Knowing Her Mind, Mrs. Edwards Speaks It

[JI7]

i have seen her speak at some events and she is a wonderful woman, and i can see why senator edwards loves her.

<ES MOINES, Jan. 15 — Elizabeth Edwards, 54, gritted her teeth as yet another voter, an elderly woman with white hair, told her how young her 50-year-old husband looked.

"Truth is, my hair is more like yours," Mrs. Edwards said with characteristic bluntness at a restaurant in rural Marshalltown, Iowa, the other day. "But I don't want to walk around and hear people say, `Oh, look, there's John Edwards with his mother.' "

Mrs. Edwards's candor is hardly limited to her contrasting her looks with those of her husband, North Carolina's senior senator.

In contrast to Judith Steinberg Dean, who is keeping a distance from her own husband's presidential campaign, Mrs. Edwards, a former bankruptcy lawyer who holds a master's degree in English and displays a depth of knowledge rivaling that of any candidate, is deeply involved in Senator Edwards's drive for the Democratic nomination.

Like the wives of several other candidates, Mrs. Edwards has hit the campaign trail hard, but with an outspokenness that sharply contrasts with the caution and discipline of her husband. She does not hold her tongue behind the scenes, either, weighing in on big strategic decisions, some policy matters and just about anything having to do with her husband's public image.

"If you think she is candid with you, you should see her in a staff meeting," said one senior adviser, who allowed that some staff members occasionally chafed at her directness and influence.>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/16/politics/campaigns/16WIFE.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5062&en=74f91c8132f4e34e&ex=1074920400&partner=GOOGLE

[JI7]

1. kick for a good woman (even if you don't support edwards)

it's a nice article on mrs. edwards. it's not kiss ass either. it's just a nice interesting article on her.

[JI7]

2. kick

.

[anti-bush]

3. Very good article

I really like Elizabeth, and I think she'll be a great asset to President Edwards. I've seen her speak before, and she is very dynamic, and very well versed on almost any policy issue you can think of.

[AP]

4. A bankruptcy lawyer. Hmm.

Seems appropriate for the people trying to clean up the mess Bush will leave behind.