John Edwards

excerpts from the Iowa Daily Report

April 2003

… Manchester (N. H.) Union Leader editorial pages: Yesterday – under the headline “Bumbling Dems: Dean, Kerry make some goofy slips” – the Union Leader opened an editorial with this question: “Can’t the Democrats get better Presidential candidates than these?” Editorial says Dean was “embarrassed into sending a letter of apology” to Edwards for inaccurately criticizing Edwards for hiding his pro-war stance during CA Dem state convention address. Editorial also highlighted Kerry comments – also at the California convention – indicating the Dems could win presidency without Southern support, forcing Kerry to hand out notes to Southern Dem sens assuring them he plans to campaign in their states. The Union Leader editorial concluded: “In New Hampshire, Kerry and Dean are the leading candidates for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Their behavior so far has made them look less than worthy of front-of-the-pack positions.” (4/1/2003)

… Edwards has checked in and reported his campaign has raised at least $7.4 million during the first three months of the year. Overnight news reports indicate that figure is likely to put Edwards – who was expected to raise about $5 million – among the frontrunners in the Dem presidential fundraising derby. (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/2/2003)

… President Bush has invited Edwards – along with Elizabeth Dole – to join him on a flight to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina today. At least all three – Bush, Dole and Edwards – are supporters of the Iraq initiatives. (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/3/2003)

… Paul Harvey told his national broadcast audience yesterday that Dean and Lieberman have each raised $3 million, and Edwards and Kerry have reported $7 million in contributions – adding “early money is supposed to indicate something.” (4/4/2003)

… Antiwar Democrats – which includes a significant bloc of IA Dem caucus-goers – now have another reason to abandon Edwards. During the president’s comments to Marines at Camp Lejeune yesterday he acknowledged Edwards, Elizabeth Dole and three members of Congress who traveled with him to North Carolina.  GWB said the five were “strong supporters of the military.” A sidelight: Media reports indicated GOP Rep. Richard Burr, who is running for Edwards’ Senate seat in 2004, was not among the invited to fly on Air Force One to NC. (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/4/2003)

… On an AP dispatch from Scott Mooneyham in Raleigh: “John Edwards to Keep Senate Options Open” Report says Edwards has not ruled out “running for a second term in 2004 if his White House bid falters” and that his “presidential aspirations are competing with the equally pressing task” of shoring up his political operations in North Carolina. Under state law, he could seek both offices – but that’s unlikely. (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/4/2003)

… Edwards had his shot to impress IA Dems during the 90-minute forum in DSM yesterday and – despite voting for the Iraq resolution in the Senate – said the true test of the Bush decision to launch military attacks will come after the fighting ends. AP’s Iowa caucus expert Mike Glover reports that Edwards “argued that the United States could send the strongest of signals by quickly returning control of the Iraqi oil fields to a transitional regime and making clear that oil revenues will stay in Iraq.” Edwards: “The way to do that is to be committed to reconstruction of Iraq. We also ought to make it clear that we are not there for those oil fields.” (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/7/2003)

… Des Moines Register’s Thomas Beaumont focused coverage on Edwards’ health care views – reports Edwards called for expanding “number of Americans with health care…but stopped short of joining some of his rivals in endorsing a universal national health care plan.” (4/7/2003)

Edwards: “…Edwards was met with silence when he declared: ‘I want you to know I not only support the troops…I support the cause. I believe that our cause is just in Iraq.’” – Los Angeles Times…”Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina told the labor leaders that ‘this presidency is a failure for the middle class of America.’”—Washington Times…”The four candidates who voted to give Bush the authority to pursue his policy of Iraq applauded the military campaign’s success and said it was time to challenge the president on his domestic agenda, even while the administration focuses on postwar Iraq. ‘It is the responsibility of the president of the United States to be able to do two things at one time,’ said Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.’” – Chicago Tribune.   4/9/2003

… Kerry tells WHO Radio (Des Moines) yesterday that protests condemning his “regime change” remarks – such as the one held over weekend outside his DSM campaign headquarters – are being organized by Republicans. That may be the most astute observation and most accurate statement Kerry has made since announcing his presidential candidacy. Speaking of WHO Radio, talk show host Mickelson yesterday ridiculed Edwards’ statement during DSM Sunday forum about “taking the fight” to GWB. Mickelson played tape of Edwards comment – asking “Doesn’t he sound almost like Barney Fife?” and noting he “almost fell off my chair” listening to the Edwards’ tough talk. Mickelson says it’s easy to be tough in “a totally friendly environment” with a “nearly hand-picked audience” at a forum arranged by Harkin. Mickelson: “It cracks me up. If he wants to fight anybody, why doesn’t he come out where the big boys are?” Just to pile on the North Carolina senator, Mickelson then played an audio cut of Barney Fife (Don Knotts) as the Mayberry deputy – apparently so listeners could determine whether Edwards or Fife/Knotts sounded more ridiculous, or funnier…(Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/9/2003)

… Greg Pierce in the “Insider Politics” column from yesterday’s Washington Times: “Sen. John Edwards defended his backing of the war in Iraq to skeptical Democratic activists Sunday, but said the real test of U. S. policy will come after the fighting ends…In the first session [of the monthly Harkin-moderated forums featuring the Dem wannabes], Mr. Harkin and Mr. Edwards prowled the stage taking questions from about 300 activists. The questions, mostly on domestic issues, sounded like speeches, the Associated Press reports.” (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/9/2003)

… When the Senate voted 80-0 Monday to confirm the judicial appointment of Cormac J. Carney as a federal district judge in CA, all of the senator-wannabes – Edwards, Graham, Kerry, Lieberman – were among the missing. Meanwhile over in the House, Gephardt continued to assure his St. Louis area constituents that they continued to be un-represented. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Actually, it’s a tossup whether he’s there or not.  They are un-represented when he misses House votes – and are misrepresented when he is there and voting.) Gephardt was recorded as “not voting” when the House considered a series of fairly non-controversial bills. (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/9/2003)

…Edwards joined the chorus of Democrats raising questions about his postwar plans. On the Senate floor Thursday, Edwards said: “We must hold him [Bush] to those commitments [to rebuild Iraq]. Because in Afghanistan the president’s rhetoric about winning the peace looks more and more like an empty promise.” . (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/12/2003)

… From letter to editor – headlined “Give me some real Democrats” in yesterday’s Des Moines Register: “North Carolina Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards is a quintessential example of the flawed logic that is too prevalent among my fellow Democrats…On the one hand, he waxes eloquent about all of the health, education and environmental needs facing our nation that are not being met because of inadequate funding. On the other hand, he votes to put our nation deeper in debt to finance an immoral, unjust, pre-emptive was in defiance of world opinion. When it comes to a choice between guns and butter, he chooses guns. Paul Wellstone, who before his untimely death was dedicated to inviting Democrats back to the real party, is venerated with words, but seldom with action. I am looking for real Democrats to show up on caucus night.” – Chet Guinn, Des Moines . (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/13/2003)

…Report on Dean’s campaign appearance in Cedar Falls – AP’s resident caucus-watcher Mike Glover writes Dean “said Friday that the U. S-led war against Iraq will remain a divisive issue for Democrats despite the collapse of Saddam Hussein’s regime.” Dean quote: “All these folks [other Dem candidates] who are crowing about their vote and the outcome are going to learn that the occupation [of Iraq] will be very difficult. That’s probably going to be the next lesson.” Glover reminds readers – and presumably IA Dems – about the four Dem wannabes who supported the Iraq resolution: Lieberman, Edwards, Kerry and Gephardt. . (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/13/2003)

…Headline on coverage from Iowa in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times online edition, “Democrats May Face War Quagmire…Fighting in Iraq threatens to divide the party like nothing has since the Vietnam era, putting its candidates in a political minefield.” Times staff writer Mark Z. Barabak reviews the respective Iraq war positions of the Dem wannabes and interviews several Iowa Democrats about their candidate preferences – and reports, “There are minefields aplenty.” Example: “Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts, who voted to support the war in Iraq, has been pilloried by Republicans for a quip he made April 2 about the need for ‘regime change’ in Washington. It was a line Kerry had used before with little notice – then the shooting started and the rules of the political engagement suddenly changed.” Barabak reports that “the presidential candidates are not the only ones pulled by the crosscurrents of wartime politics.” He notes that Iowan – and antiwar activist -- Diane Krell “said that despite her disappointment with Edwards and other Democrats who backed Bush on Iraq, she has not ruled out supporting one of them if he seems best able to defeat the president in November 2004.” James Peterson, who was seated just a few rows over from Krell at the Des Moines forum, was quoted as saying, “It’s great to win battles. But I want to win the war. And right now the war [for Democrats] is beating Bush and winning the White House.”  (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/14/2003)

… Edwards is expected to meet today with New Mexico Guv – and former Clinton go-to guy – Bill Richardson during a visit that includes an evening fundraiser with Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who endorsed Edwards’ candidacy last week, among the hosts. The News & Observer in Raleigh reports New Mexico is among the states considering an earlier primary – next February – rather than waiting until the scheduled June primary election. The Raleigh newspaper also reported Edwards “remains without a timetable for deciding whether to run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2004.” (Iowa Presidential Watch, 4/15/2003)

… From this week’s “Washington Whispers” column by Paul Bedard in U. S. News & World Report, “Maybe this is why Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards has vacuumed up more money this year than any other competitor. The word ‘contribute’ was imposed over the American flag on the top of his campaign Web page. ‘It’s tacky,’ says a Democratic foe.”  (4/16/2003)

With the first nominating contests less than 10 months away, Edwards remains in single digits in recent polls from Iowa (8 percent), New Hampshire (2 percent) and South Carolina (6 percent) – the last of which is widely considered a must-win for Edwards, who was born there.” (4/17/2003, Iowa Presidential Watch)

… California Dreamin’ I: Although some numbers from The Field Poll (among registered Democrats) in California have been reported, Iowa Pres Watch notes that – as far as early observers are concerned – the field of Dem wannabes is breaking into three distinct factions. The Big Three with double-digit numbers: Lieberman (22%), Kerry (16%) and Gephardt (12%). The single-digit group: Dean (7%), Sharpton and Moseley Braun (both with 4%), Edwards (3%), Graham (2%) and Kucinich (1%). The third – and largest – faction: Undecided (29%).  (4/18/2003)

… On the Dem money trail – a headline from yesterday’s Los Angeles Times: “Kerry’s $8 Million Puts Him in Front of Democratic Rivals…First detailed look at the presidential hopefuls’ war chests shows Edwards raised more in three months of 2003. Gephardt is third.” Staff Writer Mark Z. Barabak writes: “As the Democratic presidential campaign picks up, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry is on the best financial footing, with more than $8 million in the bank, according to the first detailed accounting of the candidates’ fund-raising performance. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who raised slightly more than Kerry in the first three months of the year, had $5.7 million on hand. Rep. Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri was third with roughly $5 million.” (4/18/2003)

… Edwards mixes series of issues, themes yesterday during eastern IA swing. Headline from Quad-City Times on Davenport stop: “Edwards: I’ll take the fight to Bush”… Des Moines Register coverage, headline: “Edwards opposes any new tax cuts” Register’s Thomas Beaumont reports from Davenport that Edwards said “he would refuse to back any new tax cut despite the compromise President Bush offered this week.”… Broadcast reports this morning re Edwards remarks at Cedar Rapids event last night – Edwards said the U. S. has to do some fence-mending with old friends and allies, also must show United States is serious about letting Iraqis govern themselves… Headline in this morning’s Daily Iowan (University of Iowa): “Edwards stands on populist pulpit” He called the Bush administration “the government of the insiders, by the insiders and for the insiders.” DI says Edwards “pledged on Thursday to fight for ‘regular people’ if elected president.” (4/18/2003)

… The Edwards campaign has returned $10,000 in contributions from employees of a Little Rock law firm – Turner & Associates PA – after a law clerk said she expected her bosses to reimburse her for a $2,000 contribution. The Washington Post account yesterday said: “Although $10,000 is a pittance in modern presidential fundraising, yesterday’s announcement could embarrass the Edwards campaign, already criticized by opponents for its heavy reliance on trial lawyers’ money. It also underscores the intense pressure on campaigns to raise large sums of money early – both to demonstrate their viability and to pay for the staff, ads and other tools needed to survive the flood of early caucuses and primaries starting in January.” Five law clerks at the Little Rock law firm gave $2,000 each to the Edwards campaign. (4/19-20/2003)

Iowa a week ago while rivals Lieberman and Kucinich cancelled IA stops to cast votes in Washington. Gephardt spokeswoman Kim Molstre quote: “Dick has said all along you can’t make all the votes and run for president…He feels very strongly that being out in Iowa is very, very important.” At the other end of the spectrum, Kucinich hasn’t missed any votes this year. In the Senate, Kerry has missed the most (52 votes), Lieberman was absent for 29 votes (22%), Edwards 21 votes (16%), and Graham has missed only three votes. (4/19-20/2003)

From yesterday’s Daily Iowan (University of Iowa) coverage: “Criticizing Bush on education, health care, and civil liberties, Edwards said Americans were ‘hungry’ for a different choice…. He said he would work to get health insurance for the 41 million Americans without it and contended that Bush would never do the same, calling the president ‘married to the pharmaceutical industry.’…’We must have the courage to say we will not, in the name of the war on terrorism, let people like John Ashcroft take away our rights and our liberties,’ he said. ‘We can never give up the core principles that make America what it is.” More than 200 people showed up for the Edwards Iowa City appearance. – From yesterday’s QCTimes.com: “Henry Marquard is the kind of Democrat that presidential candidate John Edwards needs in Iowa. Taken by Edwards’ rise to prominence from humble roots, Marquard, the vice chairman of the Muscatine County Democratic Party, says the North Carolina senator has his support in the scrap for the party’s 2004 presidential nomination. ‘I believe he’s the best candidate for the Democratic Party to win,” Marquard said as he waited in line Thursday to shake Edwards’ hand…He said he ‘somewhat’ disagreed with Edwards for supporting the U. S. -led invasion of Iraq. But that is not keeping him from supporting him.” (4/19-20/2003)

… Over the weekend, Senior Political Reporter John DiStaso of The Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News wrote: “Five Democratic Presidential candidates spent $78,230 on salaries and consulting fees to 12 New Hampshire staffers and a local paid consultant between Jan. 1 and March 31.” DiStaso reported that Kerry “leads the New Hampshire staff salary parade with $30,772 spent on four Granite Staters.” Lieberman spent $16,906, Edwards $15,789, Dean $11,236 and Gephardt $3,527.(4/21/2003)

… Edwards’ West Coast fundraising rampage continues. On the heels of a Monday Tacoma (WA) News Tribune report that Edwards was the leading Dem fundraiser in Washington state, the Portland Oregonian reported yesterday that Edwards received nearly $62,000 of the almost $100,000 the Dem wannabes raised in Oregon during the first quarter of the year. It also proved there are trial lawyers in Oregon – noting that “at least $33,000 of the nearly $62,000 he raised in Oregon came from trial lawyers or their spouses, according to reports filed last week with the Federal Election Commission.” As in Washington state, Dean was second in Oregon fundraising – with “just less than $25,000. Staunch opposition to the war in Iraq helped bring him to the attention of Democratic activists.” Others: Kerry, $8,050; Gephardt, $2,000; and Lieberman and Kucinich “received less than $4,000 from Oregon contributors.” Graham and Moseley Braun did not have any Oregon contributors and – as the New Hampshire media and Tacoma account have reported – Sharpton did not file a first-quarter FEC report. (4/23/2003)

… New York Times – under headline “U. S. Looks Into Edwards Campaign Donations” – this morning reports, “The Justice Department’s public integrity section has opened a criminal investigation into donations made to the presidential campaign of Senator John Edwards by employees at a prominent Arkansas law firm, according to lawyers close to the matter.” The contributions from law clerks at North Little Rock firm – Turner & Associates – first reported last week, and Edwards campaign has returned them.  (4/24/2003)

… The Raleigh News-Observer reported yesterday that former GA Guv Roy Barnes has endorsed Edwards for Dem presidential nomination. Report by John Wagner said: “Barnes, as a Southern governor, had been touted as a potential 2004 presidential candidate himself until his re-election defeat last November.” Edwards spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said “having the endorsements of respected Southern Democratic leaders like Governor Barnes is going to be enormously important to the campaign’s ability to succeed in Southern states.” (4/25/2003)

… Excerpts from “Caucus Notebook” by Des Moines Register’s caucus correspondent Thomas Beaumont – Kerry, Edwards and Lieberman “may have unwittingly upped the ante in their caucus quests by raising expectations, a no-no in Iowa presidential politics where beating expectations often trumps winning…Kerry’s Iowa supporters say the Massachusetts Democrat has discussed increasing his visibility in the state. Kerry has stressed his ability to wage a national campaign. With seven days in Iowa planned in May, including his second three-day swing, higher expectations may precede Kerry…Edwards, who has done less to dampen Iowa expectations than Kerry, said the $7.4 million he raised in the first-quarter is going to afford him a lot more time in Iowa…For a guy up against 1988 caucus winner Dick Gephardt and 30-time Iowa visitor Howard Dean, Edwards has his work cut out for him…For Lieberman, who has campaigned in Arizona more often than he’s campaigned in Iowa or New Hampshire, the picnic appearance [at the annual Vilsack family picnic in Mount Pleasant on 6/8] will boost the Connecticut senator’s visibility and perhaps his expectations.”(4/26/2003)

… Headline from yesterday’s Sunday New Hampshire News: “Edwards says Bush administration is a group of ‘insiders’” AP coverage of Edwards remarks to a “gathering” in Henniker – “Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Saturday that President Bush’s administration is run by the business elite for big business, not working people. ‘There is a small group of people running our country,’ the senator from North Carolina told a gathering at New England College …Edwards emphasized his commitment to working class Americans and said companies must stop paying corporate chief executives excessive salaries. The senator said he wants to stop salaries of top executives from increasing at a greater rate than middle class wages. ‘We need a law that says CEOs can’t protect their pensions while monkeying around with working people’s pensions and benefits,’ he said.”    … Also on Edwards: Associated Press report out of Dover in New Hampshire papers this morning indicates Edwards “realizes it will take more time than money to succeed in New Hampshire.”  (4/28/2003)

… Donald Lambro reported in yesterday’s Washington Times – under the headline, “War gives Democrats ‘invisible primary’ – that the “Democratic presidential contest – so eclipsed by the U.S. war in Iraq that few Democrats can name any of their candidates – is being called the ‘invisible primary.’” Excerpts: “Interviews with Democratic officials confirmed that after several months of campaigning in the early primary states around the country, the contenders and their issues have received relatively little public attention on the national stage…There seems to be a growing consensus among party strategists who have not endorsed any of the candidates that Mr. Kerry is the clear front-runner, with Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Lieberman and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean battling it out for second place. Despite having raised more money than any of his rivals, Mr. Edwards’ campaign has not caught on and his recognition remains in the low single digits in the early primary states of Iowa and New Hampshire.”  (4/29/2003)

… Headline on poll in News & Observer of Raleigh online: “Uphill battle in his home state” which reported that Edwards would lose to GWB if the election were held now in North Carolina. The poll indicated that Bush would have a 58-39 win over Edwards. The News & Observer’s Washington correspondent, John Wagner, reported the “19-point margin is the largest since Edwards entered the race four months ago.” Wagner also wrote that the survey “showed a growing interest” in Dem wannabe Kerry among North Carolina voters. Edwards retained his home state dominance – 43% support for the Dem nomination, although that’s a drop from 51% in January. Kerry, on the other hand, had a 23% showing in the April poll – up 9% from the January sampling. All the other Democrats seeking the Dem nomination are in single digits in North Carolina – Lieberman 9%, Gephardt and Dean 7%, and Sharpton 6%. The rest did not even register 1% in the survey. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Another possibility -- The North Carolina primary isn’t scheduled for more than a year – May 2004 – and Edwards and Kerry may be well-burnt political toast by then.)(4/29/2003)

… Few Hampshire media outlets yesterday carried Edwards’ comments from his weekend trip to the state. Edwards said “most of the voters he approached listed the economy as their top concern, which fit with the main message of his visit: President Bush is mismanaging the economy. ‘He’s dealing with serious economic problems by pushing budget-busting tax cuts for the richest people in the country,’ Edwards said.” The AP reported that Edwards said he would “cut taxes for the middle class, while sending $50 billion more to the states to increase jobs, boost homeland security and Medicaid, and meet the federal government’s obligation to fund its education mandates.” (4/29/2003)

DC political newspaper, The Hill report said documents filed with the FEC show that during the first quarter  Edwards raised $4,000 in IA, Kerry raised $11,000, Dean raised $7,750 and “even Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) took in $1,711 from Iowa supporters.”(4/30/2003)

… Latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll basically reaffirms conventional wisdom that Dem presidential derby is a Big Three vs. The Rest situation. Although Dean enjoys good support in the “early states” and Edwards showed superior first-quarter fundraising prowess, the national sentiment reflected in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows Lieberman 23%, Kerry 17% and Gephardt 15%. Analysts said one of the most interesting developments was that Lieberman, a proponent of the war against Iraq, improved his position in the poll conducted 4/22-23. (4/30/2003)

… Did he have a crystal ball? Even before the latest dustup between Dean and Kerry on their support for maintaining the nation’s military superiority this week (see yesterday’s morning report for more), Ryan Lizza – in his New Republic commentary – didn’t just focus on Dean’s upcoming South Carolina adventure, but also highlighted the potential Dean-Kerry clash. Lizza’s commentary: “The other candidates, especially Lieberman and Edwards, neither of whom is expected to win in Iowa or New Hampshire, seem delighted by the prospect of a titanic battle between Dean and Kerry. ‘Dean could slay Kerry for us,’ says an aide to a rival campaign. Without the burden of having to win in the two early states, both Edwards and Lieberman are elbowing for advantage in what might be called the February 3 strategy. That’s the first primary day after New Hampshire, and, while it originally was monopolized by South Carolina, now Arizona and Missouri are also scheduled for that day, with Oklahoma, New Mexico and Tennessee preparing to move there as well.”(4/30/2003)

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