Edwards' cool levels debate field

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Edwards' cool levels debate field
206
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 1:56am
Here's the original link: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/politicians/edwards/story/1699641p-7949529c.html


By ROB CHRISTENSEN, Staff Writer

RALEIGH -- If Vice President Dick Cheney thinks he'll be facing the "Breck Girl" - the epithet Republicans like to pin on John Edwards - he may be in for an unpleasant surprise in their debate Tuesday.

Edwards is a canny fighter who outprepares his opponents, according to lawyers who have faced him in the courtroom. He isn't afraid of more experienced adversaries, has a large bag of rhetorical tricks and connects with audiences.

"If I'm going in a knife fight, and I have my choice, I am taking John Edwards," said Jim Cooney of Charlotte. "John doesn't like to lose."

Cooney ought to know. He dueled with Edwards in 10 cases.

Cooney is one of many Tar Heel lawyers who debated Edwards before a jury during the 1980s and 1990s, when Edwards made his fortune as a trial lawyer before being elected to the U.S. Senate.

Their advice for Cheney: Under no circumstances take Edwards lightly.

Edwards' strengths:

* He prepares thoroughly.

* He connects with his listeners in their language.

* He makes complex arguments easy to understand.

* He takes his opponents seriously.

Edwards made a living off more experienced lawyers who saw his mop-haired choirboy looks, small-town charm and wide grin and took him for a lightweight. That's one reason he rarely lost a courtroom debate.

And in some respects, the Cheney-Edwards debate also would seem a mismatch. Cheney is the very image of experience and authority -- a former White House chief of staff, defense secretary, congressman and corporate CEO.

But former rivals say Edwards has a history of besting people like Cheney: white-haired, "pillar of the community" corporate lawyers, respected doctors and all sorts of experts. He also has a history of taking on large institutions -- hospitals, insurance companies, trucking firms -- and coming out on top.

If Cheney goes after Edwards' inexperience in government, several lawyers said, he'll be walking into a trap.

"He's made a career of going up against the experts, leaders in their fields, whether it's medicine or epidemiology or engineering," Cooney said. "The first time Cheney gives him the lecture -- 'Well, young man' -- it will be interesting to see how he handles that. Various experts have tried it before, and it has not worked very well.

"He is well-experienced in going up against people who are experts and who believe very strongly that they know a lot more than he does."

Made-for-TV style

Intense preparation is Edwards' trademark, and few expect him to be stumped or surprised by a question. Nor can he be rattled easily.

"I would be surprised if he is intimidated by Dick Cheney," said Tex Barrow, a Raleigh lawyer who has faced Edwards. "I have never seen him intimidated by anybody. ... He will be very well-prepared and be very passionate about his positions."

Edwards has never been regarded as a great courtroom orator in the Clarence Darrow mold. His style is more conversational. It is a style that is suited for more intimate settings like the courtroom -- or the TV studio -- than a large hall.

Indeed, some say Edwards' vice presidential acceptance speech in Boston in July was a bit flat.

"In many regards the debate will be a more natural setting. ... It's just his background," Barrow said. "It's one on one. The courtroom is a lot more intimate exchange than a speech to several thousand people."

He also rarely hammers home a point, preferring to lay out the evidence and let the jury come to the conclusion where he led it. His style is to distill the major points, removing the jargon, so that everyone understands his points.

"He'll use 25 years of experience in talking to jurors and look into that television camera ... and make every person in the living room think he is talking to them," said Billy Richardson, a lawyer who has worked with Edwards on cases. "He is secure enough to let them form their own conclusions. That is a powerful technique."

One of his favorite techniques, the lawyers say, is to ask the rhetorical question of the type Ronald Reagan asked in his 1980 debate: Are you better off than you were four years ago?

Nor is Edwards afraid to take someone apart. He just does it with Southern charm and a smile.

"It is not John's style to be mean or sarcastic," said his former law partner, David Kirby. "John has the ability to destroy a witness or a witness' position in a polite manner."

Edwards once dismantled an economist -- testifying for the opposition -- whose sons he had coached in soccer and with whom he had been friendly.

The North Carolina lawyers who have watched Edwards in the courtroom say there is no way that he will take Cheney lightly. They also say that Cheney would be foolish to prepare lightly for Edwards.

"Knowing John," Cooney said, "he has played out all the angles that Cheney could launch and his response to Cheney's attack, and how Cheney will respond to that, and how he would respond to that. He plays four or five moves ahead -- like chess."


Staff writer Rob Christensen can be reached at 820-4532 or robc@newsobserver.com.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 12:29pm
The article didnt list Edwards one glaring weakness.

Inexperience. He has been in politics for 6 years, and really didnt know the issues that well during the Democratic debates. Cheney has been in politics for 20 years, and knows the issues as well as anyone.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 1:12pm
IMO, experience has gotten Cheney nowhere. A lot of us are looking forward to a clean, fresh start- John Edwards provides that.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 2:29pm

Tim Russert was talking about this on the Today show this morning:

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 2:53pm
I'm sure Edwards will do fine-he is after all a successful trial lawyer and so an experienced public speaker, he's no dummy and I'm sure he'll be well prepared. Personally I find his speaking style rather irritating, but I've read tons of stuff that claims he connects well with people. I do think Cheney will once again surprise as he did in the debates against Lieberman, both with his command of the issues and with his civility and dignity. But unless one of the two makes a major mistkae I don't think this debate will affect the race much.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-21-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 3:08pm
John Edwards is a John Grisham character wannabe. He has nearly zero political experience as compared to the years of high ranking offices held by Cheney.

I really don't think Edwards can "study" enough to prepare for the wisdom and rational thinking of Cheney. I doubt his skills of winning over a jury in a courtroom will stand up that well against Cheney.

I am a south Georgia native and even I find his accent and demeaning tones (is he just used to talking to idiots?) hard to listen to. His accent seems forced, like actors playing southerners?!?

I think more people will tune in to this debate than V.P. debates in the past. I'm sure lots of hard up women will watch just to see Edwards LOL, and I'll watch to see Cheney "lay it out" for everyone.

No big bounce or anything, but it will create new talking points.

It will point out the neccessity for experience and real leadership right now.

We'll see?!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 3:21pm
Exactly. There are counters to any argument Cheney poses. This is going to be good.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 7:25pm
< I'm sure lots of hard up women will watch just to see Edwards LOL, >

Blecch...I just don't see the attraction, never could with Clinton either though I have read many a quote about both of their magical "charisma". They both remind me of smarmy used car salesmen.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 10:12pm
meeoowww ... quite a cat fight. He lost his cool pretty early on.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2003
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 11:31pm
as opposed to monotone, barely audible banter- right right.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 11:56pm
Okay ladies lets face it John Edwards is HOT!!!!!!I know that dosen't amount to a hill of beans about this debate, but he is so sexy esp when he is with his kids, and the love he showes his wife!!! But hey I think he was very well educated on the facts,I am glad he brought up that SH did not attack us on 911 OBL did. also the case for health care was great, and the presciption drug issue, these companies make way to much money off of us.

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