YK07: LiveBlogging Edwards' Session
Sat Aug 04, 2007 at 01:12:48 PM PDT
Cross-posted on MichaelWhitney.net
I am in room 404, surrounded by fervent Edwards supporters waiting for their candidate to come in. There's a small stage in the back of the room with three rows of seats, and the rest of the chairs are centered on a small circle, in which I presume Edwards will be speaking.
The room is buzzing with energy - though I'm already suprised at the demographics of the room. Even among Kos attendees, this is a definitely older crowd who are supporting Edwards. I think this helps explain why Edwards comes out on top among polls on the site. It's also informative of the makeup of Edwards' online support in general: the relatively younger crowd is supporting Obama on Facebook, but the older crowd of online activists are supporting candidates like Edwards on blogs.
I've snagged a seat in the back corner - not just because I'm a wallflower, but also to charge my near-dead laptop. And as an added bonus, I'm right next to the door through which I think Edwards will walk. It's 2:56 CST; the session should begin in just a few minutes.
3:06 - Julie Bergman just introduced John Edwards as the next President of the United States. Edwards is now speaking for a few minutes about how he challenged the other candidates not to take Washington money. He said Obama should be applauded, and that we should know who refused to take that pledge (HRC).
He is now taking questions from the crowd.
3:11 - Ryan from Ann Arbor Michigan is sharing an idea with the Senator. He wants to know if "the criminals" in the Bush administration could be offered amnesty for fessing up to their crimes. Edwards says that he's done hundreds of townhalls, and her's never had that questoin before.
Edwards says it makes a lot of sense, btu needs some more time to think about it.
3:13 Derrick from LA says that he is an atheist/non-believer. He says that as a part of the 15% that does not believe in a religion, if there's a way that candidates who speak in religious terms to embrace those who don't have those ideals.
The Senator's response is that he speaks in moral terms, and not in terms of a certain religion. He said it is very useful to hear that "moral" speak is not tied to religion. Applause all around.
3:15 - The next question is about public financing of campaigns. The questioner wants to know how that would be done.
Edwards says that it's important for Americans to understand just what this current system costs to the American people, because it hurts our democracy.
The tricky part, he says, in that in order to get true public financing, you probably need a constitutional amendment. And though he usually opposes amendments, he would support one for public financing.
3:18 - The next question is about the death penalty. He said that it is important to make sure that capital punishment is as error free as it can possibly be. He said that he understands the point from which people are opposed to the death penalty, and that those concerns are well-founded.
He said that he supports the death penalty, and was met with some hisses and boos. Edwards said that no one has to agree with him, which I think is a point that can sometimes be lost on supporters of a candidate. The answer was met with sparse applause.
3:23 - The next question is from a person who works in a doctors' office who was involved in a lawsuit in which Edwards was a lawyer. The question is about how to make medical malpractice manageable within the health care and legal systems.
He says that the legal system is already so involved in the health care system, and that this needs to be changed, too. He says that the lawyers do not have enough responsibility. Before a medical malpractice suit is filed, a lawyer should have the case certified as meritorious before it can proceed. If it does not meet the snuff test, the lawyer should be held financially responsible to ensure accountability for the legal system.
3:26 - The next question is about economic inequality. Edwards says that this is at the heart of why he is running.
He says that Bush has accelerated the effects of globalization to give support to those who are doing the best, and taking the tools to do better away from those who need it the most.
He says the first thing is to strengthen middle class families and make college more affordable. The next is universal health care, as half the bankruptcies in the US are from health care costs.
He is lamenting that he can't give more in depth answers. He is saying that the other candidates are not actually all for universal health care. He says that his plan was first, and the other two candidates who have universal plans are Kucinich and Dodd. Obama and Richardson's plans are not universal. He says that Clinton does not have a plan yet.
All of those things come together to help lift the middle class, and that has to be supplemented by chcanging the tax code.
Edwards next said that unions are key to strengthening the middle class - and that before he came to the forum, he walked a picket line.
3:32 - Edwards is now talking about Murdoch and the WSJ buyout. "I don't want to see Rubert Murdoch owning every newspaper in America." "my campaign is about taking these entrenched interests on directly....because they don't want to hear our voice."
Uh oh, a photographer just took a picture of me liveblogging. I really hope that doesn't show up anywhere!
3:36 - I probably shouldn't be saying this, but Edwards says that anyone who submits a question to their website and says that they were here today, John Edwards will personally respond! (Try it out!)
3:37 - There was another question about impeaching Bush & Cheney. He says that the Clinton impeachment ground Congress to a halt, and there are other things Congress can be doing to help America. ALternating hisses and applause.
3:39 - Edwards is wrapping up. He wants everyone to speak up and say what they think. That that is what's needed in the country.
Pictures coming next!
3:43 - Just shook the Senator's hand. Now I'll virtually shake all of yours. Live-shaking?
Here are some photos:
OKay, I'm signing off. I hope you enjoyed this! Please visit my blog, too.
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