Edwards Campaign Press Release - More Praise This Morning For Edwards On Last Night's Debate

CNN's Candy Crowley: Edwards Provided Substance and Detail About His Health Care Plan. "On healthcare, John Edwards was asked about his plan. He has a very detailed plan out there about universal healthcare coverage. He was challenged on how he was going to pay for it, he said he would roll back part of the Bush tax cuts for those making $200,000 and over. So, there was time for them to get out some substance." [CNN, 4/27/07]

New York Post: Edwards "Got Kudos on Health Care." The New York Post's focus group watching last night's debate found: "Sen. John Edwards got kudos on health care" "It was Edwards whom Renee Mittler, a 49-year-old Legal Aid lawyer from Manhattan, was leaning toward at the start - and that's where she ended when the 90 minutes were over. 'I think he spoke well,' she said. 'But I also know that he really does have that health-care plan. And he really did answer that question about how he was going to pay for it.'" [New York Post, 4/27/07]

New York Post: Voters Want A Lot Of The Same 'Human' Quality From Edwards." "The Post watchers, all of whom found fault with the debate format itself, said that in the next debate, they would want a stronger performance from Obama, a better attempt by Clinton to connect with the viewers, and a lot of the same 'human' quality from Edwards." [New York Post, 4/27/07]

Frameshop Author Jeffrey Feldman: "Scorecard: Edwards on Top." Jeffrey Feldman, editor and founder of the blog Frameshop posted on his blog and cross-posted on Daily Kos: "In the end, then, it was Edwards who rose to the top by framing the restoration of American power in terms of a rededication to humanity." [Frameshopisopen.com, 4/27/07; dailykos.com, 4/27/07]

Edwards Immediately Praised For Substantive Ideas And Vision

Daily Kos Readers Declared Edwards The Winner. According to the Daily Kos poll on the night of the debate, "Who won the debate" had John Edwards leading the pack with 20% of the vote, followed by Obama at 17%, and Clinton at 10%. The answer "more than one of the above" received 12% of the vote and "none of the above" had 11% of the vote. [dailykos.com, accessed at 10:30pm 4/26/07]

CNN's Abbi Tatton: Internet Showing "Positive Responses" To Edwards' Debate Performance. Abbi Tatton reported on CNN that Edwards got a positive response from Internet bloggers. Tatton said, "They poll their blog readers frequently, do straw polls to see who they like. And Senator Edwards is frequently out front. Senator Obama right behind and Hillary Clinton trails." Tatton added about the debate response that night, "There are positive responses to the way Senator Edwards did during this. More mixed responses to Senator Obama." Tatton commented on the Daily Kos poll showing Edwards support, "We know from this Web site that the readers really like Edwards and that he got a positive review." [CNN, 4/26/07]

TIME's Joe Klein: Edwards Is "Best Candidate In This Race So Far;" "Has More Details Than the Others." Joe Klein wrote, "I'd just spent a few days with Edwards and my feelings about him haven't changed: he speaks simply, he has more details than the others. He's been the best candidate in this race so far." [Time's Joe Klein, 4/26/07]

NBC's Joe Scarborough: Edwards Had "Most Human Moment Of The Debate;" "Type Of Snapshot Of A Candidate's Soul That Moves Voters." Joe Scarborough said, "Damn. John Edwards just gave a fantastic closing argument. It was the most human moment of the debate and is the type of snapshot of a candidate's soul that moves voters." [MSNBC's First Read, 4/26/07]

WashingtonPost.com's The Fix: "Edwards Was Steady—Offering Big Ideas And Backing Them Up With Specifics." "The Fix" wrote, "Edwards was steady and made sure viewers knew that he was the only candidate among the big three offering big ideas and backing them up with specifics. The former senator's best moments came when contrasting his healthcare plan to those of his rivals." [WashingtonPost.com's "The Fix," 4/26/07]

Huffington: Edwards Did "Particularly Well" Talking About Iraq; Was a "Great Contrast" To Clinton. On Larry King Live, King asked Arrianna Huffington how Edwards did. Said Huffington, "Well I thought he did particularly well when he talked about his vote and on the war in Iraq and his very sincere apology about it. I thought it was a great contrast to Hillary Clinton's ongoing refusal to apologize about her vote. I thought that was definitely the high point for me." [CNN's Larry King Live, 4/26/07]