John Edwards

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."   After failing to win any Democratic primaries, Edwards ended his candidacy on January 30, 2008 with a speech in New Orleans.

AttackTimeline

 * "Attack Timeline: Edwards and Obama on attack," AttackTimeine.com (starts with February 2007 to present).
 * eriposte, "The Unloading on Hillary Clinton," The Left Coaster, December 15, 2007.

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

 * Greg Sargent and Eric Kleefeld, "Compare and Contrast: Hillary and Obama's Votes on Iraq," TPM Cafe/Election Central, March 29, 2007.
 * Eric Kleefeld,"Compare and Contrast: Hillary, Obama and Lieberman's Votes on Iraq," TPM Cafe/Election Central, March 30, 2007. (Note that Lieberman votes with Republicans, dispelling notion that Hillary is in "lock step" with Lieberman.)
 * Eric Kleefeld, "A Handy Chart of Hillary's and Edwards' Votes on Iraq," TPM Cafe/Election Central, April 6, 2007. (Note the number of Edwards' missed votes.)
 * eriposte, "The Leading Democratic Candidates - Clinton, Edwards and Obama - on Iraq and Iran," The Left Coaster, November 5, 2007.
 * eriposte, "How Senator Clinton Alone is So Devastatingly Wrong On Iran," The Left Coaster, November 6, 2007.
 * eriposte, "Clinton, Obama and Edwards on Training of Iraqi Forces," The Left Coaster, November 10, 2007.
 * "Fact Check: Sen. Edwards and Sen. Obama on Iran’s nuclear threat;" "Sen. Obama Shifts On Using American Forces In Iraq To Blunt Iranian Threat" and "Sen. Obama Shifts On Iran Negotiations," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, December 4, 2007.

Iraq: "combat 'expeditions'"

 * Marc Ambinder, "Is Edwards Trying To Have It Both Ways On Combat Troops?" The Atlantic, October 30, 2007.
 * Jenn Abelson, "Edwards advocates combat 'expeditions'. Would pull forces, start attacks from bases outside Iraq," Boston Globe, November 8, 2007.
 * "Edwards Would Continue Combat Missions Against Al-Qaeda In Iraq But Attacks Hillary For Having The Same Position," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 8, 2007.
 * eriposte, "'Combat' Troops and Troops Outside Iraq: Can We Stop Doing Foreign Policy by Sound Bite?" The Left Coaster, November 10, 2007.

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

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


 * "As of September 7, the passage read:


 * "'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:


 * "'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.

On Pakistan

 * Domenico Montanaro, "On Pakistan, Finally Edwards," First Read/MSNBC, August 19, 2007. re Barack Obama: U.S. presidential election, 2008 and al Qaeda, the Taliban and 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 [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/107/senate/2/votes/237/ 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
 * Mike Allen, "Edwards Rejects the 'War on Terror'," TIME Magazine, May 2, 2007.
 * Kevin Drum, "The War On Whatever It Is," Political Animal/CBS News, May 2, 2007.
 * Chuck Todd, "Edwards Tries to Get Free Media at GOP Debate," First Read/MSNBC, May 2, 2007.
 * "Edwards Wants War On Terror Question Asked," Hotline Blog/National Journal, May 2, 2007.
 * Ari Melber, "Edwards Confronts GOP on War on Terror," The Nation, May 3, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "McCain and Dodd respond on NIE," The Politico, May 25, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "Edwards on the NIE," The Politico, May 31, 2007.
 * Patrick Healy and Marc Santora, "Aide Says Edwards Misspoke on Reading Classified Iraq Report," New York Times, June 1, 2007.

Health care

 * "Sen. Edwards Proposes Unconstitutional Law In New Ad," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 13, 2007.
 * "Sen. Edwards Opposed Universal Health Care In 2004," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 15, 2007.
 * "Sen. Edwards Falsely Claims Hillary Didn't Support Universal Health Care 'Earlier This Year'," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 18, 2007.
 * "Sen. Edwards on the Constitution: 'Who Cares?'" The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 18, 2007.

Double-talk on drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants

 * Ana Marie Cox, "Edwards on Drivers' Licenses for Illegals," Swampland Blog/TIME, November 4, 2007.
 * Ana Marie Cox, "More Edwards on Illegals and Licenses," Swampland Blog/TIME, November 5, 2007.
 * Big Tent Democrat, "Edwards' Doubletalk On Drivers Licenses For Undocumented Aliens," Talk Left, November 5, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "Yes and/or no," The Politico, November 5, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "Edwards immigration stand muddled as HRC's," The Politico, November 7, 2007.
 * "Sen. Edwards Supported Drivers Licenses For Illegal Immigrants In 2004," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 15, 2007.

Focus on poverty

 * "Obama, Edwards Focus on Poverty," Associated Press (New York Times), July 18, 2007.
 * "Obama, Edwards focus on the poor," USA TODAY, July 18, 2007.
 * Roger Simon, "Edwards risks backing the poor," The Politico, July 18, 2007.
 * Alec MacGillis, "Obama Says He, Too, Is a Poverty Fighter. In D.C., He Offers Contrast With Edwards," Washington Post, July 19, 2007.
 * Lynn Sweet, "Everybody loves Bobby. 2008 RACE | Obama and Edwards vie for Kennedy's legacy," Chicago Sun-Times, July 19, 2007.
 * Susan Saulny, "Edwards Ends Poverty Tour by Broadening His Theme," New York Times, July 19, 2007.

Clinton attack ads (and other nonsense)

 * Also see Democratic Courage.
 * Chris Cillizza, "With Trippi's Rise, Some See a New John Edwards," Washington Post, October 23, 2007. re Joe Trippi
 * Ivan Carter, "The Clinton Video - A Completely Different Angle," The Daily Kos, November 4, 2007.
 * B Merryfield, "Fact-checking Edwards' Clinton double-talk ad," The Daily Kos, November 4, 2007.
 * Jake Tapper, "The High Standard of Single Talk," Political Punch Blog/ABC News, November 5, 2007.
 * eriposte, "Sen. Edwards Says: Sign a 'Pledge' and Send me Your Brain; I Say: No Thanks," The Left Coaster, November 29, 2007.
 * eriposte, "Will Sen. Edwards Create a Website Against Sen. Obama's 'Politics of Planting'?" The Left Coaster, December 17, 2007.

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.

"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.

Related external articles
 * Jake Tapper, "Picture Edwards, Obama and Clinton in your head - what do you see?" Political Punch Blog/ABC News, October 22, 2007.

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 . 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.

Related external articles
 * "Protecting Homeowners And Fighting Predatory Mortgages," JohnEdwards.com.
 * Alec MacGillis and John Solomon, "Edwards Says He Didn't Know About Subprime Push," Washington Post, May 11, 2007.
 * "Edwards Decries Subprime Lending And Offshore Tax Shelters, But Claims He Had No Idea He Worked For A Hedge Fund That Did Both," GOP.com, May 11, 2007.
 * "Wash. Post's Solomon falsely claimed Edwards 'opposes' subprime lending," Media Matters for America, May 16, 2007.
 * Matthew Mosk, "Disclosure Forms Show Wealthy Lot Of Hopefuls," Washington Post, May 17, 2007.
 * "Once again, Wash. Post misstated Edwards' position on subprime lending," Media Matters for America, May 17, 2007.
 * Mike Glover and Jim Kuhnhenn, "Edwards May 10th: I Did Not Know I Was Involved In Subprime Lending," Associated Press (The Huffington Post), August 17, 2007.
 * James Joyner, "John Edwards Accidentally Made Millions from Katrina Victim Abusing Subprime Lenders," Outside the Beltway, August 17, 2007.
 * Leslie Wayne, "Edwards Says He Will Drop His Investments in Subprime Lenders," New York Times, August 18, 2007.
 * Thomas Beaumont, "Iowans affected by lender linked to Edwards. While he worked for an equity company that dealt in mortgages, those lenders foreclosed on 107 homes in the state. He says his anti-poverty stance isn't affected," Des Moines Register, September 27, 2007; The Huffington Post, September 27, 2007.

Renouncing corporate connections

 * Ben Smith, "Edwards daughter received Murdoch money," The Politico, August 12, 2007.

Elizabeth Edwards

 * Dan Balz, "A True Political Partner. John Edwards's Wife Has Helped Shape His Presidential Bid and Often Shares Its Spotlight," Washington Post, July 30, 2007.
 * Ben Smith, "Tough being a white guy," The Politico, August 7, 2007.

v. Hillary Clinton

 * Joan Walsh, "The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards. On her confrontation with Ann Coulter, why she backs gay marriage -- and why Edwards is a better choice for women than Hillary Clinton," Salon, July 17, 2007.
 * Michael McAuliff, "My hubby's the feminist. Edwards' Mrs. says John, not Hillary, is the real leader on women's issues," New York Daily News, July 18, 2007.
 * Ian Bishop, "BROAD-SIDED. Liz: Hill's No Crusader for Women," New York Post, July 18, 2007. See graphic.
 * Erin Jordan, "Edwards' wife puts focus on women. She says her husband's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton seems to avoid 'female issues," Desmoines Register, July 18, 2007.
 * David Muir, "Is Elizabeth Edwards the Voice of the Campaign? Elizabeth Edwards Becoming 'Dominant' Voice? Silly, Says Edwards Campaign," ABC News, July 18, 2007.
 * Zachary Coile, "Sen. Clinton doesn't take the bait," Politics Blog/San Francisco Chronicle, July 18, 2007.

Iowa

 * Taylor Marsh, "Is Edwards' Goose Cooked?" TaylorMarsh.com, November 19, 2007.
 * Big Tent Democrat, "Is Edwards Crashing And Burning In Iowa?" Talk Left, November 19, 2007.

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


 * Barry M. Blechman, "President Carter’s assistant director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and founder and chairman of the Henry L. Stimson Center, military advisory group"
 * Irving N. Blickstein, "former assistant deputy chief of Naval operations and a RAND researcher, military advisory group"
 * Derek Chollet, "Edwards’s Senate foreign policy aide, chief national security adviser"
 * Michele A. Flournoy
 * Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hough, "former Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation, military advisory group"
 * Gen. Paul J. Kern, "former Army Materiel Command commander who directed the internal investigation into the abuses at Abu Ghraib and now a lobbyist with the Cohen Group, military advisory group"
 * Gen. Lester "Les" Lyles, "former commander Air Force Materiel Command and now an aerospace consultant, military advisory group"
 * Gen. Gregory S. ("Speedy") Martin, "former commander Air Force Materiel Command and now a consultant, military advisory group"
 * Rear Adm. William J. McDaniel, "former commanding officer of Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, military advisory group"
 * Rear Adm. David R. Oliver, Jr., "former principal deputy under secretary for acquisition and technology and now CEO of aerospace and defense company EADS North America, military advisory group"
 * Michael Signer, "onetime aide to former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, deputy policy director for foreign affairs and national security"
 * Maj. Gen. Allen Youngman, "former Kentucky adjutant general and now a defense lobbyist with American Business Development Group, military advisory group"

Related external articles

 * Robin Wright and Glenn Kessler, "Edwards Sets Self Apart on Foreign Policy. Terrorism Was Top Focus Before Sept. 11 Attacks," Washington Post, July 9, 2004.

Ads

 * John Dickerson, "How Tough Is John Edwards? A new ad exploits the suffering of the Edwards' family. But that's OK," Slate, July 19, 2007.
 * "Sen. Edwards Proposes Unconstitutional Law In New Ad," The Fact Hub/Hillary Hub, November 13, 2007.

Debates

 * Scott Helman, "Edwards, Clinton discuss limiting debates," The Boston Globe, July 13, 2007.
 * Brock Vergakis, "Dodd knocks Edwards, Clinton for trying to limit debates," Associated Press (The Boston Globe), July 14, 2007.
 * Beth Fouhy, "Kucinich angrily reacts to Clinton-Edwards exchange on limiting debate participants," Associated Press (Seattle Times), July 14, 2007.
 * Patrick Healy, "Explaining Themselves," The Caucus Blog/New York Times, July 16, 2007.
 * Craig Crawford, "Craig Crawford’s Trail Mix: Clinton Just Humoring Edwards on Debate Scheme," Congressional Quarterly (New York Times), July 17, 2007.
 * "Edwards agrees to smaller three-way debate. Democratic candidate accepts invitation to face Clinton, Kucinich on MSNBC," Hardball with Chris Matthews/MSNBC, July 17, 2007.
 * Pam Spaulding, "Open thread - liveblogging the HRC/LOGO Visible Vote 08 Forum," AMERICAblog, August 9, 2007.
 * Pam Spaulding, "Winners and losers at the HRC/LOGO VisibleVote08 forum," AMERICAblog, August 10, 2007.

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.

"'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

Related SourceWatch articles

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 * Progressive Donor Network
 * public polling industry
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004
 * U.S. presidential election, 2004: Campaign Quotes
 * U.S. presidential election, 2008
 * Hillary Clinton
 * Barack Obama
 * Barack Obama: Reaction to assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Biographical

 * Biographical Sketch and Full Voting Record: John Edwards, Washington Post.
 * John Edwards in the Wikipedia.

General

 * Compare where John Edwards stands to other 2008 presidential candidates at whereIstand.com.

2006

 * chuckles1, "Go ahead, underestimate John Edwards," Daily Kos, December 15, 2006.
 * Nedra Pickler, "Edwards Plans 2008 Campaign Announcement," Associated Press (Forbes), December 16, 2006.
 * "John Edwards Kicks Off His Campaign Tour?" ABC News/abc11tv.com (Chapel Hill, NC), December 26, 2006.
 * "John Edwards joins presidential race. Senator who ran in 2004 bidding for Democratic nomination, campaign says," NBC News and news services (MSNBC), December 27, 2006.
 * James Pindell, "Edwards launches new website in conjunction with presidential announcement," Boston Globe, December 27, 2006.
 * Suzanne Goldenberg, "Democrat jumps gun in announcing presidential ambition," The Guardian (UK), December 28, 2006.
 * Jeff Franks, "Edwards to launch White House bid in New Orleans," Reuters (ABC News), December 28, 2006.
 * Jeff Franks, "Edwards launches W.House bid in New Orleans," Reuters (Washington Post; Bloomberg), December 28, 2006.
 * Matthew Moriarty, "Edwards Back In For '08," The Virginian-Pilot, December 28, 2006.
 * Jackie Calmes, "Edwards's Theme: U.S. Poverty. Amid Iraq Talk, White House Hopeful Sticks to '04 Issue in '08 Run," Wall Street Journal, December 28, 2006.
 * Bob Geiger, "Why Edwards Changes Everything," BobGeiger.com Blogspot, December 28, 2006.
 * Perry Bacon, Jr., "A Kickoff for John Edwards 2.0. In launching his Presidential bid, the former Vice Presidential candidate is looking more liberal, more experienced — and more unorthodox," TIME Magazine, December 29, 2006.
 * "Edwards against sending more troops into Iraq. Candidate talks to 'Hardball' about Iraq, economics and the race in 2008," Hardball/MSNBC, December 29, 2006.
 * "Edwards says he has edge over potential rivals. At speech in Iowa, former senator claims he has edge of experience," Associated Press (MSNBC), December 29, 2006.
 * John Dunbar, "Lugar: Bush, Congress Should Discuss War," Associated Press (ABC News), December 31, 2006.

2007

 * Tedra Osell, "Media ignore Catholic League’s bigotry; harassed feminist bloggers pay the price," WIMN's Voices blog, February 15, 2007.
 * "Ann Coulter calls John Edwards 'faggot'," UPI, March 2, 2007. re Ann Coulter
 * Nico Pitney, "Coulter: I Would Talk About Edwards But 'You Have To Go Into Rehab If You Use The Word Faggot'," Think Progress, March 2, 2007. Video link on page.
 * Adam Nagourney, "Romney and Giuliani Make Pitch to Conservatives," New York Times, March 2, 2007. Note: fails to mention Coulter remarks.
 * Howard Dean, "Governor Dean Blasts Coulter’s Slur, Calls on GOP Presidential Candidates to Denounce It," The Democratic Party, March 2, 2007.
 * Molly Hennessy-Fiske, "GOP candidates woo key conservatives. Giuliani and Romney draw large crowds while Ann Coulter's remarks prove to be the most controversial," Los Angeles Times, March 3, 2007.
 * "Edwards Campaign Responds to Coulter Calling Him 'Faggot'," Editor & Publisher, March 3, 2007.
 * John Aravosis, "Romney and McCain campaigns attack Coulter for calling John Edwards a 'faggot'," AMERICAblog, March 3, 2007.
 * Adam Nagourney, "G.O.P. Candidates Criticize Slur by Conservative Author," New York Times, March 4, 2007.
 * Jonathan Stein, "Edwards Goes on the Attack. Target: Obama," MoJo Blog/MotherJones, April 4, 2007. re Barack Obama
 * Nick Juliano, "Edwards scrubs 'war on terror' from Web site," The Raw Story, May 3, 2007.
 * John Aravosis, "John Edwards launches new campaign to the end the war," AMERICAblog, May 12, 2007.
 * Terry Michael, "John Edwards: Trial Lawyer to the Underclass," RealClearPolitics, July 25, 2007.