Edwards and Kerry are LOADED!!!

[Jack_Dawson]

I knew they were well-off, but I had no idea Kerry was the second coming of P-Diddy!

Even with two bank accounts holding $500,000 to $1 million each on Dec. 15, according to financial disclosures made by Clark's campaign, his declared assets of $2.6 million to $6 million are less than those held by rivals Sens. John Edwards (N.C.) and John F. Kerry (Mass.). Edwards and Kerry, respectively, have declared assets of $8.7 million to $36.5 million and $198.7 million to $839 million, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit watchdog group. Former Vermont governor Dean has declared assets of $2.1 million to $5 million.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4090703/

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. There are plenty of poor folks with

a great vision for this nation. Too bad our electoral system shuts them out so that they'll probably never have a chance at leading us upward and onward.

[girl gone mad]

3. I'd say Clark..

is the closest to your vision. He didn't start earning the big bucks until just in the last few years. Before that, he supported his family on one income and I think it was around 50K.

[Jack_Dawson]

4. Clark had his chance to cash in - didn't take it.

Also, unlike many other retiring senior military officers, Clark did not immediately go to work for a large defense contractor; instead, he preferred smaller firms specializing in technology. In addition, he earned more than $1 million by giving speeches and appearing as a military commentator on CNN. In 2002, his military retirement pay was $85,909.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4090703/

[jsw_81]

21. Humble Wes Clark only earned $1 million?

And you're saying that he didn't cash in? ROFLMAO

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Dennis.. both in platform and having lived poor

But I know, too, that it's hard to raise a family on military pay, so you are right about Clark in that respect. :)

[Jack_Dawson]

10. GPV, I hope you give Clark another look

I know he's tied for 5th or 6th on your list, but don't you think it's fun to watch how unsettled he makes the GOP? They want no part of him.

[girl gone mad]

2. Edwards' fatal flaw,

if there is one, is that he earned his fortunes as a trial lawyer. I know the GOP has court records on hand that they'd love to use against him.

[AP]

5. His eminent strength: every dollar earned through labor

(and taxed the first time as earned income at the highest rates we tax anything).

People are going to understand the difference between working to earn your money and getting lucky or working your connectins before this is over.

Who worked to earn Kerry's money? His grandfather and Heinz Ketchup laborers 50 years ago. Who worked to earn Clark"s? Taxpayers who paid for Axiom's contracts with the US Gov't?

[dsc]

7. I don't think that is true

Edwards must have invested some money some where. I am sure he earned most of it but not all of it. BTW Dean earned well over half of his even with gifts of around a million.

[spooky3]

14. I would think you are right. It would be crazy for him not to invest,

given the current system. However, that makes his taxation proposals all the more compelling and honest. He knows he stands to lose from them personally, big time. But he advocates them because they are the RIGHT thing to do, and longer term, they are in the best interests of the country.

[AP]

24. He got the money to invest from his own labor. Not inheritance

or by marriage, or by gift, or by any other source but labour.

That's why I said "taxed the first time"...

Furthermore if he last made lots of money from working in '98, it's possible that he's lost money on his investments.

[girl gone mad]

13. I know he..

worked for his money.

The problem will reside in how people perceive trial lawyers. He will be portrayed as an ambulance chaser. I'm telling you, I've already seen some court documents going around the internet which involve his closing statements in trials as well as allegations that he used psudoscientific evidence to go after good doctors, was greedy, etc.

As someone who was harmed by a doctor, I support trial lawyers. I think, however, that a lot of people loathe trial lawyers and would thus automatically have a negative opinion of Edwards.

I like him, and think he could overcome the criticisms, but it's fair to say he's relatively untested.

[spooky3]

16. he's already responded to that kind of smear attempt

1) are juries and judges so stupid that they do not question Edwards' (or any other attorneys') arguments?

2) if they are, can the losing party appeal in our system of justice?

3) since we know they can, how many of Edwards' cases were appealed, and how many did he ultimately lose?

Check it out, and you will find he has an excellent record, and the Repugs will too (probably already have).

For those more convinced by emotional appeal, all JE has to do is bring out some of the victims he represented who will tell their stories, a la Four Trials. The victims may not touch the hearts of Rove and their ilk, but for everyone else, their stories of injury and ultimately, justice served, are compelling.

Think Erin Brockovich.

[tryanhas]

6. They tried it in 1998 IN NORTH CAROLINA

And it didn't work.

You people make too much out of the trial lawyer/GOP using it argument.

It's a joke...

[Jack_Dawson]

9. I agree - Isn't that a strongpoint?

Suing big corporations on behalf of the "little people"?

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Wealth is a liablity in this election

Sure, you can buy more ads, but there are a lot of unemployed, underemployed and under-paid folks in our nation right now.

I'll tell you, I try my best not to be prejudiced, but there is a dark area in me that reads those numbers of the wealth some of the candidates have (esp bu$h and Cheney) and I see red. (Not communist red, just really ticked off red.)

[jsw_81]

22. No it isn't

Bush is worth around $15 million, and Cheney is worth at least $30 million.

[AP]

25. Bush stands to inherit a TON of money, regardless of

how much he has now. Guess who's the richest person in Bush's government? Powell. Or at least he was. At one point he had 100 mil in AOL-TW stock.

Bush has the richest cabinet ever, even when adjusted for inflation.

[Atman]

12. In perspective...

Cheney was making $36 mil A YEAR, before the whole takeover of America crap. Kerry is small pototoes. French fried, with Heinz ketchup.

[dsc]

15. With any kind of rate of return

Kerry has to be making close to that.

[spooky3]

19. yes, but that is not all of Cheney's income either.

The "wealthy" Democrats don't have assets anything close to what their Republican counterparts have.

The sad reality is that you have to have some money (your own and donated) in order to run successfully for President today. And Edwards has said that he is not about preventing people from accumulating wealth. He is about enabling a lot more Americans to have the opportunity to do it. For those who do, he supports progressive but fair income tax rates, and taxing those who are wealthy from investments at rates comparable to earned income rather than special rates for dividends and capital gains.

[absyntheNsugar]

17. You have to be rich to run a sucessful presidential campaign

sorry, we just aren't going to elect Horatio Alger...that is until Alger makes his millions...

[progressivebydesign]

27. That's what is wrong with our political system!!!!

The one with money (usually corporate money to be repaid in favors) will win. If you are the annointed one by the Dem leadership, you get the key to the treasure chest. It's a sick system, guaranteed to get candidates that do the bidding of the corporate bosses, but the taxpayers that are the true bosses. Sucky!

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. Publicly funded campaigns are the way to go

Get everyone on the same financial footing and concentrate instead on the issues.

Even some conservatives are freaked out about how much time Dubya has spent fundraising instead of "working" in the Oval office.

[absyntheNsugar]

32. I agree....but you can't rebuild the bottom floor

all you can do is move stuff around. We have to be realistic.

[BeyondGeography]

18. Clark will never earn a dime from Republicans again

Think about it, for those who doubt Clark's commitment to being a Democrat. He has forever given up the right to earn huge lobbyist paydays from the Pubbies. Might not sound like the ultimate sacrifice, but where's he going to earn his money if BushCo gets back in there?

I know, no tears for Clark. He's a brilliant guy, and he can earn a great living writing, speaking and hooking up with a Democratic cause of some type after the campaign. But there aren't too many other people in this country at Clark's level who would have stuck their neck out like he's done, rip BushCo and make the obvious earnings sacrifice that goes with that.

[Jack_Dawson]

23. Yup - Clark burned puke bridges

But he doesn't care, cause he's a man of PRINCIPLE.

[jsw_81]

20. So were Roosevelt and Kennedy

But they were elected and became great presidents.

And believe me, Bush, who is the son of a wealthy president and grandson of a wealthy senator (and who attended elite prep schools, Yale, and Harvard) wouldn't even dream of bringing up Kerry's financial situation.

[TexasPatriot]

28. you know, i would have thought that

but it didnt stop Bush from accusing Richards of being an ex-alcoholic for governor.

Bush is Brazen. If there is any dirt - it will be thrown regardless of the comparisons, because 'oh yeah, look whos talkin' is a really crappy defense - and allows W to set the tone.

Kerry's money will be used. (i, personally, dont think the fact he has money is bad - because you're right, he could just sit back and live on it)

[molly]

26. So??????

[NashVegas]

29. Doesn't Count Unless You Were Born on Park Avenue

..

[xultar]

31. What was that, everyone accusing Clark of being rethuglican

because he had dough and well, goes to show...when you are throwing stones make sure they aren't equiped with concealed boomerang wings.