Senator Edwards And Sen Kerry example essay topic

Many Americans recognize John Edwards as the second coming of Jimmy Carter; the soft-spoken Democratic Senator from the south. They know him as the running mate of John Kerry in his 2004 Presidential campaign. But before the North Carolina Senator entertained aspirations of President or Vice-President of the United States, John Edwards made a name for himself as a successful trial lawyer, a strong husband and father, and charismatic politician. Born in Seneca, South Carolina on June 10th 1953, Johnny Reid Edwards was raised a Methodist and learned the values of hard work and perseverance from his father, Wallace and mother, Bobbie, while growing up in Robbins, North Carolina. Working alongside his father in the textile mill, John was taught that all Americans should be treated equally and that the voice of every man and woman in the United States should be heard.

He grew up without the benefit of a private school education, something of which Edwards is, to this day, extremely proud. He was the first of his family to go to college. John attended North Carolina State University, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1974 with a BS in textile technology, an impressive accomplishment by any standard. But given the values of hard work and perseverance learned by his parents, John Edwards did not quit his schooling after a BS from NC State. He continued on to the University of North Carolina (at Chapel Hill) where he graduated their law program Cum Laude in 1977. While attending law school at UNC, he met his wife, Elizabeth An ania, whom he married in 1977.

John Edwards dedicated his professional life to helping those who couldn't help themselves. Following his graduation from law school, John Edwards spent a year clerking for the office of Judge Franklin Dupree, Jr. of the United States District Court (Eastern District). In 1978, he accepted an associate position working for the firm of Dearborn and Ewing, where he practiced law for three years. He jumped ship to work for another firm, Tharrington, Smith and Hargrove, a position he held for two years before being promoted to partner at that firm.

He continued as a partner at Tharrington, Smith and Hargrove until 1992, when he left to start his own law practice with fellow lawyer, David Kirby. Edwards and Kirby practiced together for five years, until Edwards decided to try his hand at politics and give the people he'd spent twenty years fighting for a louder voice. On November 3rd 1998, John Edwards was elected to the office of United States Senate, defeating Republican incumbent, Launch Fair cloth. In Congress, Senator Edwards quickly emerged as a champion for the issues that make a difference to American families: quality health care, better schools, protecting civil liberties, preserving the environment, saving Social Security and Medicare, and reforming the ways campaigns are financed. As a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator Edwards worked tirelessly for a strong national defense, and strengthening the security of our homeland. He authored key pieces of legislation on Internet and port security, as well as biological terrorism.

During the latter part of 2001 and throughout 2002, Edwards engaged in serious politicking, and on January 2, 2003, he announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee, declaring himself a champion for regular folks. On September 16th 2003, in front of the old Milliken Mill (his father's workplace of thirty-six years) in Robbins, North Carolina, Sen. Edwards formally announced his candidacy for President during the 2004 elections. Although there was no rule or law against his inhabitancy of a Senate seat while running for President, John Edwards announced that he would not seek re-election, so that he could focus all of his efforts toward his Presidential campaign. Some viewed Edwards as a very viable candidate, given his success as a Senator in North Carolina. He also had a strong African-American constituency, which he began building during his 1998 Senate campaign. He was a respected Democrat from the south, who, if receiving his party's nomination, could pose problems for the Bush administration's hopes for a second term in office.

Regarding national security, Edwards had built a record as a moderate. He voted in favor of the Patriot Act, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the Iraq war resolution, but did not maintain as high a profile in pushing those through to passage as did fellow candidates Sen. Joseph Lieberman, and Rep. Richard Gephardt. Edwards's ub sequent criticisms of Attorney General John Ashcroft and President Bush caused the most serious flaps of his campaign; since he supported the initiatives he now criticizes the two men for handling. Sen. Edwards also faced repeated questions about the inconsistency between his vow to "vote for what needs to be there to support our troops" at the time of the Iraq war resolution and his vote against President Bush's emergency supplemental request of $87 billion.

Edwards claims that the spending bill was "a blank check", and that denying it would force the president to present Congress with a clarified strategy. After a successful campaign against fellow Democrats Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Howard Dean and several others contending for the nomination, Sen. Edwards, gracefully bowed out of the race in early March 2004, after it became evident that Sen. Kerry would win their party's nomination. Following Sen. Kerry's victory in the primaries, he needed to select a Vice-Presidential candidate. Given the success of Edwards' campaign, his record in office, his respect among particular delegations and his tremendously high likeability, Sen. Kerry, selected Sen. John Edwards as his running mate. John Edwards emphasized several key positions throughout his candidacy for both President, and ultimately, Vice-President as the running mate for John Kerry. In the realm of National Service, he believed in increasing military compensation; supporting the increase of servicemen's refundable child tax credit and improving the pay, housing and healthcare for American troops.

Edwards' economic plan included short-term stimulation, while restoring long-term fiscal discipline and leveling the playing field for American businesses. Strengthening the public school systems in the United States was also a high priority for Edwards and had been throughout his political career. The public school educated senator openly opposed private school voucher plans. Senator Edwards and Sen. Kerry were a dynamic duo running against the incumbent Bush administration. Kerry, a well respected, highly decorated Vietnam vet, and Edwards, a polished trial lawyer and self-made American success story, campaigned heavily in 'swing states' throughout the country since their official acceptance of each of their respective nominations. Some claimed Edwards was a wise choice for Vice-President, citing his likeability and that his success as a trial lawyer would prove beneficial in debate scenarios.

Others challenged the choice, claiming that despite his success, his limited tenure in Senate would ultimately be detrimental to the Kerry / Edwards campaign. For three months, since their respective acceptances at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts (Kerry's home state), John Edwards campaigned on Kerry's behalf. But would it be enough? On November 2nd 2004, Americans voted in record numbers for an election that was being called 'the most important of our lifetime. ' Beginning with the evening news at 5 PM local time, Democrats and Republicans alike huddled around televisions across the country, and watched, with great anticipation, as the results for the next President of the United States were beginning to be reported. The night went as predicted, with Kerry / Edwards carrying those states that Gore / Lieberman carried in the oft-parodied Presidential election of 2000.

As expected, it proved to be a long night of vote tabulation, so long in fact, that it carried well into November 3rd, with no winner being declared as late as 10 AM eastern time. Despite Edwards' high likeability and respect among voters in southern circles, he could not deliver southern votes for John Kerry. The gentleman senator from North Carolina did not even manage to carry his own state of North Carolina for Kerry. And after a long night spent waiting to hear vote counts from Ohio and several other states, it proved to be all for naught, as the Bush administration won Ohio and with that, re-election to another term in office.

All afternoon the news programs questioned the strategies of the Democrats in trying to secure office. A common concern was whether or not John Kerry was even the candidate best suited to square off against President Bush. Some critics said they would have rather have seen Sen. Howard Dean, as his campaign style was that of almost guerilla warfare, and he was seen as the candidate of the next generation, which might have brought out more younger voters (only 17% of registered voters 18-24 came out to support Kerry). Others, however, were quick to point out that Sen. Dean's liberal views regarding the issue of gay marriage would have made the debate even more one-sided, favoring Bush. Of course, the pundits all noted Edwards' inability to hand Kerry North Carolina, which must have hurt Edwards, but the fact of the matter is, the Kerry / Edwards machine didn't make it a priority to secure any of the southern delegation, seeming almost willing to concede defeat in the south, if they were able to win even a handful of the battleground states, considering they'd carry the west coast and the northeast, both typically Democratic areas.

Following John Kerry's concession speech, the Democrats are now forced to look ahead to the future. Who will lead the party? Former Senator Edwards no longer occupies a seat, as his vacancy was filled on Election Day. He and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton appear, at least at first glance, to be the front-runners for the Democratic nomination in 2008, however, given Edwards' inability to deliver his home state to Kerry, and the fact that Sen. Clinton would be fighting to be the first woman elected President in United States history, the prospects, at least so soon after the election, seem less than stellar. But the fact remains; John Edwards is young and energetic.

He is immensely likeable and is a self-made man. He has a respectable record in his one term in the Senate. And despite his connection to an ultimately unsuccessful Kerry campaign and the loss of his seat in Senate, it is unlikely that the Democrats will leave Edwards in the cold. He worked tirelessly for John Kerry and may very well continue to work tirelessly for the Democratic Party. John Edwards may be down right now, but he is certainly not out, having overcome before. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have struggled with the loss of a child, Wade (their eldest), in 1996 from a car accident.

He was also survived by a younger sister, Cate, a recent Princeton grad. After Wade's death, John and Elizabeth decided to conceive children again, giving birth to Emma Claire and Jack. And while the tragedy of losing a child cannot be confused with the misfortune of losing an election, the will, courage and perseverance to continue, necessary to overcome is present in John Edwards. It is unlikely that American voters have seen the last of the gentleman from North Carolina. I suspect we could see him again in 2008.

But just in case we don't, it can't hurt to have a lawyer of his caliber working for the Democrats to amend the Constitution so that Bill Clinton can run again. Works web edwards. asp web id = CNC 68243 web Edwards web.