John Edwards

excerpts from the Iowa Daily Report

November 1-15, 2003

Damage control

Edward’s campaign may be stalled again, or at best temporarily off track as it answers questions about his failed house deal with a Saudi Arabia representative when the Senator was investigating that country’s involvement in the 9-11 event. Edwards issued the following statement regarding the incident:

"The Edwardses put their house on the market because they wanted to move to a more child-friendly place for their young children. They signed a contract to sell the house to Michael and Wendy Petruzzello for far less than the asking price. They didn't know the buyers and they didn't know where they worked. They knew he was a businessman with a letter from a bank saying he could afford to buy the house.

"Many months later, as the Edwardses became concerned that the Petruzzellos were going to back out of the contract, someone mentioned to the senator that Mr. Petruzzello owned a public relations company and that one of his clients was the Embassy of Saudi Arabia. They never discussed Saudi Arabia.

"It's absurd to suggest that every senator has an obligation to investigate the clients of potential purchasers when they want to buy their homes, which is why Senate ethics rules don't require it. It is bizarre and outrageous that a contract dispute with a total stranger would become a source of wild speculation and international intrigue. Only in Washington."

Edwards had been trying to push forward the following press statements but today they are all buried under flaking his failed house deal with a Saudi Arabia representative: "Monument To Hate" speaking out against a monument celebrating the death of Matthew Shepard; Edwards Prebuttal To Bush Administration Comments Over New GDP Number; endorsement by Senator Lou D'Allesand; Edwards Launches Students For Edwards Web Site; Edwards Real Solutions Express To Come Back To New Hampshire; John Edwards Monday will outline aspects of his technology platform as a guest on Lawrence Lessig's nationally renowned blog; and Edwards Says New Report On Iraq Contractors And Campaign Contributions Not Surprising. (11/01/2003)

Flag flap

John Edwards has been heard from on Howard Dean’s comment about the Confederate flag: "What Howard Dean said today was nothing short of offensive. Democrats from every wing of the party understand what that flag symbolizes. And when a politician embraces one of the most divisive symbols in America, it is offensive to every American. Some of the greatest Civil Rights leaders, white and black, have come from the South. To assume that southerners who drive trucks would embrace this symbol is offensive.” (11/02/2003)

All the little children

Sen. John Edwards is proposing to bring a million more children into preschool. Edwards says it would cost $3 billion to accomplish the goal. The plan includes bringing children younger than 4 years old into the preschool system, bolstering nutrition and parent education programs and expanding health care for youngsters in low-income families. Edwards also called for tax credits of $2,500 for families with newborns. This would double the existing child tax credit. Another feature of Edwards’ newborn tax credit is that it would provide $2,500 to people whose income is too low to pay income tax. Once again Edwards’ new proposal is to be financed by raising taxes on those earning $200,000 and above by repealing the Bush tax cut on those in that income bracket. Edwards has already proposed the other following Education Programs:

Invest in teachers through higher pay and college scholarships.

Create new afterschool programs to give children a safe place to go after school.

Strengthen our high schools through a stronger curriculum and smaller communities.

Make college affordable for every student willing to work for it through College for Everyone. (11/03/2003)

Edwards gains Iowa endorsement

The Edwards for President campaign in Iowa announced today that Iowa State Senator Keith Kreiman has endorsed John Edwards for President. Kreiman joins supporters from every region of the state who have publicly announced their endorsement of Edwards, including State Representatives Ro Foege and Kurt Swaim.Kreiman, lives in Bloomfield.

"John Edwards is clearly the best candidate for Iowa. He has the best chance of any Democrat to beat George Bush next fall," Kreiman said. "But most importantly, Edwards will protect jobs from leaving our country and bring fiscal sanity back to Washington. For workers, seniors and for everyone concerned about the future of our children and our country, John Edwards is the best choice. Many of my friends from Wapello, Appanoose, Davis and Wayne counties and I will be proud to stand in his corner at the caucuses on January 19th.”

Edwards will return to Iowa November 15-17, 23-24, and 29-30 to listen to Iowans and share the ideas he has laid out in "Real Solutions for America." Edwards is scheduled to be in New Hampshire Nov. 5-8. (11/04/2003)

Booking it

Sen. John Edward’s website for Iowa shows that Edwards is trying to tap into the goodwill of collecting books to help kids read:

“Now, because of their commitment to education - and because they know how important reading is - John and Elizabeth are leading the Books Offer Opportunity for Kids (BOOK) drive in Iowa.

At every campaign event and all 14 offices statewide, the Edwards campaign is collecting donated books, with the goal of gathering 2004 books to donate to afterschool program, libraries, and other educational programs for Iowa children. It's a great way to participate in the caucus process, and help Iowa's children at the same time.

Please bring books for kids to any campaign event or our campaign offices, and if you have large donations, we'll be happy to pick them up. For more information, contact iowa@johnedwards2004.com or call us at (515) 243-6622.” (11/04/2003)

Three against one

The campaigns of John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and John Kerry have all joined forces, according to an Associated Press story, to block Howard Dean’s endorsement by the 1.6 million member Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The union is the largest member of the AFL-CIO and consequently important in blocking or gaining the AFL-CIO endorsement. The story reports that the three campaigns held a conference call and shared intelligence about the possibility of blocking the Dean endorsement. They then all agreed to call whoever they could to stop the endorsement. The call was the result of an Oct. 30 announcement by SEIU spokeswoman Sarah Howard that the union would either endorse Dean or no one at all at its Nov.6 board meeting. The Dean campaign has expressed concern about coordinated attacks against their front running campaign in the past. They recently suggested it regarding Dean’s Confederate flag missteps when all the campaigns piled on Dean. If Dean wins the endorsement, it will be the first time that Dean makes significant gains into the traditional Democrat wing of the party. Dean’s Internet driven campaign has put him at odds with the traditional levers of power for the Democrat Presidential nomination. The Associated Press article points out:

“SEIU is among the most racially and ethnically diverse labor unions, representing janitors, health care workers and other service employees. With health care a priority of the SEIU political machine, an endorsement also would help shield Dean from criticism that he has not always supported Medicare.” (11/04/2003)

Beating up Edwards

While John Edwards landed the best punches on Howard Dean in the latest cacophony of debates (Rock the Vote), he is now taking possible body blows in South Carolina. This state is Edwards’ best shot and a must-win to stay in the race. The body blows come in the form of television commercials decrying his lack of support for California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown, who is nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. She has faced stiff opposition from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which plans to vote on her nomination tomorrow. The ad: "Shame on you, Senator Edwards," the female announcer says, "Put qualifications before politics." The ad is paid for by supporters of President Bush’s judicial nominees.

While Edwards is the point of the attack the real aim of the attack is minority voters. The Washington Times article covers the fact that ethnic politics are taking new forms of divisions along ideological tracks: “Justice Brown's opponents "are practicing racism of the worst kind, believing we must not only all look alike, but we must all vote alike and think alike," said an open letter from the New Black Leadership Coalition.”

The Times provided Sen. Daschle’s response: “I am becoming more and more amused," said Minority Leader Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrat. "We're either anti-Catholic, anti-Hispanic or now anti-African-American. It seems like just about every time we raise reservations or concerns about a nominee, race or ethnicity or religion comes up. I think it's wrong. I think it's bad for the institution, and I think it's bad for the debate itself." (11/05/2003)

Rock the Vote

Democrat Presidential candidates went on CNN’s Rock the Vote and here are some of the clips:

·        Edwards, Dean and Sen. John Kerry said they had used marijuana in the past. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Wesley Clark and Al Sharpton said they had not. Sen. Joe Lieberman said he had, although he apologized for it. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun declined to answer.

·        Kerry of Massachusetts drew the Red Sox question and was asked whether he would have removed Boston’s starting pitcher at the critical point in last month’s Game 7 of a playoff series with the New York Yankees. He said he would have — that he was “throwing things at the television set” urging the manager to do so.

·        Clark, asked about gay and lesbian rights, said he would give homosexuals “the opportunity to serve in the U.S. armed forces.”

·        "I understand the legacy of racism in this country, and I understand the legacy of bigotry in this country," Dean said. "We need to bring folks together in this race, just like Martin Luther King tried to do before he was killed. He was right. And I make no apologies for reaching out to poor white people."

·        "When Bill Clinton was found to be a member of a white-only country club, he apologized. You are not a bigot, but you appear to be too arrogant to say `I'm wrong' and go on," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, the New York civil rights leader and presidential contender.

·        “Teresa Heinz Kerry is right: nine podiums on a well-lit stage do not make a substantive debate, not any more than nine candidates in frantic motion make a serious primary campaign” -- Eileen McNamara, Globe columnist. (11/05/2003)

Edwards in New Hampshire

Sen. John Edwards campaigning in New Hampshire fielded tough questions from high school students, according to the Manchester Union Leader: Edwards voiced his support for smaller schools and smaller classrooms, students not smoking and helping tobacco farmers, college tuition support, belief that Saddam Hussein was dangerous and that he doesn’t believe in quotas but supports diversity. (11/7/2003)

Health check

John Edwards campaigning in Nashua, New Hampshire struck up the health care theme saying that he would have the federal government be a tougher negotiator with drug companies for Medicare prescription drugs. He also promoted the idea of one doctor being responsible for preventive medicine for the chronically ill. His suggestions for health care include:

Care For Chronic Illness More Effectively. Today, seniors with many chronic illnesses often see many doctors who provide duplicative or conflicting treatments. For beneficiaries with large numbers of chronic conditions, Edwards will establish a single doctor, nurse practitioner or other health professional to ensure that all of the medical professionals are working as a team.

Encourage Cost-Saving Preventive Benefits. Under Edwards' plan, Medicare will offer preventative benefits such as cholesterol testing and cover education efforts that help beneficiaries understand their chronic diseases so they can help care for themselves and avoid costly hospitalizations.

Get The Best Products At The Best Price. The General Accounting Office has shown that competitive bidding is a major cost saver. Edwards will provide Medicare with the legal authority to use competitive bidding throughout Medicare products purchasing.

Reduce Prescription Drug Costs Within Medicare. Edwards will use Medicare's bargaining power to negotiate effectively with drug companies over prices. If negotiations fail, Edwards will implement a rebate or mandatory price reduction, as Medicaid and private insurers already require.

Combat Medicare Mismanagement And Fraud. Edwards will undertake a full audit of the contractors responsible for processing Medicare claims to ensure they pay only proper claims and educate providers to ensure they can file Medicare claims efficiently and correctly. (11/8/2003)

Reaction to Dean’s money

The following are reactions to Dean’s foregoing federal campaign spending limits as reported by the Associated Press and the various Democratic presidential candidates’ websites:

"It's disappointing that Howard Dean so conveniently abandoned a long-held position of principle out of mere political expediency. After Howard Dean so passionately and ardently announced that if any candidate left the public system it would be an issue, then sought a political fig leaf in an Internet poll slyly worded to predetermine its results, it's clear an alleged straight talk candidacy has turned out to represent politics as usual," said Sen. John Kerry.

"I'm a strong believer in the campaign finance system. I think it brings integrity to the process. I'm disappointed Governor Dean has reversed his position." Sen. John Edwards.

"Forget all of the gimmicks and rationalizations, the plain truth is that Howard Dean wants to outspend his opponents in the early states and has therefore violated his pledge to stay within the public financing system. Just like President Bush, Howard Dean has effectively undermined campaign finance laws for his own personal, opportunistic political advantage." Rep. Dick Gephardt.

"It's a shame that Howard Dean has broken his word and abandoned his earlier pledge never to bypass the public financing system. America needs a leader who will stick to the promises he makes. We call on Governor Dean to comply with the spirit of the law — and his own previous statements — and pledge to spend no more than $45 million in the Democratic primaries and to limit his spending to the specific spending caps in the states." Sen. Joe Lieberman.

"I think it's important for people to look at what he said earlier and the pledge that he made. I think we'll leave it up to the people to decide whether this is a good or a bad thing," said Wesley Clark's spokesman, Kym Spell. (11/9/2003)

“Lease fleece”

The Associated Press has a story about John Edwards calling for the ending of tax loopholes for corporation regarding shell holdings of property:

Adding a new target to the corporate loopholes he [Edwards] has promised to eliminate if elected President, the North Carolina senator said he would stop the “lease fleece” — a practice by which corporations get massive depreciation tax deductions for pretending to own subways, dams and bridges actually owned by foreign countries.

The other loopholes Edwards has promised to eliminate include:

The lease loophole is the latest of several Edwards has targeted as part of a broader plan to bolster corporate accountability. His earlier proposals include eliminating the so-called “Bermuda” loophole, which allows companies to incorporate overseas to avoid U.S. taxes, and the “janitor’s insurance” loophole, which allows companies to make money on life insurance policies purchased for low-level workers. (11/9/2003)s

New Hampshire chairman

John Edwards will soon name Sen. Lou D’Allesandro of Manchester his state campaign chair in New Hampshire. His co-chairs will be Sen. Joe Foster of Nashua and House Deputy Democratic Leader Sharon Nordgren of Hanover. (11/9/2003)

Edwards’ new ad

Sen. John Edwards is running a new television ad in Iowa and New Hampshire. While it was predicted that TV ads would begin to have more of an edge this one doesn’t. It is still an introduction to the voters of where Edwards stands on issues:

“You deserve to know what my ideas are, what my vision for the country is, and how it is I plan to get there," Edwards tells citizens gathered in a town hall attributed to New Hampshire.

An announcer’s voice cuts in with, "John Edwards believes America's challenges require more than what can be said in 30-second ads." The ad asks viewer to visit Edwards' web site to find out more or write to his campaign for a copy of his plan. All of Edwards ads can be viewed on his website. (11/11/2003)

Gov Barnes for Edwards

ATLANTA, GA: Former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes Monday announced that he has endorsed Senator John Edwards (D-NC) for president. Barnes was elected as governor of Georgia in 1998. Though he was outspent two-to-one, he won the election with 53 percent of the vote. Here is Barnes endorsement statement:

"I've gotten to know John, and I've seen him on the campaign trail. I am convinced that he is the best person to take on George Bush next year," Barnes said. "John has that rare combination of intelligence, charisma and personal courage that will allow him to compete in Georgia, across the South, and across the country."

The Charlotte Observer also reported Edwards contrasted himself with Howard Dean’s position on gay marriage:

He [Edwards] would let states decide whether gays and lesbians could get married within their borders. And if he were a governor? "I would not (allow them)... I don't support gay marriage." He does favor partner benefits and adoption rights for gay couples…. Edwards headed home to Raleigh Sunday evening for a rally of more than 200 African American supporters. Black voters were a crucial component of his 1998 Senate election…. The Edwards campaign plans to deploy supporters from the rally and others as busloads of "Traveling Tarheels" to key primary states, starting with Iowa next weekend. (11/11/2003)

S.C. book drive

. Sen. John Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, plans to launch a book drive for children later this week in South Carolina. The goal is to collected 2,004 donated books to benefit after-school and other educational programs in the early presidential primary state. The Edwards campaign has launched a similar endeavor in Iowa, home of the first caucuses. Elizabeth Edwards is scheduled to appear in Greenville on Thursday to kick off the effort in the Palmetto State. She also plans to attend a Democratic rally that day in Spartanburg. (11/11/2003)

Edwards Latino outreach

On Monday, November 17, 2003, members of ‘Unidos con Edwards’ will host a meeting to plan John Edwards' outreach to Latino communities in key primary states. The Raleigh meeting will be hosted by Edwards' general campaign chair Ed Turlington. It is one of several to be held across the country on Monday, including events one hosted by New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid in Corrales, New Mexico and another in Arlington, Virginia hosted by activist and publisher Andres Tobar. (11/13/2003)

Edwards’ calls them

In yesterday’s Washington Post article Edwards’ called his races and what he needs to do:

Edwards also discussed the tactics of the campaign, laying down markers he said he must meet to be successful. He said he must finish third or a close fourth in the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses, where the leading contenders are Dean and Rep. Richard A. Gephardt, who is from neighboring Missouri.

Edwards said he must finish at least third in the Jan. 27 New Hampshire primary, where polls show Dean leading Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.), a fellow New Englander. A week later, on Feb. 3, Edwards will face what he acknowledged will be the most critical early test of his campaign, one he said will determine whether he will survive deeper into the nominating process.

"Oh, I need to win South Carolina," he said of the first primary in his native South. (11/13/2003)

Let’s try again

Sen. John Edwards is airing his second new TV ad this week. The ad covers a jobless recovery despite an increase of jobs in the last report.

"Did you know that we're in an economic recovery right now? What they call a 'jobless economic recovery.' Where I grew up, if you don't have a job, you don't have a recovery," Edwards tells a group of citizens gathered at a town-hall meeting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in the new ad. (11/13/2003)

Edwards broadband

John Edwards called on the FCC today to expand its unlicensed spectrum for delivering broadband to rural areas:

"The FCC's decision to open spectrum for unlicensed use is a good step in the right direction, but it does not go far enough--especially in helping the rural areas where broadband shortages are the most serious problem. We need to open up more low-frequency spectrum to help bring broadband to every corner of America…. "The FCC can and must do far more to ensure that every American has access to broadband. (11/14/2003)

Edwards’ new push

Sen. John Edwards won the press release derby yesterday with five releases and that doesn’t include the Des Moines Register story about livestock. The Boston Globe covers the new push:

Edwards on Wednesday announced a "major" expansion of his political operation in the state, going from 17 to 24 paid staff, hoping to gain ground here and weaken Kerry heading into a series of primaries in February. Edwards recently finished a four-day, 25-stop bus trip across the Granite State that included six town hall meetings in a single day. (11/15/2003)

South Carolina

FLORENCE, SC: Joined by local small business leaders for a roundtable discussion, U.S. Senator John Edwards (D-NC) today outlined his plan to bring jobs, capital and business expertise to hard-hit South Carolina communities.

"Every proposal, whether or not it has to do with education or health care or the economy revolves around a core principle of mine: equal opportunity," Edwards said. "I want to give more Americans the opportunity to reach their full potential than ever before. That means standing up for American workers and making sure that certain parts of the country have what they need to get their economy growing again."

While George Bush visited South Carolina earlier this week touting positive economic reports for the nation, Edwards said the need to create jobs remains as strong as ever. Some 128,000 South Carolinians are out of work, and the state has lost 58,000 manufacturing jobs since President Bush took office. While the latest national unemployment rate remained almost unchanged from last month, the African-American unemployment rate actually jumped to 11.5 percent.

To create jobs, Edwards outlined his plans to:

·        Keep Corporations Here at Home. Edwards will fight tax giveaways to multinational corporations that encourage them to expand overseas and cut taxes by 10 percent for manufacturers who create jobs here at home.

·        Stand Up for U.S. Workers in Trade Deals. John Edwards has been a tireless advocate for American workers, fighting for fair trade deals and legislation to protect workers impacted by trade agreements. He will hold our trading partners to their agreements to ensure that the terms of trade are fair. He will also be a tough negotiator on trade, and he will only negotiate trade deals that have real, tangible benefits for U.S. workers and businesses. To protect textile, apparel, and other manufacturing workers, Edwards has repeatedly called on President Bush to fight Chinese manipulation of their currency, implement safeguards against textile imports from China, and look out for textile and apparel workers in upcoming trade deals.

·        Give Venture Capital to Businesses in Struggling Communities. Edwards supports efforts to bring venture capital, small business loans, and business expertise to create jobs in struggling communities. His new REACH Fund will invest in entrepreneurs in small towns and rural areas that are losing jobs today. Edwards will also double funding for Community Development Financial Institutions to serve urban and other communities overlooked by most banks and other traditional financial institutions.

·        Create Tax Incentives to Invest in Economic Revitalization Zones. A new round of the New Markets Tax Credits will leverage $7.5 billion in private-sector investments into struggling communities. Edwards will put a priority investments that create high-quality jobs and that help areas hard-hit by recent job losses - to be identified as Economic Revitalization Zones - that are often left out of federal assistance.

·        Offer Real-World Job Training and Help Small Businesses. Too often, government training doesn't actually train workers for jobs that exist in their communities. Only one worker in four gets the job he trained for. Edwards will create a Training Works initiative with one goal: to ensure that when people get job training, they are getting training for jobs that exist in their communities.

·        Get Our Economy Back on Track. Edwards will restore the conditions for long-term economic growth by stopping George Bush’s effort to shift the tax burden away from wealth and onto work, insisting on a responsible budget and investing in our future competitiveness through education and innovation. (11/15/2003)

Bankruptcy

Senator John Edwards (D-NC) today released the following statement on a new report showing a 7.8 percent increase in the number of bankruptcy filings, which have risen to a record high of 1.63 million.

"We face a quiet crisis in America. Middle class families stand on the edge of a financial cliff, and unless we act, more and more families will fall off of that cliff.

"We have seen a historic change in the last generation. A generation ago, Americans were saving 11 percent of their income and had just 4 percent of their income in credit card debt. Today, Americans are not saving at all, and they have 12 percent of their income in credit card debt. Our families are just one lost job or one medical emergency away from bankruptcy.

"We need a president who sees the crisis and will act to stop it. First, we need to help families find their way out of debt, with strong measures to crack down on abusive mortgage lenders, payday lenders, and credit card companies. Next, we need tax cuts that will help families build up their savings and give themselves real security. That is why I have proposed tax cuts to help families own a home or save for the future. These measures will help families save and help our economy work for the middle class again.” (11/15/2003)

Medicare

Senator John Edwards (D-NC) today made the following statement on the emerging Medicare drug bill:

"Based on today's story in the Wall Street Journal, we now know the Republican-run Medicare conference has become a politics-as-usual giveaway to the drug companies at the expense of America's seniors. The drug lobbyists are celebrating because they have watered down provisions to allow cheap re-importation of drugs and to encourage generic drug competition.

"The American people will be the ones who pay the price. Republican Jo Ann Emerson said, 'Obviously, the conferees are ignoring us and listening to the drug industry.' A drug company lobbyist said, 'it's very good.'

"This is a disgrace, but it is a typical Washington disgrace. There are now more drug and health care lobbyists in Washington than there are people in my hometown. We need to pass a law barring members of Congress from taking donations from corporate lobbyists. And then we need to scrap this awful prescription drug bill and start over with a new Congress and a new president." (11/15/2003)

Livestock moratorium

The Des Moines Register reports that Sen. John Edwards has called for a national moratorium on construction and expansion of concentrated animal-feeding operations. He also announced his support for certain aspects that would ban meat packers from owning livestock. This is a change of position for Edwards, who found the practice sometimes referred to as vertical integration as beneficial in his home state of N. Carolina. He supports the ban with the option for states to be able to opt out.

This attempt is clearly in response to Dick Gephardt who has for months run ads in Iowa featuring Gephardt’s support and work with Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin to ban vertical integration of meat packers.

Oh -- by the way, we are sure to hear more Bush bashing next week on the topic of Education. Edwards will visit New Hampshire to mark American Education Week 2003, outlining education proposals across the state and talking with New Hampshire voters about his plans to improve our schools and give educators the tools they need. (11/15/2003)

Edwards main page