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John Edwards

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John Edwards, former U.S. Senator (D-N.C.) (flikr photo)

John Edwards is a former Democratic United States Senator from North Carolina (1998-2004). He was a presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008, and the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2004. He announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential race on December 28, 2006, "from New Orleans’ 9th Ward which is hard hit by Hurricane Katrina." [1] [2] After failing to win any Democratic primaries, Edwards ended his candidacy on January 30, 2008 with a speech in New Orleans.[1]


Contents

AttackTimeline

On foreign policy

Edwards v. Clinton v. Obama on war in Iraq/Iran

Iraq: "combat 'expeditions'"

Iraq War Voting Record

Edwards voted for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in Oct. 2002.

For more information see the chart of U.S. Senate votes on the Iraq War.

Change on Iran

The Politico's Ben Smith reported November 5, 2007, that a key passage on Edwards' website regarding Iran has been changed.[2]

"As of September 7, the passage read:[3]
"'Iran’s Revolutionary Guard will soon be deemed a terrorist organization by the U.S. As president, Edwards will ensure that such steps are not just more rhetoric, but actually lead to results.'
"The passage now reads:[4]
"'Congress recently passed a bill to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. We saw in Iraq where such steps by Congress can lead President Bush. Edwards has announced his opposition to this bill.'

"The rest of the text of the 2,000-word foreign policy page is unchanged. And while this is obviously an update to keep pace with the news, the first version lacks any condemnation of the planned terrorist designation," Smith wrote.[2]

On Pakistan

Reading the NIE

Ben Smith reported May 31, 2007, in The Politico that although "Edwards told a Google 'town hall' yesterday that he had read the [confidential, that only, that you had to have security clearance or members of the Senate could read] October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate, the summary of the evidence that led to war in Iraq," Edward's "assertion that he read the NIE seems to contradict what his campaign told [Smith] last week, when Edwards spokesman Mark Kornblau said his boss hadn't read the October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate. That put him in the same position as all the other senators from the time running for president, save Joe Biden," Smith wrote.

The New York Times reported June 1, 2007, that Edwards had retracted his statement, as he had only read a declassified version of the NIE.

Note: Edwards voted YES on October 11, 2002, on H.J.Res. 114; Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.

Web scrubbing "war on terror"

"In his latest attempts to attract support from the anti-war wing of the Democratic party," Nick Juliano wrote May 3, 2007, for The Raw Story, "former Sen. John Edwards is criticizing the administration's use of the phrase 'global war on terror', though the senator has used the same or similar constructions several times in his political career.

"From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum, "After the Democratic debate last week, we put in an update that John Edwards did indeed not raise his hand when asked if he agreed that there is "a global war on terror."'war on terror',http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/02/179630.aspx he has been calling the language nothing more than 'a political frame and political rhetoric.']

"Until Wednesday, [May 2, 2007] Edwards' site said he believed 'winning the war on terror requires wisdom and moral strength, as well as military might,' according to a Google cache of the page accessed by RAW STORY."

Related external articles

On domestic policy

Health care

Immigration

Double-talk on drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants

Focus on poverty

Controversy

Clinton attack ads (and other nonsense)

Is Edwards playing the gender / race cards?

"We can’t make John black; we can’t make him a woman. Those things get you a lot of press, worth a certain amount of fundraising dollars," Elizabeth Edwards said.[5]

"If you’re running in a tough congressional district, … you gotta ask yourself, would you rather have Sen. Obama at the top of the ticket to help, Sen. Clinton at the top of the ticket to help or John Edwards at the top of the ticket to help? ... Your instincts will tell you the right answer," John Edwards said.[5]

Related external articles

Profiteering from Katrina foreclosures and subprime lending

"As a presidential candidate, Democrat John Edwards has regularly attacked subprime lenders, particularly those that have filed foreclosure suits against victims of Hurricane Katrina. But as an investor, Mr. Edwards has ties to lenders foreclosing on Katrina victims.

"The Wall Street Journal has identified 34 New Orleans homes whose owners have faced foreclosure suits from subprime-lending units of Fortress Investment Group LLC[6]. Mr. Edwards has about $16 million invested in Fortress funds, according to a campaign aide who confirmed a more general Federal Election Commission report. Mr. Edwards worked for Fortress, a publicly held private-equity fund, from late 2005 through 2006," Christopher Cooper wrote August 17, 2007, in the Wall Street Journal Online.[7]

Related external articles

Renouncing corporate connections

Elizabeth Edwards

v. Hillary Clinton

Campaign

Primary elections

Iowa

Campaign finance

Campaign team

Foreign policy advisers

In October 2007, the Washington Post listed the following as Edwards' foreign policy advisers.[8]

Related external articles

Ads

Debates

Website

Edwards' campaign website JOHNEDWARDS.COM, which accidentally launched a day prior to the campaign's formal launch, bears the logo "John Edwards 08" and the slogan "Tomorrow begins today", the Associated Press reported December 27, 2006.[10]

"'This campaign is about changing America,' the Web site read, listing several priorities that fit neatly with Edwards' message of economic equality: 'Providing universal health care for all Americans,' 'Rebuilding America's middle class and eliminating poverty,' and 'Creating tax fairness by rewarding work, not just wealth'," the Associated Press reported.

Profiles

According to the Wikipedia, Edwards was born June 10, 1953, in Seneca, South, Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. Before his election, Edwards was a successful trial attorney who represented families and children that had been wrongly injured by negligent corporate manufacturers, and municipal entities.

A Democrat, Edwards won election to the U.S. Senate in 1998 by defeating the favored incumbent Republican opponent, Lauch Faircloth.

Edwards' skill as a trial attorney was evident during President William Jefferson Clinton's 1999 Senate impeachment trial. Edwards played a critical role in the Senate proceedings that eventually ended in the President's acquittal.

During the 2000 Presidential campaign, Edwards made Democratic nominee Albert Gore, Jr.'s Vice Presidential nominee short list, and in November 2000, People magazine named Edwards as its choice for the "sexiest politician."

Edwards serves on several Senate committees, including the prestigious Intelligence and Judicial committees. In January 2003, Edwards announced his intention to seek the 2004 Democratic Presidential nomination.

Contact information

2008 Campaign Website: http://johnedwards.com/
Website: http://johnedwardsevents.com/
Website: http://SupportTheTroopsEndTheWar.com

Resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ Dan Balz and Howard Schneider, "John Edwards to Quit Presidential Race",The Washington Post, retrieved January 30, 2008.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Ben Smith, "A change on Iran," The Politico, November 5, 2007.
  3. ↑ Jeralyn Merritt, "John Edwards' Strategy for Combatting Terrorism," Talk Left, September 7, 2007.
  4. ↑ "John Edwards' Strategy To Root Out And Shut Down Terrorist Cells," JohnEdwards.com.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Roger Simon, "Targeting the neglected white male," The Politico, October 24, 2007.
  6. ↑ Quote: Fortress Investment Group LLC, Wall Street Journal.
  7. ↑ Christopher Cooper, "Edwards, Foreclosure Critic, Has Investing Tie to Subprime Lenders," Wall Street Journal Online, August 17, 2007.
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 "The War Over the Wonks," Washington Post, October 2, 2007.
  9. ↑ Jason Horowitz, "Hot Policy Wonks For The Democrats: The New Realists," New York Observer, August 20, 2007.
  10. ↑ Nedra Pickler, "Edwards Web site lets candidacy out of bag," Associated Press (Seattle Times; Washington Post), December 28, 2006.

External resources

Biographical

General

External articles

2006

2007

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