Iraq/Recession Campaign Joined by John and Elizabeth Edwards

John Edwards is credited with setting the progressive agenda for Democratic Presidential Primary. When he left the race, many of us were deeply concerned that his "message" would become the rhetoric of the campign--just substance without teeth. Media attention was focussed on which candidate he would endorse but clearly he has had had other plans. Yesterday morning he and Elizabeth made their first public statement since leaving the campaign. They publically joined forces with Move On and a number of progressive leaders to launch a new nationwide, multimillion dollar campaign to defeat John McCain and Republicans in the House and thise in the Senate up for election., Their opening shot in the next round of this election campaign was to take part in a teleconference call with reporters. Both John and Elizabeth Edwards spoke along with John Podesta, CEO of the Center for American Progress, Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org; Brad Woodhouse, president of Americans United for Change, Jon Soltz of VoteVets.org, among others. The Service Employees International Union, VoteVets and the Center for American Progress Action Fund are also part of the coalition. A report of the conference call appears on Iddybud Journal, with quotes by John and Elizabeth, and includes several good links:

Speaking from her home in North Carolina, Elizabeth Edwards gave a reason why she was lending her name to this campaign. She said that it's important for the American people to understand, if they feel that the economy is their 'Number One issue,' that ending the war in Iraq should be their 'Number One issue.' Her husband, 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards agreed, saying that, wherever he went in this country over the course of his now-suspended campaign, there was great angst expressed among voters about their personal economic security. Issues like gasoline costs, healthcare costs and availability, rising college costs, and mortgage foreclosure crises loomed heavily on voter's minds. Former Senator Edwards stressed that voters will have a clear choice this Fall, the choice being between a Democrat who will end the war and focus on the economic anxiety that exists and a Republican - which will likely be John McCain - who will continue the Iraq war and the failed foreign policy of the Bush administration.