How Edwards advanced the Dems' debate on healthcare

by: los anjalis

Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 00:49:03 AM PST

Most important, the Edwards campaign was a reminder that any true change will not be easy. Some people snickered when he talked of an "epic battle" ahead and declared that he would confront Congress with a declaration of healthcare war ("If you don't pass universal healthcare by July of this year, July of 2009, I will use every power I have to take your healthcare coverage away from you"). Many pundits and politicians wrote off his speeches as too angry.

The more accurate assessment is that Edwards's anger - whether you believed it or not - may have just helped forge a more focused Democratic Party. Why else would Obama and Clinton play nice in the Los Angeles debate?  They got the message that there is much more to lose that is greater than their individual campaigns.

Hopefully this injection of populism and the push towards more accountability to the public's interests will continue past Super Tuesday this week (the day when Americans in over 20 states will vote for a candidate in the Democratic and Republican national primaries).  Hopefully...