An interesting question running around blogs is how will John Edwards background as a trial lawyer affect people. It’ll certainly harden the views of some doctors and the Chamber of Commerce, but one has to remember that people like trial lawyers individually and dislike the idea of lawyers in general.
Time has some polling data they are releasing today. Only 28.4% say being a trial lawyer negatively affects their opinion of Edwards. 54.8% says that background makes them think he fights for the average person.
Big numbers:
Registered Likely
Voters Voters
———- ——–
1003 774
Kerry 46.5% 46.7%
Bush 43.5% 44.7%
Nader 3.6% 3.5%
Not Sure 6.4% 5.1%
Wrong track Total 48.8% Registered Voters 50.0% Likely Voters 49.1%
Approve (President) Total 48.1% Registered 48.4% Likely 49.3%
as far as I’m concerned it’s summed up in a statement Edwards himself made prior to running for the Senate, sorry to paraphrase, but it was something to the effect of: “As a lawyer I’ve spent my career as an advocate for one person at a time. As a senator, I can be an advocate for all of the people of North Carolina.”
As vice president, he can be an advocate for all of us.
The Republican Party was founded by a trial lawyer.
does Cheney being a war profiteer hurt the Republicans?
See, the trouble with trial lawyers is that they reflexively insist on evidence in support of conclusions and have the temerity to ask follow up questions when confronted with probable baloney.
Maybe that’s why juries tend not to do what the powers that be want them to and why lobbyists are rightfully wary about Edwards.