Edwards Gets Personal
EmailABC News’ Raelyn Johnson Reports: Sen. John Edwards is getting personal.
"(The election) is a choice between the failed compromises of the past and the bright possibilities of our future," Edwards, D-N.C., in a speech delivered in Hanover, New Hampshire on Thursday.
"The trouble with nostalgia is that you tend to remember what you liked and forget what you didn’t. It’s not just that the answers of the past aren’t up to the job today, it’s that the system that produced them was corrupt — and still is," he continued.
And it didn’t stop there.
"The American people deserve to know that their presidency is not for sale, the Lincoln Bedroom is not for rent, and lobbyist money can no longer influence policy in the House or the Senate," said Edwards.
While Edwards, who is waging a much gritter campaign than the one that landed him the vice presidential slot on the Democratic ticket in 2004, did not mention Sen. Hillary Clinton or her husband directly, the inference was hard to miss.
It’s the latest move by a candidate trying to up the ante and create bolder distinctions between his campaign and that of rivals Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
"The choice for our party could not be more clear," said Edwards. "We cannot replace a group of corporate Republicans with a group of corporate Democrats, just swapping the Washington insiders of one party for the Washington insiders of the other."
In early August, Edwards has called on his party to stop taking political contributions from Washington lobbyists. Last week when Sen. Obama muddied his relatively clear stance on the issue when he said lobbyists would "have a seat at the table" in his administration.
In an interview with ABC News senior political reporter and author of The Note Rick Klein, Edwards blasted Obama’s contention that he could curb the influence of lobbyists while still listening to their views as a "fantasy".
At the ABC News Iowa Democratic Debate on Sunday, Edwards presented a much softer edge, preferring to save his best shots, it seems, for the campaign trail. But the former Senator did deliver one shot across the bow regarding lobbyists.
"I don’t believe you can change this country without taking on very entrenched interests in Washington," Edwards told the crowd and debate moderator George Stephanopoulos, "including lobbyists that stand between us and the change America needs. And I don’t believe you can do it by sitting at a table, negotiating with them and trying to bring them together."
The aforementioned Klein has taken an in-depth look at the double-edged sword that is the Clintons. Check it out by clicking here.
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Posted by: Eugene Minter | August 23, 2007, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
John Edwards will be the next president of the United States. Thank goodness for that.
Posted by: chicagopoetry | August 23, 2007, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
Let’s be serious. John Edwards has been taking credit for Sen. Obama’s line from the AFL-CIO debate, “Let’s not trade one group of insiders for another. It’s not enough to just switch partys.” I like John Edwards and his message, but lately he just seems to repeat the most popular sound bites from Obama and Clinton. He reminds me of Gore-great ideas, strong moral center and wonderful passion. Unfortunately, he has and will always look like a great Vice President.
Posted by: RealB.G. | August 23, 2007, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
If the Democrats were smart, they’d stop focusing on their infatuation with the notion of electing either a woman or an African-American president and start picturing how a general election campaign with either of those two candidates would realistically play out. Once the Republican smear machine gets geared up and starts pounding us with video snippets stirring old memories of the snitty tone that many hated about Hillary ( i.e. “I guess I could have stayed home and baked cookies”, “There’s a vast right wing conspiracy”, etc.), her negatives will go from the mid 40′s to the mid-to-upper 50′s. Barak Obama? Please. They’ll bash his inexperienced head in. John Edwards has, by far, the best chance of any of the Democrats of weathering and winning the general election.
Posted by: sps91158 | August 23, 2007, 10:53 pm 10:53 pm
As a Democrat, I’m embarrassed by the behavior of John and Elizabeth Edwards. His campaign has gained zero traction since it began and as time goes by, both John and his wife become more angry and caustic. Don’t they realize they are appearing desperate?
He went from being a serial apologist to a serial insulter. There is no way he’s going to be President.
Posted by: Mark Davis - NJ | August 23, 2007, 11:20 pm 11:20 pm
RealB- Edwards also copied Obama on his policy of not taking money from lobbyists; then, used for a battlecry in the debate as if he was the one who came up with the idea. Obama did it first, Edwards shouldn’t try and act like he deserves credit. He doesn’t. Especially when he spends the non-lobbyist money on $400 haircuts.
Posted by: Cat | August 23, 2007, 11:37 pm 11:37 pm
No he hasn’t copied Obama. Obama will still take money and pitch from the lobbiests. Senator Edwards did the right thing! If you take money from the lobbiest you have compromised your own integrity, and don’t deserve to hold political office! You cannot have your cake and it it to at the expense of the American peoples welfare any longer!
It’s time for a government that actually puts the people and their country FIRST.
Posted by: Adams684 | August 24, 2007, 9:06 am 9:06 am
John Edwards has his faults, but compared to the seedy past of Clinton he’s looking real good in my book.
Posted by: chicagopoetry | August 24, 2007, 10:19 am 10:19 am
First of all, let me say that I support John Edwards. I agree with his ideas for the country and I also agree with him in regard to the responsibilities of the next president and returning the US’s good reputation around the world because no matter how great we are, our country cannot accomplish the massive tasks at hand without the support of our friends and allies (and in some cases, our “enemies.” Having said that, I will support whoever gets the Democratic nomination but the fact that Hillary Clinton takes money from lobbyists is upsetting. No one can tell me that you will not be beholden to any group that finanaces your campaign and helps get you elected. Are these companies and groups giving money because they have so much money laying around, it is getting in the way? No, they expect reciprocity. And history shows that up until now, you get what you pay for (preposition.) I think Bill Clinton was a very good president but it is 2007, not 1992. There have been too many Bushes and Clintons running this country for too long and it is time to move on.
Posted by: TSnow27604 | August 24, 2007, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
John Edwards’ ‘ideas’ are merely a copycat of Obama’s speeches. He waits to hear/see what Obama says, what response Obama gets, and then here comes Edwards with Obama’s talking points, but in an angry sort of way. In this the Edwards’ sequel to the White House he and Mrs. Edwards appear desperate, with the attacks, annoying comments. And why hasn’t the media slammed Mrs. Edwards for saying the only reason her husband isn’t getting the media attention is because John Edwards is not black — or woman. Ugghh!!!
Posted by: RuthieM | August 24, 2007, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
Copycat huh? Just like the way he copied everyone’s healthcare plan? Oh wait. He was the first to put his plan out there. We’re still waiting for some others to formulate a clue. In fact, a couple of weeks ago on Charlie Rose, the conversation was about John Edwards framing the debates and discussions of all Democratic candidates because he is so far in front. I guess you missed that one.
Posted by: TSnow27604 | August 24, 2007, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
I keep hearing about Senator Obama’s lack of experience. The fact is Obama has been in elected office longer than Edwards or Clinton. Hillary is less than a year into her second term as US senator; John Edwards served just one six year term in the senate. Between his tenure as state legislature and in the Senate, Obama has served close to ten years in elected office. For that matter, Obama has served in elected office longer than the top three Republicans in the race. Number two, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, and the 77 senators that voted to authorize the Iraq invasion had all the experience you could ask for, but look where it’s landed us. The fact is that the conventional Washington style experience wasn’t good enough to keep us from getting in the mess we face as a country today, and it isn’t good enough to get us out. Obama is the only top tier contender in either party that was right on Iraq from the beginning, and he’s the only one with the judgement to effectively lead this country. Vote Obama!
Posted by: Hakim | August 25, 2007, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm
I just LOVE how Obama, Edwards and the lot continue to use the word “lobbyist” to describe those who support big oil, tobacco & the like. Let’s face it – Lobbyists are advocates – for every issue, there’s a lobbyist/Washington representative working on it. Nurses, teachers, children, vets…they all have lobbyists in Washington to ensure their issues & concerns are addressed. The only person who’s been honest enough to come out and say that is Senator Hillary Clinton. Obama & Edwards take money from lobbyists – many current & former lobbyists are running their campaigns! Wake up and smell the politics, people.
Posted by: imagine | August 27, 2007, 11:22 am 11:22 am