"Foxy" Edwards: Not A "Godless" Liberal By: Mark W Adams

John Edwards is just not your average tone-deaf, pandering politician with the common sense of a goldfish, like the so-called leaders we've become accustomed to. He's truly a liberal. But liberal does not mean you have to be "Godless."
First, the News:

1. In yet another first, Edwards decided NOT to participate in the skeet shoot debate being hosted by FOX News in Nevada.
   
   
2. Edwards directly links Jesus to the central themes of his campaign, saying Christ "would be appalled" that we "resort to war when it's not necessary," and ignore "the plight of those around us who are suffering."

Wondering where all those disenfranchised Christian voters might turn when the dust settles between the exasperated fiscal conservatives and imperial neo-conservatives as they fight over the hard-core Coulterites in the GOP?

Here's a clue, it ain't Mitt Romney, who's religious background is, shall we say, interesting. And for those who aren't comfortable with multiple marriages (simultaneous or otherwise) they aren't embracing McCain or Giuliani either.

How very interesting that the Democratic Party having so long suffered ridiculous slurs that we represent the very worst values, or no values at all -- even being labled as promoting polygamy as one of our "core values" -- can raise a leader to the forefront who can speak of his faith as comfortably as ordering dinner, not needing a pulpit to prove his credentials as a man whose spirituality moves his decisions. And when speaking from a pulpit, his message comes across equally sincere.

So deep are his convictions, contrary to the preference of many on the left, Edwards supports "allowing time for children to pray for themselves, to themselves" in schools. Of course, the folks who call liberals "Godless" will never accept anything but a cartoonish version of candidates outside their tribe. They won't accept the nuance of a silent moment of reflection being different from a teacher-led prayer -- something Edwards does not accept, BTW.

The clarity of Edwards beliefs comes so naturally that it is impossible to doubt his sincerity when you hear him speak. In his interview with Ed Schultz, Edwards tells us how he feels about George Bush and ending the war in Iraq:

It's so clear to me, that, what Bush is doing is wrong. It's so clear that it needs to be stopped, that, we have to use every single tool available to us -- before we take the White House, which we're going to do in 2008 -- we have to use every single tool available to us, to protect our men and women in uniform. And to do what's right. I mean, this is a pretty black-and-white thing I think.

What's most touching is his story of his return to faith, to the church, to a relationship with God.

But when I went away to college, I drifted away from my faith. Even after Elizabeth and I got married, I had drifted away. It isn't that we didn't exercise faith. We would go to church, but it was not the sort of dominant day-to-day living faith that it is for me today. And in 1996, on a day I'll never forget, my 16 year old son died. And the days after that, when I was trying to survive and Elizabeth's trying to survive, my faith came roaring back and has stayed with me since that time, and helped me deal with the personal challenges we've had.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is a man considered THE most liberal candidate with a legitimate chance to gain the presidency. It's no small task to counter a generation's worth of trash-talk against the left's values. We've only got about 19 months to open America's eyes and smash that menacity.