JOHN EDWARDS: THE THIRD MAN'S THEMESThu Mar 15, 6:22 PM ET
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- It may have something to do with being unchained from John Kerry. John Edwards was a good candidate as Kerry's running mate for vice president four years ago, but he had nothing to say -- or, more likely, was not allowed to say anything. Now he is a better candidate with plenty to say.
"We are better than this. What's happening now is not OK in the United States of America. ... It is time to ask Americans to be patriotic about something other than war. ... The world needs to know who we really are. ... This is not about small, baby steps. It's not about incremental change. We're going to bring about the real changes, the transformational change that's needed in this country."
His Iraq lines drew applause, of course, but that was not enough for some in this West LA crowd. A number of chapters of Progressive Democrats of America have sprung up around here. When Edwards said that "everything is on the table" if he becomes president, the chairman of one chapter rose to attack "the permanent war economy" and asked him to pledge to bring home all American troops around the world.
"You want me to bring all American military home?" he said. "Are you serious? No. We can't do that."
There were boos. Edwards said: "You want me to tell you what you want to hear, or what I believe?"
ON EDIT
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