Posted on 11/16/2006 9:19:05 PM PST by woofie
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards acknowledged Thursday that amid his criticism of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., a volunteer member of his staff asked the world's largest retailer for help obtaining a hot new Sony Playstation 3 for Edwards' family.
Edwards, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, told The Associated Press that the volunteer "feels terrible" about seeking the game unit at Wal-Mart while his boss claims the retailer doesn't treat its employees fairly.
"My wife, Elizabeth, wanted to get a Playstation3 for my young children. She mentioned it in front of one of my staff people. That staff person mentioned it in front of a volunteer who said he would make an effort to get one. He was making an effort to go get one for himself," Edwards said.
"Elizabeth and I knew nothing about this. He feels terrible about this. He made a mistake and he knows he should not have used my name," Edwards said.
Wal-Mart had noted in a news release Thursday that on the same day Edwards was criticizing the company in a conference call with union-backed activists, the volunteer staff member had asked a Raleigh, N.C., electronics department manager to obtain a PS3 for the ex-senator's family.
Earlier Thursday, Edwards had said in a statement e-mailed by spokeswoman Kim Rubey: "We instructed no one to contact Wal-Mart on our behalf."
From Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., company spokesman David Tovar said the Edwards staff member left a voicemail at the Raleigh store and identified himself as an Edwards staff member.
When the manager returned the call, the staff member again identified himself as working for Edwards, and Wal-Mart said it confirmed it with Edwards' office. The retailer issued a written statement Thursday accusing Edwards of not wanting to wait his turn.
"While the rest of America's working families are waiting patiently in line, Sen. Edwards wants to cut to the front," the Wal-Mart statement said.
This summer, Wal-Mart hired Edelman executive Leslie Dach as its public relations director and put him on the company's executive team. Analysts predicted the retailer would likely become more aggressive toward its critics.
Edwards, the Democrats' vice-presidential candidate in 2004, spoke Wednesday to supporters of union-backed WakeUpWalMart.com on a conference call launching the group's holiday season campaign to pressure Wal-Mart for better labor standards.
In the call, he repeated a story about his son Jack disapproving of a classmate buying sneakers at Wal-Mart.
"If a 6-year-old can figure it out, America can definitely figure this out," Edwards said.
Previously, Edwards has appeared at WakeUpWalMart rallies.
Edwards said the volunteer was "a young kid" unaware of what he called flawed Wal-Mart policies. He called the Wal-Mart statement an effort to divert attention from its own problems.
I am so happy that "pretty boy" is copying Kerry by putting his foot in his pretty little mouth. By the way, I love Walmart. Now which of the "two Americas" as he likes to call it, is he for?
Your remarks demands I say this. Back in our early years, my little son (about 4 or 5 years old at the time) came in to me and said, "Mama, what are Pic-way Bombers?" I said "why are you asking that?" He told me the kid across the street who was about 11 said to him "Well, I see you've got some of those Pic-way bombers!" Made my blood boil~My little boy didn't know if it was good or bad! Does anyone remember Pic-Way? Those high priced shoes came along later for us of course but at that time we bought what we could!
TOO FUNNY!!!
WalMart Ping..............
This has now become TOO funny for words!!!!!!
For a man who faults WalMart for how it treats its employees, I'd like to know what in heavens name he is doing with UNPAID staff on his staff??????????
I know that kind of "hop to it" attitude exists with staff wanting to please their VIP boss, but it would help if Edwards hadn't predictably and immediately set blame on others. Any time anyone starts out a sentence with "My wife Elizabeth, or my office volunteer George or my son Dolph . . instead of just saying, "Big office snafu, but my bad, the buck stops here."
Must read later bump
Will this a$$bite ever learn how to talk. It's for your kids, stupid. Acts like he's in a courtroom 24/7.
Come oe...it was a joke that was delivered poorly.
This fifty something year old can figure out that Edwards has a six year old snob kid.
The left considers itself privileged and above the common herd. When they get into power, they will make sure that they keep their special perks and the ordinary person gets nothing.
OMG! John...get Jack out of that school. He can't be educated with riff-raff.
"In the call, he repeated a story about his son Jack disapproving of a classmate buying sneakers at Wal-Mart...'If a 6-year-old can figure it out, America can definitely figure this out,' Edwards said."
Absolutely reprehensible. Makes you wonder what else the Left does to brainwash little kids? (That was rhetorical, no need to answer.)
I say we refer to The Breck Girl from here on out as John "Front of the Line" Edwards.
Doesn't he work for the Southern Poverty Law Office, or whatever it's called? Some reason he wants to take Wal-Mart away from POOR people?
He is a 'former' Senator. Who, what and why a 'staff'? What volunteer(s)? As a lawyer, he wouldn't use the word 'staff' if the persons were 'employees' of his law firm. Do these 'staff' people and 'volunteers' get paid health care from Edwards? Maybe that is why he refers them as being 'staff'. NO (or litttle) PAY OR BENEFITS!
Not everyone can afford to shop at the exclusive boutiques your family no doubt frequents.
And incidentally, do the same Wal-Mart press gangs that force people to work there and force them to be gay, also force them to make sneakers?
Junior should refuse to play his new PS3 because it came from Wal-Mart. It would, if nothing else, show that he's much more principled than his father.
Either his kis is a chip off the ol' (gold) block or this is another "my mother takes the dog's medication because Rx's are too expensive"
I really get a kick out of the "elite" when they talk crazy.
bump
"Not everyone can afford to shop at the exclusive boutiques your family no doubt frequents."
This stuck out at me also.
When my kids were young, we bought sneakers at Walmart or Kmart. The other kids laughed at mine, because in my area most could go to fancy shoe stores and buy expensive sneakers. It really hurt my kids.
I still remember some of those nasty types. So his son is "disapproving" of another kids cheap Walmart sneakers? What does he do, talk about it at the table at night? He goes around noticing that other kids have Walmart sneakers?
The kid sounds like a little snot that needs a good spanking. Shame he won't get it.
"Yeah and the idiots are buying them to sell on Ebay
for 10x retail."
Not knocking it, sounds like good old fashioned capitalism.
Just a little amazed, that's all.
If my kid shelled out thousands for a GAME SYSTEM because he was too idiotic to just wait a bit, I'd wonder about his priorities.
PS - Last night while driving around I told my son this morning we are going to wake up to hear someone got killed. Fox just reported that someone got shot on line.
I hear you. I grew up in the pre "big box" days, but my mom would give me $5 to run down to the local Woolworth for Five and Dime to get a new pair of "Bobos". I had to wear my clothes until they literally fell apart anything that I didn't get from Goodwill were store brands.
I caught some heck from the other kids, but I didn't really care what they said so after awhile they got bored and went away.
I don't expect kids to be kind to one another. We instinctively compete and look for weaknesses in others that we can exploit and gain standing.
Fortunately, most of us mature and grow out of that. Unfortunately, John Edwards isn't most of us and is revelling in the snooty elitism he's teaching his children. Liberals really are sick people.
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