Letter to DDN Editor: "Edwards an excellent choice"

Sometimes you read some of these letters and you just have to write back...

We were lucky in Dayton to get one of the first looks at the John Kerry/John Edwards presidential ticket. Edwards was an excellent pick — he brings a refreshing optimism and an ability to connect with people.

Yes, John Kerry picked well. Actually, Kerry picked the only guy he could. John Kerry picked a disingenuous, unaccomplished liberal who is a friend to Personal Injury Trial Lawyers.

Vice President Dick Cheney represents everything that is wrong with politics in this country.

Vice President Dick Cheney is an experienced politican who is serving his country with distinction. Only partisan hacks think otherwise.

Cheney invited the energy industry to help write an energy policy which it benefited from, at our expense. He came from scandal-plagued Halliburton, which got billions of dollars worth of no-bid contracts. He still holds stock options in that company.

This is nothing new. HILLARY invited the health care industry to help write HILLARYcare policy, which it would have benefitted from had it gotten out of committee and actually passed. "Scandal-plagued Halliburton"? I don't think so. The HALLIBURTON! smear has been debunked by people who don't espouse black helicopter conspiracy theories quite so dearly...

Edwards, on the other hand, has consistently prioritized ordinary people over corporations. He’s been an advocate for middle-class values and policies which help millions of families that are scraping to get by.

Yes, the The Daily Oklahoman (Editorial, “Man Of The People?”1/3/03) was so impressed they declared "[Edwards] is just the latest politician to declare himself one of the people, a populist who will fight for the little guy in the circles of power. In reality Edwards is a multimillionaire, his money made as a high-powered trial lawyer. We doubt you’ll find many calluses on that man’s hands."

And here is the New York Times: "He became rich [representing plaintiffs], racking up more than $175 million for his clients from 1985 to 1997 and amassing a personal fortune of at least $38 million, according to North Carolina Lawyers Weekly." (James C. Mckinley, Jr., "A Journey From A Mill Town Ends With A Run For President," The New York Times, 1/12/04)

Here is some more of Edwards' fighting for the little guy style:

Edwards Says We Need "The Backbone" To Fight Against, "Big Corporations, Pharmaceutical Companies, Big Insurances Companies, Big HMOs." "We can’t deal with the health care crisis in America unless we have the backbone and courage to do what I have been doing my entire life; fighting against big corporations, pharmaceutical companies, big insurance companies, big HMOs." (Sen. John Edwards, Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

But Since 1997, John Edwards Has Received Over $35,000 From Pharmaceutical Company Employees, Including $25,000 In Soft Money. (Dwight L. Morris & Associates Website; IRS 527 Search Website)

Edwards Received Soft Money From Agnes Varis, President & CEO, Agvar Chemicals -- $25,000 – 2nd Quarter 2002 Report, New American Optimists 527 (IRS 527 Search Website)

Edwards Owns Pharmaceutical Company Stock. According to his 2003 Senate Personal Financial Disclosure Report, Edwards owns stock in Johnson & Johnson and Merck. Edwards sold Bristol Myers Squibb stock, earning between $1,000-$15,000 in income. (Senator John Edwards, 2003 Senate Public Financial Disclosure Report)

President George W. Bush and Cheney have had their chance and failed. This November, it’s time for the American voters to help them step aside, and to let Kerry and Edwards lead us back in a direction we can be proud of.

I guess all that depends on what your definition of failure is. Our economy is recovering from the Clinton/Gore recession. We have liberated millions of people in two countries. Bush and Cheney have done a LOT that this nation is proud of and I see no reason for change now. This November, it is time for the American people to help clue in the obstructionists and naysayers that pessimism is not the answer.

Gary L. Lovings, Beavercreek OH

I'm Matt Hurley and I approved this message.