John Edwards sounds populist themes in speech
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer
May 29, 2003 8:43 am
Posted on 05/29/2003 7:10:01 AM PDT by Constitution Day
John Edwards sounds populist themes in speech
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer
May 29, 2003 8:43 am
SAN FRANCISCO -- Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards sounded a populist critique of President Bush's economic policies Wednesday, attacking the $350 billion tax cut just signed into law and vowing to invest instead in education and targeted tax relief for middle-class Americans.
"The president should not, today, be celebrating passage of tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country," Edwards told the Bar Association of San Francisco, "when at the same time he has fought against providing help to working families, providing tax relief to working families, trying to make available unemployment coverage for over a million Americans who have lost jobs or have no jobs through absolutely no fault of their own."
Edwards, who made millions as a trial lawyer before running for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina in 1998, cast himself as a political everyman, the son of a mill worker who grew up in rural America and understands the problems of working people struggling to make ends meet.
"I come from a really different background than President Bush," Edwards said. "He has not spent 30 seconds since he was elected to the White House thinking about people like my dad -- thinking about people who worked in that mill with my father."
Edwards stuck largely to populist themes throughout his remarks, while making occasional nods to his audience -- most of whom live in the famously liberal San Francisco Bay Area. He warned that "a woman's right to choose is in jeopardy every single day the president is in the White House," and reaffirmed his support for legislation to prevent discrimination against gays and lesbians, and extend benefits to same sex domestic partners.
Still, Edwards cautioned the audience that despite the importance of California to any Democratic presidential candidate's electoral vote calculus, the party would not win the White House without carrying at least a few Southern and rural states.
"We cannot treat the rest of America as a place we fly over between New York to California," he said.
While Edwards has made many fund raising trips to California since launching his presidential bid, the speech was one of his first major public events in this politically active area.
"I think he knows he needs to prove himself," said Martha Whetstone, executive director of the Bar Association.
Republicans, who have repeatedly cited Edwards' history as a trial lawyer when calling for tort reform legislation, were quick to pounce on his appearance before this group.
"It's not surprising that Sen. Edwards is so at ease with this crowd since he is bought and paid for by trial lawyers," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt.
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What a pantload!
1. How do you, Sen. Edwards, know what the President has been thinking about?
2. He was elected to the office of Preisdent, not the White House. The White House is his residence, stupid!
3. And you, Senator Edwards, have not spent 30 seconds thinking period!
Now I feel better!!
I have no idea. How about you, Howlin?
Not surprising. I think his poll #s are in the single digits.
Write that down; it will be very useful when Mr. Edwards slinks back to NC begging us to let him keep his job.
One place HE hasn't spent 30 seconds in the last year is North Carolina.
New York and California? What ever happened to North Carolina? This guy is pathetic.
I feel the same way.
Lots of people see him as an empty suit, but I think he is very smart, very determined and very dangerous.
We underestimate him at this nation's peril.
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