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Edwards on Star-Studded Weekend in Politics
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ShareDecember 08, 2007 3:39 PM
ABC News' Raelyn Johnson reports: Democratic presidential contender Sen. John Edwards isn't convinced voters are solely impressed by the star-studded names gracing the campaign trail this weekend.
"Well I think most people vote on the basis of the candidates themselves," Edwards said following a Saturday town hall meeting in Concord, N.H.
Talk queen phenomenon Oprah Winfrey will campaign with Sen. Obama this weekend, while Sen. Clinton is joined by her mother Dorothy and daughter Chelsea in Iowa, and former President Bill Clinton will campaign in South Carolina on Saturday.
"I think their primary role is just to get people to show up so that you can make the case about why you should be President of the United States," said Edwards, who's had campaign events with Bonnie Raitt, Lance Armstrong and James Denton of ABC's Desperate Housewives.
But with the Iowa Caucuses less than a month out and the top three Democrats in a statistical dead heat, it seems only timely to pull out the big guns -- or names, rather.
"Having been through this before I don't think that’s a critical part of what's happening.," Edwards said. "I think people take this very seriously. I don't think they decide who to vote for based on what movie star's for you."
Friday during a conference call with reporters, supporters of Edwards’s campaign slammed Oprah's appearance on the trail. "If you can build a school in Africa, build one in South Carolina," said Linda Dogan, a city councilmember in Spartanburg, S.C.
A day later, Edwards downplayed the criticism. "Any presidential candidate has the right to bring somebody out who's supporting them… But I don't believe voters decide who they're going to work for based on what Hollywood star, television star is supporting them."
December 8, 2007 in Clinton, Hillary | Permalink | User Comments (2)
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I certainly hope people aren't unduly influenced by their favorite movie star or celebrity backing one candidate over another. We all need to read the candidates websites to learn their positions on the issues and if they have concrete, workable solutions.
Edwards is my favorite because his solutions make sense, he actually has figured out where extra money needed comes from and he has identified problems like fixing NAFTA that won't cost money from the federal budget but will positively affect the working class. Other politicians don't seem to understand our country is bleeding jobs resulting in a huge trade deficit. Edwards clearly sees this as a pivotal problem for our national economy and will address it.
Posted by: Lydia | Dec 8, 2007 9:02:57 PM
I'm going to have to agree with Lydia- and Edwards' purported position, as of this article- that people *should*, at least, vote for candidates based upon their credentials. I'm afraid, though, that Edwards is expressing a very naive opinion in this day and age. Voters are sheep, to be controlled and corralled by the shepherd dogs that are celebrities.
Posted by: Walker Yeatman | Dec 10, 2007 8:15:31 PM
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