[Mo1]

I'll start. Neither of my parents completed high school -- both going to work at age 16 to help put food on the table

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

[Carolinamom]

This thread is absolutely wonderful and proof that Edwards' rag to riches story is not as unique as he and the media try to show.

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!