Edwards on Belafonte endorsement

Posted: Friday, December 07, 2007 3:53 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller
BEDFORD, N.H. -- Edwards distanced himself from actor Harry Belafonte's controversial comments on George Bush and Hugo Chavez at a house party today. Belafonte endorsed the former North Carolina senator in Charleston, S.C., last night.

"I speak for myself, as I always do, and you know, Harry Belafonte supported John Kennedy, supported Bobby Kennedy, and supported a whole host of presidential candidates over the years. I'm proud of his support, and I thank him for his support, but he doesn't speak for me," Edwards said in response to a question about Belafonte calling the president a tyrant and rallying in support of the Venezuelan leader.

In January 2006, Belafonte called Bush the "greatest tyrant" in the world and reassured Chavez that "millions of the American people" support him. Unlike its usual routine, the Edwards campaign did not send out a press release announcing the endorsement, instead alerting supporters about it on the campaign's blog.

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Comments

Does this surprise anyone? Mr Edwards and Hugo Chavez attract the same type of people.

socialism does not work (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:24 PM)

BS whoever said hugo chavez and Edwards attract the same people. Edwards has been a great supporter of the poor, and it's great to hear him talk like that. Which is exactly why he was endorsed by the first non-student Iowa paper to endorse today: http://www.campaigndiaries.com/2007/12/assessing-iowa-caucuses-25-days-out.html

Daniel, NY (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:38 PM)

Who gives a damn what Harry Belafonte thinks?

GAB, Austin, TX (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:47 PM)

Danial, NY: Edwards has been a great supporter of the poor,

Really? What's he done? And walking around New Orleans does not count. Neither does suing doctors and taking half the winnings.

Edwards doesn't strike me as the Mother Teresa type.

Lance O'Brien, Edmonds SC (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:49 PM)

Since Chavez immediately conceded defeat when the voters rejected his constitutional changes in an election that was much cleaner than the elections in the US, can the media stop lying about him being a dictator now.

Houston (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 6:01 PM)

to GAB, Austin Texas,

I also want to know who cares what Oprah thinks, this is an important election not to be left up to entertainers.

Steven (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 6:11 PM)

Houston :'...can the media stop lying about him being a dictator now....'

Great point, Houston
Chavez was elected democratically
The media doesn't like him because he's not a Bush flunkie....

But, I'm glad his measure lost...
The 'President for life' thing was a little much
Let's hope he respects the voters will
Let's hope the Bush regime doesn't try to overthrow him, again.

Too bad the media doesn't question the 'democratic' credentials of Karzai in Afghanistan or Mussharaf in Pakistan.....

Being a Bush-Flunkie means never having to say you're sorry

Sierr, SF (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 6:39 PM)

to Steven:

to GAB, Austin Texas,

I also want to know who cares what Oprah thinks, this is an important election not to be left up to entertainers.
Steven

Who gives a damn what Bush thinks ?

Sierr, SF (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 6:41 PM)

If you read the Edwards blog, you also notice that today Edwards got the endorsement of the daily newspaper in Shenandoah Iowa (I beleive that this is the first Iowa non-student daily to endorse). The endorsement noted that he is the least polarizing of the top tier candidates and has the best chance of defeating a Republican in the general election. It also noted that, unlike his Democratic challengers, his support does not come from a single demographic but rather from all demographics. MSNBC -- please cover this story!

Fired Up and Going for Edwards in Iowa (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 9:20 PM)

Can someone PLEAZZZZZZE tell me what Edwards 'has done for the poor'? And what 'he plans to do for the poor'? I mean just what does he plan to do for all the poor people? Has he defined these people? Does he know exactly where they are, who they are? Is he going to personally hand them a plate of food? Personally pay their light bill? What? Edwards and his 'for the poor' is such a political soapbox grandstand with nothing behind it. How much more for the poor is he going to do over any other candidate? Nothing. And what determines this 'poor' here in America? Is it the same as him being the son of a mill worker? Is that the 'poor' he speaks of? The only difference between him and any other candidate on this 'poor' issue is that he has made it a point TO MAKE IT HIS POINT! And so it sounds good.

RuthieM (Sent Saturday, December 08, 2007 12:08 PM)

The first post does not seem to be that much of a stretch. ie Huston,sierra sf. I know you posted on Friday so probably had not heard that he had tried to negate the election results. The army threatened a coup de tat if he tried. They agreed to say that his measures barely failed so he could save face. Hugo and Edwards the friends of the poor...What a joke!

Greg Okc (Sent Saturday, December 08, 2007 7:29 PM)

Well, we knew the media would ask Edwards about this.

"He can only be ignored or insulted, not shoved down the public's throat like Clinton and Obama." - Sincerely, the television views media (CBS, NBC, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, Fox News)

Either way, that was a PRETTY DARN GOOD comment from John Edwards there. I wouldn't call that "DISTANCING HIMSELF," and anyone who does is clearly trying to INDOCTRINATE her readers by trying to get them to absorb her opinion.

John Edwards "EMBRACED" Belafonte and his bona fides in that statement.

I would advise John Edwards to say, "I'm not DISTANCING myself from anyone. Bush has been a disaster as President, but I wouldn't use the language that Harry did to describe him."

It's as simple as that.

framecop, Raleigh, NC (Sent Sunday, December 09, 2007 7:26 PM)

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