Edwards Launches 36-Hour "Marathon For The Middle Class"

[JohnLocke]

Edwards Launches 36-Hour "Marathon For The Middle Class"
Over 36 hours, Edwards discusses 36 bold ideas for strengthening the middle class
John Edwards for President
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
----
Des Moines, Iowa – This morning, Senator John Edwards kicked off a 36-hour "Marathon for the Middle Class." Edwards will spend the next 36 hours before the Iowa caucuses talking to thousands of Iowa caucus goers about his 36 ideas to strengthen the middle class. As he makes his closing argument to Iowans, Edwards will highlight his bold plans to stand up to the powerful special interests and give hard working, middle class families a voice in Washington. Edwards heads into the final days before the caucuses with growing momentum as more and more Iowans respond to his positive vision of America — an America where everyone can work hard and build a better life for their children.

"Over the next 36 hours, I'm looking forward to meeting with Iowans across the state who are as restless as I am for change – and who understand that making change happen is going to take a fight," said Edwards. "Middle-class families are working harder and harder every day just to get by – and they need a president who will fight on their behalf. Together we can take on the corporate greed and powerful interests that are corrupting Washington and stealing our children's future, and make our government start working again for middle-class families."

Edwards begins the marathon today with a New Year's Day event in Ames, followed by events in Fort Dodge, Des Moines, and Council Bluffs. At midnight, Edwards will attend an event with core supporters in Atlantic followed by an event at 2:15 AM at the home of another supporter in Creston. The marathon continues Wednesday with an early breakfast in Centerville, a visit to a campaign office in Ottumwa, and events in Fairfield, Mount Pleasant, Burlington, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Grinnell. The marathon will end with a "This Is Our Country" rally in Des Moines with John Mellencamp.

During each hour of the 36-hour marathon – at events and on www.JohnEdwards.com/Iowa – Edwards will highlight one specific step to strengthen the middle class. The first idea that Edwards is highlighting is raising the minimum wage. Effective today, Iowa's minimum wage was officially raised to from $6.20 to $7.25 an hour. While Edwards applauds Governor Culver and the Iowa Legislature for taking this important step, he believes the federal government has to show leadership. Edwards has called for raising the minimum wage to $9.50 by 2012 to help millions of low-wage workers earn a decent wage -- and then having the minimum wage go up automatically after that.

In addition to his minimum wage proposal, the first eight hours of the marathon, Edwards will be discussing his other plans to create more good jobs by investing in new clean energy infrastructure. As president, Edwards will also support American ingenuity by investing in education and technology, strengthen labor laws, ban the permanent replacement of strikers, protect prevailing wage laws, cut taxes for working families and strengthen the safety net for workers struggling to find jobs.

In the following five hours of the marathon, Edwards will focus on his proposals for helping families save and get ahead. In hours 14 through 17, Edwards will focus on his plans to pass true universal health care so that every man, woman and child in America can get the care they need.

From hours 18 to 30, Edwards will highlight his plans to strengthen our schools, followed by his proposals for smart trade policy and to help working families. In the last six hours of the marathon, Edwards will talk about his proposals to restore rural communities by investing in rural America, and he'll close the marathon with a discussion of his plans to help America achieve energy independence.

Edwards has outlined his bold solutions for change in an 80-page policy book, "The Plan to Build One America." Further details on Edwards' 36 bold ideas to strengthen the middle class can be found on the Edwards website – .

http://www.johnedwards.com/iowa/20080101-36-hour-marathon/

[seriousstan]

1. They shoot horses, don't they?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065088/trailers-screenplay-E13751-310

[frogmarch]

2. Great, JohnLocke! K&R

[DemKR]

3. awesome

[Flabbergasted]

6. great Article nt

[FrenchieCat]

4. So the message on the poor have morphed to a marathon for the middle class then....

Cause if I recall,
Edwards started out like this........

Edwards is the first politician who, when he talks to a room full of middle-class people, doesn't necessarily seem to be promising something to them. Sure, he's a little vague about just where the line is between the "Two Americas" -- it's "the rich and powerful" and "everyone else." But when he gets specific, when he starts talking about the ten-year-old girl who goes to sleep hoping that it isn't as cold tomorrow as today because she doesn't have warm enough clothes -- it's got to be apparent to any audience that he's not talking about what he's going to do for them. He's making a moral claim about what our country owes to those who have the least, not promising something to everyone who "works hard and plays by the rules."
http://markschmitt.typepad.com/decembrist/2004/02/how_john_edward.html

Then he got the message.....

The Problem With John Edwards' Poverty Message
As far as substance goes, I totally agree with and support Sen. Edwards speeches and policies with regard to poverty. The problem is, from a political standpoint I think it's a loser. Edwards has clearly made discussing poverty a centerpiece of his campaign, and it was what he was working on inbetween the last election and when he declared his candidacy. But as a motivator to capture someone's vote, it's a clunker.
<>
Most people who are poor statistically when asked will likely not say that they're poor. In fact, they're probably likely to say that they're "middle class". It's the same way as if you ask people that are by many standards wealthy, they're also likely to describe themselves as "middle class". I think it's kind of an American thing to want to be part of the middle class, because we have one in this country while other nations you're either really rich or really poor.
http://www.oliverwillis.com/archives/2007/07/20/the-problem-with-john-edwards/

So the question was asked.....

Can John Edwards Appeal to the Poor and the Middle Class?
<> That's not to say I liked everything I heard from Edwards. If I have a complaint about his substantive message these days, it's that it's become too focused on the people left behind--and not enough on those who might fall behind but haven't yet. Edwards is an incredibly compelling spokesperson for the downtrodden, and I'm grateful for that.

But I wonder if he dwells on them too much, losing the attention of the middle class.
I've seen Edwards in enough other contexts--debates, convention speeches, and such--to think he's perfectly capable of hitting both themes simultaneously, of appealing to both the poor and middle class at the same time. I just didn't see it Wednesday night.
http://www.daylife.com/article/01up9WJdPecsB

and the Winner is...(drumroll, please)....

Edwards' big finish: It's the middle class...
The theme for Edwards’ final swing through Iowa will be: “America Rising: Fighting for the Middle Class.” .....Consistently high focus groups dials indicated undecided voters responded with enthusiasm to Edwards’ answers. Frank Luntz found when Edwards talks about health care and the middle class, the scores “can’t get any higher.”
http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/edwards_big_finish_its_the_mid.html

This is very good that Edwards campaign is focused on winning like a laser beam...and so, it should! :thumbsup:

[Flabbergasted]

5. kick

[chimpymustgo]

7. A fighter, with a great work ethic - for the PEOPLE. Poor, working class, middle class.

Everyone who needs someone to stand up for them.

His time is now.

[Flabbergasted]

11. I think he will do very well. nt

[Kurovski]

8. K&R.(nt)

[ChiciB1]

9. Good Luck To All Of Them... It's Going To Be Rough, But I Love

the spirit!

Go, Johnny, GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Nutmegger]

10. R&K!!!

Go Edwards! Goooo!