John Edwards for President-October 2007

October 2007

The Reviews Are In: John Edwards Won the Debate

George Stern
10/31/2007 at 11:12 PM CT

The reviews are in from last night's Democratic presidential debate in Philadelphia and the message is clear: John Edwards did the best job distinguishing himself from the rest of the field and offering clear ideas for how we can build One America and provide a better future for our children.

The Des Moines Register's David Yepsen wrote: "John Edwards emerged as the evening's most effective and articulate challenger to Clinton. She turned in an uneven, sometimes waffling performance...Edwards came ready for the scrap and he helped his candidacy." You can read more reviews here.

Good News from Our Granite State Friends

Pat Maloney
10/31/2007 at 7:31 PM CT

Earlier today, the New Hampshire State Council of the Service Employees International Union endorsed John Edwards. Along with the Iowa State Council, New Hampshire becomes the 12th SEIU State Council to endorse John - representing a total bloc of more than one million SEIU members.

This endorsement means that all 12 of those state councils can now engage SEIU members to help John Edwards in the first two contests for the nomination: Iowa and New Hampshire. It also means that the state endorsements garnered by any other candidate remain locked out of the early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Happy Halloween from Mason City!

Lacey Connelly
10/31/2007 at 11:07 AM CT

Lacey is a John Edwards for President field organizer working in our Mason City office.

Joe, a fellow organizer, carved out the top and then delegated the cleaning of the "guts." I was the one who wanted the pumpkin seeds (yum!) so I was tasked with scooping out the innards. After it was clean, Joe went to work doing the actual carving. And as you can see, Iowa is Edwards Country in more ways than one. Happy Halloween!

A Uniquely Iowan Experience

Kayla McGannon
10/30/2007 at 6:14 PM CT

Kayla McGannon is a John Edwards for President field organizer in Polk County.

While working on a presidential campaign in Iowa, I often find myself in exciting and interesting situations. Whether I am attending a large event like the Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, or teaching classes at a local high school on the history of the Iowa caucuses, my job is always exhilarating and meaningful.

Last month, I once again found myself in a situation uniquely Iowan in nature. It was a crisp fall afternoon when I hopped in my car, left the John Edwards for President headquarters in Des Moines, and headed out to Southeast Polk County to Murphy's Christmas Tree Farm, just east of Runnells, Iowa, to meet with one of our best supporters.

Murphy's Christmas Tree Farm has been in operation since 1976, when Jim and Marilyn Murphy - both big John Edwards supporters - sold their first batch of Christmas trees. Jim and Marilyn purchased the farm in 1967 and planted their first trees in 1968. Their farm, consisting of about 70 acres of trees, and almost 60 acres of beets and corn, has become a local landmark - a place where families converge every year to pick out their perfect tree and indulge in the holiday spirit.

As Marilyn and I drove around her Christmas tree farm, we talked about the urban expansion taking place all over Iowa and John's plans to protect family farmers, revitalize rural America, and strengthen the middle class in our country so everyone has a chance to work hard and get ahead. These plans are incredibly important to her.

It was truly a sight to see - the two of us consumed with presidential chatter, driving around in Marilyn's green jeep, with the backdrop of Christmas trees against the Iowa cornfield.

What These Endorsements Mean

Sarah Swisher
10/29/2007 at 3:46 PM CT

Sarah is the State Council Director of Iowa's Service Employees International Union

The fact that John Edwards has received the endorsement of state councils in 11 states - including Iowa - of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) representing over one million members across the country should not be taken lightly. With many states still waiting to make their decisions, John Edwards has already received over half of the nationwide SEIU membership.

It is no surprise that John Edwards has such widespread support from SEIU workers in every part of the country. He was the first candidate to lay out a truly universal health care plan in February - something our membership cares passionately about - and he has been leading the fight to provide better working conditions and benefits for nurses.

It is truly an honor to stand with John Edwards after he has stood with working men and women in so many tough fights. Standing with ordinary working people when they are struggling against big corporations to win fundamental rights on the job is not always the popular thing to do, but John Edwards has been there for us. He takes the risk of fighting for those with little against those with much because it is the right thing to do. John Edwards walks the walk.

SEIU is a very active union and with over one million supporters across the country, and in Iowa we have members in over half of Iowa's counties. We're ready to work for John and help him bring the change America needs.

Onward to a victory for John Edwards and a fair chance for ordinary Americans!

Pictures from the Road

George Stern
10/29/2007 at 9:43 AM CT

On Saturday evening at Drake University in Des Moines, John Edwards held a "99 County, 50 State Path to Victory" event to celebrate a major milestone. With a community meeting in Coulter, Iowa in Franklin County on Saturday morning, John became the first candidate to make stops and take questions in every single one of Iowa's 99 counties.

Drake University, Des Moines

Community Meeting in Coulter, Iowa

EXTRA! EXTRA! John Edwards Reaches 99 Counties!

George Stern
10/27/2007 at 9:03 AM CT

With a community meeting in Coulter, Iowa in Franklin County this morning, John is visiting his 99th Iowa county, making him the first presidential candidate to make stops and take questions in every single county in the state.

To properly cover this major milestone, The Edwards Extra is printing its second issue after a highly successful first edition at the Harkin Steak Fry in September.

If you won't be at any of our events in Iowa today, you can still get your hands on a copy of the paper:

Click here to download a full size PDF of The Edwards Extra.
You can also view The Edwards Extra online by clicking the image above.
To subscribe to The Edwards Extra email edition, click here and fill out an Iowa supporter card.

In addition, our campaign is holding a special event tonight to celebrate the achievement at 6:30 PM at Drake University's Olmsted Center near University Avenue and 29th Street in Des Moines. Click here to learn more.

This milestone is yet another sign of John's commitment to compete in every region. Here's how he put it in an interview with The Edwards Extra:

"Democrats will never win in so-called 'red areas' if we don't go to them. I believe Iowans of all walks of life deserve a voice in Washington, no matter where they live. I will continue to reach out to Iowans from the largest cities to the smallest towns, and as your nominee, I'll never concede the 'red states' or the rural vote to Republicans. Our party should stand up and fight for regular, hardworking families everywhere."

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Restoring Corporate Responsibility

George Stern
10/26/2007 at 2:07 PM CT

Today in Des Moines, John delivered a major policy speech, outlining a bold plan to stand up for hard-working families by restoring corporate responsibility and helping families achieve financial security in the new economy.

Below are some pictures and excerpts:

"The statistics say our economy is growing, that the economic tide is rising. But if you look around, only the yachts are rising with it. Everyone else is taking on water. Profits are skyrocketing on Wall Street, but Main Street is drowning under waves of cost and debt."

Videos from Day 1 of Our 4-Day, 17-Stop Tour

George Stern
10/24/2007 at 7:34 PM CT

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Four-Day, 17-Stop Tour Through Iowa

George Stern
10/24/2007 at 2:52 PM CT

Today, John is kicking off a four-day tour across Iowa focused on supporting Iowa families and Iowa values. This morning he unveiled a "Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" to protect Iowa's hunting and fishing tradition and to ensure that we protect our country's natural resources for future generations.

Our campaign also rolled out Iowa Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Edwards - a group of more than 350 Iowans who share John's commitment to protecting and nourishing the important traditions of hunting and fishing.

During the 17-stop trip, John will also deliver a major policy address in Des Moines, and hold numerous community meetings around the state. On Saturday - the fourth and final day of the trip - John will visit his 99th Iowa county - a major milestone for our campaign! John is the first candidate to make stops and take questions in all 99 counties - including many rural areas that rarely, if ever, get visits from presidential candidates. Yet another example of John's widespread appeal and commitment not to write off so-called 'red areas'.

Be sure to check back soon for reports from the road.

Check Out Our Online Action Center

George Stern
10/23/2007 at 2:15 PM CT

Building on the recent surge of grassroots momentum behind John Edwards, today we launched an Iowa Action Center to give you a chance to help John change America from anywhere in the state. The Iowa Action Center empowers you to:

Join our campaign, supporter groups, and mobile list
Take action online by inviting friends to join us
Submit letters to the editor
Write a testimonial about why you're supporting John
Read more about John's plans for our country
Take action locally by finding a nearby office, signing up to become a precinct captain, learning how to host a house party, and more.

Click here to be the first to see our brand new Iowa Action Center and start getting active today!

Another New Experience

Noah Gittell
10/21/2007 at 4:51 PM CT

Noah is a John Edwards for President field organizer in Dubuque County, Iowa.

A few weekends ago, I was canvassing Epworth, a town of about one thousand people in northeastern Iowa. I knocked on the door of a retired couple, Lloyd and Dianne, who immediately invited me in to chat with them. For about ten minutes they asked me a variety of questions on the issues, everything from health care to immigration to the war in Iraq. Dianne was particularly interested in our new education policy that includes a radical overhaul of No Child Left Behind.

The great thing about working for John Edwards is that no matter which issue people ask about, John has a substantive and specific policy that I can tell them all about. So when Diane asked about education, I was able to tell her all the details of John's plan to restore promise to America's schools.

I had about twenty more doors to knock on that day, so I thanked them for their time and got up to leave, at which point Dianne said, "I was just about to ask you to stay for supper." I told them that that wasn't necessary, but they insisted. So, I sat down with them, shared a silent prayer, and dug in.

Coming from New York City, the idea that a couple would invite a stranger into their home is completely foreign. Sharing dinner with them felt surreal, like a scene from a movie.

We talked about my life back in New York and what brought me out here. I told them of my passion for John Edwards and they told me stories about their children. As they shared some of their homemade sweet pickles with me, I thought about how this was yet another new experience on the list that has grown exponentially ever since I came to Iowa.

Campaigning Everywhere, Talking to Everyone

Pete Gutschenritter
10/20/2007 at 3:42 PM CT

Pete is a John Edwards for President field organizer in Guthrie and Audubon counties.

The pundits say that high school students won't get involved in the Iowa caucuses. Tell that to the students at Exira High School.

At this small school in southwest Iowa, a teacher and his students are fully engaged in the 2008 caucuses. The school, with an enrollment of about 130 students ranging from seventh through 12th grade, is small even by rural Iowa standards.

However, when an Exira student subscribed to the johnedwards.com newsletter, she wanted to see if the campaign would notice her. After talking with her teacher and other students in her government class, she wrote an e-mail to John Edwards: "Come to my high school if you want my support."

On Tuesday, Oct. 16, John Edwards came to Exira High School during his Barnstorm for Rural America. "We usually just get ignored," the Exira High School teacher said about his small community. "This is really neat."

John Edwards does not ignore rural communities or rural school districts because he remembers where he came from.

The Latest from Labor

Pat Maloney
10/19/2007 at 11:19 AM CT

It's getting hard to keep up with all the union endorsements John has been receiving lately. Just yesterday, he picked up two more.

The Iowa Postal Workers Union, representing more than 3,000 workers in all 99 counties, endorsed John on Thursday. Their president, Bruce Clark, said this:

"We are proud to endorse John Edwards for president because of his unparalleled commitment to strengthening America's workers and helping them organize across the country. For too long, Washington has ignored working Americans and George Bush has actively worked to weaken workers' rights in America. John Edwards is far and away the strongest candidate to win the White House, take on the special interests and stand up for hard-working Americans."

The Postal Workers Union is a critical Iowa endorsement. Its membership and organizational strength are a valuable addition to our Iowa field program with less than three months to go before the caucuses.

Also on Thursday, the Massachusetts state council of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) added their endorsement to the list of 10 other state chapters who have endorsed John for president. Because the Iowa State Council of SEIU has also endorsed John, the Massachusetts SEIU state council -- which represents 90,000 workers -- can support the efforts of the Iowa SEIU to help John Edwards win the Iowa caucuses.

Massachusetts' endorsement brings John's total SEIU support to more than one million members and his total bloc of union support to more than 3 million members.

Now that is grassroots strength!

Barnstorm for Rural America...in Video

George Stern
10/18/2007 at 11:02 AM CT

Videos from our two-day, nine-county Barnstorm for Rural America through Iowa.

Revitalizing Rural America

Ben "Cooter" Jones

You are the Guardians

A Better Future

Rebuilding New Orleans

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Cooter Just Sent Me a Message!

George Stern
10/17/2007 at 12:25 PM CT

Former Georgia Congressman Ben Jones -- better known as Cooter Davenport from the hit TV show the Dukes of Hazzard -- is traveling with John Edwards throughout Iowa right now on a Barnstorm for Rural America.

John and Cooter are hitting nine counties throughout the western part of the state to highlight the families and communities that are too often forgotten in Washington. John will be outlining his specific solutions to revitalize and restore hope to rural America.

As part of our reach out efforts for this trip, Cooter just sent out a voice message to our Iowa mobile list. You can listen to it here.

Make sure you don't miss future mobile updates by joining our list today -- simply text Iowa to 30644.

Here's a little of what Cooter had to say about why he's traveling with John on this trip:

"I am supporting John because he relates to the values and struggles of rural America like no other candidate can. He understands us, because he is one of us. And he can compete -- and win -- in areas and states where the other candidates can't.

"I know that when John Edwards is in the White House, he will fight every day to make sure that people in rural America not only get the opportunities and resources they need, but the dignity and respect they deserve."

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John Wins SEIU Endorsement in Ten States

George Stern
10/16/2007 at 10:13 AM CT

Last night in Iowa City, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) state councils from Iowa, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan, West Virginia, Ohio and Oregon announced they have endorsed John Edwards for president -- nearly one million SEIU members!

The state SEIU endorsements bring John's total bloc of union support to nearly three million members nationwide.

Check out our video and pictures from the event:

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Major Endorsement!

Pat Maloney
10/15/2007 at 12:04 PM CT

Well it doesn't get much more exciting than this. Later today, in Iowa City, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members from state councils in Iowa and a number of other states across the country will announce their endorsement of John Edwards for president.

Here's what Iowa SEIU Local 199 President Cathy Glasson had to say:

"As a Registered Nurse who knows first hand the need for health care reform, it's a great honor to announce that the members of SEIU Iowa have chosen to endorse John Edwards for President of the United States. In Iowa, we are uniquely positioned to see and hear the candidates and members are well informed on the issues important to working families. John Edwards earned our support by taking a strong stand on health care and because he offers our members the greatest hope for restoring the American Dream."

Make no mistake -- this is a major victory for our campaign! SEIU members are extraordinary and enthusiastic activists and their endorsement brings a huge boost to our already strong organization here in Iowa. We should all be extremely proud of John and his long record of fighting alongside working men and women.

There's no doubt that we are gaining momentum in the state. Please help us continue to grow our effort by asking your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to join us!

And make sure to check back later today for all the details and for a report from the event in Iowa City this evening.

Click here to discuss

John Wins Important Environmental Endorsement

George Stern
10/14/2007 at 7:30 PM CT

Today John received the endorsement of Friends of the Earth Action, one of the leading environmental groups in the country and around the world.

Here's what the group's president Brent Blackwelder had to say:

"John Edwards understands that we must accept responsibility for conserving natural resources and act with urgency to stop the crisis of global warming. He has led on this issue, with the best plan to halt global warming and protect the environment. He has the strength and courage to stand up to the big corporations that are abusing our planet. And he is the only top-tier candidate in this race who opposes new nuclear plants in the U.S. For these reasons, we trust John Edwards to work for a healthy environment and fight for the rights of regular people in our country and around the world."

In Iowa in late March, John was the first candidate to lay out a detailed agenda to halt global warming and build a new energy economy. You can read more about the plan on our Iowa issues page.

Edwards/Steelworkers Video Wrap Up

easterniowadem
10/11/2007 at 11:09 PM CT

Great video from a supporter who attended our canvass kickoff with John Edwards and members of the United Steelworkers in Davenport last weekend. -George

Below is the video wrap up of another great event organized by the Davenport John Edwards office! Let me know what you think!