John Edwards on the Campaign Trail

— -- ABCNEWS' Gloria Riviera is on the trail with North Carolina Sen. John Edwards as he makes his bid for the White House. For the latest report, scroll down.

Happy Veterans Day … ?

Nov. 12 —Sound the bell, round one between General Clark (or at least his communications director) and Senator Edwards has begun.

In a letter criticizing Senator Edwards' association with General Hugh Shelton on the grounds that Shelton has engaged in a "smear campaign" and "character assassination" against his boss, Clark's communications director Matt Bennett said Edwards "should insist that General Shelton either repudiate his attacks or back up his charge with an ounce of evidence or a shred of substantiation."

The campaign released the letter Edwards wrote back, addressed directly to Clark. In it Edwards says that while he values the General's advice, Shelton has yet to officially endorse any candidate. "He is a fellow North Carolinian and has been a friend and adviser for many years. I will continue to seek his advice. When I talk to the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it's about the safety and security of our men and women in uniform, not about politics."

The Shelton association came into the spotlight late last week when Edwards named him as someone he consults with on a semi-regular basis, after being asked about advisers in general at a town hall meeting in New Hampshire. Bennett's letter also suggested that Edwards rethink his support of the war in Kosovo, since General Shelton was not an advocate.

Here's Matt Bennett's letter to Senator Edwards:

Dear Senator Edwards:

I'm simply astounded that you have retained General Hugh Shelton as an adviser to your presidential campaign. This choice undermines the spirit of civility that you have urged your fellow candidates to uphold. Just this September, you said: "We need to be really careful that our anger is not directed at each other." Maybe you should share that advice with your own campaign team.

General Shelton has engaged in precisely the type of politics as usual mud-slinging that you profess to abhor: he initiated what has become a smear campaign that the Republicans have gleefully taken up. And his character assassination was the worst type: General Shelton leveled charges about "integrity" and "character," and then refused to back up his charge with an ounce of evidence or a shred of substantiation. Attacks like these have no place in campaigns, or in any public discourse. You should insist that General Shelton either repudiate his attacks or come forward and provide proof for what he said.

Your association with General Shelton is also curious given your position of support for the war in Kosovo. As you know, by waging war against Slobodan Milosevic in Kosovo, we saved 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing, all without losing a single American life. Have you changed your mind about this operation? Do you now think we should have refused to stop the genocide and given Milosevic free reign in the region, as your adviser apparently believes?

By associating with General Shelton on this campaign, you seem to have given in to the negative politics that you say you have risen above. I hope that throughout the campaign you will maintain the high level of dialogue that you have insisted on for others and that you will address this matter promptly.

Sincerely,

Matt Bennett Communications Director Clark for President

And Senator Edwards' letter to General Clark:

Dear General Clark:

I wanted to bring to your attention a letter by a member of your staff sent to me regarding General Hugh Shelton. Whatever your personal views on General Shelton, I'm sure you agree that he is a respected military leader who served our country with distinction.

Although General Shelton has not endorsed me or any other candidate, I value his advice as one of our nation's top military leaders. He is a fellow North Carolinian and has been a friend and adviser for many years. I will continue to seek his advice. When I talk to the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it's about the safety and security of our men and women in uniform, not about politics.

I appreciate your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,

John Edwards

Edwards picks up southern help, picks on Dean's decision

Nov. 11 —"I'm a little bit older than he is," said former Georgia governor Roy Barnes.

"Not by much," Senator Edwards shot back.

Depends on how you judge five years (Barnes is 55).

In Atlanta Monday afternoon to announce endorsements from Barnes and three Georgia state representatives, Edwards focused his campaign speech to the potential donor crowd on his fight for the plight of the middle class. For anyone who read Bob Herbert's New York Times op-ed, it was old news.

Speaking to reporters afterwards Edwards repeated his now well-reported reaction to Dean's finance decision. " … Governor Dean himself said several months ago that he thought it was imperative that the Democrats to stay within the public financing system in the presidential race, and it appears at least that he has decided it is not in his interest to do that and he's reversed his position. I think this is a matter of principle and I think the integrity of the system matters."

Asked how concerned he is that Dean will carry some southern states, Edwards said simply, "Not."

The campaign launched television ads in Iowa and New Hampshire today as part of a four-phase "Plan for Change" unveiled week by week touting Edwards' 60-page platform handbook. Edwards says the book is a way to hold him accountable, and a voiceover tells viewers how to get their own copy.

Edwards rolls along on Granite State goal, adds foreign policy advisers

Nov. 10 —Saturday, Senator Edwards capped off his New Hampshire bus tour three-quarters of the way toward reaching his goal of holding 100 town hall meetings in New Hampshire. Asked about his circle of policy advisers, Edwards named retired General and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (and fellow North Carolinian) Hugh Shelton as an informal foreign policy adviser, as well as Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger.

Edwards was in North Carolina Sunday evening to rally support from the African-American voter base that was so critical in helping him win his Senate seat in 1998. Craig Kirby, Edwards' deputy national campaign chair, told the audience they needed to make the campaign a grassroots powerhouse, getting into diners and coffee shops to tell people who John Edwards is. And, ever mindful of the long-term campaign strategy, Kirby told the room the election would start in South Carolina.

Campaign staffers say Clark's decision to focus on South Carolina only makes the state more of a battleground and increases its relevance as never before. "Because we know we will win South Carolina," one senior aide said, the reaction to Clark is simple: Bring it on, General.