Second, Edwards exudes a deep distrust of Washington that can sound almost Reaganesque. “Nothing is going to change if we replace one group of Washington insiders for another group of Washington insiders,” he declares. ~David Brooks

Fred wants to make the same kind of argument, though he has put in a lot more time as a lawyer and lobbyist in D.C., while Edwards might still be able to sell the “outsider” image he has been cultivating for the last three years.  The trouble with Edwards, as always, is that he seems fake even when he’s being genuine, or at least you assume that he is a fake because of his profession.  Also, I second this point about characterising Edwards as “culturally conservative.”