[Iowa]Crowd presses [John] Edwards for details

The Altoona Herald ^ | September 3, 2007 | Mason Kerns

[2ndDivisionVet]

Tipton, Ia. - On the eve of Labor Day and days after receiving the endorsement of a major workers' union, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards touted his commitment to the middle class and the poor while speaking to a small crowd outside the Cedar County Courthouse on Sunday. He focused especially on his promise to deliver "truly comprehensive, truly universal" health care.

The roughly 200 people at the forum - Edwards' first of four campaign stops Sunday - heard the Democrat position himself as the presidential candidate pushing for change "for those of us without a lobbyist in Washington."

"There is just too much power inside the Beltway," said Edwards. "It's simple: The reason we don't have universal health care is the insurance companies and their lobbyists. The reason we have a bad prescription drug bill is the drug companies and their lobbyists."

Edwards was riding a recent surge of positive campaign news that began Wednesday, when he met with and was praised publicly by former President Carter. Then, he garnered the endorsement of the half-million-member United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

And on Friday, Time Magazine released a poll showing Edwards leading his rivals among likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa, 32 percent to Hillary Clinton's 24 percent and Barack Obama's 22 percent.

When a middle-school teacher in the crowd asked about Edwards' plan to improve the federal No Child Left Behind initiative, the former North Carolina lawmaker said he supports gauging students' abilities in ways other than just standardized tests. He specified that a series of performance indicators - from students' critical-thinking skills to teachers' subjective judgments of progress - should be measured to ensure accountability.

"What we know is that no child has ever learned anything from taking a test," he said. "You don't make a pig fatter by weighing it."

On other subjects, Edwards railed against tax breaks for the wealthy. And in response to a question, Edwards said he would work to stop Congress from "raiding Social Security," although "at times, that's like trying to take an alcoholic off alcohol."

While many in attendance were committed Edwards supporters, others challenged him, often forcefully, to deliver specific answers to their questions.

One man told Edwards that his health care plan would hurt workers by shifting more of the tax burden on corporations such as General Motors, further disabling it from competing with Toyota and other foreign automakers.

In response, Edwards argued that his plan would reduce employers' burden by taking on drug and insurance companies and driving down costs.

Kaytee Riek, 23, a member of the advocacy group Iowa for AIDS Action, was upset that Edwards' Web site has little information regarding his plan to reduce and treat HIV and AIDS, and that the site lists the issue only under a heading designated for gay and lesbian issues.

"It just feeds into the stigma that HIV is only a gay issue," said Riek, of Pleasant Hill.

David and Judy Rixe, a couple from Bennett, said they are leaning toward caucusing for Edwards, in part because they like his position on health care.

Judy Rixe, 62, said the couple have medical coverage under a health maintenance organization - often called an HMO for short - but worry how well covered they would be if there were a substantial medical emergency.

"We'll find out, if there's ever something real serious," said David Rixe, 60.

[RichInOC]

"What we know is that no child has ever learned anything from taking a test," he said. "You don't make a pig fatter by weighing it."

And you obviously don't make a lawyer smarter by giving him the bar exam. Speaking of which, that quote is stupid enough to make me wonder whether he actually sat his own law school exams.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

RATS never have specifics for anything. They’re the Santa Claus party. They’re going to produce this utopian society out of thin air without any consequences and sadly, there are a whole bunch of idiot Democrat voters who believe them.

[newgeezer]

"What we know is that no child has ever learned anything from taking a test," he said. "You don't make a pig fatter by weighing it."

{A farmer's wife} "You hear that, Vern??!! I told you, Vern! That nice young man, John Edwards, -- he absolutely IS one of us!!!!!!"