VLog: John & Elizabeth Edwards on the Ed Schultz Show in Chapel Hill
Yesterday, I packed up my laptop, tripod and videocam and headed over to Chapel Hill to vLog John and Elizabeth Edwards' appearance on the Ed Schultz Show. It's always a double plus to see those two together! (It's apparent why their marriage has lasted 30 years). ;)
The Wonderful Elizabeth Edwards
As evidenced by the audience laughter and standing ovations, the town home crowd embraced John and Elizabeth.
John Edwards on jogging and "the haircut"
Ok, so we had a lot of laughs! But, there also were serious issues discussed including ending the war in Iraq, universal healthcare, unions, strengthening the middle class, ending global warming, all banner issues of the Edwards campaign. In fact, John Edwards is the only candidate who has put forth substantive plans on ending poverty, ending global warming and creating Universal Healthcare for all Americans.
Senator Edwards is approaching these issues from a holistic perspective. He understands that they are all interconnected and must be dealt with by innovative and bold approaches.
Transformational Change For America And The World
We are not going to solve these problems with the usual approaches. These challenges are too big, too connected, and too complicated to be answered with the same old politics of incrementalism. Meeting them requires more than just a new president—it requires an entirely new approach.
To build the America we believe in requires fundamental, transformational change. Not change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of getting to where we know the country and the world can be, should be, and needs to be. Not incremental, baby-step changes, but invigorating, uplifting, challenging, daring, boundary-pushing changes that address the root causes and understand the complexity of our challenges.
Edwards is pushing the envelope to bring about real change. He's standing up and "doesn't care what the politics are" and is facing issues head on, in a direct and honest way, including the poverty issue. It matters not that it's not politically advantageous to fight to alleviate poverty. He's going for it anyway.
Senator Edwards has recently released a book, "Ending Poverty in America" through the UNC Poverty Center which "tackles the seemingly intractable problem of poverty in the United States."
Edwards talked a bit about his book and addressed interrelated issues of raising the minimum wage, unions, strengthening the middle class and Universal HealthCare.
Edwards understands that we are overdue for radical reforms including to with regard to fixing our broken healthcare system. His plan has been touted as a "smart, serious proposal. It addresses both the problem of the uninsured and the waste and inefficiency of our fragmented insurance system. And every candidate should be pressed to come up with something comparable." (Paul Krugman
The New York Times)
Moreover, Edwards' Universal Health Care Plan addresses the fact that we "don't have real mental health care parity" and that we cannot continue to put it in a box over here by itself," but must "incorporate and integrate it into our healthcare system so mental healthcare is treated exactly the same as physcial healthcare."
I give Senator Edwards a standing applause on that one. Universal Health Care for all Americans "from birth until they die" that includes full physical and mental health care.
That's my candidate. Need I say more?
- NCDem Amy's blog
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Great report!
Thanks for doing this.
Thanks!
It's an honor to posting for WoW!
Excellent reporting
I haven't finished watching the videos yet, but have Elizabeth playing right now. She is so wonderful.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
Podcast of the full show
I meant to include this in my main post but am now afraid to go in and edit. LOL! (I'm still getting used to posting here).;
Click here to listen to a podcast of the full show
edit and I will re-fp
No big thing. It just bumps it off the front page, but it's no problem at all. This is wonderful.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
Thanks
I think I've bugged you enough this morning. lol. I'll live with any typos etc.
Edwards
He's the only candidate who knows how to speak about poverty. Every other candidate studiously ignores poverty in America, but John Edwards has put it front and center. Thanks, John.
And thank you, NCDem, for a great report!
I worry about the man.
He seemed tired yesterday. We all know he is working inhuman hours, but I hope he gets some sleep and a half-day R&R at the beach sometime soon.
One man with courage makes a majority.
- Andrew Jackson
The yawn...
Were you there when he yawned and the audience went, "ahhh..." LOL! They feel for him. His schedule is grueling but if anyone can keep up with it, he can.
And..he jogs 4-5 miles every day.
Yeah, I was there.
You just know he's working harder than any of the other candidates personally, which makes you want to work that hard yourself.
One man with courage makes a majority.
- Andrew Jackson
I agree!
And Elizabeth too.
You know how hard they will work for this country.
No long vacations at his ranch for this future president.
2008 cannot come soon enough!
Let's hope we make it that long and can bear through the 500 or whatever more days Bush has left in office.
He's amazing.
I find it difficult to even imagine keeping a schedule like his. He's a few years older than me, but there's no way I could keep up with him. I know he has something scheduled every waking minute and it's so impressive to me that he always seems to handle it well.
Yeah, check this out.
Traversing South Carolina in one day for several events, then another day of events, onto a jet for an overnight flight to San Diego. AND, this is the PUBLIC SCHEDULE. Nothing about fundraising.
One man with courage makes a majority.
- Andrew Jackson
I meant to welcome you to WoW!
This is NCDem's first WoW post and I am so happy she brought us this report.
We have recently added two new names to the WoW roster and will encourage them to submit posts on our next WoW Wednesday.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
WhooWhoo for WoW!
Great work, SD. Thanks so much for bringing us all together!
Wow, what a great vlog NCDem
He certainly understands the needs of America. I just don't understand how Hillary can be ahead of him in the poles. I was really disappointed with some of the people that sat with me during the Democratic Luncheon. They all spoke negatively about the Dem front-runners, Edwards, Clinton AND Obama. Seems that the red tide that is Moore County is brain-washing them too.
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Progressive Discussions
They'll see the light, Momo
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi
Wonderful job Amy!
Great CJing as always!
Terrific videos!
Thanks for posting these. What a charming couple. I especially loved Elizabeth's answer to the question about why she wants him to be president. It is important for our country. Being president and running for president is a hard job and it's tough on the family. I honestly can't see that there's any advantage in it for honest people like the Edwardses unless they're doing it as a form of service to the country.
That's not to say all our presidential candidates are honest. I suspet that some of them see something in it for themselves in terms of power or the wages of corruption. Certainly that is the case with the current administration, as their unprecedented corruption has demonstrated.
Being subjected to that level of scrutiny is not something most people would desire for themselves and their family. I think it really is a sacrifice for the Edwardses to do this, and I think it is done with the very best of intentions on their part.
Thanks everyone!
I had a great time. Elizabeth really is wonderful, isn't she? The crowd just swarmed her after the event.
John had to leave for the next event---you get the idea from the schedule Robert posted...kinda scary!
I'll add my voice to the thanks, NCDem.
It's almost as good as being there. Thanks for everything you're doing.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi
That's my candidate. Need I say more?
Won't do you any good 'cause I already support him.
-- ge
Besta é tu se você não viver nesse mundo
http://george.entenman.name
LOL! I can deal with that. ;) n/t
n/t
So, so wonderful, Amy.
Thank you for bringing this to us.
I tell you ... this vlogging stuff is just the best thing since whipped honey-butter on sliced bread. No way we could all get to events like this one ... or the one SD vlogged or the Step It up thing in Raleigh. But Amy, (and all the other bloggers who do this stuff) your dedication and skill brought us all in and gave us this first hand lsiten and look. I love this stuff.
PS -- This is the guy I want in the Oval office working for me. He's been swimming with sharks, beating them at their own game, for decades, so you know he's smart as heck and tough as friggin' nails, but he still has a solid moral core that keeps him grounded and mindful of the things that really matter in this world -- people.
Can I borrow this?
Zactly! You do have a way with words, girl!
Thanks, Leslie. I'm having a good time vlogging.
Totally agree
There's nothing our government needs more right now than a very smart leader who knows how to negotiate and who won't take crap from anyone.
Yes, ma'am ... borrow away :)
Take it far and wide! Shout it from the rooftops!
You want spine? Look at John Edwards.
You want smarts? Look at John Edwards.
You want savvy? Look at John Edwards.
You want a President who works as hard for you as you do for your family? Look at John Edwards.
and look,
He's purty, too.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi