Bloggers and pundits have been speculating on whom and when John Edwards will endorse in the presidential primary. Some have said he's waiting to see who will more strongly push his poverty agenda. Others speculate that he's angling for a cabinet post, such as Attorney General. But Jason Zengerle of the New Republic has another suggestion:
Given Elizabeth's health, and the fact that he's got his (much-mocked) dream house in North Carolina, would Edwards really want to take a cabinet position that would move him to Washington? I could see him being willing and eager to go to Washington as president, but I'm not sure he'd want to do it for any other job. In other words, maybe Edwards's endorsement decision is being governed by idealistic motives.
As for what Edwards does next beyond the more immediate question of his endorsement, I'm assuming he's going to want to do it in North Carolina. Which doesn't give him that many options. It's too late for him to get into this year's gubernatorial race. And, like I said above, I don't see him wanting to return to Washington for anything less than the White House, which would rule out his returning to the Senate. So here's my idea: He should become the chancellor of the University of North Carolina--which, conveniently enough, is a job that's currently open.
Becoming a university president would certainly be a counterintuitive move on Edwards's part; but it would give him a public platform, and if he used that platform to continue to talk about poverty (and worked to make UNC a leader among educational insitutions in dealing with that issue), it would be a very impressive and admirable thing. And it would certainly be idealistic. He'd also probably get some pretty choice seats to watch Carolina basketball. What more could he want?
-- Kevin Siers
Posts
10 comments:
That's a terrible idea and I can't even believe someone posed it. Let John ride off into the sunset. He's shown himself to be the ultimate pragmatist(read about how he decided on Iraq), a poor decision maker, and that his main interest is pursuing his own ambition. By his platform and claimed interests, he clearly suffers from cognitive dissonance and I would not want to put such an important institution in his hands.
P.S. And, what's the word on this love child he moved into Governor's Club?
Face it; as curroupt as they are, Democrats run NC and they like to stock the UNC System with their losers (which describes Edwards)
Look at good old Erskin Bowles (Slick Willie Lap Dog who lost 2 Senetorial elections and was rewarded with the entire UNC syster.
This is the best April Fools joke I've heard today!
I'm still holding out for Edwards on the VP ticket! :)
It's obvious that Jason Zengerle does not live in N.C. I don't think Edwards would have a shot at any state office. The minute he was elected to the Senate, he began his campaign to become President. Unfortunately, this was a critical time for NC to have absentee representation, as many of our native industries were fighting for survival. He has a great national presence and his populism draws attention, but he did a poor job serving our state. To even consider handing him the Chancellor's position is laughable, and suggests someone would actually pretend to know his motive in taking the position. We can do better.
Unfortunately, our tax dollars would pay the salary of this gozillionnaire trial lawyer turned UNC president. What a way to work against poverty? Maybe Jesse Helms was right to remark that NC didn't need a zoo in Asheboro, it just needed a fence around Chapel Hill. I guess that I could get behind appointing Edwards to the post if his title was actually "zoo keeper."
VP ticket or chanceloor type gig...I know that there are a few in NC available
Erskin Bowles is the President of the University of North Carolina.
Well, since UNC seems to be slipping towards seeming rather than being lately, this might be a good choice.
HOW COME NO ONE IS ADDRESSING the inappropriate way Senator Barack Obama engaged a woman in Scranton Pa yesterday: please see link below to on-line Time article where it is reported that Obama asked a woman wearing a Hillary button if giving her "a KISS" would help change her mind to vote for him instead. He treated this woman as a sexual thing who could be manipulated by his charm. As a professional woman I will tell you that this is frightening. The last thing a working woman wants is to be addressed sexually – in any manner. It subtly – and sometimes not so subtly – keeps her in her patriarchal place. I believe Obama’s comment to this woman says a lot about the ways he would address (NOT!) issues related to women’s rights in America. I just am not convinced that he is the best candidate to voice issues that concern me and my daughters, e.g., equal pay, sexual harassment in the workplace, equal opportunity in the military, etc.
Post a Comment