It takes time to get control of political turf. Grass roots outreach is enormously manpower intensive. Both terms – grass roots and turf – link to our political story element Earth, and so to Hero. A politician’s political base (their Earth) can’t be built electronically – though it can be contacted that way. It requires old style retail politics. The only base a candidate can really count on is the people who have looked them in the eye, shook their hand, liked what they saw and told their friends.
For the last two years Edwards has been proving himself an old fashioned Hero - At living rooms get-togethers in Idaho and over flapjacks in New Hampshire diners. Now he moves on to the next phase of his campaign story – defining his Antagonist. He’s doing it the right way. He isn’t attacking other Democrats personally, just their policies. When he says, “The Lincoln bedroom shouldn’t be for rent,” we know who he means, but his larger point – that New Democrats have gotten a little too cozy with the wealthy donors and lobbyists - resonates broadly with many party regulars. As a southern gentleman Edwards can’t take a swing at a lady. But his wife Elizabeth can. She has come right out and said what many pros admit: Hillary’s strong negatives could be a real problem in swing states in the general election.
Having invested in building real political capital, when Edwards says these things, they won’t be dismissed as cheap shots.
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