Edwards takes aim at drug companies, insurance companies and Hillary

[JohnLocke]

Edwards takes aim at drug companies, insurance companies and Hillary
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
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Fresh from his Youtube debate in South Carolina, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards drew a rush-hour crowd of about 350 to the Georgia Freight Depot in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday.

At $15 a head — it was dubbed a “small change for big change” event — this may have been a Georgia political consumer’s best chance to get up close and personal with the candidate.

As he did in the Monday debate on CNN, Edwards pressed his populist message — and his advocacy of universal health care — by focusing on James Lowe, a 51-year-old disabled coal miner from southwest West Virginia, who was born with a cleft palate. Lowe was uninsured, and lived with the condition until last year.

“This describes what’s wrong with America,” Edwards said. “For 50 years of his life, in the United States of America, the richest nation on the planet with a medical problem that was entirely fixable, James Lowe was not able to talk,” Edwards said. “When are we finally going to stand up to these insurance companies and drug companies?”

Edwards had several lines that were clearly aimed at Hillary Clinton:

—“We need big bold change in this country. Not small change. We will not have big change through compromise or triangulation.” (Most of you remember that triangulation was a favorite tactic of Bill Clinton.)
—“(People) are not interested in seeing one group of Washington insiders replaced with another group of Washington insiders.”

As in May, when Edwards addressed a state Democratic fund-raiser, one of his big applause lines was his declaration that he’d rid the country of insurance policies that refused to cover “pre-existing conditions.”

In the crowd: Former Gov. Roy Barnes, who introduced the couple; House Minority Leader Dubose Porter (D-Dublin); U.S. Senate candidate Dale Cardwell; state Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna) and state Sen. Steve Henson (D-Tucker).
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Read the rest here.

[silverojo]

1. K&R! n/t

[Triana]

2. K & R for my President...

...my choice - still.

[gnvresident]

3. Edwards can lead us

John Edwards is proving his ability time and time again to lead the changes that we need. He knows what issues are really important and has excellent ideas of what to do with this country.

[JohnLocke]

4. Kick (nt).

[geek tragedy]

5. I'll be impressed when he actually user her name. eom

[draft_mario_cuomo]

10. He did--and Obama's--at the June NH debate

In Obama's case he did it twice in that debate (the second time was when he pointed out that Obama's non-universal "universal" health plan would leave at least 15 million Americans uninsured). Obama and HRC have yet to take on anyone directly in a debate, although they sure talk tough about each other on the campaign trail...

[defendandprotect]

6. Impressive that Edwards called them out --

Actually speaking the dirty words . . .

And he forced Hillary, then, to switch from "special interests" to insurance/drug companies...

Europes social benefits have long been under attack -- and they're going to succeed --
unless we tip America to national health care--

If you think back quite a few years . . . what was the name of the guy? Began with a W . . .
had been pushing health care and the country was ready to go. Suddenly, all gone.

We have to make sure this time that national health care -- extending Medicare to everyone --
is accomplished!!!!!

Can we even do that ??????

[Manifestor_of_Light]

7. Yes I liked that message in the debate.

When he used the words "compromise and triangulation" I knew he was attacking Hillary.
Best statement of the whole debate. Said he'd been fighting big corporations his whole life, and we can't have real change with compromise and triangulation.

The story about the 50 year old man who finally got his cleft palate fixed so he could talk was also very moving.

I like Michael Moore's tactic of calling "socialized medicine" "Christianized medicine" because Jesus said we should heal the sick. Excellent.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

8. The only real Dems in that debate are Edwards and Kucinich.

At least what us yellow dog Democrats used to call a Democrat -- soembody who looks out for the working stiff.

[BenDavid]

9. I will take WJC's triangulation any day

over what Edwards proposes. And if HRC decides to use the same tactics to bring about America regaining its position on the world stage then so be it. Triangulation brought us 8 years of peace and prosperity.....

I do thank you
Ben David

[JohnLocke]

11. Kick (nt).