Edwards on Bush's SCHIP veto

John Edwards released the following statement about the unsuccessful Congressional vote on overriding President Bush's veto of legislation to expand SCHIP, the children's health insurance program:

"Today is another sad example of how broken Washington is. Instead of standing up for children and health care, House Republicans have decided to stand up for special interests and lobbyists. From this day forward, House Republicans are on notice. When I am the Democratic nominee, the days of Republican members who voted against children's health care will be numbered. We are taking names and, together, as one party, we will campaign against them."

"Sadly, there is strong message here for Democrats and Republicans. We should never have to consider selling out to lobbyists when it comes to the health of our kids. If universal health care is ever going to be more than a dream, we need to do more than change the president. We need to elect strong Democratic majorities in the House and Senate with the backbone to stand up to the big insurance and drug companies that are going to do everything they can to block universal health care. We need a strong ticket from top to bottom that will compete and win everywhere in America.

"And, when I am the Democratic nominee, we will not only win the White House, we will make every Republican who stands against children's health care pay the price."


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Former Georgia Governor Endorses Edwards

By JAMES SALZER

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 10/18/07

Former Gov. Roy Barnes and former Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor held a Capitol reunion of sorts Thursday, getting together for a press conference to support John Edwards' presidential campaign.

Barnes served as governor, with Taylor as his second-in-charge, from 1999 to 2003. Taylor served another four years as lieutenant governor before running unsuccessfully for governor last year.

Joining Barnes and Taylor at the event were several other elected officials, including two African-American state senators, Valencia Seay (D-Riverdale) and Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta). Last week, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton was in Atlanta touting her endorsement from black U.S. Reps. John Lewis.

Barnes said Southern Democrats have too often had to tip-toe around their nominees because they weren't popular in the region. He said that won't be the case with Edwards, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina.

"I am ready for a president that talks like I do and I can understand without an interpreter," Barnes added.

Barnes said Clinton will have a difficult time winning the general election because so many Americans have a negative view of her.

"Whether we like it or not, she's a polarizing figure and I think she would have a very difficult time being elected and governing," he said.

Taylor said, "I am ready for a president who can bring people together."

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Edwards Wins Massachusetts SEIU Endorsement

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Massachusetts union endorses Edwards

By Jenn Abelson, Boston Globe Staff

Democratic presidential contender John Edwards picked up the backing today from the 90,000-member Massachusetts chapter of the Service Employees International Union.

This is the 11th SEIU affiliate endorsement that the former senator from North Carolina has secured since Monday, representing more than 1 million working families. The other chapters are: California, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia.

"John Edwards understands the everyday struggles of working families," Rocio Saenz, president of SEIU Local 615 in Massachusetts, said in a statement.

SEIU declined to make a national endorsement because no candidate had enough support, so the state chapters were left up to make individual endorsements.

So far, rival Senator Barack Obama has picked up support from his home state SEIU chapter in Illinois and Indiana, representing a total of 170,000 members.

Posted by Foon Rhee, deputy national political editor at 06:07 PM

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Edwards Statement Urging Congress To Override Bush Veto Of Children's Health Care

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards released the following statement on the debate in Washington over President Bush's veto of legislation to expand children's health insurance to cover 10 million kids:

"There's something wrong when in a country of our wealth, 47 million Americans don't have health care. There is something drastically wrong when 9 million American children—including nearly 50,000 in Iowa—don't have health care.

"President Bush's veto of the S-CHIP bill shows the importance of nominating a candidate and actually electing a president who will not compromise when it comes to children's health care, who will fight the lobbyists and special interests who stand in the way of truly universal health care, and who will never compromise on our Democratic values.

"I urge all Members of Congress to put aside their partisan interests, stand up for the millions of children without health insurance, and override Bush's veto. And if they don't, if the Republicans stand in the way of progress, I am committed when I am the Democratic nominee to make sure that we elect a Congress that will help move this nation forward with the bold change we need, starting with truly universal health care."


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Edwards wins endorsement of Iowa, California and eight other major state SEIU councils

Close to one million SEIU members choose Edwards because he has the strength and vision to win both the primary and the general election.

Des Moines, Iowa – Today, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) state councils from Iowa, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Ohio and Oregon announced they have endorsed Senator John Edwards for president, totaling close to one million SEIU members.

Representatives from several of the ten state councils joined Edwards for a press conference at the Eckstein Medical Research Building in Iowa City. The endorsements will allow these SEIU state councils, which collectively represent over 930,000 members, to organize efforts to turn out caucus goers on Edwards’ behalf within Iowa, and in any other state where the SEIU state councils have also endorsed Edwards. SEIU state councils across the country will be determining their endorsement decisions in the coming weeks.

“John Edwards is the only Democratic candidate with the vision, leadership and strength needed to win, not just the primary but also the general election,” said Dave Regan, representing the state councils of Ohio and West Virginia. “In the battleground states that I represent, Edwards’ broad appeal and strength at the top of the ticket will help Democrats in races at every level. He will help us build a true mandate that will bring real change to Washington, end the war in Iraq, bring truly universal health care, labor law and immigration reform – and these are the things that will improve the lives of working families across America.”

“As a Registered Nurse who knows first hand the need for health care reform, it's a great honor to announce that the members of SEIU Iowa have chosen to endorse John Edwards for president of the United States,” said Iowa SEIU Local 199 president Cathy Glasson. “In Iowa, we are uniquely positioned to see and hear the candidates, and members are well informed on the issues important to working families. John Edwards earned our support by taking a strong stand on health care and because he offers our members the greatest hope for restoring the American Dream.”

“California SEIU members know that John Edwards will be the best labor president in the history of the United States,” said Sal Rosselli, president of SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. “His proposals are far and away the best among the candidates on the issues that matter most to working Americans. Edwards has taken principled stands on workers’ behalf, when others took more cautious positions on issues that demand bold action.”

Added Tyrone Freeman, president of United Long Term Care Workers West, “We embrace his vision for opportunity for working people, and are proud to join his campaign of optimism, conviction and action that will bridge the divide between the two Americas. We will do everything in our power, in Iowa, California and across America to ensure that he ends up in the White House.”

“John Edwards understands the everyday struggles faced by working families across the country,” said TJ Janssen, a homecare worker from Wenatchee, Washington. “His commitment to ensuring quality affordable health care for every American is why I’m so excited to be supporting his campaign.”

The 2,000 members of the Iowa SEIU voted to endorse Edwards for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday evening. On Friday, the membership of the California state council of the SEIU, which represents more than 656,000 working families, also voted to endorse Edwards. SEIU state councils from Washington (103,000 members), Michigan (70,000 members), Idaho (450 members), Montana (500 members), Minnesota (28,000 members), Ohio (22,000 members),West Virginia (4,000 members), and Oregon (46,000 members), also announced their endorsements on Monday.

“SEIU is at the forefront of the fight to make work pay and provide economic security to hardworking families. I have proudly stood with them on the frontlines of the fight for working Americans for years, and I am honored to earn their members’ support in each of these states today,” said Edwards. “Together, I believe we can fix the broken system in Washington that has been rigged by corporate interests, and we can make this country work for regular Americans again.”

The state SEIU endorsements bring Edwards close to the three million mark in union support. In September, Edwards earned the endorsement of the Transport Workers Union of America (200,000 active and retired members), the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (520,000 active members), the United Steelworkers (1.2 million active members and retirees), and the United Mine Workers of America (105,000 active members and retirees).


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Edwards Wins Endorsement From Friends Of The Earth Action

Leading environmental group says Edwards has the best policies to halt global warming and protect our planet's natural resources

Manchester, NH – Today at an announcement event in Dover, New Hampshire, Senator John Edwards won the endorsement of Friends of the Earth Action, one of the leading environmental groups in the country.

"John Edwards understands that we must accept responsibility for conserving natural resources and act with urgency to stop the crisis of global warming," said Brent Blackwelder, president of Friends of the Earth Action. "He has led on this issue, with the best plan to halt global warming and protect the environment. He has the strength and courage to stand up to the big corporations that are abusing our planet. And he is the only top-tier candidate in this race who opposes new nuclear plants in the U.S. For these reasons, we trust John Edwards to work for a healthy environment and fight for the rights of regular people in our country and around the world."

Edwards has introduced a detailed agenda to halt global warming and protect the environment. His proposals include:

Capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system, and reducing it by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, as the latest science says is needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.

Leading the world to a new climate treaty that commits other countries—including developing nations—to reduce their pollution. Edwards will insist that developing countries join us in this effort, offering to share new clean energy technology and, if necessary, using trade agreements to require binding greenhouse reductions.

Opposing subsidies for new nuclear power plants in the U.S. because they are costly, take too long to build, and generate waste that cannot yet be stored safely and permanently.
Creating a New Energy Economy Fund by auctioning off $10 billion in greenhouse pollution permits and repealing subsidies for big oil companies. The fund will support U.S. research and development in energy technology, help entrepreneurs start new businesses, invest in new carbon-capture and efficient automobile technology and help Americans conserve energy.
Meeting the demand for more electricity through efficiency for the next decade, instead of producing more electricity.

Reversing every harmful environmental executive order and regulation issued by the Bush Administration. Edwards will submit legislation strengthening the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts and restore the "polluter pays" principle in the Superfund.

"For nearly four decades, Friends of the Earth Action has worked to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment," said Edwards. "I am honored to receive their support and I look forward to collaborating with them in the future. We must work together to halt global warming and protect our natural resources to ensure our children inherit a healthy planet."

Founded in San Francisco by David Brower, Friends of the Earth Action has for decades been at the forefront of high-profile efforts to create a healthier, more just world. Its members helped found Friends of the Earth International, the world's largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, with member groups in more than 70 countries.

Edwards has already earned the endorsement of several influential environmental leaders in New Hampshire, who serve on his Environmental Leadership Committee:

Environmental Leadership Committee Co-Chairs:
State Representative Jay Phinizy - Chairman of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee
State Representative David Essex - Vice Chairman of the House Environment and Agriculture Committee
Members of the Environmental Leadership Committee:
Joanne Allison Sparks - Environmental activist, North Conway
Maureen Westrick - Founder of the Fertile Valley Initiative, Intervale
Margaret Ridgely - Member of New Hampshire Audubon, North Sandwich
Samuel Wasmuth - Member of Sierra Club, Wolfeboro
Jennifer Snow - Environmental activist, Stratham
Kay Delanoy - Environmental activist, Keene
Donna Thompson - Environmental activist, Derry
Joseph Cullum - Environmental activist, Spofford
Ron Poltak - Environmental activist, Auburn

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Five Years Later

It takes a person of courage and honesty to admit they've made a mistake. John Edwards has acknowledged that his vote five years ago to give George Bush the authority to go to war with Iraq was a mistake.

Why can't Senator Clinton do the same? And why does Senator Clinton refuse to admit her vote for the war was a mistake—while now siding with George Bush on Iran?



Your support for John Edwards is needed more than ever. And, with campaign financing, your contribution of up to $250 for the primary could be matched.


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