But the fascination with Edwards, who hit the road Thursday on a fundraising foray for the Senate Democrats and a Saturday night speech to an Arkansas Democratic dinner, partly reflects the post-Clinton charisma gap in a party still recovering from Al Gore's presidential campaign. During a two-hour drive north to Edwards' home in Raleigh, I pose the obligatory question about the senator's schedule for making up his mind about a presidential bid. I'm focused on doing the job I have. I don't have any timetable for anything else. Even without the drumbeats of premature presidential speculation, Edwards is about to take a star turn on the Senate floor as a sponsor of the Democratic version of the patients' bill of rights, which will be the first bill that Tom Daschle brings up as majority leader.
Some people describe it like the insurance companies getting to pick the judge and jury.
Edwards sees the bill, which would curtail the power of HMO's to unilaterally reject claims, as a test of the ability of the new Senate Democratic majority ability to pass legislation, rather than merely score debating points. I think we can work it out. The conversation about the patients' bill of rights segues into a discussion of McCain, with whom the senator has worked closely in drafting the legislation they jointly sponsor. People are looking for candidates like that, Republican or Democrat. Edwards' evident fascination with McCain's maverick presidential crusade points up the choice that the North Carolina Democrat faces as he moves to shape his national political identity.