Support the troops. End the war.
Support the troops. End the war.
Initial goal of $2008 accomplished! Help us raise $5000 for John Edwards!
Why I support John Edwards
I support John Edwards for President because he shares my values.
Whether it's compassion for those less fortunate, fairness for all, democracy, justice, care for the Earth, or peace and security through diplomacy, Edwards is committed to the same values that motivate me. I know that he would be a good president, because he can articulate those values and has a practical vision for bringing them forth.
Compassion.
Through his work as the founding director for the Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as his ongoing political advocacy efforts, Edwards has demonstrated his concern for those less fortunate, both here and abroad. He is an outspoken champion of the idea that people who work should not have to live in poverty.
He backs up his rhetoric with sensible proposals, volunteerism, and by encouraging others to join One Corps, his national volunteer organization. I share his compassion for others, so I have signed up as a One Corps volunteer.
John Edwards also demonstrates his compassion through kindness and respect toward everyone, including political opponents. The 2008 campaign may be rough, but I know Edwards will do his best to make it positive.
Fairness.
John Edwards is working hard to restore the American values of a level playing field and equal opportunity for all. When the Republican Congress wouldn't act to raise the minimum wage, Edwards got involved with minimum wage efforts in six states. All six states raised the minimum wage.
I believe in the right of workers to organize. My grandfather was a coal miner in Pennsylvania, constantly in debt to a company store that charged just a little more for the bare necessities than he could ever make. His story was not unique at the time and it isn’t too far from the experience of many workers today. Without labor unions, workers have no opportunity to negotiate their way out of unfair working conditions. John Edwards has been working to strengthen labor unions. He believes, like I do, in the right to organize.
John Edwards and I both believe that health care is a basic right and should be available to everyone. We both support universal health care. John Edwards and I believe in a hand up, not a handout. We both expect that everyone in society should contribute something, and that those who profit the most from society should give the most back. To me, this is a basic American value.
Democracy.
Edwards and I both support election reform and public financing of political campaigns. As a candidate, he encourages real dialogue and looks for input from ordinary people. He sees the Internet as an important free-speech tool and is a blogger himself, as is his wonderful wife, Elizabeth.
Justice.
Edwards would work to restore our Constitution so that we Americans have the freedom and access to the justice system we were intended to have.
As president, he would also ensure that the United States participates justly in the world community. He would stop the U.S. from using torture on prisoners. He would work with the world community to stop the genocide in Darfur. He would engage with the world in international justice efforts such as the International Criminal Court.
Care for the Earth.
John Edwards would lead America to invest in alternative energy and end our dependence on oil. He understands that we need to do something about global warming now, or we will face the consequences within our lifetimes.
Edwards knows that by investing in environmental technology, we can save our planet and create jobs in the process.
Peace and security.
As president, John Edwards would engage diplomatically with the rest of the world to solve world problems and restore America's leadership role. He knows that the Bush administration's disregard for the world community has damaged our reputation and our ability to lead. He would work to regain the world's trust in America.
Edwards would bring troops home from Iraq. His vote for the war was a mistake. He admits that. I think we need a leader with the humility to admit when he is wrong, as well as respect for the rest of the world and willingness to engage with it.
Why am I doing this?
You may be wondering why I'm so vocal in supporting John Edwards so early in the presidential race. I don't work for the Edwards campaign, except in the same sense that anyone can work for them by becoming a volunteer. I'm not a political insider. I'm just an ordinary citizen who believes that John Edwards will be a truly great president.
I came to the conclusion that he would be a great president during the 2004 election, which is why I already know he is my candidate. When I recently attended a book signing for his new book, Home, I asked him personally to run and promised that I would volunteer for his campaign if he did. I take that promise seriously.
During my lifetime, America has never had a leader who I believed was as great as he should be, though a couple of them have been good.
My mother’s generation had FDR, whose policies helped to lift both my parents and many of their peers out of poverty, when those policies combined with their own hard work. I was born into a middle class family because of FDR’s policies.
I've often envied the people a few years older than me, many of whom were so inspired by John F. Kennedy’s call to national service. All my life, I've been hoping to one day be so inspired by a president for my generation.
It is my firm belief that John Edwards will become one of the greatest presidents America has ever had, if we let him. The strength of that hope is the reason I plan to do all I can for his campaign.
Cross-posted from astrogirl.gather.com
blogtoonist: torringtonctonecorps at yahoo dot com
Edwards impresses
John Edwards is a great presidential candidate. He speaks to the heart of the problems facing our nation. I think the best way for him to gain supporters is for people to hear him. With that in mind, I've put together a page of links to his recent media appearances.
I'm compiling these links for two reasons:
1) Those of us who have already made our decision to support him and to reach out to others online will have the resources we need at our fingertips.
2) Voters who are still in the process of deciding on a candidate need to see this!I hope these links give you a clearer picture of John Edwards as a person and a candidate. I find that usually the more people know about him, the more they like him.
Video
John's YouTube page John Edwards has a page on YouTube where he regularly adds new videos.
Campaign events and speeches:
John Edwards at AFSCME forum: opening statements Part 1 of 2. John Edwards speaks at AFSCME forum in Carson City, Nevada, February 21, 2007
John Edwards at AFSCME forum Part 2 of 2. John Edwards answers questions from George Stephanopoulos and gives his closing remarks at AFSCME forum in Carson City, Nevada, February 21, 2007
Edwards discusses his health care plan at a town hall in Dubuque, Iowa in February, 2007.
Edwards discusses universal health care Charleston, SC
John Edwards speech to the DNC winter meeting (excerpts)
DNC winter meeting, full speech John Edwards speaks to the DNC winter meeting candidates forum.
Video from Martin Luther King Day at Riverside Church John Edwards gave the annual "Realizing the Dream" sermon at Riverside Church in Harlem, NYC in January 2007.
One Corps National Day of Energy Action The Edwards family helps another family winterize their house and John and Elizabeth speak to a conference call of One Corps captains.
Des Moines town hall, part 1 John Edwards gives his first town hall after his presidential announcement. He discusses One Corps and the meaning of "Tomorrow begins today."
Des Moines town hall, part 2 Edwards discusses the war in Iraq, poverty, global warming, alternative energy, universal health care, and America's responsibility to the rest of the world.
Des Moines town hall, part 3 Edwards discusses plans for lifting people out of poverty, unions, and making college more accessible.
Portsmouth NH town hall, part 1 Edwards discusses Americans taking responsibility for our own country and taking action now.
Portsmouth NH town hall, part 2 Edwards discusses the genocide in Darfur, global poverty and AIDS, global warming, and health care.
Tomorrow Begins Today John Edwards makes his presidential announcement from New Orleans, December 28, 2006.
TV shows:
Edwards on the Today Show February 22, 2007
Bill Maher interviews John Edwards on 2/16/07. As Bill Maher points out "that is a lot of straight talk from a politician." This is a very entertaining interview.
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 1 of 6
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 2 of 6
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 3 of 6
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 4 of 6
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 5 of 6
Edwards on Meet the Press February 4, 2007, Part 6 of 6
John Edwards responds to SOTU on Scarborough John Edwards responds to the 2007 State of the Union address on Scarborough.
John and Elizabeth Edwards on Hardball (clip)
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 1 of 6
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 2 of 6
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 3 of 6
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 4 of 6
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 5 of 6
Edwards on Hardball December 2006, Part 6 of 6
John Edwards on The Daily Show, part 1 John talks about his new book with host Jon Stewart.
John Edwards on The Daily Show, part 2 Edwards is put on the "seat of heat."
Other videos:
Edwards in 2004 and 2007 The New York Times compares the Edwards campaign in 2004 and his new campaign in 2007.
Four questions for John Edwards Bloggers interview John and Elizabeth Edwards.
AFL-CIO Paul Wellstone Awards Banquet John Edwards is a guest at this union banquet.
Humor: Jay Leno comments on an Edwards Today Show appearance
More video pages from Edwards supporters:
Audio
Diane Rehm show on NPR Edwards is interviewed by Diane Rehm. The interview includes a lot of foreign policy information.
Talk of the Nation on NPR Edwards is interviewed on Talk of the Nation. He discusses his health care policy in detail.
Transcripts
Radio and TV:
Edwards on CNN's Situation Room February 16, 2007
KGO Radio February 16, 2007
Speeches:
Speeches page on johnedwards.com
At Iowa Event, Edwards urges "Health Care for All"
DNC Winter Meeting speech text
John Edwards Announces Bid for 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination
Articles and blogs
Paul Krugman: Edwards Gets It Right New York Times
My Trip to Uganda with IRC by John Edwards
Time to End the War by John Edwards
John Edwards on Iran, Iraq, and Israel interview by Ezra Klein
Edwards Steps out Front on Health Care by Dean Baker
Candidate John Edwards pushes for 'living wage' at Vanderbilt
Former NC Senator John Edwards to Walk In Our Shoes by SEIU
Edwards Calls On President Bush To Suspend Negotiations For A Free Trade Agreement With South Korea
Words and Wisdom of John Edwards: Speeches & Multimedia
Headlines page on johnedwards.com
YouTube testimonials from supporters
Beth
Sibyl
Chris
David
sirius
A Walk in the Snow
Evelyn reacts to town hall in NHThis is cross-posted, with slight modifications, from blog.johnedwards.com/user/sirius
More Edwards Multimedia links
When I posted the first multimedia recap, I thought I would post another one in a month or two. It turns out I can't wait that long. Good news about John Edwards is coming so fast and furious that if I wait even another two weeks, this post will be way too long to wade through. All over the country, people are discovering the Edwards message and getting on board with his campaign.
Therefore, I give you the John Edwards links that I've collected in the past two weeks. Not all of these are from the last two weeks. Most are recent, but some are older links that I've discovered recently. A commentor on the last recap suggested that I should provide more text with the links, so this one includes expanded descriptions and quotes.
VIDEO
Campaign events and speeches:
John Edwards at Metro State College Part 1Denver, Colorado, March 1, 2007
John Edwards at Metro State College Part 2 Denver, Colorado, March 1, 2007
John Edwards at Metro State College Part 3 Denver, Colorado, March 1, 2007
John Edwards at Metro State College Part 4 Denver, Colorado, March 1, 2007
John Edwards at Metro State College Part 5 Denver, Colorado, March 1, 2007
Pro-Edwards vlogger ashlarah recorded a speech Edwards gave as part of his college tour. The first four videos are the speech. The fifth video is of Edwards discussing some of the issues with people who stayed behind after the rest of the crowd had left. Unfortunately, the fifth video is very hard to hear.
Edwards: "America is an idea, and that idea is equality. Equality of opportunity."
Energy discussion at town hall in NH February 24, 2007
In this video released by the Edwards campaign, Edwards discusses energy, conservation, and global warming with New Hampshire voters.
Edwards: "We should invest in clean alternative sources of energy in a serious long-term comprehensive way, which means wind, solar, biofuels, bio-diesel."
Edwards on the Iraq War and getting into specifics February, 2007 Iowa town hall
In this video, John Edwards talks about his proposal for ending the Iraq war and brags a little bit about the fact that he is the presidential candidate that offers the most specifics to date.
Edwards: "I'm not talking about hype and I'm not talking about fluff and I'm not talking about rhetoric. I'm talking about exactly what I would do in a Iraq -- I've just told you, exactly what I would do in Iran -- I'll be happy to tell you, exactly what I would do about the genocide in Sudan, exactly what I would do about China, exactly what I would do about universal health care, about energy transformation, about ending poverty in America. I want every caucus-goer in Iowa to know exactly what I will stand for and what I will do as President of the United States."
State of the Union webcast January 24, 2007.
In his 30 minute response to Bush's State of the Union address, John Edwards gives his version of the State of the Union and takes questions from listeners.
Edwards: "I'm in New Orleans tonight where a year ago, the president of the United States talked about the incredible tragedy in New Orleans and our responsibility as a nation to address the problems in New Orleans and committed himself to doing what had to be done to bring the rehabilitation and change to New Orleans that was needed. And then compare that with what he said last night in the State of the Union, which was not a single word about New Orleans. It's all fake. It's all theater."
Edwards at Wake Forest University Law School (Part 1) January, 2007
Edwards is interviewed about his legal career and his run for the presidency.
Edwards: "What makes a good trial lawyer is the willingness to outwork anybody on the other side, which means -- and I would add to that an emotional personal connection to those who you represent, so that it's not a detached thing, that you're very personally engaged in the cause."
Edwards at Wake Forest University Law School (Part 2) January, 2007
Edwards: "I think the single most important issue facing the next American president will be to reestablish our leadership in the world."
Elizabeth Edwards: "Everyone in America who works hard deserves our respect, but too often we fail to realize that each of us is connected to the other. Too often we fail to realize that each of us has a name, a life, a dream. It is the first step in civility to acknowledge our fellow citizens, to use their names, to look them in the face, and to thank them for making your life not just easier, but possible."
Edwards supporter Iddybud vlogs Mrs. Edwards at a book signing.
Elizabeth Edwards: "People that have never seen each other before, build connections with each other, and with us."
JE at AFL-CIO conference July 25, 2005
Edwards discusses issues facing working families and the Democratic Party.
Edwards: "We have a social security plan. It's called social security."
TV and Radio shows:
Edwards on Health Care 2/26/07
Edwards explains his health care plan to New York Public Radio host Brian Lehrer.
Edwards: "Basically, the plan is built on the idea of shared responsibility. Employers, as you point out, have to either cover their employees or pay into a fund. The government will set up health-care markets around the country, which will provide choices to both business and individuals, if you're not employed or are a small business. Those choices include private insurers, but also include a single payer government plan, Medicare plus, so people who favor single payer, they may choose the government plan, and it could actually gravitate in that direction, depending on what people choose."
Edwards: YouTube is Good for Democracy 2/26/07
Edwards explains to Brian Lehrer why he thinks YouTube is good for democracy.
Edwards: "There's a lot out there happening on the net, including YouTube, that is outside of the control of candidates, and that is not a bad thing."
Nightline 2/26/07
This is the online edition of Nightline.
Edwards: "I don't think that incremental baby steps are enough. Now, if that's what you want, I'm not your guy. You should be for somebody else."
Face the Nation 2/25/07
Bob Schieffer interviews John Edwards.
Edwards: "What happens is, for all of us I hope, is that we evolve, we mature. In my case there was a lot of seasoning that's gone on, both during the last campaign, and since that time. I've done a lot of work overseas, for example. And I've learned. I hope we all continue to learn. And I don't think there's been any change in me as a human being, what my fundamental values are. You know, I still want every American to have the kind of chance that I've had, coming from a pretty modest background to having absolutely everything. That's sort of the heart and soul of why I want to be president."
Other video:
John Edwards on Morality and Poverty (Beliefnet)
Edwards: “If you took every reference to taking care of the least of these out of the Bible, there would be a pretty skinny Bible. And I think I as a Christian, and we as a nation, have a moral responsibility to do something about this.”
John Edwards on his beliefs about God (Beliefnet)
David Kuo: “What has it taught you about God?”
Edwards: “That God will be there when you need him. That I believe in a benevolent and merciful God. That when things seem at their worst and their lowest, he will always be there for you. That no matter what you do, he will forgive you. And it is important to ask for his forgiveness. It's important in my case to have a personal relationship with the Lord, so that I pray daily and I feel that relationship all the time. And when I'm faced with difficult decisions, which I regularly am, I very often go to him in prayer.”
Edwards on Faith in America (Beliefnet)
Edwards: “And I think one of our responsibilities, one of my responsibilities as one of the leaders of the Democratic Party, is to bridge that gap that has been created. I could go into any evangelical church in America, for instance, and talk about poverty, and our responsibility to those who are living in poverty, and get a terrific response. I am certain of that.”
Edwards on Religion in Politics (Beliefnet)
Edwards: “Faith is not a political strategy, and should not be a political strategy. If it is being used as a tool to garner votes, to convince people they should support one political party or the other, I think that is a huge mistake. I believe with every fiber of my being that God is not a Democrat or a Republican and does not support either party.”
Edwards on the Blogger Controversy (Beliefnet)
Edwards: “And when I had those conversations with both of them--and I had them and my wife Elizabeth did the same--I came away with a feeling that, number one, they did not intend to demean anyone's faith.
And number two, to the extent people read it that way--because they did use a lot of hot rhetoric, as often happens in the blogosphere--that they were sorry for that. Under those circumstances, I decided to forgive them and stand by them, knowing there would be potential political consequences for that.”
Edwards on Bush (Beliefnet)
Edwards: You know, I have to be honest about this. I no longer give him much credit. Because I feel like a lot of what the president has done has been either ideologically driven or, in some cases, ego driven. And I don't think he's been open and honest with America in the way that I believe he should have.
Edwards visits Farm Workers in Fresno March 2007
Edwards: "These are proud people, they're working people. They don't want to be the beneficiaries of gifts, they want to be the beneficiaries of their hard work and that's what they are. That's who they are in their soul."
AUDIO
Edwards at Wake Forest University Law School (MP3) WFDD News reports on John Edwards interview at Wake Forest University Law School
Edwards: "We ought to be dealing directly with the Iranians. We ought to be dealing directly with the Syrians. We ought to be pulling our troops out of Iraq..."
Edwards on the Brian Lehrer show (New York Public Radio) 2/26/07
Edwards: "Basically we've got a situation where the only resolution in Iraq, peaceful resolution, is political. The Sunni and the Shia have to reach reconciliation. The Shia have to decide to let the Sunni in, the Sunni have to agree that they are not, that they are the minority and they no longer are going to be able to run the country because they did under Saddam. The number of American troops there is not going to effect whether that occurs or not. So if we are trying to meet our moral responsibility to maximize the chances of success and peace and stability in Iraq, my judgment is the last thing we should be doing is escalating the war, enabling and propping up the ongoing bad behavior of the Sunni and Shia leaders. They've not done this yet and I don't believe they will be as long as America's there propping them up. We need to be leaving Iraq."
On Point with Tom Ashbrook 2/26/07 Wonderful Edwards interview. Here's an MP3 of the same show.
Edwards: "I honestly believe (this was the question for me internally) that this is the best way to serve my country. And there are voices in this country that are not heard, including the voices of the poor, to a large extent the voices of the middle class and working people, millions of people who don't have health care coverage, and I do want their voices be heard."
TRANSCRIPTS
Radio and TV:
Edwards on the Brian Lehrer show (New York Public Radio) 2/26/07
Edwards: "I think energy and the issue of climate change/global warming are completely intertwined and so I like to think of them together. We have to get off our addiction to oil, we are using 22 million barrels of oil a day, and 12 million of them are imported. I think this combination of things ought to be done to deal with both those issues: One, a serious comprehensive long term investment in clean alternative sources to energy; wind, solar, bio-fuels etcetera. Second, and this goes to the callers question, it is time for Americans to be patriotic about something other than war and that means we have to be willing to conserve in the interest of our country. More fuel efficient vehicles, more conservation at home, more conservation in offices, I won't go through the details of that but we should set standards and require the meeting of those standards."
Speeches:
National Press Club policy address 2/22/06 Focuses on poverty
Edwards: "If we believe that everyone who is capable of working should work, then we need to make sure that they have the opportunity to do so. I believe that we should create one million `stepping stone' jobs over five years. A good job that will let people work their way out of poverty in the short term, and help them get experience so they can get better jobs in the future."
Other:
Edwards v. Ashcroft on the issue of military tribunals: transcript of questioning during the Senate Judiciary Committee's oversight hearing on December 6, 2001
Edwards question to Ashcroft: Well, you are the attorney general of the United States. You are an experienced lawyer. I'm asking you whether you believe it is appropriate for somebody to be convicted and receive the death penalty based on 51 percent of the evidence? Do you or do you not? You, just you personally?
ARTICLES AND BLOGS
John Edwards: “My Faith Came Roaring Back” (Beliefnet)
Edwards: “I do believe in the separation of church and state. But I don't think separation of church and state means you have to be free from your faith. My faith informs everything I think and do. It's part of my value system. And to suggest that I can somehow separate and divorce that from the rest of me is not possible. I would not, under any circumstances, try to impose my personal faith and belief on the rest of the country. I don't think that's right. I don't think that's appropriate. But freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion. And I think that anything we can do to promote the idea that people should express their faith is a good thing.”
John Edwards says "Yes" to ban on touch-screen voting by BradBlog
Bradblog: Kennedy, an activist and actress well known for her role as Dharma's mother on ABC's Dharma and Greg, told The BRAD BLOG that during a Q & A period following his address last night, she asked Edwards whether he would join PDA in their campaign calling for "the complete removal of all Touch-Screen Direct Record Electronic voting machines from U.S. elections, with or without a paper trail."
Drawing an "X" in the air as the question was being asked, Edwards --- who was reportedly upset at Sen. John Kerry's decision not to contest the 2004 Presidential Election count, or lack thereof, in Ohio --- answered with a definitive "Yes!"
"Yes!" echoed Kennedy in response as the audience reportedly cheered and applauded.
He's the man with a plan by Errol Louis (New York Daily News)
Errol Louis: "Edwards is aiming for something higher and grander, and asking us to do the same. Exactly what a man running for President ought to do."
Edwards looks to lock up union support in California (Fresno Bee)
Fresno Bee: "He came to listen to us, the farmworkers," said Angelina Zabala, a mother of six from Porterville. "I didn't think the candidates were going to take what we have to say into account but I see he wants to help. I'm thinking about voting for him."
Paul Krugman: Substance over image
Krugman: "First, what do they propose doing about the health care crisis? All the leading Democratic candidates say they're for universal care, but only John Edwards has come out with a specific proposal. The others have offered only vague generalities - wonderfully uplifting generalities, in Mr. Obama's case - with no real substance."
Raising the Bar by Ezra Klein (American Prospect, subscription only)
Klein: "Underlying the way Edwards talks, and even how he thinks, is a simple fact that is often ignored because it is so obvious: John Edwards is a trial lawyer before he is a politician. His are the highs and lows of a speaker trained on juries, not crowds; of a voice that seeks to persuade rather than to inspire. Generally, a talented politician is a masterful orator. But while a great orator seems larger-than-life, a great trial lawyer seems like he just came from your living room, possibly after watching the ballgame. And Edwards is one of the best."
Blue Oregon quotes American Prospect article
Edwards: Treaty with Iran Possible
ABC Nightline: Edwards' statement came in answer to a voter's question at a house party in Nashua Saturday morning. Asked about it later in an interview with ABC News, Edwards confirmed that he views such a treaty in which the US would promise not to attack Iran as "a possibility down the road." But he emphasized that the Iranian government would first have to change its behavior in several areas.
Edwards rejects Clintonomics by David Mizner on DailyKos February 26, 2007
(recommended diary)Mizner: "John Edwards is doing something important. It's so important that it's eluded the attention of the political press. While pundits handicap the horserace and assess hairstyles, Edwards is quietly yet thoroughly rejecting the economic philosophy that's dominated the Democratic Party for the last fifteen years.
More important, he's rejecting it in favor of a bold progressive populism, the likes of which haven't been advanced by a serious contender for the White House in a long time."
JCU chapter of One Corps Growing Stronger February 15, 2007
Tom Haren: "One Corps is an organization started by John Edwards that is based around the philosophy that if we want to see change, then we have to go out and actually start changing something."
U.S. News: The Evolution of John Edwards February 18, 2007
U.S. News: "The problem is whether his new message of dramatic change will catch on, and that will depend on whether fellow Democrats are in a take-no-prisoners mood when the presidential primaries and caucuses start next January. Certainly, the ongoing debate in Congress over the Iraq war adds resonance to Edwards's outrage about the conflict and, more broadly, fuels his newfound frustration with the status quo. "I am the candidate of big, fundamental change," he told U.S. News."
David Mixner comments on latest Iowa poll February 25, 2007
Mixner: "The latest Strategic Vision Poll gives us the first look at the Iowa primary race after formal announcements and swings through the state by both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. After dropping in early February polls, John Edwards has swung back into the lead by six points. This movement is especially significant given the heavy Obama/Clinton media coverage."
AP article about NH town hall February 24, 2007 Voters are impressed with Edwards.
AP: State Rep. Jeff Fontas, D-Nashua, said he wasn't that interested in supporting Edwards before Saturday.
"But he came and gave this brilliant speech," said Fontas, who was impressed with the appearance of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, weeks earlier. "He voted for the war. But his apology brought light to his ideas to fix it."Reuters: Edwards plays up differences with Clinton February 24, 2007
Reuters: Cina Barker, 69, of Nashua, said Edwards looked impressively straightforward. "He was really forthright. He speaks with integrity," she said.
Why America Needs John Edwards as our Next President by Marshall Adame February 16, 2007
Adame: I believe he is qualified, ready, sincere and determined in his quest to do what is right for America and I have decided to support John Edwards for President.
A Woman in the White House by Linda Milazzo at HuffPost. Feminist blogger explains why the woman she wants to see in the White House in 2008 will be Elizabeth Edwards or Michelle Obama.
Milazzo: "And along with John, give America a truly great woman for the White House. Give us his wonderful wife, Elizabeth Edwards, who will instill in the White House the humanity and warmth it has lacked for so long. The Edwards are a masterful couple. They've weathered unfathomable personal tragedy with dignity, humanity and grace. Characteristics America sorely needs to restore its image at home and abroad."
Mother Jones: John Edwards Serves Notice at the First Democratic Party Candidate's Forum
Sasha Abramsky: "The second revelation was the Bobby Kennedy-esque presence of Edwards. Clinton's body language is supremely confident--but it comes off as somehow forced, almost overacted. John Edwards, by contrast, is a natural performer. In 2004, Edwards seemed charismatic, yet somehow not fully formed. This time around, there is nothing raw or inexperienced in his presentation: he establishes an instant rapport with his audience, his answers are passionate, and he exudes a command of his subject. When he fields questions from the press, his eye contact is almost hypnotic. When he talks about the issues he cares about most--poverty, Iraq, healthcare--he creates the same sincere-yet-not-pontificating aura that Bill Clinton mastered 15 years ago."
Concord Monitor: Edwards offers specifics aplenty
Concord Monitor: "Yesterday, there was no campaign music or "town hall" discussion. There was no podium. Just John Edwards in a button-up shirt, squeezing through a packed living room in Nashua, standing on a chair to see over a crowd in a Concord home and talking in front of a Salem fireplace to people sitting cross-legged on the rug about the policy initiatives he's honed since he began his campaign in 2003."
Edwards: Labor's Darling? The Fix by Chris Cillizza, WaPo (2006)
Quote: "He has done more than any elected official or public persona to support our union efforts to organize ... since he left office," said Chris Chafe, Unite Here's chief of staff.
Time: Trying to Make a Decent Living (2006) While not exclusively about Edwards, this article does discuss his participation in a campaign for a living wage.
Quote: "The perception exists that [a living wage] is not a politically popular subject, and that people in general aren't interested in it," Edwards says. "But my feelings now on the subject are stronger than they've ever been. You can't live on $6, $7 or $8 an hour and have anything to fall back on. Instead of getting ahead, which most families want to focus on, they're focused on survival."
John Edwards Throws His Support Behind Home Health Union (2006)
Quote: "They're not asking to get rich, they're just asking to not live in poverty. They're asking to make enough money to support their kids, and support their families. And as long as I'm alive and breathing, I will be with them every step of the way," says Edwards.
Edwards, Hoffa rally for UM janitors (2006)
Quote: ''When I hear of a group of courageous workers engaged in a historic struggle, it is important to me to show that I am with them,'' Edwards told more than 100 people gathered at the strikers' campsite along South Dixie Highway in Coral Gables. ``I am with you in every step of this struggle. No American should be working full time and still living in poverty.''
Edwards campaigning against poverty (local paper from Iowa, 2005)
Quote: "How 'bout we go out with a passion and backbone for what we believe," Edwards said. "We need to fight for the people we've always fought for. We don't need to be shifting and jiving to meet what the polls yesterday said or what the focus group said."
Associated Press: John Edwards fights for Hawaii hotel workers (2006)
Quote: "Many of these men and women are working two jobs ... so their children can live decent lives," Edwards said. "There's so much at stake in these negotiations."
Labor Movement Is Best Antipoverty Program In United States, Edwards Says (2006)
Quote: "I believe in a Democratic Party of big ideas," Edwards said. "I believe in a Democratic Party that actually has a backbone and courage and strength that will go out there and fight for the people we have always fought for. I believe in a Democratic Party that's not afraid of saying the word 'union'."
Edwards criticizes both parties at Las Vegas union meeting (2006)
Quote: "It's time for the Democratic Party to go back and embrace the union movement, the organized labor movement," he said, bringing the audience to its feet. "I hear it from Democratic politicians, you know, 'what our party needs to do ... we need occupy the political center, we need to be more appealing to more people.' Well, how about if we show some backbone and guts and actually fight for the people we've always fought for."
Edwards, Miller Honored at AFL-CIO Organizing Summit (2006)
Edwards: I have great personal admiration for Paul Wellstone and the way he courageously stood up for workers' right to organize. The right to organize is essential if we are going to save our middle class.
2004 New York Times article: Stanford study shows well-informed voters trended toward Edwards
New York Times: Over the next five weeks, as Mr. Kerry built up momentum among both real-life primary voters and the control group in the experiment, Senator John Edwards enjoyed the biggest surge in the well-informed test group, which was won
over by his personal traits as well as by his policies, notably his protectionism on trade. Besides appealing to the Democrats in the test group, Mr. Edwards did better among the group's independents and Republicans, and he emerged as the strongest candidate against Mr. Bush.More detail on the study (technical)
TESTIMONIALS FROM SUPPORTERS
DaphneC writes letter to the editor to say why she's registering as a Democrat for the first time so she can vote for John Edwards
DaphneC: "I am not a leader of business. I am not a politician. I am not even a registered Democrat. I am simply a private citizen who, after paying my bills, has $85 left to buy groceries for a family of two. It has been a very, very long time since I've seen a candidate who I believed understood what it means to be a working-class American. (Maybe that's because John Edwards grew up as a working-class American.) That is why I will be registering as a Democrat, so that I can vote in the Democratic primaries. That is why I will be volunteering for the Edwards campaign, and doing my best to make it possible for you to meet this man in person so that you can judge him for yourselves. That is why I'd like to invite you to visit his website at JohnEdwards.com, and to watch his appearance on Face the Nation (in five minutes, here on the East Coast!). And that is why I hope you will join with me in registering for the Democratic primaries, even if you have, like me, never before registered as a Democrat, and casting a vote for John Edwards as our presidential nominee for 2008."
Jackie: "I am a retired elementary teacher. I worked in the elementary school for 51 years. I know that Mr. Edwards is for education and I feel that he will improve our education in our nation."
Dean: "As for me and my house, we're voting for John Edwards. He's a good man, good for America."
Supporter video: If I had a Hammer by OneCarolinaGirl
This video shows John Edwards getting to work!
One Corps:
VIDEO: NCDem's video on One Corps health care action day
Edwards: "And this is a very different kind of campaign, because we're not going to start taking action after election day. We're going to start taking action now."
VIDEO: Bears on patrol One Corps action in Louisville
A baby in a teddy bear suit collects stuffed animals for children in traumatic situations, along with other One Corps volunteers.
On Elizabeth Edwards, Cancer, and Health Care: Multimedia Links
Elizabeth Edwards has been all over the news since her announcement that her breast cancer has returned. This brave woman has been an inspiration to people all over the country as she continues her fight for transformational change in America right alongside her husband, John Edwards.Today's multimedia diary is a continuation of a series of multimedia diaries on the Edwards campaign. These diaries attempt to create a way to access a lot of information about the Edwards campaign all in one place. Today's diary is a tribute to Elizabeth Edwards, but it is more than that. Her situation has shone a light on the health crisis that any family may face at any time. It has reminded us that, while Mrs. Edwards will get good care, 47 million people in this country are without health insurance. Therefore, this diary focuses not just on Elizabeth Edwards, but on the health care crisis in America and how John Edwards will fix it.
Video:
Elizabeth and John Edwards Press Conference on Elizabeth's Cancer March 22, 2007
Elizabeth Edwards: Right now we feel incredibly optimistic. I expect to do next week all the things I did last week, and the week after that, and next year at the same time, all the things I did last week.ABC News: Elizabeth and daughter Cate Edwards
Quote: There is no sense that this is a sad house, despite their mother having just discovered her cancer is back.I'm not praying for God to save me (ABC News)
Elizabeth Edwards: There's going to be a day before each of us die, and you have to think a little bit about how you want that day filled. Maybe when you're doing that judging thing, think about how you want the day before you die to look. I want that to be a productive day about which I am enormously proud, as opposed to a day where I had the covers pulled up over my head.Elizabeth Edwards in Cleveland (excerpts) March 2007
Elizabeth Edwards: The notoriety has brought a lot of unwelcome attention, of course, but also it has brought some gifts as well. And one of the gifts is a gift that I talk about in my book "Saving Graces," and that is the gift of support that you get from your friends and from people you don't know, when people see you have a need.Elizabeth Edwards in Cleveland (longer) March 2007
Elizabeth Edwards: There are a lot of people getting a lot less support than I get and if you know them, make this attention to people facing dire news a calling to you to be supportive of them.John Edwards on Health Care at SEIU forum (Part 1) March 2007
John Edwards: What we have is a dysfunctional health care system in the United States of America and what we need is big, bold, dramatic change, not small change.John Edwards on Health Care at SEIU forum (Part 2) March 2007
John Edwards (to business owner): We have extraordinary health care costs, which you're dealing with every single year in the operation of your business. Those costs have to come down.John Edwards on Health Care at SEIU forum (Part 3) March 2007
John Edwards (to nurse): Well, we have a huge nursing crisis in America, which obviously, you know about firsthand. I think a part of that crisis is dealt with by achieving a truly universal health care system, where everyone is reimbursed at a fair rate for the services they're providing and in the context of achieving this universal health care system, we can regulate in a way that requires that the staffing be adequate.John Edwards on Health Care (excerpts from speech at Howard University, March 14, 2007)
John Edwards: I am proud of the fact that I am, as of this moment, the only candidate for president, Democratic or Republican, who's laid out a substantive, specific, truly universal health care plan.John Edwards on Universal Health Care at town hall in Newton, Iowa 3/10/2007
John Edwards: Here's what this universal health care plan does. Basically, it's founded on the idea of shared responsibility, which means all of us are going to have to play a role in having truly universal health care.Edwards universal health care plan: a message to Iowans
This is the video the Edwards campaign is sending on a DVD to 70,000 Iowa voters.
John Edwards: For the country as a whole, what's good about my plan is it brings down health care costs. We've got cost containment in a lot of different ways: lower administrative costs, better use of technology, making sure that we use the most cost-effective drugs and treatments that are available. There's just a systematic approach that doesn't exist today.John Edwards - Energy Plan, Iraq, Universal Health Care March 2007
John Edwards: We fill in the gaps in the health care system. Mental health parity, mental health treated just like physical health, chronic care, long term care, preventative care - all covered.Elizabeth and Cate Edwards on ABC's Nightline
In this last minute addition to this diary, Elizabeth and Cate Edwards discuss Elizabeth's prognosis and the strength of her family.
Articles and blogs:
Thank You by Elizabeth Edwards
Elizabeth Edwards: I want you to turn that compassion and determination now away from me and toward others. Either toward the particular others around you who need your love and support, because, I promise, your love and support is powerful, or toward the collective others who need us to fight for universal health care, or for economic justice, or for an end to this war. You can do both, of course, (please do) but I have to say how much I have thought about those collective others today.Edwards Family Returns to NH (AP) April 2, 2007
Quote: As for criticism of their decision: "I don't worry for me because we've got tough skin. And, honestly, having been through the death of a child, it's just words. You want to hurt us, you're going to have to do a little better than that."Back on trail, Elizabeth Edwards pushes stem-cell funding (CNN)
Quote: "I think that we're foolhardy to not be engaging in federal funding of stem-cell research in the most aggressive way we possibly can," the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards of North Carolina told a luncheon meeting of supporters at the City Club of Cleveland.A Complicated Balance of Policy and Personal (New York Times, April 1, 2007)
Quote: All political campaigns start with a script, brace for it to be rewritten by unforeseen events and then adapt, for better or worse. But few, if any, presidential candidates have faced a situation quite like John Edwards's as he responds to audiences consumed with curiosity and compassion about his wife's recurrent cancer while still trying to push his agenda.The Topic of Cancer by Sherman Yellen (Huffpo)
Quote: Instinct tells me that Edwards alone among the viable announced candidates could win the '08 election by speaking honestly to a country that is starving for plain progressive talk. Part of his appeal is undoubtedly his remarkable wife. Her keen intelligence, her great warmth, and her extraordinary humanity show us how to face adversity and get on with the business of living. She is the true pro-life candidate. Trust me on this - the C word for Elizabeth Edwards is not cancer, it is challenge; no, better than that - it is celebration.My Visit to the Edwards Campaign in Chapel Hill by be inspired (Daily Kos)
Quote: That evening at the party and the next day, as I volunteered at campaign headquarters, I had the sad but inspiring privilege to witness firsthand the strength, courage, and determination of Elizabeth and John Edwards as they expressed their resolve to continue to fight for the people of our country. Their love for each other was evident, as was their love for America.John and Elizabeth Edwards by Michael Grant
Quote: Reading the stories again, it seems obvious that John Edwards knows what he is doing. Both of them say she is going to live for years. John would certainly not do or say anything to throw doubt on that. In fact, it dawns on me, he can't. Love won't let him. Suddenly I know exactly what I would do. I would support her. I would no more quit the campaign than tell my wife anything else than she was going to live forever. Elizabeth Edwards will never in her lifetime hear John Edwards waver. It's the one thing she knows she can always, always, count on. She knows it, and he knows it. The value of that should be obvious to all.John and Elizabeth Edwards Open Up about Cancer and Family (People)
Elizabeth Edwards: We also explained that it wasn't going to go away this time - and that prompted questions about whether I would die from it. John was honest and said that this cancer can kill. Then he said, 'Everybody at the table who's not going to die, raise their hands.' They understood - or I hope they understood - that we're all going to die and nobody has any guarantee of how much time they have. The only thing we have control of is how you spend the time, that precious time.Buzzflash Wings of Justice Award: Elizabeth Edwards
Quote: Indeed, this is how we personally would wish to face cancer -- with the fortitude and optimism of Elizabeth Edwards. In the face of a deadly attack, she has chosen to embrace life.In the Hospital, Mrs. Edwards Set Campaign's Fate (New York Times, March 24, 2007)
Quote: Saying she hoped to be "heavily involved" in her husband's campaign, she said: "My feeling is, if we gave up what we have committed to as our life's work, wouldn't I be getting ready to die? That's what I'd be doing. This cause is not just John's cause, it's my cause."Catty about Cancer (Barbara Ehrenreich)
Quote: As for Elizabeth Edwards, all I know is this: When I was being subjected to chemotherapy six years ago, the one thing that kept me going was work. Every morning I would go down to my desk in the basement to confront the computer screen and the stacks of books and papers around it. I ended up not using the chapter - on ancient Roman games - I was writing at the time (for the book just published as Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy), but I desperately needed to be at least 2000 miles and 2000 years away from my affliction. So I say to Elizabeth, if I may call her that: Get out there, girl, and campaign like hell!John Edwards opens up about the son he lost (AP)
Quote: When asked during last Thursday's news conference how they could stay focused on the campaign -- and perhaps eventually with running the country -- Mrs. Edwards cited her husband's work on the Wade Edwards Foundation. "He has an unbelievable toughness, a reserve that allows him to push forward with what needs to happen," she said. "It's what happened after our son died in 1996."Choosing to Live (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post)
Quote: Having shared so many triumphs and defeats, having endured innumerable rubber-chicken fundraisers, having shaken hands and kissed babies and done all the endless things a candidate and his spouse are required to do, Elizabeth and John Edwards had to make a decision. They don't know how her health will progress over the next months and years. They could spend that time nesting with their family. Or they could spend it amid the exhilarating chaos of a presidential campaign, grabbing for the brass ring they've long had in sight. Do they really have a choice? Run, John and Elizabeth, run. Enjoy the campaign, every thrilling minute. Enjoy it together.Elizabeth Edwards cheered by outpouring of sympathy (AP, March 27, 2007)
Quote: "You can't stop when people are cheering for you all along the way," she said. "It makes the private journey we are going through now easier."Edwards sends video to 70,000 Iowa homes
Article includes a video about the Edwards health care plan on the same page.
Quote: "I keep hearing people describe me as a `populist'," Edwards says late in the six minute, seventeen-second video, which alternates between the candidate and unnamed Iowans speaking about their health-care worries. "If being a populist means you feel deeply and strongly committed to regular people having a real chance and not getting run over by big, powerful interests - oh yeah, if that's true, I'm a populist."Universal Health Care through Shared Responsibility - The Edwards Health Care Plan
John Edwards: "We have to stop using words like `access to health care' when we know with certainty those words mean something less than universal care. Who are you willing to leave behind without the care he needs? Which family? Which child? We need a truly universal solution, and we need it now."The two previous multimedia diaries are on a range of topics, including health care. I have not repeated health care links in this diary that I included in previous diaries, so additional information on health care and other topics may be found here:
Multimedia recap of John Edwards news #1
Multimedia recap of John Edwards news #2
If the above has inspired you, please consider making a contribution to the Edwards campaign through ActBlue.
Cross-posted from my diary on Daily Kos.
Edwards on Energy and Global Warming: Multimedia Links
John Edwards is leading the Democratic pack on so many issues. He's way ahead of the other Democratic candidates on the related issues of energy and global warming, where he's issued a specific plan for energy independence, stopping global warming, and creating a new energy economy. Edwards has already committed to reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2050, the goal being widely called for by scientists and environmental organizations.It's great to see a presidential candidate with bold, specific plans for saving our world. That's why today's multimedia links diary focuses on Edwards' plans for energy independence, stopping global warming, and saving our planet.
It's time to be patriotic about something other than war!Today's multimedia diary includes a new section: action items. This section is at the end and contains some quick action items you can take on this issue.
Video:John Edwards at Step It Up rally in Fort Myers, Florida
Edwards: You know, anybody who has any doubt about whether global warming's occurring should be in Fort Myers today.John Edwards at Step It Up rally (short excerpt)
John Edwards discusses Global Warming plan in San Francisco
Edwards: We are 4% of the world's population emitting 25% of the world's greenhouse gases.John Edwards on Climate Change
Edwards: Climate change, global warming. This is an emergency. This is not an issue for the future.John Edwards on Changing the Way We Use Energy
Edwards: We can reduce our dependence on oil. I'm convinced of that. Reduce our dependence on oil, conserve energy, and transfer the way we - in a really bold, serious way - the way we use energy in America in a way that will create over a million jobs, not lose jobs.John Edwards on the Need to Fight Global Warming
Edwards: The planet has to survive, so we have a pretty simple question to begin with.John Edwards: U.S. Should Be World Leader on Global Warming
Edwards: We ought to be leading on global warming.John Edwards: We Can't Leave Global Warming For Our Children
Edwards: And it's time we stood up for an energy policy that's not dictated by the profits of big oil companies...John Edwards: Warming Frightening; No Baby Steps
Edwards: I don't think that incremental baby steps are enough. Now, if that's what you want, I'm not your guy.Audio:Saturday Morning E-Cast: Reduce Your Carbon by John Edwards
Edwards: I also happen to believe if we deal with it in a smart way and boldly, we can actually transform the way we use energy, we can address global warming, AND we can help create a new energy economy for this country.Articles and blogs:Achieving Energy Independence & Stopping Global Warming Through A New Energy Economy (The Edwards platform on Energy and Global Warming)
Edwards: "Our generation must be the one that says, 'we must halt global warming.' Our generation must be the one that says 'yes' to renewable fuels and ends forever our dependence on foreign oil. And our generation must be the one that builds the new energy economy. It won't be easy, but it is time to ask the American people to be patriotic about something other than war."Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Here's How by John Edwards
Edwards: My energy plan calls for an 80 percent reduction in American carbon emissions by 2050--the amount necessary to halt the worst effects of global warming according to the latest science--and to freeze the growth of our electricity usage for a decade through efficiency programs.John Edwards commits to 80% by 2050! (Step It Up 2007)
Quote: This is an incredible step in the right direction and bodes well for our upcoming day of action on April 14. Politicians are finally getting the message that voters want a change of direction on global warming and won't settle for less than a strong, bold commitment.Edwards rallies 350 to energy, clean air causes (The News-Press)
Quote: Edwards appeared as featured speaker at the Step it Up 2007 rally to press Congress into passing regulations to cut carbon emissions like car exhaust by 80 percent by 2050.Edwards calls for action on global warming (Bonita Daily News)
Quote: He noted that similar Step It Up rallies like the one he was attending in Fort Myers were happening around the country Saturday, and he voiced support for the Step It Up goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050. "This is an aggressive goal, but it is an achievable goal," he said.Edwards Calls for End to Coal-Fired Power Plants (AP)
Quote: Edwards said charging polluters could generate up to $40 billion to invest in clean technology to "get us off our addiction to oil."Step It Up in Ft. Myers, Sat. 4/14 by AlphaPaint1
Quote: Pinellas County One Corps member Kathy Fair and I had a wonderful time, and made some new friends, at the "Step It Up" rally in Ft. Myers, Florida today. And guess who joined us?!John Edwards Courts Local Media (KGO TV - with video)
Quote: Edwards came to California today to call for a ban on coal-fired power plants. The former North Carolina senator met with reporters today to talk about his plans to combat global warming.Edwards Announces Bold Energy Plan
Quote: In a speech today at the Biomass Energy Conversion Center, Senator John Edwards outlined a bold plan for America to achieve energy independence and halt global warming. Under Edwards' plan, America can lead the world in stopping climate change, create 1 million new jobs in a new, clean energy economy and freeze our growing demand for electricity.League of Conservation Voters Applauds John Edwards' Global Warming Plan
Quote: Senator Edwards has outlined the most comprehensive global warming plan of any presidential candidate to date.League of Conservation Voters: John Edwards on Global Warming
Edwards: "Global warming is a problem that is here, now, and not going away. The United States must lead - lead smart, lead courageously, and lead by example. It is time to ask the American people to be patriotic about something other than war. We need investments in renewable energy - more efficient cars and trucks - and a national cap on carbon emissions."Action items:ReduceYourCarbon.com
Pledge to reduce your personal carbon emissions.Sign up for One Corps. John Edwards One Corps is planning Earth Day events all over the country on April 22. Join us!
Want a president who will pledge to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2050? Contribute to John Edwards.
Crossposted from Daily Kos.Paid for by Laura Perkins and not authorized by any candidate's committee.
