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Edwards Brings Big Message to Small Town
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ShareOctober 11, 2007 6:20 PM
ABC News Raelyn Johnson Reports: By many accounts John Edwards is the opposite of what the majority of students represent at Darlington High School -- white and wealthy. Only a short distance away from his sprawling North Carolina home and his presidential headquarters, Edwards sought to return to his small town roots by connecting with the very students he contends are growing up just like he did.
"I grew up in a community very much like this one and that's part of who I am today," said Edwards addressing the 1300 students who attend Darlington High School in South Carolina.
"I was the first person in my family to go to college. I’ve now been blessed to have everything you can have in this country including being able to be a candidate for president of the United States, so know that the American dream is still possible."
But for many of the students who attend Darlington, securing the American dream is a great challenge. Over the course of four years, only 67% of Darlington High students graduate.
Edwards, who in recent weeks has discussed education policy from Iowa to South Carolina, tailored his message to these students. "We want to make an effort particularly to schools that have high drop out rates," said Edwards, who plans to combat education statistics that plague small pockets in the South with support from the public education system.
"We go across America we build and create second chance schools so that if kids, for whatever reason drop out of school they have an easy way to go back and finish their education."
Edwards may have missed the lesson on being punctual—he arrived at the event an hour late due to plane trouble, however, he made up for it at the end with an inspiring after school special message. Edwards acknowledged that he sat in many high school assemblies listening to speakers, and thought they had an untouchable quality to them. "I thought to myself, that guy or that woman, they’re just different than me, they must be different than me," said Edwards. But a wealthy white man from Robbins came with a different message today.
"I am just like you," said Edwards then adding, "You should not ever assume that anybody, anybody in this gym, including me is better than you, because I am not better than you. We are all exactly the same and every one of you have extraordinary potential to do great things with your life."
Edwards will be in South Carolina the remainder of the day focus suing on education.
October 11, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (3)
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Why didn't he finish up by saying that since he voted to keep the war going and also voted for war against Iran, he was going to send a lot of those kids to their deaths. That would have called for a standing ovation !
Posted by: kenny | Oct 11, 2007 10:45:45 PM
Kenny
Does it not count that the man has admitted he was wrong to vote for the war in Iraq? Most of the people who are against the war now were for it back when they were mad about 9-11 and thought we could just go there and get the people responsible and come home. Now, that it is, what it is, (THANKS To BUSH) we are all against this war and want to blame those who were for it. Ask around and I'll bet you'll find lots of people you know and like were for the war in the beginning.
Just listen to what Edwards has to say. It's important.
Posted by: Cathy M in Tn | Oct 11, 2007 11:57:50 PM
Kenny,
Before you post on a forum you should make sure your posts contain facts, not just ranting. It would have been impossible for Edwards to vote for a "war against Iran," since he isn't currently in the Senate.
You must be thinking of Senator Clinton or one of the many Republicans who are definitely pro-war.
Go to his website and learn his positions on the issues. Be an informed voter and commenter.
Posted by: tessablue | Oct 12, 2007 10:14:13 PM
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