YDA Convention: Senator John Edwards

Senator John Edwards opened the Friday night General Session of the Young Democrats of America convention in Dallas with several standing ovations and strong support from the YDA delegates, guests, and press in attendance.

Senator Edwards seemed to have a more at-ease style about his speech this evening, even more so than usual. The youth in the room gave new life to the 54-year-old former Senator from North Carolina. After having mentioned that his wife Elizabeth sent her best and was doing well, he also brought up the recent row with pundit Ann Coulter. "Isn't it time someone had the balls to fight back," he said of his wife's retort to the blond-haired book author's attacks on her husband.

Senator Edwards launched into many of the themes he has been keeping at the forefront of his campaign rhetoric. He said Congress should do its job and force President Bush to end the war in Iraq. "They should pass a bill calling for withdrawal. And if Bush vetoes it, then send him another bill. And if he vetoes that, then send him one more, until he finally gets the message," Senator Edwards said to a rousing response from the convention floor. He went on to state that on his first day in office he would close Guantanamo Bay. He would put and end to torture by our interrogators. He would also work to end the genocide in Darfur.

The next theme shifted to America's responsibilities. "A thousand children are born with AIDS in Africa, because their mother can't afford the $4 it takes to buy the medicine she needs. We need to own up to our responsibility to humanity," Senator Edwards stated. America also needs to set a good example for other countries instead of the bad example it sets now. Global warming is a primary issue and Senator Edwards supports mandatory caps on CO2 emissions. "Make the polluters pay," he emphatically stated to one of several standing ovations he received throughout his speech, "and until we can capture CO2, not one more coal plant should be built in this country."

The next standing ovation was elicited by one of his strongest themes — universal health care for all Americans. "I want everyone to understand that a plan like this costs money," he said, "and my plan will cost approximately $90-120 billion. And how do we pay for it? By getting rid of George Bush's tax cuts!" The Two Americans theme was intermixed with every topic, and especially this one. He offered a story of a man in Kentucky who was born with a cleft pallet. He was 51 years old and someone had finally offered to fix it for him for free. "What made my blood boil, and made me physically get truly upset, is that he had this surgery when he was 50," Senator Edwards said while getting even more animated, "It shouldn't take 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 years to treat someone for something that was entirely fixable years before!"

Senator Edwards closed his speech by stressing the importance of youth in politics and in America in general. He said, "It is young people like you who are the ones trying to end genocide in Darfur, and trying to stop global warming, and trying to end poverty. No matter who you vote for as President, he can not do it alone."

After his speech ended, we had a brief Q&A with Senator Edwards in the Press Room. Dallas Morning News columnist Gromer Jeffers Jr. asked him what he says to those who criticize him for spending $400 on hair cuts, while talking about poverty. "Typical partisan politics," Senator Edwards responded. There was also discussion of the importance of Southeast Asia, as well as China in the area's role in the world. Edwards said he was concerned with China and their need for oil, as well as their trade policies. But the one question that stood out was if the March primary in Texas made the state any less significant. Senator Edwards responded that he believed that he has raised the most money in Texas out of any other state (or pretty close to it). The session concluded with the Senator being whisked away by his staff.

Overall this night for Senator Edwards was one of his best. If the response from the Young Democrats are any indication, we could be looking at the next Democratic Presidential Nominee.

Pictures of Senator Edwards in the Press Room can be found here.