Sen. Edwards Announces White House Run

AP | 1/02/03 | REBECCA MILLER

[kattracks]

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan 02, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Democratic Sen. John Edwards will run for president in 2004, telling guests at a party at his home Wednesday he will form an exploratory committee.

The first-term senator from North Carolina told about 200 friends he will announce his plans publicly Thursday, said Walter Dellinger, a former U.S. solicitor general who attended the New Year's Day party.

Edwards' guests gathered in his back yard while the senator thanked them for their support during his time in the Senate and in "what I'm going to do next."

As he spoke, a loud cheer went up.

"John was talking about where he wants to lead the country," Ed Turlington, a former state Democratic party executive director, said afterward in describing the announcement. "He asked for our support. Our answer was yes."

Edwards' announcement gives him the jump on several of his colleagues in Congress who are also expected to join the Democratic field in 2004.

Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry are already running, and associates expect Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt to announce he's running within the next week.

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman is leaning toward a run, though he hasn't set a timetable for his decision. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle is still talking with supporters with a plan to decide by mid-January, and Florida Sen. Bob Graham has said he will decide this month.

Edwards, 49, a millionaire former trial lawyer, has spent months making the rounds at Democratic functions in Iowa, New Hampshire and elsewhere.

Standing with his youngest children, 2-year-old son Jack and 4-year-old Emma Claire, Edwards said before the party started that his family was uppermost in his mind as he considered whether to run.

"I've been thinking about North Carolina and the nation and what effect it's going to have on my family," he said.

He is scheduled to appear on NBC's "Today" show Thursday morning to make his announcement official. He also has two fund-raisers scheduled for Saturday in Raleigh.

Edwards would be up for Senate re-election in 2004, a factor that had to be weighed in making a decision on the presidential race.

Edwards' move toward a run has drawn a lot of attention. He was an early hit with Democratic activists who saw him as telegenic and able to connect with voters.

The last three Democratic presidents - Lyndon Johnson of Texas, Jimmy Carter of Georgia and Bill Clinton of Arkansas - have been from the South.

Edwards grew up as the son of a textile mill employee, born in South Carolina but spending his teenage years in Robbins, N.C. He became a successful trial lawyer in Raleigh, winning personal injury cases against big companies and amassing a fortune of $14 million.

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Associated Press writers Ron Fournier in Washington and Scott Mooneyham in Raleigh contributed to this report.

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On the Net:

Edwards' Senate Web site: http://edwards.senate.gov

By REBECCA MILLER Associated Press Writer

Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved

[JohnHuang2]

Edwards who? You don't mean that rookie air-head, ex-ambulance-chaser who still thinks Iowa is a separate country, do you? ;^)

[kattracks]

That's the one.

[JohnHuang2]

Figures. lol

[JohnHuang2]

For Democrats, it seems, the bad news just keeps on coming:

Item 1) New Year celebrations went peaceful -- no terrorist attack on U.S. soil, depriving Dems of grist for the 'Bush-Isn't-Doing-Enough-ON-Homeland-Defense' mill. The newsies were, till 12:01 New Year's morning, almost giddy over prospects a group of as many as 19 Muslim extremists, who reportedly entered the country illegally through Canada, were poised to strike on New Year's day, handing Democrats a major issue.

Item 2) Tom Daschle has decided, and it's a go -- he's running for president. "Daschle," writes Adam Nagourney in this morning's New York Times, "has told associates that he is likely to run for president in 2004 and will create a presidential exploratory committee sometime this month." This, according to "Democrats close to Mr. Daschle."

Daschle, for those who might not be familiar with the name, is the outgoing Democrat Senate "Majority" Leader who led his party to overwhelming defeat in November's midterm elections, costing the Bush-haters control of the Senate. That, if my history is correct, is a first for first midterm elections. Republicans, I assure you, are 'bring-it-on' chortling this New Year's Day.

[byteback]

I love to see so many Senators up in 2004 running; Daschle, Edwards and Graham where the GOP has a better than even chance at the seat. This could be a monster year with 7 or so pickups if Boxer gets a challenge, Giuliani runs, Hollings retires, bin Murray goes down, REid goes down in NV and Huckabee runs in AR. There's a rumor that Nickles will step down and JC Watts will run.

[kattracks]

I can't wait for the backbiting to begin.

[JohnHuang2]

The good thing is, with so many Senate Dems running for president, every criticism lobbed at the White House will be neutralized as purely political.

[JohnHuang2]

Especially Bob Graham, whom the media loved to cite as an "authority" on intel. He now stands as no more than just another opportunist after Bush's job.

[Mo1]

Standing with his youngest children, 2-year-old son Jack and 4-year-old Emma Claire, Edwards said before the party started that his family was uppermost in his mind as he considered whether to run.

Kind of reminds ya of JFK.. doesn't it

[JohnnyZ]

The good thing is, with so many Senate Dems running for president, every criticism lobbed at the White House will be neutralized as purely political.

That's kind of funny, really. I think you meant: "every criticism lobbed at the White House will be accorded extra credibility coming from the Next Leader of the Free World".

[Leisler]

Edwards! And He's a tobacco lawyer too! And such nice children! Wow!

(sound of crickets)

< sarcasm off >

[wotan]

Don't underestimate Edwards. He is willing to advocate what it takes to win.

From his website (Dec. 18, 2002):

"Pointing to dramatic failures in stopping the September 11 terrorists from entering the country, Senator Edwards also proposed increasing the number of immigration, border patrol and state department consular officials by 10,000. He called for tripling funds for border control information technology, and condensing the confusing array of immigration documents."

Bush is going to be in big trouble if the economy is tanking in 2004, there is another big terrorist attack, and he's still dragging his feet on preventing illegal immigration.

[Tom D.]

It looks like Edwards' pollsters have told him that he cannot win a Senate re-election in 2004 so he has nothing to loose by running for Prez. I'm guessing that the NC Democrats will give Bowles another shot at a Senate seat. It's too early to know who the Republicans will run for that seat, but if I had to guess, I think Congressman Richard Burr of Winston-Salem has the inside track at the Republican nomination for that seat.

It is interesting to note that this Senate Seat has changed hands everytime it has come open since the mid-1970's when Senator B. Everett Jordon retired.

[ihatemyalarmclock]

Edwards gives me flashbacks. I swear to God he has Glen Campbell's 1969 hair.

[No Dems 2004]

Personally, while I'm not overconfident for the GOP, I don't think that John Edwards has got what it takes. He's radically liberal on issues like abortion (he even opposes the partial birth abortion ban) and homosexuality, while at the same time claiming to be "moderate". Recent surveys that I've heard of have suggested that he's not even all that popular in his native NC. Don't forget what happened to Max Cleland who had pretty much the same record as Edwards. Being the slick, pretty boy won't buy him the presidency -- people want substance.

By the way, any more word on Bob Graham's potential candidacy?

[No Dems 2004]

"Don't underestimate Edwards. He is willing to advocate what it takes to win."

I must agree with your assertion that we must not be overconfident of President Bush winning re-election. I always pray that he'll remain aware that he's human and mustn't think he's invincible.

But let's not fear the Democrats either. I fully expect the Democrats to do everything they feel they can to win, and we may even feel vulnerable sometimes. But John Edwards and all the other Democrats planning to run are not good men, and they can't pretend to be either.

So let's have faith and pray for the best for our nation.

[Jim Noble]

>>4-year-old Emma Claire,<<

who has asked her parents to change her name to Caroline...

[Snardius]

Kind of reminds ya of JFK.. doesn't it

Kennedy announced for president on this day in 1960. Coincidence? I think not.

[Snardius]

"He became a successful trial lawyer in Raleigh, winning personal injury cases against big companies and amassing a fortune of $14 million."

IOW, he's an opportunistic parasite.