Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

John Edwards courts home (South Carolina) state
Charlotte Observer (Washington Bureau) ^ | Sun, May. 05, 2002 | CHARLES HURT

Posted on 05/05/2002 1:59:19 PM PDT by jern

Observer Washington Bureau

Flanked by his extended family, Sen. John Edwards delivered a speech Saturday morning to a hall full of Democrats, laying out his populist vision of America and taking on President Bush.

The speech capped a weekend spent by Edwards and another Democratic presidential contender, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., at the state party's annual convention.

South Carolina is crucial for whoever wants the Democratic nomination to challenge President Bush in 2004.

It is the nation's third party contest, after Iowa and New Hampshire. In addition, South Carolina will be important because it will indicate whether a candidate has the ability to capture Southern votes, crucial to any Democrat wanting to win the White House.

South Carolina, where Edwards was born and lived before moving with his family to Robbins, N.C., as a boy, is particularly important for Edwards because he could get recognition early by winning in the state even though he's hardly known anywhere else in the country.

Edwards was introduced by South Carolina's longtime junior senator, Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, who pointed out that John C. Calhoun, Strom Thurmond, and even he himself were among S.C. sons who had run for president and failed.

"We got a South Carolinian who can go all the way," Hollings shouted to the cheering crowd. "This fella was born in South Carolina."

The previous night at the annual dinner, Hollings gave an equally laudatory introduction for Kerry, praising Kerry's Vietnam War record.

Edwards' parents and extended family -- many of whom still live in South Carolina -- were seated at the front of the hall beside the stage.

Saying he'd spent his career as a trial lawyer to give voiceless people a voice, Edwards blasted health-care bureaucrats, lobbyists and pharmaceutical companies.

"For 20 years, I walked into the courtroom and fought for the little guy," he said.

He also flexed his muscles for the crowd by taking on Bush, blaming him for a poor economy and a lackluster education system and even blaming him for not doing enough to rebuild Afghanistan.

"Our rural economy is in shambles," Edwards said. "I am here to tell you that the president is not doing anything about it."

After the speech, Edwards left the hall for a private jet that waited to fly him to Michigan for more speeches and fund-raising.

He will return to Washington by this morning in time to make "Meet the Press" for a half-hour interview. It's his first solo appearance on the show and the first time the topic has been strictly John Edwards and his meteoric rise to become one of the most talked-about presidential contenders for 2004 among political activists.

Earlier Saturday morning, Edwards had headlined a $1,000-a-plate breakfast for trial lawyers, who have contributed more than $1 million to Edwards' first Senate race account and his political action committee.



TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: 2004; contenders; edwardswatch; electionpresident; elections; johnedwards; presidential; whitehouse
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

1 posted on 05/05/2002 1:59:19 PM PDT by jern
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: jern
wart boy the ambulance chaser blows off about Bush in a state where wart boys own poll numbers are nothing to brag about.
3 posted on 05/05/2002 2:06:58 PM PDT by linn37
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dales
South Carolina, where Edwards was born and lived before moving with his family to Robbins, N.C., as a boy, is particularly important for Edwards because he could get recognition early by winning in the state even though he's hardly known anywhere else in the country.
4 posted on 05/05/2002 2:13:06 PM PDT by GraniteStateConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: GraniteStateConservative; admin moderator
Errp.

Never mind? LOL Now I feel foolish. AM, would you terribly mind nixing my post above?

5 posted on 05/05/2002 2:15:56 PM PDT by Dales
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jern
I've noticed that the media has been gushing over this guy in recent weeks. I heard him on TV this morning and he sounds just like ol' Slickster. We've got Mark Warner here in VA, another Democrap in the Clinton/Edwards mold. Warner is just too much of a geek to run for any higher office.
6 posted on 05/05/2002 2:16:20 PM PDT by flair2000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jern
blaming him for a poor economy and a lackluster education system

Yeah, it took 30 years to destroy our education system and it's Bush's fault that, with a Dem Senate, he hasn't rebuilt it in 15 months.

7 posted on 05/05/2002 2:16:36 PM PDT by Numbers Guy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dales
"taking on Bush.... and even blaming him for not doing enough to rebuild Afghanistan.

LOL. I am sure that issue is all the rage in SC.

8 posted on 05/05/2002 2:17:19 PM PDT by flying Elvis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: jern
Not the guy who talks with the dead people?! Another one with the same 2 first names?
9 posted on 05/05/2002 2:19:26 PM PDT by Goldi-Lox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jern
Would to God he would go back "home" and leave North Carolina and the rest of the country alone......
10 posted on 05/05/2002 2:22:12 PM PDT by Freedom'sWorthIt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dales
I've made a mistake or two like that before here. Don't worry about it.
11 posted on 05/05/2002 2:26:54 PM PDT by GraniteStateConservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: jern
John Edwards represents voters in North Carolina about as well as Hillary Clinton does. He voted against the tax cut and helped to sandbag Judge Pickering in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Once his voting record is known in the South, he will stand about as much chance as Hillary does in carrying southern states in '04.

Unfortunately, the press is behind him because he is as slick as Bubba and as photogenic as JFK.

12 posted on 05/05/2002 2:27:06 PM PDT by DeFault User
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DeFault User; Howlin
...not doing enough to rebuild Afghanistan.

We're not done bombing the place - are we?

13 posted on 05/05/2002 2:33:14 PM PDT by Libloather
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: jern
Edwards was pathetic on "Meet the Depressed" this morning. Vague and vacuous as always, he would not give a single straight answer. I cannot see this putz challenging W. in 2004.
15 posted on 05/05/2002 2:41:55 PM PDT by montag813
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jern
A (small) number of FReepers have suggested that my column this week, about John Edwards and his political ambitions, should be posted as a thread. I went through all the rigamarole to post it up. but nothing happened.

If a more adept FReeper than me wanted to post it up (just the column, without the "Billybob's Say-So," I'd appreciate it. And other Freepers might also.

Somebody has to speak against this boomlet for yet another ethics-challenged lawyer for President of the United States. It's the second link below.

Congressman Billybob

Click here to fight Campaign Finance "Reform/".

Click here for latest: "President John Edwards -- Think About It."

16 posted on 05/05/2002 2:48:09 PM PDT by Congressman Billybob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dales; Freedom'sWorthIt; Libloather; jern; kayak; Carolinamom; Ragtime Cowgirl; YaYa123
I hope you all saw Russert confront him with the polling data from Elon University. His OWN state doesn't APPROVE of him as a senator NOR do they want him to run as a candidate.
17 posted on 05/05/2002 3:37:50 PM PDT by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Congressman Billybob
Want me to?

BTW, did you see the Elon University Poll concerning Edwards?

18 posted on 05/05/2002 3:39:38 PM PDT by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Howlin
Wasn't he pathetic this morning? Even Russert, who wanted him to do well, sat there with his jaw on the table as Edwards slammed Bush for his "lack of leadership".
19 posted on 05/05/2002 3:49:47 PM PDT by McGavin999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999
Which is more, the number of grains of sand on the beach, or the number of times that man blinks his eyes? Is it as distracting to you as it is to me??
20 posted on 05/05/2002 3:54:06 PM PDT by Howlin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson