Posted on 11/20/2004 6:55:38 AM PST by Jose Roberto
Edwards delivers final speech in Senate
Democrat talks of battles fought and constituents helped
TIM FUNK
Observer Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - Sen. John Edwards said goodbye to the U.S. Senate on Friday, delivering a final floor speech that invoked the names of colleagues he fought with on the Patients Bill of Rights and constituents he fought for in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd and the closing of Pillowtex.
Though the Tar Heel Democrat was absent from the upper chamber for much of the last two years -- missing a high percentage of the 673 roll call votes as he ran for president, then vice president -- he spoke warmly and with humor about the memories he'll take back to North Carolina when his single six-year term ends in January.
"I will never forget that first (legislative) struggle we had in the wake of Hurricane Floyd," said Edwards, who, as a brand new senator in 1999, had threatened to use parliamentary procedures to shut down the federal government if Congress didn't approve more hurricane relief money for his state.
But much of his 15-minute farewell speech, which was nationally televised on C-SPAN2, echoed the populist stump speeches he gave on the campaign trail in 2003 and 2004 -- years when he spent more time in Iowa and the Midwestern battleground states than in Washington or North Carolina.
Edwards, who gave up his Senate seat to pursue national office, sometimes seemed to be talking less to fellow senators on Friday than to his fellow North Carolinians -- and to voters he's likely to woo again in 2008, when many political analysts expect him to make another White House bid.
He talked of going to bat for the laid-off workers at Pillowtex, the hard-pressed tobacco farmers, the many North Carolinians in uniform, and the N.C. tourists in Washington who posed for pictures with him during "Tar Heel Thursday."
"I've never loved my home state and my country more than I do now," he said. "We've had some triumphs, we've had some tragedies over the last six years. But one thing is clear. I will never stop representing the people of North Carolina, the values that they represent, and the values that I grew up with there and the values I believe in. The truth is, it's who I am ... It's what I learned from going to church, from going to our schools, and from going to all 100 counties in North Carolina."
Edwards joked that with his exodus -- and that of fellow Southern Democrats Ernest "Fritz" Hollings of South Carolina and John Breaux of Louisiana -- "our accents will be missed here on the floor of the United States Senate."
The former trial lawyer never mentioned his role in President Clinton's impeachment trial or his high-profile work on the Senate Judiciary Committee -- exposure that helped him make a splash in the Senate, even though he started 100th out of 100 in terms of seniority.
And he offered no hint Friday of how he'll keep his name in the news after he leaves the Senate club -- and the media spotlight that comes with being a member.
Instead, Edwards spoke of soon having "God's gift ... more time. More time to hear the screen door slam when my kids come home ... More time to spend with my own parents. And more time to be there for the woman I love ... Elizabeth."
On behalf of his wife, who has just begun her fight with breast cancer, Edwards thanked "our family here in the Senate" and the more than 50,000 people who have expressed their support with e-mails and letters.
Edwards also expressed his regard for Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., his seatmate and jogging partner, and for Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who worked with him on the Patients Bill of Rights that passed the Senate only to die amid stalled negotiations with the White House.
But the N.C. senator's most extended praise went to Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate who chose Edwards as his running mate:
"I embarked a few months ago on a journey with Sen. Kerry ... I got a chance to see him when others didn't, when there were no cameras around, when there were no crowds. He is a man of strength, conviction and courage."
The Senate also heard a farewell speech Friday from Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., who lost his re-election bid this month.
A parade of senators, including Edwards, paid tribute to their leader. But Edwards also got some salutes.
"A powerful voice for our party," said Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who later rose to speak, citing the "Two Americas" speech that won Edwards notice during his presidential run.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., also lauded Edwards for his "passion for people" on the campaign trail.
Edwards will turn over his seat to a Republican, U.S. Rep. Richard Burr of Winston-Salem. But he made it clear he won't disappear from the political scene.
Said Edwards: "This fight goes on."
Also, we must all work diligently in the coming months to convince “progressives” that the Democratic Party has let them down. They must abandon the party. Their only recourse is to join and work for the Green Party moving forward. I may even register as a Green Party member to swell their voter registration rolls. Divide and conquer.
Begin with putting all known “progressives” in your sphere of influence on the Green Party mail list from their website. Great fun. Start inundating them with information now.
Edwards joked that with his exodus -- and that of fellow Southern Democrats Ernest "Fritz" Hollings of South Carolina and John Breaux of Louisiana -- "our accents will be missed here on the floor of the United States Senate."
Does he not realize NC/SC/LA will all still have 2 senators? The accent quotient will remain the same.
Already starting the Bible thumping for 08...
I'm so sick of these jerks saying they are going to keep "fighting" for us when the fact is they are fighting AGAINST us - against our President, against our military, against the war, against our values, against the will of the majority of Americans. The only ones they are fighting for are themselves and anyone who is against the U.S.
And as far as Lurch goes, we don't need him fighting for us - he showed us during the Vietnam war how he "fought for us" - by conspiring with our enemies and calling other Vietnam vets war criminals. He's a coward, a traitor, a do-nothing senator, a narcissistic POS, and he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. And cutie pie Edwards is a joke.
Barbara Boxer??
Chris Dodd??
I was warned to be prepared to puke and so in spirit I did!!
>"he spoke warmly and with humor"
Media Bias Alert!
The news is: "he spoke"
Opinion is "Warmly and with humor".
Arggghhhhh!
>"he spoke warmly and with humor"
Media Bias Alert!
The news is: "he spoke"
Opinion is "Warmly and with humor".
Arggghhhhh!
I was expecting him to do a "laying on of hands" and raise Christopher Reeve from the dead...
Very well said. When will the snakes crawl out of their holes and realize that WE GET IT! They're fooling no one.
Excellent summation**
John
They probably figure they've got four years and a mid term election to practice the "God thing" enough to where they can fool the hayseeds into voting for them.
To sue has become politics.
I can just see the Senators, looking at each other with puzzled expressions on their faces, after Edwards finished his rant, and asking questions like: Who was that boy? What was he doing addressing the Senate? He is saying bye, but I don't recall ever meeting him-do you? If that was the Pizza delivery boy- When do we eat? Never mind-just listening to him spoiled my appetite.
As much as I hate Liz Edwards, being hectored like that by al Qatie was uncalled for. Isn't that supposed to be a private decision up to the woman and her doctor? Oh, that's right, that only applies when the woman is butchering her unborn child. Liz Edwards should have thrown al Qatie on the floor and sat on her for that.
An opus worthy of a departing freeper malcontent. Hey John, adios MFer, don't bother writing.
Even Hollywoodites can fake a southern accent as good as or better than Edwards and with more sincerity and respect.
I do think many of them will try to play what they think of as "the GOD card." God will use it to convict some of them and bring them to a knowledge of Him. As for the others, God will use them as well. God will not be mocked.
If a man running for President has to take a two year vacation it seems he is not doing his job at all. When that job is as important as a governer or sinawhore it seems as if the state if not the entire country is not being treated fair.
I would like to see some limits placed on it. Maybe you have to retire so someone can actually do the job. What is really bothersome is that the President of the USA has to campaign for two years to be reelected. You cannot tell me he is doing the job of running the country very well.
I suggest a 6 year term for President with no reelection. 6 years gives him time to accomplish things that cannot be done in 4 years. If a sinawhore or gov. wants to run they should be forced to resign "for the good of the children".
Sreen door ala NC 1960's. Right Johnnie, the poor NC good old boy, just one of us. I would like to see a photo of the Edwards NC residence so I could see that "screen door" with my own eyes. What ya wanna bet Johnnie doesn't even have a screen door?
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