Edwards' Poverty Tour: Following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King, Jr. & Robert F. Kennedy

[Sapphire Blue]

Taylor Marsh
Edwards' Poverty Tour
Posted July 9, 2007 | 05:26 PM (EST)

"If it has political value it has political value."
- David Bonior, national campaign manager of the Edwards presidential campaign

That was Bonoir's response to Anne Kornblut today during a reporter conference call I was on, covering the political side of Edwards's "Road to One America Tour." The path will retrace two of the most famous men in social justice, Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy, with the spirit of 1968 obviously woven into the idea.

John Edwards plans to trace the steps of Dr. King's 1968 Poor People's March that started in Marks, Mississippi, as well as R.F.K.'s 1968 200-mile poverty tour that ended in Southeastern Kentucky, where Edwards will end as well. The goal is to raise awareness of poverty in America, as well as to offer solutions (raise the minimum wage higher and encourage unions), while challenging the press and politicians, especially his '08 rivals, to pay attention to the issue of poverty in America, which hits 1 in 8 Americans.

In a conference call with reporters this afternoon, Edwards national campaign manager David Bonior previewed the three-day, eight-state, 12-city poverty tour -- the "Road to One America" tour -- that Edwards will embark on next week. The goal, Bonior said, is to highlight the 37 million Americans living in poverty. "They are not just statistics. They are human beings with hopes and aspirations."
EDWARDS' POVERTY TOUR

David Bonior, the national campaign manager of the Edwards campaign, discussed the route. Next Monday, the first day, begins in the 9th Ward in New Orleans, then travels through several poverty stricken areas of Mississippi, into Arkansas, Memphis and Cleveland, Ohio. Day two will take the candidate and others to Ohio, then Pittsburgh. Day three will be in Virginia, then to Kentucky, ending where RFK did in 1968.

(snip)

Edwards also wants to get the other '08 candidates playing in his field. We'll see if any bite.

More importantly, will the press cover, and will people care, about poverty Edwards' poverty tour?

If nothing else, you can bet that the wingnuts will make fun of it and Edwards. Because as much as Republicans love wealth, they deplore wealthy people fighting to actually help people to find a path to get there. As the Republicans see it a person should figure this stuff out on his or her own. Their hypocrisy on wealth is a mile wide. The Edwards' poverty tour will likely drive the wingnuts wild. If Edwards and his team are smart they'll use the wingnuts to their own political advantage. People love a good fight. If Edwards gets the opportunity he should take it.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taylor-marsh/edwards-poverty-tour_b_55495.html

Transformational Change For America And The World - JOHN EDWARDS for PRESIDENT 2008

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
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:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

A true revolution of values

"I'm proposing we set a national goal of eliminating poverty in the next 30 years." - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Silence is Betrayal - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Moral Leadership - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Ending Poverty in America - edited by Senator John Edwards

[wordpix]

1. damn! he's not coming to my state. I hope lots of Dems will turn out to greet him

Even if you're not for Edwards, I would guess you're against poverty. Thank you, John Edwards! He hasn't forgotten his roots.

[H2O Man]

2. Nominated.

Thank you for posting this. Sometimes events are such that we wish that MLK and RFK were here to provide leadership. In a very real sense, they are: we have many people at various levels in our society who learned the lessons that Martin and Robert taught. At this time, Edwards is the only candidate in the presidential primaries who is making a statement on the issue of poverty. The democratic party needs to listen closely to what Edwards is saying.

[Sapphire Blue]

4. Thank you, H2O Man!

All too often we hear the questions "Where is our Dr. King?" "Where is our Bobby Kennedy?"

He's right here:

Transformational Change For America And The World - JOHN EDWARDS for PRESIDENT 2008

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

A true revolution of values

"I'm proposing we set a national goal of eliminating poverty in the next 30 years." - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Silence is Betrayal - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Moral Leadership - JOHN EDWARDS 08

Ending Poverty in America - edited by Senator John Edwards

[waiting for hope]

3. I love that fact

that he's starting in New Orleans - still, the only candidate to highlight New Orleans and the mess that it is.

Thanks SB! K&R!!

[bananas]

5. k&r nt

[Sapphire Blue]

6. ..

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Sapphire Blue]

7. ..

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: