Vice President Edwards

Vice President Edwards

By: Jeff Schmidtke

"One North Carolina resident wrote, ‘Our junior senator is smart, charming, a smooth talker, nice looking, and a progressive Southern Democrat. And did we mention smart?"

If any of you received the New York Post on the morning of July 6th, I’d hold on to it, as it became an instant collector’s item. Many of us were fooled when we woke up to see that the New York Post printed Dick Gephardt as John Kerry’s vice presidential running mate. Not since Dewey was pronounced (incorrectly) that he’d defeated Truman has there been such a periodical gaffe.

Editor-in-Chief Col Allan, who made the decision, wasn't taking calls on this day, saying in a statement through his publicist, Howard Rubenstein: "We unreservedly apologize to our readers for the mistake." No reasons have been formed regarding why the unsourced, unbylined story was printed, however, numerous news sources have taken their shots at the “shoddy” Post.

As the Post will surely never live this one down, more meaningful decisions have just recently been made. John Edwards, born the son of a mill worker and whose trial-lawyer experience collected millions from corporate mal-practices, has been selected to conceivably serve as President of the Senate and Vice President of America.

Born in 1953 in the naturalistic city of Seneca, South Carolina John Edwards was raised by middle class working citizens. A product of the public school system, Edwards was the first of his family to receive a college degree. Continuing his education, Edwards attended North Carolina Chapel Hill and graduated with honors receiving a law degree. 20 years following, John Edwards represented families neglected by powerful insurance companies. His success as a trail lawyer earned him millions… enough to run for the US Senate in 1998.

Defeating an incumbent senator, John Edwards championed issues such as quality health care, better schools, protecting civil liberties, preserving the environment, saving Social Security and Medicare, and reforming the ways campaigns are financed. He was selected to serve on the Committee of Intelligence, fighting for national defense and homeland security, earning him experience in domestic and foreign policy.

As the (correct) announcement for the Vice Presidential candidate was made by John Kerry himself, web-sites built by the Republican National Committee were uploaded instantaneously. Calling Edwards “unaccomplished” and “inexperienced”, the republican attack was in full swing. With its weapons loaded, the GOP web-sites are attempting to reduce its followers' concern that this southerner may actually bring with him a significant shift to the valued undecided voters.

Lack of experience and accomplishments in leadership, foreign policy, international issues, legislation, campaigning, national growth, family values, defense, and economics, the Republican Committee claim Edwards has none of. It sounds as if the GOP believes John Edwards is completely useless, with no governmental competencies whatsoever. But, have the republicans ever praised a democrat… other than  Joe Leibermann? What are we to expect?

Since joining the U.S. Senate in 1999, Edwards has been lead sponsor on 74 bills, 78 amendments, and 6 resolutions (Thomas Web-site, Online). Senator Edwards has served 4 years in the US Senate and many would argue one of the most active four years in US Senate history.

Edwards’ on Afghanistan and its direction: “[Outside of Kabul] The rest of the country is going right back to chaos, right back to where it was under the Taliban. I believe if we don’t do something about it, there’s an enormous potential for disaster. We’ve gone over there, we’ve fought the war, and we got rid of the Taliban. And right now, we have a 4,500 international peacekeeping force, small in size, located just to the area around Kabul. And everyone knows--I mean, I sit on the Intelligence Committee. Everyone knows there are huge parts of Afghanistan that are not secure… not in control” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 5/5/02).

Edwards’ on North and South Korea: Edwards said his approach toward the situation would be ‘something different than what the administration has, which is almost a nonexistent policy.’ He also said Bush has ‘alienated a lot of the South Korean leadership’ (Scott Martelle and Mark Z. Barabak, “Edwards Fumbles On Foreign Policy Answers,” Los Angeles Times, 2/24/04)

Edwards’ on Attorney General John Aschroft: “The last thing we should be doing is turning over our privacy, our liberties, our freedom, our constitutional rights to John Ashcroft. First, the very notion that this administration can arrest American citizens on American soil, label them an enemy combatant, put them in prison, keep them there indefinitely -- they never see a lawyer, never see a judge, never even get an opportunity to prove that they’re innocent and they did nothing wrong -- this runs contrary to everything we believe in this country. (Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Baltimore, MD, 9/9/03)

Edwards’ on partial birth abortion: “I think partial-birth abortions should be banned. These are terribly gruesome procedures. I think the only exception is where there is a grave, serious threat to the health of the mother.” (Edwards Campaigns On An Issue A Week,” The Associated Press, 9/19/98)

Edwards’ on Gun Manufacturers: “You and I are held responsible for what we do. Doctors are held responsible for what they do. Lawyers should be held responsible for what they do. Exactly the same thing is true of gun manufacturers.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 11/9/03)

Edwards’ on the Defense of Marriage Act: “I would not support the Defense of Marriage Act today. If there were a vote today, I would not vote for it” (CNN And The Los Angeles Times Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Los Angeles, CA, 2/26/04)

Edwards on health care and large corporations: “We can’t deal with the health care crisis in America unless we have the backbone and courage to do what I have been doing my entire life; fighting against big corporations, pharmaceutical companies, big insurance companies, big HMOs.” (Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03

Edwards’ on Campaigning: “My campaign is not about petty sniping that’s been going on between other candidates. My campaign is based on the politics of hope, based on the politics of what’s possible, very specific ideas about how to – how to bring these things about to change America. I’m not about cynical politics. People are sick of that. This is about lifting this country up.” (CBS’ “The Early Show,” 1/15/04)

Edwards on Iraq: “Saddam has been involved in developing weapons of mass destruction. He’s ignored the terms of the cease-fire agreement. He won’t allow the weapons inspectors, our weapons inspectors, into the country. So we have a very serious problem there. He’s a very serious threat to the security of the United States, to the security of the region and, in fact, to the security of the world.” (Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday,” 1/6/02) When asked if he would go to war without the UN or without the Security Counsel approval, Edwards had this to say, “Yes.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 2/6/03)

One North Carolina resident wrote, ‘Our junior senator is smart, charming, a smooth talker, nice looking, and a progressive Southern Democrat. And did we mention smart’ (Editorial, “Let Sen. Edwards Learn His Trade,” The [Wilmington] Morning Star, 3/7/01)

As Early as February, Edwards has gotten support for being the number 2 man. With “minimal” differences between Kerry and Edwards and with the charming, well-spoken southern accent… a unified north and south ticket has been formed. What will the results be?