Wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Edwards courts Greenville vote

[chimpymustgo]

By Paul Alongi
STAFF WRITER
[email protected]


The wife of Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., brought her husband's campaign to Greenville on Monday and took several swipes at President George W. Bush.

While Elizabeth Edwards criticized Bush for favoring the wealthy and leaving behind poor, she described the president's popularity as "enormous." She said Democrats need a contender who can meet him "head-to-head."

"I think South Carolina is better off with John at the top of the ticket," she said at a meeting of Democratic Women of Greenville County.

-snip-

Tally Parham, 33, was one of about 75 to attend the event at The City Club. She said she supports Edwards, calling him refreshing and energetic.

"I think he's exactly what America needs right now," Parham said.

Elizabeth Edwards painted Bush as too rich and powerful to be in touch with ordinary Americans. She portrayed her husband as a family man and the son of textile mill workers who fights for the little guy.

The Bush-supported cuts in inheritance and capital gains taxes benefit the wealthy, Edwards said. Meanwhile, Bush's failure to support a child care tax credit hurts military personnel fighting overseas, she said.

"He's screwing them every day in terms of what they're going to pay in taxes or the benefits they're going to have when they're home," Edwards said. "I'm tired of him applauding them when they're overseas. I want them to applaud them at home."

-snip-

http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/07/14/2003071410139.htm

***

Elizabeth Edwards is a huge asset to the campaign. Quite winning.

[bluestateguy]

1. I like Edwards but

Greenville, SC? These people won't vote for him or any Democrat. Aren't these the same people who believe * was chosen by God for the presidency.

[chimpymustgo]

2. Edwards is reaching out to poor whites -people like his family

when he was growing up.

Not to mention, the SC primary is critical for his candidacy.

[sandnsea]

3. Aren't you from Ohio???

Didn't I read that someplace else? Anyways, the South isn't that much different from Ohio. City people, rural people, business people, liberal people, and varying mixes in between. There's a stronger sense of traditional Christian values that runs through the south than in most places, but that is to Edward's advantage. I think Edwards sees that the Democratic message has been warped and that if people really understood, they'd switch. There's a certain group of people he'll never reach (Bush is ordained people), but there's an awful lot of people, black and white, that are just looking for a hard working person who cares about every day values. Edwards is just that.

[JI7]

4. edwards seems to be doing what clinton did

edwards seems to be doing as clinton did to reach out to "not so liberal" voters. and this is done mostly through economic issues. many who are not well off financially vote republican because they are conservative on social issues. edwards can reach out to this group by appealing to their sense of hard work and how that relates to good jobs and family values. remember, clinton won some southern states this way. you emphasize the issues they will agree with you in this part of the country. make this the issue that is on their minds when they go out to vote. so even if they may not agree on issues like abortion rights, gay rights etc, they also know they agree with the democratic candidate on economic issues, and that voting for them will make their own situation better.