hasn’t been more aggressive in trying to distinguish himself from Kerry in the minds of voters.

“The speech is very odd,” Campbell said, arguing that it will be difficult for Edwards, the lagging candidate in what has developed into a two-man field, to mount much of a challenge when “he barely mentions his opponent’s name.”

Campbell speculated that Edwards has redirected his sights to either be Kerry’s running mate -- something Edwards has denied -- or to position himself for a stronger run for the White House in 2008.

“He just wants to put on a good showing,” Campbell said.

Edwards spent Saturday as he has most of the days before: by putting in a full day on the stump.

He also continued a lower-level political campaign for Howard Dean’s endorsement.

Edwards, who said he has spoken with Dean since the Wisconsin primary, met privately in St. Paul with about 30 of Dean’s Minnesota organizers, and publicly cited the former Vermont governor in St. Paul and again Saturday night at Cleveland State University in Ohio.

Calling Dean “my friend,” Edwards described him as “somebody I have enormous respect for, somebody who has changed the face of American politics, and been a powerful voice for change in this country.”

He began the day on New York’s Long Island, where he spoke to more than 350 people at Hofstra University, flew to St. Paul, Minn., then finished the day with an appearance in Cleveland before spending the night in Columbus, Ohio.

He drew a standing ovation from more than 1,000 people overflowing the St. Paul union hall when he suggested voters should “outsource” the Bush administration now that one of its top economic advisors has said that outsourcing jobs ultimately would be good for the economy.

In a nearby room, 70 people watched Edwards on a large screen, giving the impression of watching a stand-up comedy show, with the audience responding to his one-liners and punch lines with laughter and applause.

Edwards’ biggest applause line marshaled Democrats’ desire for change.

“You have to give me a shot at George Bush,” Edwards said. “If you give me a shot at George Bush, I will give you back the White House.”

But the applause comes at the expense of details.

“He has extremely good themes,” said Tina Ashley, 56, of Eden Prairie. “I’d like to hear more specifics but I guess I can go on the Internet and get them.”

And the focus on domestic issues has sidelined foreign affairs.

“He stayed off of foreign policy -- he just stuck mainly with the economic stuff, the domestic stuff, what’s good for working people, and those are the people over there [in Iraq] getting killed,” Edwards’ supporter Steve Gullo, 60, a Long Island printer, said after the morning talk at Hofstra.

“I think Kerry has that advantage in foreign policy, and being a war hero.”

Despite the catalyzing effect opposition to the Iraq war has had on many Democrats, Gullo believes Edwards is striking the most responsive chord by focusing on the challenges of everyday life.

And, he said, Edwards is doing it in a personally engaging manner.

“It’s a two-horse race, but this guy is closing. He’s surprised people before,” Gullo said. “He has a certain energy, a positiveness.... Kerry’s a little too quiet. This guy’s a little more aggressive. I think he would match up well against Bush.”

Ed Friedman and Cindy Mendelson, both of whom are trial attorneys, said they were drawn to Edwards’ appeal to the classic blue-collar dream of working your way out of the factory.

“I like when he talks about his personal life -- his father being a mill worker, being in court and going up against the big interests,” Friedman said.

“It’s a very populist message. The southern drawl, the personal way he speaks, it’s very effective.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

The race so far

Here’s how the two remaining major candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination have fared in the 17 primaries and caucuses to date:

*--* John F. Kerry John Edwards 1st place 15 1 2nd place 1 6 3rd place 1 3 4th place 0 7

*--*

Average vote share;

Kerry: 45%

Edwards: 19%

Sources: National Journal, www.johnkerry.com, Associated Press