John Edwards can do whatever he likes with his money. However, I am not sure how one goes around campaigning about the “Two Americas” whilst living in this house?
Setting aside any attempt simply taking a shot or even calling the obvious hypocrisy card, one really has to wonder about his political judgment and the sincerity of his message. If he is going to build his entire campaign around being the son of a mill worker and the concept that there is a rich America and a poor America, then it seem odd that he would build such an ostentatious house.
His political acumen is doubly suspect when one notes that he has recently been focusing on the very topic of houses (via the Star-Telegram):
Edwards had hit the talk-show circuit with his book Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives, which describes the childhood homes of more-or-less famous people, including his own modest mill-village houses.
More info on the house here (via the McClatchy Newspapers), Edwards fields questions about his decadent digs:
Visitors to the estate leave the highway and take a long winding road to the house, which is set in a clearing. The building is valued for tax purposes at $4.2 million, making it the most expensive house in Orange County, according to Tax Assessor John Smith.The main living section of the house is 10,778 square feet and has a tax value of $3.1 million, according to tax records. It has five bedrooms, 6 ½ baths and a library. A second wing of the house is connected by a heated enclosed walkway, valued at $192,664, and is lined with family and political photographs.
The second wing, called “The Barn” by the family, has 6,336 square feet and includes a lounge and offices that are 70 percent complete. It has a current tax value of $567,403. It also has a basketball court, which is 60 percent complete and valued at $300,960; a racquetball court, 70 percent complete and valued at $41,000; and a pool, according to tax records.
And I must confess, this comes across as sounding silly:
Elizabeth Edwards said the gym fulfilled her husband’s dream of having his own basketball court to use when he wished.“Every kid who grew up in North Carolina has exactly the same dream,” she said. “Even though he is 53 and not in basketball shape, he goes down and shoots.”
The racquetball court, Elizabeth Edwards said, was a sort of “valentine” from her husband to help with her lifelong battles to control her weight.
She said there is nothing “grandiose” about the house and that it was designed to be a functional home with room for her children to play outdoors and a large kitchen to entertain friends and family.
“This house is a truly fabulous family home,” she said. “The house has one fireplace, no grand staircase. It’s not unlike our lives in smaller quarters for over 30 years, starting with John’s apartment in Oakwood.”
She portrayed their lifestyle as lacking pretension.
“We don’t take fancy vacations,” she said. “When the kids were young, we used frequent flyer miles to take a trip to Europe. We don’t have jewelry. We don’t have furs. We don’t have fancy cars. Those kinds of accoutrements don’t matter to him. What matters to him is home.”
Again, I have no problem with the Edwards’ spending their money as they see fit. However to pretend like a $6 million+ compound isn’t “grandiose” is to be out of touch with reality. And despite the protestations to the contrary, I think it does cause political problems given Edwards’ central campaign theme.
January 28th, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Hubby and I used to live less than spitting distance from that monstrosity. We were still there when the bastard started ripping out trees by the hundreds to build that THING.
Trust me when I say NONE of the neighbors are happy about the Edwards’ living there, and the property values have seriously gone down in the last couple of years.
That overhead shot in the linked article made me cry to see all the woods gone.
man of the people, my rear end.
January 28th, 2024 at 8:34 pm
[...] Kudos to Dr. Taylor. By Brian, January 28, 2024, 9:34 pm [...]
January 28th, 2024 at 8:46 pm
It’s interesting that no one had problems with FDR’s palatial mansion at Hyde Park, his BUILDINGS in Manhattan, and the islands his family owned while he was leading the New Deal.
But, I guess times have changed, the only ones who can help the middle class are those who are BORN into millions of dollars, not those who EARN it.
January 28th, 2024 at 8:51 pm
At least he’ll have a cool place to hang out in 2024. Must not be thinking he’ll really be living in the White House if he’s building that sort of thing now.
At least he’s realistic about his future, if nothing else.
January 28th, 2024 at 9:21 pm
[...] It seems that Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards just moved into “the most valuable home in Orange County [North Carolina].” A $6 million, 28,200 square foot house. In general, I have nothing against such large purchases (after all, my man McCain bought a stunning $4.6 million condo back in October), but this would seem to be a big political liability for Edwards’ “Two Americas” theme. Steven Taylor even notes an article that says: Edwards had hit the talk-show circuit with his book Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives, which describes the childhood homes of more-or-less famous people, including his own modest mill-village houses. [...]
January 28th, 2024 at 10:20 pm
All Edwards needs to do is call his house a “ranch” and no one will hassle him.
Bush’s Crawford, Texas estate is virtually the same size and I don’t think anyone has ever made a big deal about it.
January 29th, 2024 at 6:24 am
I’ll be honest: I am not sure how large the Bush ranch is, although I would be surprised based on what little I do recall seeing if it as large a house as this one.
However, that’s not my point. I have no problem with Edwards building whatever he likes.
My point is that given his central campaign message, the house creates certain political problems.
January 29th, 2024 at 10:51 am
I’ll be honest: I am not sure how large the Bush ranch is, although I would be surprised based on what little I do recall seeing if it as large a house as this one.
I dont like to appeal to wikipedia as a source, but apparently the house is 10,000 sq ft.
I recognize your point and agree with it–the main issue is perception. I just find it incredibly amazing that Bush has been able to market his luxury estate as a “ranch.” If Edwards were smart, he would do the same.
January 29th, 2024 at 12:35 pm
It may cause minor political problems, but not near the problems that he will have from the fact that he isn’t holding office right now. Just because he isn’t poor now doesn’t mean that his message won’t be effective. All he has to say is that he is working to try and help common decent people succeed like he has.
January 29th, 2024 at 8:25 pm
Believe me, Mr. Triumph, you can’t call 1600 mesquite-ridden acres outside of Waco, Texas anything but a ranch, on a generous day.
January 29th, 2024 at 10:23 pm
She said there is nothing “grandiose” about the house
I can imagine we will hear that line repeated in some anti-Edwards campaign commercials. It would seem to illustrate a disconnect between his family and the average American family that Edwards is trying to appeal to.
As you say, it really doesn’t matter what size homes the other candidates live in, because they are not campaigning on the same “two Americas” platform.
Back in December I saw an interview with Edward where the interviewer (I forget who) called him on the issue and he just said something about that is not where he grew up. It didn’t sit really well with me then and I can’t imagine it will sit well with others in my same shoes.
January 30th, 2024 at 7:12 am
Tal,
In the grand scheme of things, you have a point. I don’t think he is winning the nomination (nor the Veep nomination for that matter) whether he lives in his new house or a shack.
February 13th, 2024 at 10:03 am
[...] To me this is just another example, along with Edwards’ house that continues to reinforce to me the idea that Edwards is not ready for prime time, and isn’t going to be. The man has the feel of candidate who doesn’t really know why he wants to be president, just that he wants to be president–at a minimum there is certain fakeness about Edwards that I can’t quite put my finger on. I have a hard time seeing him besting either Obama (who has experience problems, but has intangibles that Edwards lacks) or Clinton. For that matter, I can see someone like Bill Richardson looking good versus Edwards in debates and on the campaign trail. [...]