With all the talk about Hilary's inevitability I think it's really worth contemplating John Edwards. He comes the closest (except for the valorous but doomed Dennis Kucinich) of all the non-Gore Presidential Democrats to understanding two important issues- first, that the prosperity of this country depends on the middle classes' prosperity and health, and second, that a radical transformation of US energy policy is both a necessity for our long-term survival and an opportunity to employ millions and give Americans a real product to sell on the international market. Since Ronald Reagan's presidency America has been sustaining an appearance of wealth and prosperity by selling off and outsourcing the engines of our economy. We can't even take advantage of the weak dollar, because we don't really make things anymore. He also has managed to maintain the greatest distance between himself and the old-school NAFTA-flogging corpo-Democrats whose soul or lack thereof can be glimpsed in the gimlet eyes of Hilary Clinton.

He also is the strongest Democrat at the moment in he general election against actual (gasp) Republicans. Heal the link and follow!

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/ behind_the_horse_race_numbers_edwards_strongest_democrat_in_general_election_match_ups