Posted on 07/14/2004 8:20:15 AM PDT by Ditto
John Edwards seems to be pushing his major qualification for office as being his endlessly repeated "rags to riches" story that: "I come from a family where my father worked in a mill in rural North Carolina. I was the first person in my family to be able to go to college."
I would think that in post-WWII America, that resume is not even close to being unique. It fits my background (except for the rural part), and it fits the backgrounds of probably most of my friends and similar aged co-workers.
I propose an informal survey of Freepers who fit that same description.
My grandmother had to quite school in the 2nd Grade to work in the mills to help support her family after her father died
My mother never went to college .. My father did after coming home from WWII
I didn't attend college myself because I to had to help pay the bills .. my father died when I was young and left my mother with 7 kids to raise by herself
However, my brothers did attend college
We worked for everything we had and didn't ask the government for help. As my mother would say .. we were not a charity case for the government
I can guarantee you that neither Kerry or Edwards has a clue of what REAL America is like
I was the first girl on either side of the family to go to college. I told my dad that I was going even if I had to hitch hike to get there. He, who would have been an exceptional college grad if he had had the chance, told me that he would SEE that I got there! I like to think that my PBK key is proof that he did not waste his money on me.
My husband used his GI bill to graduate w/honors and our 5 children are also college grads w/multiple degrees as well as being tax paying Republicans!
Mom and Dad both finished high school, no more. Dad was in the South Pacific during WWII, and worked in a factory until he retired. By brother became an accountant from a business school, and after 4 years in the Navy I was the first to get a degree, and later a Master's.
I have never sued anyone, and I never declared myself a war criminal. I am not qualified to be a democRAT.
No it's not unique .. and Edwards didn't grow up in rags
My Story? I was born a poor black child....</Navin Johnson>
I really relate to this tale of woe because my husband was born, literally, in a mill house. In Chicopee Mills, Georgia, and the mill doctor came to the house and delivered him. But I can't imagine my husband disparaging his parents and the times in which they lived, in order to boost his accomplishments.
But the more serious deception in Edwards' resume is that he took the cases he did to fight injustice, evil corporations, and greedy, incompetent doctors. BULLHOCKEYDOODOO! Edwards carefully chose his cases for maximum moola!
But watch out folks! Edwards meets the real presidential qualifier...he's got a naar-do-well brother...and the very generous Edwards brought the brother and his family a 100,000.00 house.
Does this background mean I can run for President?
"...his story is not unique!"
That's true, but he has every right to be just as proud of his; family, background, education, and acheivements - as the rest of us with similar stories. It's the 'American Dream' and should be applauded and held out as a goal that everyone can acheive in this country. It is a bit 'cheesy' and over the top being mentioned at least daily - but it does appear to be basically true. It it isn't true, that's a different matter.
I thought I heard over the weekend that Sen. L. Graham of SC was born in the same town & hospital as Sen. Edwards (different wings though - right & left, respectively).
I should add that I went to college full-time nights and worked full-time days, while I raised two boys alone. I was divorced by the time I started college.
I come from a Rural family - the backwoods of New England where my mother worked long long days in a textile mill, with no help from my "disabled" alcoholic stepfather, and I was the first person in my family to ever attend college - and I paid my own way...
Tell me your sob story again, Edwards.
Your Dad is a hero! God bless him and your family.
The part John Edwards leaves out is that the very town he grew up in -- the ones he talks about all the time -- does not support him or the DNC.
They don't have the same values.
And he uses a story that is common in this state and throughout this country to try to make himself sound special.
His daddy was MANAGEMENT, not a millworker. The very "management" that he now rails against.
One of the reasons the mills are out of business is because of skyrocketing health costs, in which he played a HUGE part right here in this state.
He can talk about it all he wants; we're free to point out that he's playing fast and loose with the facts.
Agreed, but isn't Edwards' story (and ours) proof that there are not "two Americas", but one which is available to everyone? It is the policies of Kerry and Edwards that would limit the possibility of future generations to have similar stories by causing more loss of jobs, by taxing achievement and by driving incentive out of the marketplace.
You are right, your story is similar to the story of millions of americans who didn't and don't now want a handout.
Your grandfather left a priceless gift. He valued education and made sure everyone understood that. There really is no greater gift!
I was the first person on EITHER side of my parents families to ever graduate from college.
Might want to pass on to your ping lists to see how many VP candidates we can find.
Ditto, what a great thread idea. I do hope you'll consider sending these wonderful stories to Bush-Cheney. The only unique aspect of Edwards success story is the manner in which he chose to achieve it. Until his ruthless abuse and manipulation of our court system catapaulted him into fame and fortune, Edwards "America" was no different from any one of us. America doesn't care where you started out in life. America is a place where anyone can dream big and realize those dreams when we work hard and apply ourselves, or in the case of Kerry marry them. America doesn't hold people down. To the contrary, its the land of opportunity where Edwards, like any other American, is able to live his dreams.
So, to John Edwards, I say, "So what?"
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