Presidential Profile: Edwards delivers stark message

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2835&u_sid=10163648

BY ROBYNN TYSVER
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

COUNCIL BLUFFS — John Edwards likes to tell the story of a disabled coal miner he met in the hollows of Kentucky who had difficulty speaking his entire life because of a cleft palate.

He met the man on a summer tour of poverty-stricken areas in the United States.


John Edwards, who placed second in the Iowa caucuses in 2004, is vowing to eradicate poverty, end the war in Iraq and reduce tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy.


The miner told the Democratic presidential hopeful that for 50 years he could hardly speak, until a nonprofit medical group provided him with a dental prosthetic. The miner appreciated the helping hand. Edwards says he was flabbergasted such help took five decades.

"He was very kind and noble about it. He said he was grateful. I wasn't noble. I was outraged," Edwards said in Council Bluffs as he touted his universal health care plan.

Anger is the operative word when it comes to Edwards' second presidential campaign. The former North Carolina senator is this year's rise-up-and-revolt candidate, the candidate who delivers a stark message: It's us versus them.

His stump speech is laden with rhetoric about a nation divided.


FULL story at link.

John Reid EdwardsAge: 54

Home: Chapel Hill, N.C.

Party: Democrat

Business career: Personal injury attorney in Raleigh, N.C.; partner, law firm of Edwards & Kirby in Raleigh, 1993-99

Political career: U.S. senator from North Carolina, 1999-2005; unsuccessful candidate for Democratic presidential nomination, 2004; Democratic vice presidential nominee, 2004

Education: Bachelor's degree, North Carolina State University, 1974; graduate, University of North Carolina School of Law, 1977

Family: Married since 1977 to Mary Elizabeth Anania; four children, including a son who died in 1996

Religion: Methodist

How the candidate stands on key issuesIRAQ
Although he voted to give the president authority for the war, Edwards has become one of its most vocal critics. He says his 2002 vote was a "mistake." He wants to end the war by steadily withdrawing and redeploying combat troops. He also wants Congress to use its purse strings to stop financing the war.

HEALTH CARE
Would require every American to have health insurance as a matter of law. People could choose to participate in a private insurance plan or enroll in a federal plan similar to the current health care plan offered federal employees. Employers would have to offer insurance or pay into a fund to help cover the federal program. He would pay for his plan, in part, by rolling back tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans.

ABORTION
Supports abortion rights, opposes ban on "partial-birth" abortion and supports funding for family planning.

IMMIGRATION
Favors pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. He would require them to pay a fine and learn to speak English.

STEM CELL RESEARCH
Favors expanding federal stem cell research.

GLOBAL WARMING
Believes manmade gases are causing the planet to heat up; calls it one of the greatest challenges facing America. Opposes building new coal-fired power plants. Says he will work to reduce carbon emissions and seek alternative sources of fuel, including wind, solar and cellulose-based biofuels.

TRADE
Opposes the North American Free Trade Agreement, believing it was negotiated more with multinational corporations than American workers and environmental concerns in mind.

[Auntie Bush]

1. THANKS! That's the kind of post we need more here at DU.

Build up your own man/woman instead of tearing down their opponents.

That's the best post I've seen about Edwards and make me see him is a m ore positive light. If you had instead ridiculed someone else I would have negative feelings about Edwards. What and how a supporter acts and says can really hinder or help their candidate. Actually, thanks to you...that's the first time I've felt positive about Edwards.

[Catchawave]

6. Totally agree....

:toast: to positive threads, and here's a K&R too :D

[aquart]

8. AND you kept to short, easy to read bullets.

THANK YOU!

[Dewlso]

2. He's got my Vote

Of the Democratic candidates I think Edwards is the best on for the job. His health care plan will not cost the middle and lower classes as where Hillary's plan benefits the insurance companies by forcing the uninsured to accept plans through private insurance.

I agree with Edwards on all issues. I like Obama but I think he is too inexperienced to be president. I think he would make a great vice president and that would give him the needed experience to run at a later date for president. Hillary is trying to hard to satisfy both sides of the aisle. The one thing she has going for herself is Bill, but he wont be in a position of power. I hope that Edwards campaign gains ground over the next couple of weeks to establish himself as the leader for the nomination.

Go Edwards!

[Freedomofspeech]

3. John Edwards is awesome.

We've heard him speak twice, and loved him.

[Mojambo]

4. He's my guy, and he's getting my (very) limited donation money. n/t

[Blaze Diem]

5. Tks..k&r Edwards has my Vote.

His sincerety is obvious & his plans for making this nation whole again are wise.

[patrice]

7. Voting Reform? Campaign Finance Reform?

Did I hear recently that he has big bold ideas on these two MOST vital issues?

[Digit]

9. I really admire John Edwards

The more I hear, the more I like.

[robinlynne]

10. someone asked him today what was the differnce between his helathplan and hillary's. He said the

difference is that he will fight the insurance companies.
sounds good to me!
The right is going to do everything it can to not let this man win.

[1932]

11. If you vote for Edwards, and he wins, you KNOW what he's going to change about America.

And he's going to change the things that are wrong.

[Triana]

12. K & R for Edwards...still my fave candidate (n/t)

[Yael]

13. Thanks Steve. Good, informative post.

:toast:

K & R

[surfermaw]

14. We need more post like this one

keep up the good work