Organizing for America

John Edwards' New Attacks and Shifting Rhetoric on ''Fighting''

Edwards is ramping up his attacks as the caucus draws near but his new rhetoric on "not negotiating or compromising or working with the powerful interests" is a sharp u-turn from what was once a quite conciliatory view towards those same powerful interests.

BRINGING CORPORATIONS TO THE TABLE

THAT WAS THEN...

FEBRUARY 2007: Edwards Said That Should Try To Bring Everyone To The Table Including Corporations To Make Sure The Health Care System Works For Everyone. Edwards was asked whether he would bring in "both corporations and labor and healthcare groups and doctors" into the health care debate. Edwards said, "I think you try to bring everybody to the table. You want their participation, you want to make the system work for everybody. I think there's a difference between a healthcare plan that builds on the existing system but deals with some of its deficiencies and problems as opposed to a complete new way of doing healthcare in America. The latter will engender huge opposition. And it will engender a lot of just plain political opposition. If on the other hand you're taking the system that exists, dealing with the problems with it, making sure everybody gets covered, it's just much more likely to be achievable." [MYDD, 2/7/07]

THIS IS NOW

Edwards Said That You Can't Talk To Insurance And Drug Companies And Get Universal Health Care. Edwards said in his rural DVD, "If you think we can have universal health care by talking with the insurance companies and the drug companies--it will never happen. These people have billions of dollars at stake. There's one way to take their power away from them. That's to beat 'em. Take them on head on and beat 'em." [Edwards Rural DVD, Youtube, 12/19/07]

FIGHTING CORPORATIONS

THAT WAS THEN...

FORTUNE Forum: Edwards Told CEO's That They Can't Be Blamed For Taking Advantage Of Tax Loopholes. Edwards said to a group of CEO's at the Fortune Global Forum, "No one here can be blamed for taking aggressive advantage of legal holes in our tax law. Doing the most you can under the law to create profit for your shareholders is your job. But Washington can be blamed for failing to fix a tax code that encourages companies to use shelters, shift jobs overseas, and add to the deficit in the process." [FORTUNE Global Forum, 11/12/02]

THIS IS NOW

Edwards Said He's Going To Take On Big Corporations And Their Greed. Edwards said, "It's time to tell the truth. These big corporations and their greed, they are stealing your children's future. We will never change this country unless we're willing to take those people on." [Edwards Time For Truth Ad, 12/26/07]