Edwards is first Democrat in South Carolina

U.S. Sen. John Edwards will be the first of the Democratic presidential candidates to arrive in South Carolina today after the New Hampshire primary.

Edwards is to touch down mid-morning in the Upstate and go to a noon rally at Clemson University, where he attended classes for a year.

Tonight, Edwards, who finished a distant third place in New Hampshire, capturing only 17 percent of the vote, will hold a rally at Dreher High School in Columbia.

Edwards' rivals, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton were to travel today to states holding Feb. 5 primaries.

Clinton and Obama both hold strong leads over Edwards in polls in South Carolina.

The Edwards campaign is also transferring into the Palmetto State beginning today a significant number of additional staff from its Iowa and New Hampshire campaign operations to hit the ground, according to Teresa Wells, the campaign's S.C. Spokeswoman.

Edwards will be traveling with his father and mother, who helps him personify his impoverished upbringing in small textile towns in the South and drive home his anti-poverty campaign message.
Edwards will campaign in South Carolina through the weekend, aides said.

Comments

[CLINTON 2008]

The sentiment appears to be (not like it ever changed) that all Black people must support Barack Obama, regardless if his political positions differ with that Black voter. Any who deviate are fair game from the traditional attacks.But it would appear, not all Blacks are toeing the line. It'll be interesting to see if the effort is made to denigrate the "blackness" of those not so accessible?Among blacks, Obama's favorables are high (60 percent), but Clinton's are higher (85 percent). Plus, Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have deep roots in the black community always supporting black community, they have allot of excellent history for helping minorities. Black leaders are not interested as much in Obama as one might think either, how does that necessarily affect what the general Black American population thinks of him? We learned in NH not to trust media coverage any longer. Truth is and some of you may have noticed Barack is not getting the automatic support from African Americans that many assumed he would get since throwing his hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination for the presidency and (Louis Chude-Sokei, L.A Times article) makes an effort to inform us as to why this might be true. Unfortunately, while it has a few good points it misses the mark in too many ways. The main point, Obama isn't "black enough" to get the support of the standing Black American leadership because of his White/Hawaiian/African (meaning NOT African American, but real African) heritage. all this goes to explain why Black leaders don't seem to be warming to Obama as far as this University professor is concerned. Obamas public line of thinking, all things black in the US threatens the lock on the dem nominamtion, turning away non-black and educated black voters who won the iowa caucus for him. The tides have changed Obama will need to use more than ½ of his race to get educated black voters to support him. He now needs to begin showing substance and back away from the preaching. NH is a perfect example of whats to come.

[JoseyJ]

The corporate media promotes Hillary and Obama - corporate candidates - raking in millions from corporate America. Both will continue the corporate welfare that keeps the working poor poor and the middle class struggling.

Hope is not a platform and many Dems have Clinton fatigue.

John Edwards is the BEST for SC and the nation - and will be a great President - with a FAITHFUL wife of 30 years.

[Margaret]

Most people realize a black man won't be elected President until he's been elected VP.
Obama can't win the nomination - and Hillary wouldn't choose him for VP.
Hopefully SC voters figure this out in time to vote for John Edwards.

[S Benn]

http://www.judicialwatch.org/judicial-watch-announces-list-washington-s-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-2007

Check this site out to see the bad candidates

[Ray]

Hillary Clinton and her husband simply have no conscience. They're two power hungry crooks and would do and say anything for her to win the nomination. Case in point, the night before the New Hamshire primary, Bill Clinton flat out lied about Obama's record in Iraq to win votes for his wife. What's scary about them is that he actually was acting like he was pissed off because the media hadn't called Obama on his record. It reminded me of the "I had no sexual relationship with that woman."

Obama is real, he cares and most importantly he can win the independet votes which you'll need to win the general election. Hillary can't win the indepenent vote and would get wacked by John McCain.

[Kyle G. Columbia SC]

Clinton 2008 please let me hit whatever that is your smoking!! If you honestly think that the Clintons feel compelled to the African American community you must have been dropped on your head literally. Make no mistakes the Clintons did to the African American community what they were suppose to do to keep us close to thier back pockets. Bill passed the harsh crime bills that affected GREATLY blacks. Bill spoon feed many blacks with his welfare programs that keep us down with no ambitions to break through that glass ceiling that keep many of us in bondage in a sense. Hillary also said something to the extent that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was bascially a hope-moger that just lead a movement and it took LBJ to pass the Civil Rights Bill. Well Hillary "HELLO" it was because Dr. King never help an elected office to even present it as a bill and if he did....well we won't even go there because he wouldn't have been elected in the first place. My African American community their is a saying we need to live on cause people take us for granted and do whatever they want because the lack of knowledge "FOOL me ONCE shame on YOU, FOOL me TWICE shame on YOU." I just ask don't be FOOLED.

[G Davis]

Edwards needs to make a choice.

He said himself after Iowa that this is a two person race between the two change candidates and that he relished the debate with Obama about how to go about getting the change we all so sorely need.

After New Hampshire, John needs to decide if his wanted debate with Obama about the tactics of what they both want is worth splitting the change vote and handing Clinton the nomination.

If Edwards is being real about his heartfelt desire to help the little guy, give us our government back then his choice is clear. He is the one change candidate that is not viable and he's splitting the vote for his cause with the other change candidate that is viable.

But Obama, and the change vote, will not be viable if the two of them keep splitting the vote.

Make your choice John...your tactics to get to change or the hope of this country for change at all.

[winwin123]

To the independent, republican, democratic voters in Nevada. I'am a independent voter who has voted for both republicans and democratic presidential candidates since 1992. If Barack Obama fails in Nevada due to bigger war chests from HRC, then I will vote for John Mccain in the general election, as he is the only viable choice closest to the rest of the countries' independent voters. This country needs a leader who is strong on national defense, in these trying times. Fool me once shame on you HRC, fool me twice shame on me. Re- whitewater, travelgate, filegate, vince foster, ron brown, monica, right wing conspiracy, Iran vote, exagerated claims of gravitas. anybody but HRC

[Margaret]

The day after Obama won his Senate race IN 2004, reporters asked him if he was running for president in 2008.
Obama stated he had NO plans to run for president - he'd just been elected senator!

But then the corporate media pundits and DC establishment began URGING him to run - KNOWING he'd suck support from John Edwards with plans to help the working poor and middle class - and college students.
Obama had to know it too.

According to the Chicago Tribune Obama began hiring Hollywood and political PR and marketing strategists during his first MONTH in office.

Think about that - how many NEWLY elected senators begin running for president during their first MONTH in office - or first YEAR?

No - it's highly likely the corporatists sought a "challenger" for Hillary - in order to distract from Edwards economic message for the masses.

Obama has been high on hope and low on SUBSTANCE - and the media has not questioned him on how he plans to "bring us all together" - a canard and very unrealistic in the real world.

The major problem in Washington isn't divisiveness - we'll always have that - and contrary to what some believe, Obama really isn't God.

No - the real problem in Washington is the HUGE influence of corporations on our "democracy." Washington lobbyists roam the halls of Congress distributing bri...er donations to Congress critters - who in exchange write legislation that favors corporations.

Why should taxpayers subsidize taxes of corporations that take our jobs overseas?
Why are middle class taxpayers paying a higher tax rate than billionaires??

These are the questions John Edwards is asking - and exposing the greed that keeps the working poor poor and the middle class struggling.

But since Edwards is speaking out against CORPORATE power - he is dissed and dismissed by the CORPORATE media.

And Obama continues offering "hope" with little substance and soaring rhetoric, while the media projects him as Hillary's "challenger."

[Margaret]

G Davis - I disagree.
Obama is not viable because a black man won't be elected President until he's been elected VP.

But the media wants you to believe Obama can win.

The media has given Obama a pass - from the gitgo.
When do you think the media will begin questioning his policies?

Do you really think the media thinks Obama can "bring us all together"??

[D Snow]

How can a few hundred thousand votes determine the Democratic nominee? Why is the CNN poll that shows ONLY Edwards winning against any Republican candidate never cited?
South Carolina is being TOLD that they can only choose between Obama and Clinton on the Democratic side-you really DON'T HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT!
Obama's feel good platitudes will not beat a Republican in the general election. It would be a travesty if a Republican wins the White House because of media maniupulation.

[Greg]

winwin123, that is a very good point. As an Edwards supporter in Iowa, I honestly thought that fellow Dems would see through the smoke and mirrors and choose the candidate that actually HAS A PLAN and can actually win the white house but I was wrong. Edwards is about and for the people. The media (and GOP) want to push their agenda of a female or african american nominee because it is good press. Trust me, the GOP is grinning ear to ear that Edwards is not in the spotlight. They can sit back and continue spinning their little web in DC.... SC voters, please, please!!! Get out and vote for Edwards and bring him back into the spotlight! He deserves it! Us in Iowa are hoping your correct our wrong!

[Greg]

Sorry, I should have credited Margaret and not winwin. Edwards in '08!!!!

[Paula T. Pierce]

Responding to winwin123; I could not agree with you more. I volunteered for Senator Edwards up here in NH and am a lifelong Granite Stater. John's 17% showing in our primary is boggling and predictable and frustratingly maddening. Boggling because it is hard to believe so many people just don't get it, refuse to get it, are afraid to stand up or just too mentally lazy or incapable of independent thought.
Predictable because he is the worst nightmare the status has to deal with in this election and , as John has said so often here in NH, the power brokers and ersatz leaders in our government will fight to maintain their hold, over our government, our rights and our wallets.
I voted for him in 2004 and still believe he is our real, authentic Change Candidate. He should have been the nominee in 04, not John Kerry. Be that as it may, you, winwin123, hit it on the head. The media and pundits are continuing tonight to sing his political death knell. Some little twirpy redhead on Wolf Blitzer tonight said,"well, he's going to run out of money, if he doesn't win in South Carolina, he has to back out". Where do these people get off? Point a tv camera in their faces and suddenly they are soothsayers and gurus.
It is clear that noone who is on the take in American government wants the gentleman former North Carolina Senator to get anywhere near the nomination. He is their worst nightmare. When John Edwards says this is a fight, an epic battle, the citizenry who have had their rights trampled on had better wake, sit up and take notice and align themselves behind him. The lobbyists and power brokers in this country have no intention of relinquishing their power ;they will wage the most dirty, deceptive and distructive battle to maintain their hold.
South Carolina, we worked very hard to help our candidate achieve those 48,000 plus votes. We respect him and we believe in him. Please take up the cause , help take this country back before there is only a memory of the America we babyboomers and members of the greatest generation remember. John Edwards speaks the truth , don't be fooled and for the sake of your children and future generations, don't back down. South Carolina, support John Edwards on January 21, 2008

[onewhoknowsthetruth]

GREG...I COULDN'T OF SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!...you spoke with words of wisdom and i pray that America will understand that only John Edwards has given them their voice in this race. but i will try to do your post even more justice with an addition to it......This candidacy isn't about the first white woman, or the first of any race.....it is all about our right as women,men,african american,hispanic, etc..we are the melting pot....we are the land of the free! we are the land of the promised. we are today the land of the equal..this is about our right to the constitution! our freedoms! our lively hood, our liberty, our children and our future as a United Nation.

we all must realize what dangers we are faced in loosing all that. some will dismay what we say, there are always those who choose to turn a blind eye a deaf ear and a muted voice, I say; NOT THIS TIME! NOT IN AMERICA!and "we are better than this!" " we need to stand together and FIGHT for what is ours!

We will not give to you! We will not go quietly! We demand our democracy! We demand our Liberty! We demand Our constitution Back! We Accept Equality for all mankind!

WE WILL STAND UNITED AND RISE AMERICA UP AND RESTORE HER TO ALL HER GLORY! WE WILL BELIEVE IN THE MESSAGE OF OUR CONSTITUTION...

WE VOTE FOR JOHN EDWARDS AS HIS VOICE IS OUR VOICE AND HE ALLOWS OUR VOICE TO BE HEARD!

[onewhoknowsthetruth]

sorry i read the posters name wrong....it should not be greg and should be Paula T Pierce i was referring too, paula you spoke very well!!

[winwin123]

To the independent, republican, democratic voters in South Carolina. I'am a independent voter who has voted for both republicans and democratic presidential candidates since 1992. If Barack Hussein Obama or HRC wins, then I will vote for John Mccain in the general election, as he is the only viable choice closest to the rest of the countries' independent voters. This country needs a leader who is strong on national defense, in these trying times. Fool me once shame on you HRC, fool me twice shame on me. Re- whitewater, travelgate, filegate, vince foster, ron brown, monica, right wing conspiracy, Iran vote, exagerated claims of gravitas. anybody but HRC

[Eden Carroll-Weiss]

John Edwards is an angry man who pastes on a smile to look good. He hates corporate America. Instead of thinking of building up our manufacturing base in America we let China do it all and they are prosperous and we are not. John also hates Hillary, but pastes on his smile and shakes her hand. John's strongest suit is his doctor wife that knows the Healthcare and Insurance business.

[Eden Carroll-Weiss]

Hillary blasted what Obama said and I agree with her on at least this point. She said Obama compared himself to MLK and JFK two of our political giants.
She said, MLK was put down, beaten, and persecuted and finally killed. Making the point that Obama hardly qualifies to be compared to the back hero. For one thing he did not grow up as a black American. He grew up being reared in Hawaii where diversity reigns. He came from an affluent home and suffered no degradation or the struggles such as the children or grandchildren of slaves. He has tried to say he walks that road too. Nah.
I am sure both of the men he compared him self to were more middle of the road and conservative.
As an Illinois Senator he didn't always vote, he missed 120 votes on important bills. Perhaps he couldn't decide how he should vote as he was inexperienced. I can't imagine JFK voting for abortion on demand.
Obama voted to allow a baby to die if the abortion was botched and the baby was unharmed and alive, but to allow the abortion mill butchers to throw them into the bucket of waste (blood and placenta) to die.
He also says he does not let lobbyist tell him what to do, but right after Geroge Soros the oil rich oligarch who practically wrote the liberal mantra of abortion on demand, Gay marriage, and alternative sexual practices to be taught in schools-- became his supporter:
1. He said that the religious right was wrong, that we thought we were the only ones with values, because we were against abortion and gays getting married, that they have values just different ones.
2. When I wrote him and told him our sex education program was working, that since Abstinence Only had been taught a couple of years the STD rate, birth rate, and pregnancy rate dropped drastically. That old saw, "They will do it anyway." was wrong. If parents ask their kids to stay celebrate and they get this program in school, it works.
3. He soon after that came out and said he wants sex education taught to three year olds. IS HE CRAZY? He wants books read to them about
MY TWO MOMMIES and the male version of Cinderella where the poor guy marries the prince and they live happily ever after.
His mother was an agnostic who when she did exhibit religious curiosity leaned toward paganism. She was more of a women's libber. His father wasn't around long and his step father was a Muslim and when he was ten was schooled in a madrases. I'm not saying he is Muslim, just that he doesn't have a good spiritual foundation. The black church he attended for twenty years was a separatist church that preached black superiority.
This guy has no experience, has no knowledge of economics, is as liberal as they get. And wasn't even a good Senator in his home state of Illinois.
He talks about barging into Pakistan and going after Ben Laden. That has been tried and we bombed the hell out of two hundred miles of mountain ranges. He might not even be in Pakistan right now. He may be in Africa again they are having a lot of trouble there. How is that different then what Bush is doing? I see no man of change and the liberal changes he wants to bring about will only make us more of a liberal and socialistic country. Just think, if we have a depression and all indicators point toward one it would mean multi-millions of people on the dole. We lost our manufacturing base and China got it because of Bill Clinton‘s trade agreements. China is prospering and we are not. They blame the housing bust, but that is a symptom of people not being able to afford the American dream. We had thriving steel mills, and fabric mills and clothing lines and computers and gadgets galore. Now we have zip. We need to get another manufacturing base. We need more alternate fuel businesses also. America can bounce back with the right leader. Mitt is the man.

[Paula T. Pierce]

to onewhoknowsthetruth and Margaret; My apologies, I was responding last night to you Margaret, not winwin123 and I think that must be why onewhoknowsthetruth posted to Greg first. I messed up the order,I am new at this format. Thank you for comment onewhoknows, I am so infuriated I could spit. Mr.Longface himself, John Kerry tasting sour grapes endorss who? His 2004 running mate JRE? No, he endorses Obama. No, I am not a racist, I just believe that my chosen candidate has it right and will do right by us and this country. We in NH who did not vote for Mr. Obama are being described as mentally lazy (see editorial page of today's Union Leader). So much for or constitutional freedoms of expression and all that old fashioned stuff. Political correctness has replaced them. Sorry pollsters, if we messed up your numbers.
I had to set the response record straight after reading winwin123's ridiculously subjective, substance lacking comments about John Edwards. Someone please correct me if I am wrong; Elizabeth Edwards is an attorney---not a doctor, right? John Edwards sees the chokehold that the working men and women in this country are in the grips of as a result of unchecked corporate greed, unbalanced trade deals that give away our jobs and a federal government that does not work, except for a select few an spins its wheels on our dime. I can't resist this, John Edwards doesn't haveto paste anything on to look good winwin, he simply does. Kudos to great genes.

[Truth2008]

Don't vote please until you have seen this documentary. Watch it until the end. http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

[Karen]

I'm Organizer for Las Vegas & Henderson NV Democracy For America groups...we strongly support John Edwards. I am involved in many other local political groups, the Democratic Party, Drinking Liberally and of course the John Edwards For President Campaign.

There are so many of us here working hard to gain support for John and get people to be aware of the differences in the candidates.

John brought the word 'change' and all the issues to the forefront. I wonder what Hillary and Obama would be campaigning on had they not followed the lead and issues from John?

We are here for him and have great support in the Steelworkers, Carpenters and Transportation Worker unions. It's terribly disappointing that John is the hardest working, most loyal, union friendly candidate and due to internal infighting in some of our other unions, that had nothing to do with John, they chose to try and ride coattails instead of endorsing the true labor candidate.

It's just another uphill battle for John the fighter and all his supporters have to continue to fight as well.

We don't want to see the Media or Money choose our candidate but that is what is happening again, unless we continue to fight for John, who btw, is outspent 8 to 1 by the other 2 and doing an amazing job working to get his message out. Especially with the Media pretty much ignoring him or encouraging him to get out of the race.

Don't be fooled by these awful put downs from our Media that is all owned by people that are afraid of John winning. It's their job to keep John down. All the pundits seem to be bought, if you ask me. They are not reporting the true will of the American people. They are preaching to them and busy people half listen and hear the buzz words of only 2 candidates. They never even mention out of 3 Senators, John worked in the Senate the longest. It makes our job harder but we have to continue to fight for our American Dream. John got to live it and wants that opportunity to continue for our children. Will they have it if some of these other candidates get in or if a Republican does? We barely see the opportunity of it anymore. We can't lose the American Dream. John will fight for it for us.

He is the most Progressive and always right there with the Middle Class on all issues that affect us most. Too many of us are becoming the working poor. He's ready to represent us and get Congress and the Senate to remember that's what they are put in office for too. He is tops in detailed plans on Health Care, Global Warming, Education, Getting out of Iraq, Restoring America's Respect in the World down to issues at local levels. He speaks to Women, the GLBT Community, Teachers, Seniors, Health Care Workers, Police Officers, Disabled and most all groups you can think of that make up all of us.

Most of what he speaks has been copied. I saw John Edwards come to Las Vegas in support of our NV state candidates in 2006. I saw him in the beginning of 2007. Then I saw one of the other candidates come out here the end of February '07. He was very personable. He spoke for 30 minutes and engaged the crowd. Yet he never said a thing. Nothing on issues, agenda, platform...anything.

Now that same candidate picked up on the word change. Then Hillary picked up on the word change. John spoke of change from the onset of his campaign in December '06. John had detailed plans in place when he came to run. The others didn't have plans for months. Hillary's HC plan came out in August. Her environmental plan a month or 2 later. What was she running on all that time?

Then a lot of their plans and what they say are copying John's. All along polls have shown that John beats ALL the Republican candidates. What is wrong with the Democratic base? They say they don't want to risk losing in November to the Republicans again, so why do they listen to the Media and fall for the hype of just 2 candidates in the Democratic race? Just 3 weeks ago AlterNet even posted a CNN poll that showed John Edwards still the most electable and lead against every Republican candidate. To quote from their article, "...and John Edwards beats the GOP field by an average margin of victory of 16 points."

Why would you risk that and go with any other candidate?

There are far too many reasons as I've tried to mention that we must stay upbeat and be there to support John Edwards and get the word and the vote out for him.

[CB Wisconsin]

John Edwards! The only electable candidate to beat the repubs in the election! He will be a great president! Vote for Edwards! He may not get the media attention, but he is worth the look at his stands on the issues.

[Eden Carroll-Weiss]

John Edwards is a ridiculous choice and he will be dropping out because he isn't getting enough support. The man wants to attack Industry. Isn't it enough that the politicians adopted WTO, NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Fast Track bill and all of seventeen million manufacturers moved to another country where they could hire people cheaper, where they wouldn'[t be over taxed and penalized for being capitalist.

We need to turn the clock back to the days of Eisenhauser who lead us in the eight most profitable years every. We don't need a Reagan want a be or a MLK wanta be. Those men can't be copied or matched. This is not a popularity contest. Think. We just went through six of the most expensive years in history. We had an over spending Congress when it was Republican and the Democrats are no better.
Mitt would like to close down several useless costly departments of government. We have 600 cabinets or advisory committees. And what good are they none of them looked out for the people of the US. When lobbiest get bills past that only benefit them and get multi millions in earmarks then the people get no bills that benefit them.
The politicians are too communist. They want to raise taxes and take sixty to seventy per cent of your check, think of all kinds of regulations and restrictions to take your personal freedoms away from you. Wake up. We have no margin for error. Hillary and Obama both want to socialize the country and the hundreds of programs will cost trillions every year.