Edwards' Winter Wonderland
(CBS)
JOHNSTON, IOWA -- How do you unwind after a an important political debate? Go sledding, of course.
That's what John Edwards did with his children Jack and Emma Claire following today's Des Moines Register Debate.
The "Main Street Express" pulled in at the top of a hill at Fort Dodge, a National Guard base in Johnston. Jack, 7, and Emma Claire, 9, jumped out of the bus with plastic sleds and Edwards and his wife Elizabeth followed.
John and Elizabeth Edwards watched the children sled down the hill with staffers and a few members of the media who couldn't resist a flashback to their childhood winters (yours truly included). Mrs. Edwards was tossing snowballs at her husband, often missing egregiously and hitting some of us reporters... Or at least she insisted it was a mistake.
After a couple trips by his kids down the hill, Edwards, having changed into jeans and a leather jacket following the debate, worked up the courage to grab a sled and give it a whirl.
He got off to a shaky start but after he picked his legs up a bit, he really started gaining steam and almost came to a crashing halt at the bottom. But to the relief of his aides and press staff, there wasn't a potentially embarassing image of a crash and burn.
Edwards, with a fun smile on his face, walked back up the hill with Emma Claire, showing that there's a bit of a kid left inside at least one presidential candidate. But as Emma asked if dad was game for one more, the Edwards' declined.
"I think I had my one trip," he said.
Just like those fun, snowfilled days back in Seneca, S.C., right Senator?
"Yea, exactly," he said with a laugh...
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Today both the CNN & Fox undecided voter focus groups picked Edwards as the winner of the debate. They talked about his authenticity and his message. It was great! They had a couple of people who said he was 3rd on their list when they came in and 1st after the debate. They were very impressed.
John Edwards may not be a favorite of the pundits but he connects with the voters. He would have to in order to still be tied for 1st in Iowa after being outspent by Obama & Clinton and given far less national media coverage.
We Democrats would be nuts not to nominate him. A progessive candidate that connects with voters and according to most of the polls this year a candidate who consistently beats every Republican in a head to head matchup.
I pray the democrats have the good sense to nominate the most electable, and best candidate.