So Long to the Resilient Elizabeth Edwards

In 2008, while my wife was falling in love with Barack Obama and what she thought he represented, I was thinking about campaigning for John Edwards. He was the only candidate talking about the vast expanse between the wealthy and the poor and had a plan to bridge the gap. It was during that time that Elizabeth Edwardsa came to Iowa to promote her book, "Saving Graces" and I decided based on meeting her, that if she thought her husband would make a good president, so could I. Like many people, I lived to regret this decision, but it was because of him, not her.

I remember that she had chemotherapy the day before and, yet there she was holding court for maybe a hundred or 150 people in the Buchanan Hall at The University of Iowa. She read a bit of the book that had to do with her son Wade, who she referred to in the present tense. And she moved people, not just to read her book, but to share their stories.

Elizabeth Edwards struck me as a strong, deep thinking, good-hearted person who had been dealt an incredibly bad hand. And yet there was nothing about her that said, "feel sorry for me." On the contrary there was a resolve in her that said "as long as I'm here, I'm going to make sure my family is okay and try to make my country a better place too."

The tragedy and redemption of her story lies in the knowledge that she lived to see her marriage crumble, but long enough to make sure that her young children would know their mother past their precognitive years and can choose to carry on her legacy in their own way when they grow up. She was there to be sure that her eldest daughter Cate would become a strong woman in her own right.

How many of us wouldn't want to be around for their children as long as possible? The difference for Elizabeth Edwards was she knew she wouldn't be and did the most with the time she had to spend with them, to write books, and to fight.

I'm sure that she was far from perfect, who is? But faced with the untenable knowledge that she would not live to see her progeny grown, she gave of herself like few others likely could. I am fortunate to have spent a few minutes with her. How many people have had the impact on others in the way that she did? Not many.

Insider Advantage Poll Puts Edwards On Top in Iowa

According to Southern Political Report

John Edwards has leapfrogged over his rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and leads the Democratic field in Iowa, according to the latest InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion poll. In the Republican caucus race, Mike Huckabee continues to hold a narrow lead over Mitt Romney.

The race among the three top Democrats is extremely close, with the potential for any of them to finish first – or third.

Edwards leads with 30 percent in a poll of Democratic voters who said they intend to participate in the Jan. 3 presidential caucuses, followed by Clinton with 26 percent and Obama with 24 percent. When the sample was narrowed to the most likely caucus-goers, based on several questions, Obama leads Edwards by less than a percentage point with 27 percent, with Clinton in third place at 24 percent.

Edwards holds a significant advantage, however, among a group who could be key to the first contest of the presidential year: those who say their first choice is someone other than the top three. Under Iowa Democratic Party rules, candidates who poll less than 15 percent in the first vote at each caucus around the state are eliminated, and their supporters get a second chance to vote for another candidate.

Under both screens, Edwards leads as the second choice of these voters, with Clinton trailing Obama.

“If Edwards is the second choice at this stage of those who intend to vote for other Democrats, then it would not be surprising if he produced a bit of a shock in Iowa,” said InsiderAdvantage CEO Matt Towery.

Towery said the firm employed the same methodology with regard to asking the second choice of those who were voting for candidates other than those in the top tier, and obtained an accurate picture of John Kerry’s lead.

The poll of 977 Democrats who said they will go to the caucuses, conducted Sunday and Monday has a error margin of plus-or-minus 3 percent. The tighter screen of 633 voters has an error margin of plus-or-minus 4 percent.

Elizabeth Edwards Stands by Her Man

Another CNN story:

Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, attacked Sen. Hillary Clinton's health care plan Wednesday as a carbon copy of her husband's plan, and accused the New York Democrat of selling lobbyists insider access to the government.

Mrs. Edwards said that she sees almost no differences between Clinton's health care plan, unveiled Monday in Des Moines, and that of her husband.

"I don't call it Senator Clinton's health care plan," Edwards said. "I call it John Edwards' health care plan as delivered by Hillary Clinton. The truth is that anyone who tries to describe Hillary's health care plan will run through every material part of John's health care plan.

"I just have to wonder, if John released his plan at the beginning of February, what took her seven and a half months to endorse it? We're glad for the endorsement."

Edwards Draws 'Em at the Fair and Iowa City

John Edwards and his One America Bus (playing the Stones' "Start Me Up")attracted a large crowd in front of the Hamburg Inn at 8:30 on Friday night. Standing in front of the Iowa City landmark, Edwards struck familiar campaign themes like self-imposed election campaign reform, ending the war, and working to restore the United State's place on the world stage with former State Rep. Ed Fallon and a couple hundred others cheering him.

In the crowd, were a handful of Hillary Clinton supporters who attempted to suss out the Edwards issues that resonated for potential caucus-goers.

Earlier in the evening, at the Pappajohn Business Building at the University of Iowa, Elizabeth Edwards read selections to a near capacity crowd from her book "Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers" and answered a number of questions from the audience including a telling question of what she felt the role of the first "mate" was and what she would do as the next First Lady.

She said that her chief role would be as a sounding board to John because he trusts her to not have an agenda in giving him advice. She also mentioned how she felt that current First Lady, Laura Bush, was squandering the role of first lady by not addressing issues that are of importance and that she would work on funding after school programs like the one that was set up after her son Wade that provides access to computers to children in low socio-economic areas. She also said she would make funding cancer research a priority. At the conclusion of her talk, she was given a standing ovation by a mostly non-partisan crowd.

Earlier in the day, according to the Des Moines Register, Sen. John Edwards gave a vigorous speech Thursday at The Des Moines Register's Soapbox, focusing on fighting the entrenched powers he contends are holding America back.

THE RACE: Edwards, who finished second in the 2004 Iowa caucuses, held sizable leads among Iowa Democrats until recent months. His main rivals, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, have closed the gap and turned the race into a three-way competition for the top spot.

KEY MESSAGE: Edwards has stepped up the passion with which he urges working Americans to stand together against the big-money powers that he says have "rigged" the system against them. "Do you want to know why you don't have universal health care? I have a very simple answer: The insurance companies, the drug companies, and the lobbyists who represent them - that's why you don't have universal health care."

CROWD: The audience grew to several hundred as Edwards spoke in the afternoon sunshine. Organizers said it appeared to be the largest crowd so far at the Soapbox. Some audience members were strong Edwards supporters. Some others identified themselves as Republicans who happened to be passing by and were curious to see the candidate in person.

ISSUES: Edwards, a former trial lawyer, is positioning himself as the candidate with the most specific plans to help average Americans. He cites his health care plan, his fair-trade proposals and his ideas to prevent corporations from taking over agriculture.

QUOTE: "We need a president of the United States who will take these people on and beat them. I've been doing it my whole life. For 20 years, I've done it in courtrooms. I've taken them on, and I've beat 'em. I've taken them on, and I've beat 'em. And I've taken them on, and I've beat 'em. And that's exactly what I'm going to do as the president of the United States."

John and Elizabeth in Iowa City This Friday

My favorite "power (to the people) couple", John and Elizabeth Edwards, will be in Iowa City on Friday night. John will be rolling in on the "Fighting for One America" bus and Elizabeth will be reading from her book "Saving Graces."

Friday, August 17th, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Location
Corner of Market and Capitol Streets,
Iowa City Iowa
52240

Details
Join John AND Elizabeth Edwards for two separate events Friday evening, August 17 in Iowa City.

AT 7:00 P.M.:
Elizabeth Edwards will read from her book "Saving Graces" on Live From Prairie Lights at 7:00 pm at Buchanan Auditorium at the Pappajohn School of Business on the UI campus (corner of Capitol and Market strets).

AT 8:30 P.M.:
John Edwards will meet with voters at the Hamburg Inn on Linn Street.

You will have plenty of time to see Elizabeth at 7:00 pm and then walk 3 blocks east to see John at 8:30 pm.

Pass the word to your neighbors and friends about this rare opportunity to hear both John and Elizabeth on the same night a few blocks away from each other.

Stop by the Edwards Campaign Office at 213 E. Burlington Street or call 319-338-7268 for more information about these events and for volunteer activities.

John and Elizabeth Edwards: The Public Eye Never Blinks

Elizabeth Edwards has breast cancer. She and John have lost a son. To most of us, these are personal matters. To the press and campaign operatives, they are motives to be questioned and less than subtly, implying that there is something more sinister there, as I watched this morning on CNN when John Dickerson from Slate was interviewed about his less than insightful commentary. CNN's news team asked Dickerson if he thought that Elizabeth Edwards had been talking about her and John's personal losses in the new Edward's campaign ad.

Elizabeth Edwards responded to his commentary by suggesting that he look at John's record as a trial lawyer, as therein lies examples of the "toughness" that is referred to in the ad. But that wasn't enough for CNN or Mr. Dickerson. There was a need to dissect the ad which, is intended to battle a different issue, the barrage of innuendo about Edward's "manliness".

Whether it is the droning on about the haircut or the oft repeated "Breck Girl" comments, Edwards is being set fire to, not unlike how Harold Ford, Jr. was in his Tennessee Senate race. This version of Swift Boating is the latest in an attempt to sink the campaign of a very qualified candidate, in terms of knowledge of issues and his ability to connect to people.

Whether you support Edwards, as I admittedly do, or not, we all should be outraged at the underhanded tactics that are being employed. Clearly the same knives that are out to gut John Edwards will be out for whomever the Democrats ultimately choose.

I Missed This and Wish I Hadn't

From the P-C

As Elizabeth Edwards greeted the standing ovation that met her at the hotelVetro, her first words to the audience were, "Less clapping, more talking."
It was an example of her straight-forward politics and sense of humor she brought to her town hall meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, is campaigning for her husband despite her breast cancer relapse.

"I'm convinced that John needs to be president. ... I know he will be president. I'm not a sadist. I would not spit in the fan in deciding how to spend the rest of my days," she said.

During her 20-minute speech and a question-and-answer session before a standing room-only crowd, Edwards addressed her husband's support for reducing carbon emissions, a women's right to choose an abortion, ending the war in Iraq, stem cell research, raising the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour and strengthening Social Security.

She said that he would reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050, which she claimed was the second toughest environmental plan amongst the possible Democratic nominees, and enstate an auctioning program where organizations bid for carbon emission rights.

She said she and her husband strongly support stem cell research.

"In fact, most stem cells are thrown away. ... People need to stop thinking about babies and start thinking about trash cans," she said.

On Social Security, Elizabeth Edwards said her husband wants those of the highest income level to contribute a higher percentage of their wages to social security. More

Elizabeth Edwards Tries to Have a Civil Discussion with Ann Coulter

Elizabeth Edwards addresses Ann Coulter as respectfully as a person reasonably can.

I think this speaks volume. And this.

According to an Edwards campaign aide, Elizabeth Edwards wanted to call into the show when she heard that Coulter would be taking questions, and she called a Hardball producer to get the phone number needed to dial into the show. The result is the exchange below:

Chris Matthews: You know who's on the line? Somebody to respond to what you said Edwards yesterday morning -- Elizabeth Edwards. She wanted to call in today we said she could. Elizabeth Edwards go on the line you're on the line with Ann Coulter

Elizabeth Edwards: Hello, Chris.

CM: You wanna say something directly to the person who's with me?

EE: I'm calling you … in the south when we -- when someone does something that displeases us, we wanna ask them politely to stop doing it. Uh - I'd like to ask Ann Coulter -- if she wants to debate on issues, on positions -- we certainly disagree with nearly everything she said on your show today -- um but uh it's quite another matter for these personal attacks that the things she has said over the years not just about John but about other candidates -- it lowers our political dialogue precisely at the time that we need to raise it. So I want to use the opportunity … to ask her politely stop the personal attacks.

Ann Coulter: OK, so I made a joke -- let's see six months ago -- and as you point out they've been raising money off of it for six months since then.

CM: This is yesterday morning, what you said about him.

AC: I didn't say anything about him actually either time.

EE: Ann, you know that's not true. And once more its been going on for sometime.

AC: I don't mind you trying to raise money. I mean it's better this than giving $50,000 speeches to the poor.

EE: I'm asking you

AC: Just to use my name on the Web pages…

EE: I'm asking you politely…

AC: … but as for a debate with me, um yeah, sure. Yeah, we'll have a debate

EE: I'm asking you politely to stop personal attacks.

AC: How bout you stop raising money on the Web page then?

EE: It didn't start it did not

AC: No you don't have cause I don't mind

EE: It did not start with that you had a column a number of years ago

AC: OK, great the wife of a presidential candidate is calling in asking me to stop speaking

CM: Let her finish the point...

AC: You're asking me to stop speaking stop writing your columns, stop writing your books.

CM: OK, Ann. Please.

AC: OK

EE: You wrote a column a couple years ago which made fun of the moment of Charlie Dean's death, and suggested that my husband had a bumper sticker on the back of his car that said ask me about my dead son. This is not legitimate political dialogue.

AC: That's now three years ago

EE: It debases political dialogue. It drives people away from the process. We can't have a debate about issues if you're using this kind of language.

AC: Yeah why isn't John Edwards making this call?

CM: Well do you want to respond and we'll end this conversation?

EE: I haven't talked to John about his call.

AC: This is just another attempt for –

EE: I'm making this call as a mother. I'm the mother of that boy who died. My children participate -- these young people behind you are the age of my children. You're asking them to participate in a dialogue that's based on hatefulness and ugliness instead of on the issues and I don't think that's serving them or this country very well.

APPLAUSE

CM: Thank you very much Elizabeth Edwards. Do you want to -- you have all the time in the world to respond.

AC: I think we heard all we need to hear. The wife of a presidential candidate is asking me to stop speaking. No.

Elizabeth Edwards Splits With Husband...On GM

Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, kicked off San Francisco's annual gay pride parade Sunday by splitting with her husband over support for legalized gay marriage.

"I don't know why someone else's marriage has anything to do with me," Mrs. Edwards said at a news conference before the parade started. "I'm completely comfortable with gay marriage."

She made the remark almost offhandedly in answering a question from reporters after she delivered a standard campaign stump speech during a breakfast hosted by the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club, an influential San Francisco political organization. California's presidential primary is Feb. 5, one of the earliest contests in the nation.

She conceded her support puts her at odds with her husband, a former senator from North Carolina who she said supports civil unions among gay couples --but not same-sex marriages.

"John has been pretty clear about it, that he is very conflicted," she said. "He has a deeply held belief against any form of discrimination, but that's up against his being raised in the 1950s in a rural southern town."

Elizabeth Edwards, Tipton, and the New York Times

On the Campaign Trail With Elizabeth Edwards
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

Elizabeth Edwards was holding court in the sweltering basement at the Cedar County Courthouse in Tipton, Iowa, where local Democrats fanned themselves under fluorescent light.

Her husband, John Edwards, watched and winced as Mrs. Edwards quizzed her audience about what they knew about the biography of her husband, who is making his second bid for the presidency.

“How many know how many members of his family went to college before he did?” Mrs. Edwards inquired.

The correct response emerged in the form of murmured guesses from a few members of the audience: None.

Mrs. Edwards nodded approvingly, and went on to question No. 2.
“How many people know what his father did?”

Again, the correct response could be heard from a few people in the audience who recalled the stock line from Mr. Edwards’ 2004 campaign speech: Worked in a mill.

Mrs. Edwards nodded proudly, so she moved in for the final question.

“How many people know the price of his most expensive haircut?”

The room burst out in a roar of laughter. Mr. Edwards grinned, barely if gamely, at the reference at the $400 hair cut that made him the subject of some derision here.

“She’s been doing this joke all day,” Mr. Edwards said to the audience.

Mrs. Elizabeth was laughing at her husband with her audience. “I’m having fun,” she said. “How about you guys?” More

Waiting on the "Double E" Factor

In an obscure reference to the always late Warren Zevon and popularized by the right on time Linda Rondstadt

A Shoo-In For 'Regular Person'
On the Campaign Trail, Elizabeth Edwards Attracts Voters

By Sridhar Pappu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 5, 2007; C01

DURHAM, N.H. Where are they? That was the question circulating among the 1,200 people in the gym at Concord High School on a cold, drizzly, sunless day this week as they waited for John and Elizabeth Edwards and their three children. After a National Merit finalist extolled the Edwards clan and loudspeakers blared the Foo Fighters for a rockin' intro, the crowd turned its attention to a set of doors, begging, pleading, for an entrance.

Instead, for nearly three minutes they got nothing. The music stopped. Chants of "Johnny! Johnny! Johnny!" didn't work. Synchronized clapping didn't, either.

When they finally emerged, it was Elizabeth leading the way. Once merely the well-liked wife of a presidential candidate touched by tragedy (the death of their son in an automobile accident, an episode of breast cancer), she has become a conduit through which Americans are debating the role of a mother and wife and the price of political service. More