John Edwards and the money power. (Just lookin' out for the little guy).

Overlawyered.com ^ | February 19, 2004 12:38 AM | Posted by Walter Olson

[.cnI redruM]

"We are not going to lose the race for lack of funds", said Dallas trial lawyer Fred Baron, finance co-chairman of the Edwards campaign (and poster boy for legal ethics) as the Wisconsin primary approached. (Rob Christensen and John Wagner, "Edwards sees no reason to surrender", Raleigh News and Observer, Feb. 12). The challenge for Edwards's fund-raising was spelled out by the Washington Post last month (Paul Farhi and Thomas B. Edsall, "Filling War Chests Key As Campaigns Progress", Jan. 21): "The North Carolina senator has received a higher percentage of large donations than any other major candidate -- 83 percent were between $1,000 and $2,000, the maximum allowed by law. Many of these donations came from plaintiffs' attorneys, members of Edwards's former profession. This means that many of Edwards's donors have 'maxed out' and can give no more money. For Edwards to become fully competitive in the race for cash, he will have to find new contributors beyond his trial-lawyer base." Why, even many of the paralegals, receptionists, bankrupt support staffers of law firms and their nonvoting husbands have maxed out (see Hill News, May 7, 2003). For more on Edwards' fund-raising, see Feb. 3; Jan. 27; Jan. 23, 2004; Aug. 5 and Apr. 7-8, 2003; and Jul. 18 and May 1-2, 2002. More: Kerry press secretary Stephanie Cutter imprecisely describes Edwards campaign as "wholly funded by trial lawyers" (Adam Nagourney and David M. Halbfinger, "Kerry and Edwards Square Off as Dean Abandons Campaign", New York Times, Feb. 19)

Edwards's self-reinvention as the candidate of trade protectionism has provided another reason for sensible voters to steer clear of him. As Alex Tabarrok notes: "In his stump speech, John Edwards is fond of empathizing with the plight of a 10-year old girl 'somewhere in America,' who goes to bed 'praying that tomorrow will not be as cold as today, because she doesn't have the coat to keep her warm.' Yet, as John Tierney points out, 'clothing has become so cheap and plentiful (partly because of textile imports, which Mr. Edwards has proposed to limit) that there is a glut of second-hand clothing, and consequently most clothing donated to charity is shipped abroad. The second-hand children's coats that remain in America typically sell for about $5 in thrift shops.' (emphasis added)". See "Nader Searches for His Roots", New York Times, Feb. 15. To be sure, Edwards has some familiarity with the internationalization of markets: when the populist Senator and his wife left their Massachusetts Avenue mansion to trade up to a nicer mansion on P Street, they disposed of the old one "for $3 million to the Hungarian government for use as an embassy". (Marc Fisher, "Regular Guys Who Live In Mansions", Washington Post, Feb. 17). See also Byron York, "John Edwards Cares about YOU!", Roll Call/National Review Online, Feb. 17. (& welcome WSJ "Best of the Web", Andrew Sullivan, Mickey Kaus, and (thanks!) Steve Bainbridge readers)

Posted by Walter Olson at February 19, 2004 12:38 AM

[.cnI redruM]

http://www.overlawyered.com/archives/03/may1.html#0508b

http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york200402170913.asp

http://slate.msn.com/id/2095656/

Oh yeah, he's the people's lawyer!

[Piquaboy]

When you show me a lawyer looking out for anyone except himself, I will show you the sun coming up in the west.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I don't know a "little guy" who owns three houses, each worth about 3 million dollars. That must be in that other America Edwards is always talking about.

[.cnI redruM]

Must be. I don't even know anyone that owns three houses and I know some people who have succeeded fairly well in life.

[gusopol3]

the investment that one and one's society make in educating a professional is supposed to establish a commitment, that as the professional "practices" his trade,and hones his skills, society, as well as himself, will reap increasingly greater reward from his experience. That's why there are so many fat targets among the medical profession: people who have made enough money over the years to retire and be reasonably comfortable. Instead, with a great deal of integrity, they continue to show up and care for their patients, any one of whom may at any time be encouraged by fast buck artists like Edwards to sue. If a "Daddy Warbucks" type accrues wealth like Edwards has in 20 years, at least, he will have undoubtedly created many jobs along the way for others. Edwards got his millions without creating one job for any one else, and probably destroyed the livelihoods of many. A Blood-sucker of the first order. His "two Americas" is the smarmiest thing since Bill Clinton quoting scripture.