Edwards: "Aye"

Every once in a while you look down from your perch here and realize there’s some official business going on. Just now I did just that, as the body officially nominated John Edwards as the VP candidate by unanimous proclamation (delivered with a rousing “Aye!”).

So he is now, oficially, almost The Man.

Spin Spam

Each morning the K/E campaign is sending broadcast emails, “authored” by the prior night’s headline act, to their registered distribution list. Here’s today’s message from John Edwards:

Dear Friend,

What a remarkable day today is going to be. You and I are going to have the great pleasure of watching John Kerry stand before America and lay out his plans for leading our country in a new, more promising direction.

And then, we’re going to have the awesome responsibility of carrying his vision of a stronger America to the White House.

Last night in my speech at the convention, I tried to make it clear how much is at stake in this election. I talked about the values you and I share, the principles we cherish, and the belief we have that our optimism and energy can not only carry us to victory in November, but — far more importantly — carry America forward over the next four years.

At the heart of our campaign, there are literally millions of people who are pouring their hearts and souls into winning this election. If ever there were a day for you to give voice to the depth of this support for John Kerry, this is it.

This is John Kerry’s big day. But it’s your big day too. I urge you to use it to make a strong personal statement of your support for John Kerry. Attend a house party tonight. Ask your friends to sign up on JohnKerry.com. Commit to registering a friend to vote. Make a contribution. How you participate is up to you. But whatever you do, don’t sit on the sidelines.

There are only 14 weeks until November 2 — the day America chooses between Kerry-Edwards and Bush-Cheney. We’ve got to make every one of those days count. But most important right now, we’ve got to make this day count. Today is the day that John Kerry sets forth his vision for America’s future — and the day we need you and others like you all across America to help spread that vision.

That’s the path to victory in November and to a stronger America. Let’s start our journey together right now.

Sincerely,

John Edwards

Somehow, I don’t think he sat down and pecked this one out himself. But I could be wrong.

Full Speech Text: John Edwards

From the DNC, and I’ve posted it in the extended entry (given the length of the speech).

Remarks of Senator John Edwards (As Prepared for Delivery) 2004 Democratic National Convention Wednesday, July 28, 2004 Fleet Center Boston, Massachusetts

Thank you. Now, you know why Elizabeth is so amazing.

I am a lucky man: to have the love of my life at my side. We have been blessed with four beautiful children: Wade, Cate, Emma Claire, and Jack.

My mother and father, Wallace and Bobbie Edwards are here tonight. You taught me the values that I carry with me in my heart: faith, family, responsibility, and opportunity for everyone. You taught me that there’s dignity and honor in a hard days work. You taught me that you look out for your neighbors, you never look down on anybody, and you treat everyone with respect.

Those are the values John Kerry and I believe in, and nothing makes me prouder than standing with him in this campaign. I am so humbled to be your candidate for Vice President of the United States.

I want to talk about our next president. For those who want to know what kind of leader he’ll be, I want to take you back about thirty years. When John Kerry graduated college, he volunteered for military service. He volunteered to go to Vietnam and to captain a swift boat, one of the most dangerous duties you could have. And as a result he was wounded and honored for his valor.

If you have any question about what he’s made of, you need to spend three minutes with the men who served with him then and stand by him today.

They saw up close what he’s made of. They saw him reach down and pull one of his men from the river and save his life. And in the heat of battle, they saw him decide in an instant to turn his boat around, drive it straight through an enemy position, and chase down the enemy to save his crew.

Decisive. Strong. Aren’t these the traits you want in a Commander in Chief?

We hear a lot of talk about values. Where I come from, you don’t judge someone’s values based on how they use that word in a political ad. You judge their values based upon what they’ve spent their life doing.

So when a man volunteers to serve his country, and puts his life on the line for others — that’s a man who represents real American values.

This is a man who is prepared to keep the American people safe and to make America stronger at home and respected in the world.

John is a man who knows the difference between what is right and what is wrong. He wants to serve you — your cause is his cause. And that is why we must and we will elect John Kerry as our next president.

For the last few months, John has been talking about his positive, optimistic vision for the country — talking about his plan to move this country in the right direction.

But we’ve seen relentless negative attacks against John. So in the weeks ahead, we know what’s coming — don’t we — more negative attacks.

Aren’t you sick of it?

They are doing all they can to take this campaign for the highest office in the land down the lowest possible road.

This is where you come in. Between now and November-you, the American people-you can reject the tired, old, hateful, negative, politics of the past. And instead you can embrace the politics of hope, the politics of what’s possible because this is America, where everything is possible.

I am here tonight because I love my country. And I have every reason to love my country because I have grown up in the bright light of America.

I grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina. My father worked in a mill all his life, and I will never forget the men and women who worked with him. They had lint in their hair and grease on their faces. They worked hard and tried to put a little something away every week so their kids and their grandkids could have a better life. They are just like the auto workers, office workers, teachers, and shop keepers on Main Streets all across America.

My mother had a number of jobs. Her last job was working at the post office so my parents could have health care. And she owned her own small business — refinishing furniture to help pay for me go to college.

I have had such incredible opportunities in my life, and I was blessed to be the first person in my family to go to college. I worked my way through, and I have had opportunities way beyond what I could have ever imagined.

And the heart of this campaign — your campaign — is to make sure that everyone has those same opportunities that I had growing up-no matter where you live, who your family is, or what the color of your skin is. This is the America we believe in.

I have spent my life fighting for the kind of people I grew up with. For two decades, I stood with families and children against big HMOs and big insurance companies. And as a Senator, I fought those same fights against the Washington lobbyists and for causes like the Patients’ Bill of Rights.

I stand here tonight ready to work with you and John to make America strong again.

And we have so much work to do. Because the truth is, we still live in two different Americas: one for people who have lived the American Dream and don’t have to worry, and another for most Americans who work hard and still struggle to make ends meet.

It doesn’t have to be that way. We can build one America

We can build one America where we no longer have two healthcare systems. One for people who get the best healthcare money can buy and then one for everybody else, rationed out by insurance companies, drug companies, and HMOs- millions of Americans who don’t have any health insurance at all.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

We have a plan that will offer everyone the same health care your Senator has. We can give tax breaks to help pay for your health care. And we will sign into law a real Patients’ Bill of Rights so you can make your own health care decisions.

We shouldn’t have two public school systems in this country: one for the most affluent communities, and one for everybody else.

None of us believe that the quality of a child’s education should be controlled by where they live or the affluence of their community.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

We can build one public school system that works for all our children. Our plan will reform our schools and raise our standards. We can give our schools the resources they need. We can provide incentives to put quality teachers in the places and the subjects where we need them the most. And we can ensure that three million kids with a safe place to go after school. This is what we can do together.

We shouldn’t have two different economies in America: one for people who are set for life, their kids and grandkids will be just fine, and then one for most Americans who live paycheck to paycheck.

And you know what I’m saying. You don’t need me to explain it to you, you know — you can’t save any money, can you? Takes every dime you make just to pay your bills, and you know what happens if something goes wrong — a child gets sick, somebody gets laid off, or there’s a financial problem, you go right off the cliff.

And what’s the first thing to go. Your dreams.
It doesn’t have to be that way.

We can strengthen and lift up your families. Your agenda is our agenda-so let me give you some specifics.

First, we can create good paying jobs in America again. Our plan will stop giving tax breaks to companies that outsource your jobs. Instead, we will give tax breaks to American companies that keep jobs here in America. And we will invest in the jobs of the future — in the technologies and innovation to ensure that America stays ahead of the competition.

We will do this because for us a job is about more than a paycheck — it’s about dignity and self respect. Hard work should be valued in this country and we’re going to reward work, not just wealth.

We don’t want people to just get by; we want people to get ahead. So let me give you some specifics about how we’re going to do that.

To help you pay for health care, a tax break and health care reform to lower your premiums up to $1,000. To help you cover the rising costs of child care, a tax credit up to $1,000 to cover those costs so your kids have a safe place to go while you work. And to help your child have the same chance I had and be the first person in your family to go to college, a tax break on up to $4,000 in tuition.

So now you ask how are we going to pay for this? Well, here’s how we’re going to pay for it. Let me be very clear, for 98 percent of Americans, you will keep your tax cut-that’s 98 percent. But we’ll roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, close corporate loopholes, and cut government contractors and wasteful spending. We can move our country forward without passing the bill and the burden on to our children and grandchildren.

We can also do something about 35 million Americans who live in poverty every day. Here’s the reason we should not just talk about it, but do something about millions of Americans who still live in poverty, because it is wrong. We have a moral responsibility to lift those families up.

I mean the very idea that in a country of our wealth and our prosperity, we have children going to bed hungry. We have children who don’t have the clothes to keep them warm. We have millions of Americans who work full-time every day for minimum wage to support their family and still live in poverty — it’s wrong.

These are men and women who are living up to their part of the bargain: working hard and taking care of their families. Those families are doing their part; it’s time we did ours.

We will do that when John is in the White House. We will raise the minimum wage, finish the job on Welfare Reform, and bring good paying jobs to the places that need them. And we will say no forever to any American working full-time and living in poverty-not in our America, not in our America.

Let me talk about why we need to build one America. I saw up close what having two Americas does to our country.

>From the time I was very young, I saw the ugly face of segregation and
>discrimination. I saw young African-American kids sent upstairs in
>movie theaters. I saw white only signs on restaurant doors and luncheon
>counters. I feel such an enormous responsibility when it comes to
>issues of race and equality and civil rights.

I have heard some discussions and debates about where, and in front of what audiences we should talk about race, equality, and civil rights. Well, I have an answer to that question. Everywhere.

This is not an African-American issue, not a Latino issue, not an Asian- American issue, this is an American issue. It’s about who we are, what our values are, what kind of country we want to live in.

What John and I want — what we all want — is for our children and our grandchildren to be the first generations to grow up in an America that’s no longer divided by race.

We must build one America. We must be one America, strong and united for another very important reason — because we are at war.

None of us will ever forget where we were on September 11th. We share the same terrible images: the Towers falling, the Pentagon in flames, and the smoldering field in Pennsylvania. And we share the profound sadness for the nearly three thousand lives lost.

As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I know that we have to do more to fight terrorism and protect our country. And we can do that. We are approaching the third anniversary of September 11th, and I can tell you that when we’re in office, it won’t take us three years to get the reforms in our intelligence we need to protect our country. We will do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to make sure that never happens again, not to our America.

When John is president, we will listen to the wisdom of the September 11th Commission. We will build and lead strong alliances and safeguard and secure weapons of mass destruction. We will strengthen our homeland security and protect our ports, safeguard our chemical plants, and support our firefighters, police officers and EMT’s. We will always use our military might to keep the American people safe.

And we will have one clear unmistakable message for al Qaida and the rest of these terrorists. You cannot run. You cannot hide. And we will destroy you.

John understands personally about fighting in a war. And he knows what our brave men and women are going through in another war — the war in Iraq.

The human cost and extraordinary heroism of this war, it surrounds us. It surrounds us in our cities and towns. And we will win this war because of the strength and courage of our own people.

Some of our friends and neighbors saw their last images in Baghdad. Some took their last steps outside of Fallujah. And some buttoned their uniform for the final time before they went out to save their unit.

Men and women who used to take care of themselves, they now count on others to see them through the day. They need their mother to tie their shoe. Their husband to brush their hair. And their wife’s arm to help them across the room.

The stars and stripes wave for them. The word hero was made for them. They are the best and the bravest. They will never be left behind. You understand that. And they deserve a president who understands that on the most personal level what they have gone through — what they have given and what they have given up for their country.

To us, the real test of patriotism is how we treat the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to defend our values. And let me tell you, the 26 million veterans in this country won’t have to wonder if they’ll have health care next week or next year — they will have it always because they took care of us and we will take care of them.

But today, our great United States military is stretched thin. More than 140,000 are in Iraq. Nearly 20,000 are serving in Afghanistan. And I visited the men and women there and we’re praying for them as they keep working to give that country hope.

Like all of those brave men and women, John put his life on the line for our country. He knows that when authority is given to the president, much is expected in return. That’s why we will strengthen and modernize our military.

We will double our Special Forces, and invest in the new equipment and technologies so that our military remains the best equipped and best trained in the world. This will make our military stronger so we’re able to defeat every enemy in this new world.

But we can’t do this alone. We have to restore our respect in the world to bring our allies to us and with us. It’s how we won the World Wars and the Cold War and it is how we will build a stable Iraq.

With a new president who strengthens and leads our alliances, we can get NATO to help secure Iraq. We can ensure that Iraq’s neighbors like Syria and Iran, don’t stand in the way of a democratic Iraq. We can help Iraq’s economy by getting other countries to forgive their enormous debt and participate in the reconstruction. We can do this for the Iraqi people and our soldiers. And we will get this done right.

A new president will bring the world to our side, and with it — a stable Iraq and a real chance for peace and freedom in the Middle East, including a safe and secure Israel. And John and I will bring the world together to face our most dangerous threat: the possibility of terrorists getting their hands on a nuclear, chemical or biological weapon.

With our credibility restored, we can work with other nations to secure stockpiles of the worlds most dangerous weapons and safeguard this dangerous material. We can finish the job and secure all loose nukes in Russia. And we can close the loophole in the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty that allows rogue nations access to the tools they need to develop these weapons.

That’s how we can address the new threats we face. That’s how we can keep you safe. That’s how we can restore America’s respect around the world.

And together, we will ensure that the image of America — the image all of us love — America this great shining light, this beacon of freedom, democracy, and human rights that the world looks up to-that that beacon is always lit.

The truth is every child, every family in America will be safer and more secure if you grow up in a world where America is once again looked up to and respected. That’s the world we can create together.

Tonight, as we celebrate in this hall, somewhere in America, a mother sits at the kitchen table. She can’t sleep. She’s worried because she can’t pay her bills. She’s working hard to pay the rent and feed her kids. She’s doing everything right, but she still can’t get ahead.

It didn’t use to be that way in her house. Her husband was called up in the Guard and he’s been serving in Iraq for more than a year. She thought he’d be home last month, but now he’s got to stay longer.

She thinks she’s alone. But tonight in this hall and in your homes — you know what? She’s got a lot of friends. We want her to know that we hear her. And it’s time to bring opportunity and an equal chance to her door.

We’re here to make America stronger at home so she can get ahead. And we’re here to make America respected in the world so that we can bring him home and American soldiers don’t have to fight the war in Iraq and the war on terror alone.

So when you return home, you might pass a mother on her way to work the late-shift-you tell her … … hope is on the way.

When your brother calls and says that he’s working all the time at the office and still can’t get ahead-you tell him … … hope is on the way.

When your parents call and tell you their medical bills are through the roof-you tell them … …hope is on the way.

When your neighbor calls you and says that her daughter has worked hard and wants to go to college-you tell her … … hope is on the way.

When you talk to your son or daughter who is serving this country and protecting our freedoms in Iraq-you tell them … … hope is on the way.

And when you wake up and sit with your kids at the kitchen table, talking to them about the great possibilities in America, you make sure that they know that John and I believe at our core that tomorrow can be better than today.

Like all of us, I have learned a lot of lessons in my life. Two of the most important are that first, there will always be heartache and struggle — you can’t make it go away. But the other is that people of good and strong will, can make a difference. One lesson is a sad lesson and the other’s inspiring. We are Americans and we choose to be inspired.

We choose hope over despair; possibilities over problems, optimism over cynicism. We choose to do what’s right even when those around us say “You can’t do that.” We choose to be inspired because we know that we can do better — because this is America where everything is still possible.

What we believe — what John Kerry and I believe — is that you should never look down on anybody, that we should lift people up. We don’t believe in tearing people apart. We believe in bringing people together. What we believe — what I believe — is that the family you’re born into and the color of your skin in our America should never control your destiny.

Join us in this cause. Let’s make America stronger at home and respected in the world. Let’s ensure that once again, in our one America — our one America — tomorrow will always be better than today.

Thank you and God bless you.

Source: Democratic National Convention Committee

Thank God He Didn’t Dance

Another thing about Edwards: He didn’t try to do that stupid little on-stage dance that white politicians always try to do. To his great credit, he played the part of a dignified but humble leader, held his son’s hand, and waved to the crowd.

Boy, the quality of the news here is stunning …

Rock Star, Continued

The fanfare for Edwards is genuine adulation … the star appeal is palpable, and the crowd won’t let him go. Whatever happens in this election cycle … the next time Edwards runs in the Democratic primaries, he’s not finishing second.

The Money Shot

The image of Edwards on stage, after the speech, with his youngest daughter in his arms … that’s on the cover of every paper in America tomorrow morning.

More On Edwards

Biggest applause line of the night:

I have heard some discussions and debates about where, and in front of what audiences we should talk about race, equality, and civil rights. Well, I have an answer to that question. Everywhere.

This, too, is from the primary stump speech (almost verbatim, if memory serves). Nothing wrong with that, of course … I simply thought they would chart larger tracts of new water …

… which he’s doing now with the national security section.

If You Spent Any Time Watching CSPAN ...

… you realize that Edwards is delivering large portions of his stump speech from the primaries.

John Edwards ...

… rock star. Seriously. The crowd is delirious. I hope someone is timing the ovation.

Cate Edwards

21 years old and at Princeton. And she’s doing a fine job. Read her bio here.

Excerpts Of Elizabeth Edwards' Convention Speech

Via the DNC, here are excerpts of the speech Elizabeth Edwards will deliver later tonight:

John Kerry was in the Navy, and so was my father. I grew up traveling around the world, living on Navy bases, but I always knew I was home when I saw the American flag. Like John Kerry, my father fought for this country; like John Kerry, he was decorated risking his life in her service. My father has another thing in common with John Kerry and with so many of our uniformed men and women across this country and around the world: he has the right stuff

***

I married the smartest, toughest, sweetest man I know … But none of the things I have mentioned are the reason I married John Edwards. I married him because he was the single most optimistic person I have ever known. He knew there was a brighter day ahead even as he swept the floors in the cotton mill as a high school student. He knew, if he worked hard enough, he could be the first in his family to go to college. He knew that he could outwork and any battalion of lawyers to find justice, and he continued that fight in Washington. Courageously, eloquently, with one over-arching and simple goal: to make the great opportunities of America available to all Americans.

We deserve leaders who allow their faith and moral core — our faiths and moral core — to draw us closer together, not drive us farther apart. We deserve leaders who believe in each of us.

Exceprts Of Edwards' Speech

Some of what you can expect to hear tonight from John Edwards’ (via DNC email):

These are the values John Kerry and I believe in, and nothing makes me prouder than standing with him in this campaign. I am so humbled to be your candidate for Vice President of the United States.

***

[John Kerry’s crewmates] saw up close what he’s made of. They saw him reach down and pull one of his men from the river and save his life. And in the heat of battle, they saw him decide in an instant to turn his boat around, drive it straight through an enemy position, and chase down the enemy to save his crew.

Decisive. Strong. Aren’t these the traits you want in a Commander in Chief?

***

The Republicans are doing all they can to take this campaign for the highest office in the land down the lowest possible road.

This is where you come in. Between now and November-you, the American people-you can reject the tired, old, hateful, negative, politics of the past. And instead you can embrace the politics of hope, the politics of what’s possible because this is America, where everything is possible.

***

Some of our friends and neighbors saw their last images in Baghdad. Some took their last steps outside of Fallujah. And some buttoned their uniform for the final time before they went off and saved their unit.

Men and women who used to take care of themselves, they now count on others to see them through the day. They need their mother to tie their shoe, their husband to brush their hair, and their wife’s arm to help them across the room.

The stars and stripes wave for them. The word hero was made for them. They are the best and the bravest. They will never be left behind, and you understand that. And they deserve a president who understands that on the most personal level what they have gone through — what they have given and what they have given up for their country.

Edwards Returns $44K In Campaign Funds

The New York Times is reporting that John Edwards has returned $44,000 in campaign contributions “after learning that the prominent corporate lawyer in Los Angeles who raised the money is facing misdemeanor campaign-finance charges in California.”

Edwards gives Democrats charm, but can he bring votes?

AFP: Edwards gives Democrats charm, but can he bring votes?

Senator John Edwards, a smooth-talking millionaire trial lawyer, brings southern charm and populist fire to the Democratic ticket but also an untested capacity to draw crucial votes nationwide.

Edwards, 51, will accept the party’s nomination for vice president next week, capping a meteoric public career launched only six years ago with a successful long-shot run for a Senate seat from North Carolina.

If the freshman lawmaker is short on political experience, he makes up for it with an infectious optimism and almost messianic confidence in his calling for higher office after a strong run for the presidency this year.

“I’ve grown up in the bright light of America. That’s the truth,” says the self-described son of a textile mill worker. “And I want to make sure others get that same chance.”

One Way Edwards May Help ...

… campaign donations. At least that’s the analysis of the LA Times / ContraCosta Times, which notes that having Edwards on the ticket will have trial attorneys (and some others) “jumping over the moon” to donate to the Dem cause.

What Edwards Brings To The Ticket

The print media … which was largely left holding the bag when the Edwards announcement didn’t coordinate well with their publication schedule … took their crack at the story yesterday with a number of “what does Edwards bring to the ticket” stories.

The Christian Science Monitor made the case in two ways: here that Edwards will help the Democrats frame the debate on the economy, rather than national security, and here that it will help Kerry’s appeal in the Midwest.

Edwards Blog Still Active

John Edwards has kept his blog alive since he dropped from the race … you may visit his blog here.

Kerry Has Secretive Meeting With Edwards

AP: Kerry Has Secretive Meeting With Edwards

Sen. John Kerry held a brief, secretive meeting with potential running mate John Edwards, a spur-of-the-moment session in the Capitol that capped an unusual day of hurry-up-and-wait in the heavily scripted life of the Democratic presidential candidate.

The two men met Tuesday in the President’s Room, whether they knew the name or not, an ornate sitting room just off the Senate chamber, and they declined to speak with reporters afterward. While the brevity of the session indicated it was less than a full-fledged vice presidential interview, it came roughly a month before the opening of the Democratic National Convention, and at a time when Edwards is frequently mentioned as a potential running mate.

“Senator Kerry has made clear that he wants that whole process to be quiet and confidential, which I think is the correct way to do it,” Edwards told reporters earlier in the day. “Because of that I’m silent.”

Edwards Looking Out for No. 2?

I’ve been certain Edwards would be the VP candidate since I proclaimed as much in our chat room the night of the New Hampshire primary. Today the LA Times offers more proof for my pudding:

John Edwards’ schedule looks a lot like the travels of a man chasing higher office, with stops in political battlegrounds such as Ohio, Minnesota and, soon, Florida.

AP: Edwards to quit

So says CNN.

He’s speaking now.

UPDATE: Talking about his campaign in the past tense: “We have been the Little Engine that could, and I am proud of what we have done together, you and I. And so I think all of you, and everyone across America who has joined in this cause to change America.”

Not conceding officially just now. But he’s clearly done.

Wolf Blitzer says he’ll make it official in Raleigh tomorrow.

Jeff Greenfield says we should modify “Dated Dean, Married Kerry” to “Dated Dean, Married Kerry, Thought About Fooling Around With Edwards, Then Came Home.”

Edwards Attacked from the Past

The Hill is reporting that John Edwards loaned $30,000 to a judge who was deciding a case in which Edwards’ wife was counsel for the plantiff. I am not sure where this story came from and why it is just now coming out. Maybe someone is trying to put the nail in Edwards’ coffin. The story probably won’t hold much water because there is no evidence that either Edwards or the Judge made any effort to hide the transaction.

WP: Early Primaries Hurt Edwards

The Washington Post suggests that the biggest hurdle John Edwards has faced came “…two years ago, when the Democratic National Committee, with little fanfare or dissent, endorsed a schedule for the 2004 nominating contest that was earlier and more compact than ever.”

Rest of the story here.

Edwards a strong second: early exit polls

Sayeth Drudge:

“LATE AFTERNOON EXIT POLLS SHOW JOHN EDWARDS PULLING A STRONG SHOWING AGAINST JOHN KERRY, TOP MEDIA AND CAMPAIGN SOURCES TELL DRUDGE… KERRY 42%, EDWARDS 31%, DEAN 15%… DEVELOPING…”

Sayeth Wonkette:

John Kerry 41
John Edwards 33
Howard Dean 17

Interesting!!

Edwards: it's a two-man race

John Edwards on Larry King Live: “It looks like we did what we needed to do tonight.” Now Wisconsin is critical… “A very good head-to-head race between Senator Kerry and myself. … Going into March, it looks like it’s narrowed itself down into a two-person race now, and we’re excited about our chances.”

“[Kerry]’s in front, and I’m the underdog, and I’m fighting. … This is going to go on for many weeks to come. We’ve got the resources and the money. … We’ve had somebody who was already the front-runner who clearly isn’t anymore, and it could easily happen again.”

More here.

Kerry Will Likely Claim Virginia

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports on John Kerry’s likely win in Virginia’s primary.

Recent polls have found Kerry with a substantial lead in Virginia over North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who in turn has distanced himself from the remaining candidates.

The likely result is that when Virginians go to the polls today, they will not have as much of an impact on the nomination as had been hoped when state Democratic Party officials sought an early primary.

With Kerry’s early string of primary and caucus victories, Virginia and neighboring Tennessee, which also votes today, are expected to knock down one of the last uncertainties about Kerry - his ability to win in a Southern state.

However, Sen. John Edwards, General Wesley Clark and Rep. Dennis Kucinich continue campaigning in the Commonwealth. Howard Dean is not campaigning in Virginia.

Kerry and Edwards Take to Virginia

Washington Post reports on how John Kerry and John Edwards are trying to woo voters in Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner endorsed Sen. John F. Kerry for president yesterday, as Kerry and Sen. John Edwards campaigned among constituencies that could prove crucial tomorrow in the state’s first Democratic presidential primary since 1988.

The candidates made separate visits to African American churches in the Richmond area, where they appealed for the support of traditionally Democratic black voters. Edwards then traveled to Tennessee, which also holds a primary tomorrow. Kerry, a decorated military veteran, drove on to a rally in Chesapeake, a stronghold of Virginia’s large military community.

Edwards, who is from North Carolina, is looking to Virginia and Tennessee to turn the race for the party’s nomination into a one-on-one battle with Kerry, while the Massachusetts senator, coming off a sweep of the caucuses in Michigan, Washington and Maine this weekend, seeks his first victories in the South.

Wesley Clark has also been making the rounds in Virginia, as has Al Sharpton. Howard Dean was not in Virginia at all, instead focusing on Wisconsin, his “must-win” primary.

Edwards: I Don't Need to Win in Tenn., Wis., Va.

Via FOXNews:

John Edwards said Saturday he must do well, though not necessarily win, upcoming contests in Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin as he tries to become an alternative to Democratic front-runner John Kerry.

In Milwaukee, the North Carolina senator picked up his first union endorsement of the campaign, winning the support of the 250,000-member Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.

VA Primary Important for Edwards and Clark

Washington Post (through Yahoo! News) reports that Edwards and Clark are counting on Virginia keep their campaigns alive.

The campaigns of Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), who is riding a win in South Carolina, and retired Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark, coming off a narrow victory in Oklahoma, are focusing on Virginia as a place where they may be able to parry the momentum of the Massachusetts senator, who has won seven states.

Both challengers will be making numerous appearances — Edwards will be in Virginia every day until the primary — and both will put up television advertising in multiple media markets. Clark and Edwards, both born in the South, claim Virginia and neighboring Tennessee, the only other state with a primary Tuesday, as home turf.

Kerry will make his first appearance in the state this year on Saturday night in Richmond and make stops the next day in Richmond, Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. The Kerry campaign, out to prove that the New Englander can win in the South, is buying television ads across the state.

The Virginia Democratic primary is being held on Tuesday and 82 delegates are at stake.

Edwards Projected South Carolina Winner

CNN has projected Edwards the winner of the South Carolina primary.

Edwards 45%
Kerry 27%
3% reporting

Edwards: "I'm Going To Win"

This post from Election Connection illustrates the Primary media crush:

“I’m going to win South Carolina!” John Edwards exclaimed when asked if he would drop out the race if he lost the state. Though outnumbered by the media, cheering supporters met Edwards at Greenview Park in Columbia.

Edwards supporters hit the circus

As part of our continuing live coverage of the S.C. primary season, I bring you this true Tale from the Campaign Trail:

On my way into the Ringling Bros. circus in Greenville today with my son, I ran across a group of John Edwards supporters handing out flyers. One approached me and asked: “Are you voting Tuesday.”

“No,” I said. He didn’t asked me why not. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was probably going to vote for Bush.

Anyway, he started in with his schtick, right away with health care. “John Edwards has a plan that guarantees health care for children until they turn 18, even if you have personal coverage.”

He handed me a flyer that read:

“Edwards on the Issues.” Sure enough, there was the health care plan: “Edwards proposes that for the first time in history, America should require health insurance for every child. His plan provides tax credits to help families with rising premiums so everyone will have access to affordable health care. To bring down healthcare costs, he will take on insurance companies, drug companies, and HMO’s.”

So he’s not going to guarantee health care, he’s going to require it. So does he plan to make child health insurance like auto liability insurance in many states? As for lowering health care costs, it sounds like trial lawyer talk to me, someone who’s “in your corner.”

I don’t know how many votes these folks gained for Edwards, but I didn’t see anyone canvassing for the other candidates.

Edwards Widens Lead in South Carolina

The latest Reuters/MSNBC/Zogby poll is out, showing Edwards ahead in his home state.

John Edwards, needing a win in South Carolina to keep his campaign alive, widened his lead over Kerry in the state to 4 points in the latest three-day tracking poll.

Kerry, the new Democratic front-runner after back-to-back wins in the first two contests, holds a 33-point lead in Missouri and a 16-point lead in Arizona, where Clark shaved 5 points off his advantage in one day.

Kerry still leads in Missouri and Arizona, while Clark is still slightly ahead in Oklahoma.

Edwards Loses the Bowlers' Vote

This New Hampshire report paints a vivid picture of what happened Saturday night when Senator Edwards showed up at a bowling alley for a press conference.

The original idea was that Sen. Edwards himself would bowl.

…when I arrived at the bowling alley, about 15 minutes before North Carolina’s Sen. Edwards, trouble was brewing. It was like The Perfect Storm, with two powerful opposing forces on a deadly collision course:

On the one hand, you had hundreds of people there to see the candidate, including a large, aggressive press corps that was not wearing appropriate bowling footwear.

On the other hand, you had league bowlers, who were there to bowl, dammit.

Into this festive scene surged Sen. Edwards, whose campaign theme is that he is going to bring America together. He stood on a platform and gave a speech, surrounded by a dense crowd of media and applauding supporters. About 25 feet away, outside the crowd, the bowlers offered their rebuttal. It was a weird kind of stereo: In one ear, I’d hear Sen. Edwards explaining how he would provide economic opportunity to all Americans; in the other ear, I’d hear: “OUR WHOLE NIGHT IS RUINED! YOU DON‘T GIVE A (bad word) ABOUT US!”

In another column, Mr. Barry also gives his brief impression of Wesley Clark.

John Edwards Refuses to Reveal his Campaign's Financiers - or "Bundlers" - to the Press

Per today’s Washington Post:

- - - - - - -

Mr. Edwards’s Bundle of Secrets

Friday, January 23, 2004; Page A20

A BIG PIECE of North Carolina Sen. John Edwards’s campaign message is about how he would work to “clean up” Washington if elected president. He accuses President Bush of putting “the interests of lobbyists and campaign contributors above the interests of regular people.” But Mr. Edwards — alone among the serious candidates for president — declines to provide a list of his major campaign financiers: the men and women who have not only the capability to write $2,000 checks themselves but the networks that allow them to harvest bigger bundles for their favored candidates. President Bush posts on his Web site the names of his $100,000 Pioneers and $200,000 Rangers. Mr. Edwards’s Democratic rivals — Sens. John F. Kerry (Mass.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), former Vermont governor Howard Dean and retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark — have, at our request, provided similar lists of major underwriters.

And Mr. Edwards? His press secretary, Jennifer Palmieri, had this to say to us last month: “Sen. Edwards is a leader in campaign finance reform. He has committed to the public finance system, proposed bold new ethics standards as a candidate . . . and has gone beyond what the law requires by refusing to accept any contributions from lobbyists. Every donation he receives is duly reported.”

True, but as Mr. Edwards’s fellow lawyers would say, non-responsive. As the other candidates have implicitly recognized, there is a gap in the existing disclosure regime. The rules put quantity of disclosure (all donations bigger than $200) over quality, failing to require that candidates reveal the identities of the financiers who really matter to their enterprises — and to whom they’d be indebted in office.

Based on the latest data available, Mr. Edwards has collected a bigger chunk of his donations in the form of $2,000 checks, the largest allowable, than any of the other Democratic candidates: 65 percent, compared with Mr. Kerry’s 55 percent and Mr. Dean’s 13 percent. Now, with his surprise second-place showing in Iowa, Mr. Edwards is scrambling to collect even more of those checks. It’s no secret that the backbone of Mr. Edwards’s financial support has been his fellow trial lawyers, nor does Mr. Edwards minimize that part of his biography; rather, he embraces it as a role in which he fought for ordinary citizens against powerful corporations. That’s fine; voters can judge for themselves between his view of the profession and the Republicans’ depiction of trial lawyers as sharks savaging the public interest. What’s beyond dispute is that trial lawyers are a special interest. They pump millions of dollars into Democratic coffers because their livelihoods depend on such legislative issues as caps on damages in medical malpractice cases, limits on class action lawsuits and the settlement of asbestos litigation.

“I have never taken a dime from Washington lobbyists and I never will,” Mr. Edwards tells his audiences. “I will be your president, not theirs.” But if Mr. Edwards believes that taking campaign contributions from lobbyists makes candidates beholden to them, why won’t he reveal more about the interests and individuals that he would owe if elected president? If he’s as committed as he says to transparency in government, is it too much to ask that his campaign at least be as open as that of Mr. Bush?

- - - - - - -

John Edwards in 2002: "Saddam Hussein . . . has weapons of mass destruction and . . . is doing everything in his power to get nuclear weapons"

Now that he has re-emerged as a serious candidate, it’s worth looking again at where John Edwards stood on the Iraq war when it came to a vote in the fall of 2002. At the time, Edwards - who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee and thus has his own access to our intelligence on Iraq - gave full-throated support for what has become the most controversial justification for the war: that Saddam Hussein’s regime had weapons of mass destruction. Of course, this puts Edwards seriously at odds with a substantial and vocal faction of his party; I address the potential fallout from this more on my own blog. Here’s Edwards, in his own words:

1. September 12, 2002: Edwards gives a speech on why the “IRAQI DICTATOR MUST GO,” coinciding with Bush’s speech to the UN:

As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I firmly believe that the issue of Iraq is not about politics. It’s about national security. We know that for at least 20 years, Saddam Hussein has obsessively sought weapons of mass destruction through every means available. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons today. He has used them in the past, and he is doing everything he can to build more. Each day he inches closer to his longtime goal of nuclear capability — a capability that could be less than a year away.

I believe that Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi regime represents a clear threat to the United States, to our allies, to our interests around the world, and to the values of freedom and democracy we hold dear.

[snip]

What’s more, the terrorist threat against America is all too clear. Thousands of terrorist operatives around the world would pay anything to get their hands on Saddam’s arsenal, and there is every possibility that he could turn his weapons over to these terrorists. No one can doubt that if the terrorists of September 11th had had weapons of mass destruction, they would have used them. On September 12, 2002, we can hardly ignore the terrorist threat, and the serious danger that Saddam would allow his arsenal to be used in aid of terror.

2. October 10, 2002: Edwards speaks as not only a supporter but a co-sponsor of the legislation authorizing the use of force in Iraq:

Saddam Hussein’s regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal.

Iraq has continued to seek nuclear weapons and develop its arsenal in defiance of the collective will of the international community, as expressed through the United Nations Security Council. It is violating the terms of the 1991 cease-fire that ended the Gulf War and as many as 16 Security Council resolutions, including 11 resolutions concerning Iraq’s efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.

By ignoring these resolutions, Saddam Hussein is undermining the credibility of the United Nations, openly violating international law, and making a mockery of the very idea of collective action that is so important to the United States and its allies.

We cannot allow Saddam Hussein to get nuclear weapons in violation of his own commitments, our commitments, and the world’s commitments.

This resolution will send a clear message to Iraq and the world: America is united in its determination to eliminate forever the threat of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.

[snip]

[W]e must be prepared to use force, if necessary, to disarm Saddam Hussein, and eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction once and for all.

Almost no one disagrees with these basic facts: that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a menace; that he has weapons of mass destruction and that he is doing everything in his power to get nuclear weapons; that he has supported terrorists; that he is a grave threat to the region, to vital allies like Israel, and to the United States; and that he is thwarting the will of the international community and undermining the United Nations’ credibility.

Did John Edwards Use Junk Science To Make Over $152 Million in Groundless Lawsuits?

Note from Alan: Please note that the story posted below is by CNS, the Cybercast News Service, a non-profit media outlet run by the Media Research Center. From MRC’s web site:

The Cybercast News Service was launched on June 16, 1998 as a news source for individuals, news organizations and broadcasters who put a higher premium on balance than spin and seek news that’s ignored or under-reported as a result of media bias by omission.

Study after study by the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com, clearly demonstrate a liberal bias in many news outlets – bias by commission and bias by omission – that results in a frequent double-standard in editorial decisions on what constitutes “news.”

I’m not saying I agree or disagree … but as CNS is a non-traditional news service, wanted to make sure you interpret the news and headline posted by nikita with greater context.

——————————

Via CNS News:

Did ‘Junk Science’ Make John Edwards Rich?
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
January 20, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - The superstar trial lawyer accomplishments of John Edwards, which allowed this former millworker to amass a personal fortune, finance his successful U.S. Senate run in 1998 and catapult himself into the 2004 race for president, may have been partially built on “junk science,” according to legal and medical experts who spoke with CNSNews.com .

Edwards, who with a late surge finished second in Monday’s Iowa Caucuses, continues to cite one of his most lucrative legal victories as an example of how he would stand up for “the little guy” if elected president.

Edwards became one of America’s wealthiest trial lawyers by winning record jury verdicts and settlements in cases alleging that the botched treatment of women in labor and their deliveries caused infants to develop cerebral palsy, a brain disorder that causes motor function impairment and lifelong disability.

Although he was involved in other types of personal injury litigation, Edwards specialized in infant cerebral palsy and brain damage cases during his early days as a trial lawyer and with the Raleigh, N.C., firm of Edwards & Kirby.

Edwards has repeatedly told campaign audiences that he fought on behalf of the common man against the large insurance companies. But a political critic with extensive knowledge of Edwards’ legal career in North Carolina told CNSNews.com a different story

“Edwards always helped the little guy as long as he got a million dollars out of it,” said the source, who did not want to be identified.

• * *

“The overwhelming majority of children that are born with developmental brain damage, the ob/gyn could not have done anything about it, could not have, not at this stage of what we know,” Goldstein added.

The medical and legal experts with whom CNSNews.com consulted said each case of cerebral palsy had to be evaluated on its own, but that medical science was increasingly exonerating the doctors involved in the labor and delivery where cerebral palsy resulted.

Eldon L. Boisseau of the Kansas-based firm Turner and Boisseau, specializing in defending doctors’ insurance companies from medical malpractice lawsuits, agreed that physician-caused cerebral palsy “occurs only rarely.”

“At the end of the day, I verily believe we will find [the cause of cerebral palsy is] all genetic,” Boisseau said in an interview with CNSNews.com.

Dr. John Freeman, a professor of neurology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md., also believes there is little obstetricians can do to prevent cerebral palsy during delivery. “Most cases of cerebral palsy are not due to asphyxia,” Freeman told CNSNews.com.

“A great many of these cases are due to subtle infections of the child before birth,” Freeman said. “That is the cause of the premature labor and the cause of the [brain] damage. There is little or no evidence that if you did a [caesarean] section a short time earlier you would prevent cerebral palsy,” he added.

‘Heart wrenching plea’

But some of Edwards’ critics say that as a trial lawyer, he relied more on his verbal skills than the latest scientific evidence to persuade juries that the doctors’ mistakes had been instrumental in causing the cerebral palsy in the infants.

Edwards’ trial summaries “routinely went beyond a recitation of his case to a heart-wrenching plea to jurors to listen to the unspoken voices of injured children,” according to a comprehensive analysis of Edwards’ legal career by The Boston Globe in 2003.

The Globe cited an example of Edwards’ oratorical skills from a medical malpractice trial in 1985. Edwards had alleged that a doctor and a hospital had been responsible for the cerebral palsy afflicting then-five-year-old Jennifer Campbell.

‘I have to tell you right now — I didn’t plan to talk about this — right now I feel her (Jennifer), I feel her presence,’ Edwards told the jury according to court records. “[Jennifer’s] inside me and she’s talking to you … And this is what she says to you. She says, ‘I don’t ask for your pity. What I ask for is your strength. And I don’t ask for your sympathy, but I do ask for your courage.’”

Edwards’ emotional plea worked. Jennifer Campbell’s family won a record jury verdict of $6.5 million against the hospital where the girl was born — a judgment reduced later to $2.75 million on appeal. Edwards also settled with Jennifer’s obstetrician for $1.5 million.

Legal expert Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of the book, The Rule of Lawyers, said Edwards’ success in court was due in large part to his mastery of one important trait.

“Edwards was clearly very good at managing the emotional tenor of a trial and that turns out to be at least as important as any particular skill in the sense of researching the fine points of law,” Olson told CNSNews.com .

“These are the skills that you find in successful trial lawyers. They can tell a story that produces a certain emotional response. It’s a gift,” Olson added.

However, Olson believes trial lawyers “have been getting away with an awful lot in cerebral palsy litigation,” by excluding certain scientific evidence.

• * *

According to the Center for Public Integrity, Edwards was able to win “more than $152 million” based on his involvement in 63 lawsuits alone. The legal profession recognized Edwards’ achievements by inducting him into the prestigious legal society called the Inner Circle of Advocates, which includes the nation’s top 100 lawyers. Lawyers Weekly also cited Edwards as one of America’s “Lawyers of the Year” in 1996.

• * *

…the medical malpractice suits that enabled Edwards and other trial lawyers to become rich and famous are crippling medical specialties like obstetrics, emergency room medicine and neurosurgery.

“A few years ago every neurosurgeon in Washington D.C., had been sued, and it can’t be because the nation’s capital gets only bad neurosurgeons. It’s because it’s too tempting to file against the competent ones because so many terrible things go wrong with their patients,” Olson added.

Edwards, who opposes legislation that would cap damages in liability lawsuits, would not respond to repeated requests through his campaign offices for comment.

The above story was found via related posts at Andrew Sullivan (scroll down) and overlawyered.com.

Edwards Picks Up a Gephardt Endorsement

From Eye on Edards:

Peter Burling, the Democratic leader of the New Hampshire state House, is now backing U.S. Sen. John Edwards’ presidential bid.

Burling previously endorsed U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri, who dropped out of the presidential race Tuesday after a 4th place finish in Iowa.

“For me, it ultimately comes down to the question I’ve asked all along: ‘Who’s the most electable?’” Burling said in an interview.

Arguing with Iowa: Edwards a big winner

Everyone will post thoughts about Iowa. Here are mine:

Howard Dean looked like a pro wrestler on WWE Raw during his acceptance speech. Doesn't sound like a president, and makes for lots of fresh video for Republicans. Here's the audio if you can stomach it, courtesy of Blogs for Bush. BTW, this schtick is the big thing on "Fox and Friends" this morning. Probably will play big on all the conservative talk radio today as well. I expect an SNL skit next week.

John Kerry talks about some new band he's listening to: George Bush and the Special Interests. And I agree with Instapundit, what's up with universal healthcare in his victory speech?

John Edwards had to be the biggest surprise of the evening. His biggest drawback is that he sounds like a cross between Jimmy Carter and Billy Graham. But he's got a couple of things going for him: he looks young (so did JFK), and he's preaching a "positive" message compared to The Howinator Dean and John "F'ing" Kerry. While there's no predicting his finish in New Hampshire, South Carolina is just around the corner, and he's an N.C. boy. This is a campaign to watch.

I have to wonder what Gephardt was thinking by putting all his bets on Iowa, of all places. He'd gotten some good endorsements in S.C., for instance, so why Iowa?

C-SPAN was another big winner. It was hilarious watching the Kucinish Kid and the "now the voting's over, let's break out the wine and cheese" lady. Also the ponytail guy with the cell phone trying to call in poll numbers. Now there are some strong visuals.

And nothing beats seeing Morton Kondracke in a safety orange touk freezing his butt off for FOX news.

What happens now that Lieberman and Clark are back in the mix? Good question. It will be interesting to watch from the sidelines.

Simulblog: Edwards On CNN With Larry King

This is a simulblog ... apolgies for any mistakes.

He admits to being a bit surprised from how he felt some time ago, but the recent turnouts at his events suggested a more optimistic outcome. Describes his group as "the little engine that could."

Says that he and Kucinich are friends, and they talked a few days ago that if there were precincts that did not pass the viability standard the Kucinich delgates would come to him, and vice versa.

Does not know if Gephardt will leave the race. Describes him as a "good and decent man ... an extraordinary public servant."

Dole predicts Edwards will get the "big bounce" coming out of Iowa.

Edwards Launches Spanish-Language Blog

First, candidate blogs were the trend. Now it appears non-English-language candidate blogs may be the new trend. Visit Blog de Unidos Con Edwards here. (And if you've kept an eye on the cool Candidate Blog RSS Feed section over there in the right-hand column, you'da seen it already.)

(Editor's Note: When do you think the Edwards camp will change all the buttons and other hyperlinks on Blog de Unidos Con Edwards to Spanish? As of this posting, they're all still in English. Also no RSS as yet.)

Edwards Tries to Capitalize on Dean's Goof

As a southerner, Edwards is in a unique position to capitalize on Dean's confederate flag snafu. From CNN:

"It's like saying to any group of voters ... you don't know what's best for you. We know what's best for you," Edwards said. "There's an elitism and condescension associated with that attitude that's enormously dangerous to us" and that voters want to be "treated with respect."