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Edwards steps up campaign in Minnesota; courts Dean supporters
by Tom Scheck, Minnesota Public Radio
February 27, 2004

Before a crowd of several hundred at Hamline University on Friday, Edwards reached out to Dean supporters, casting himself as someone who sees America from outside Washington's corridors. (MPR Photo/Tom Scheck)

North Carolina Sen. John Edwards held a rally in St. Paul on Friday, marking the second time he's been in Minnesota in the last week. Edwards is one of four active candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Three of the four have visited Minnesota in the last week, courting voters who intend to vote at the state's March 2 caucuses.

St. Paul, Minn. — About 1,000 people showed up at the Edwards rally on the campus of Hamline University. Edwards stuck to his basic campaign themes in a speech that sounded much like the one he gave here last weekend. Without offering specifics, he said he wants to improve health care, create one America that isn't separated by the rich and poor and end poverty in America.

Edwards also actively courted supporters of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who dropped out of the race a week ago. Edwards says he's pleased that the Dean campaign in Minnesota has endorsed him for president.

"He's been a powerful voice during the course of the campaign," Edwards. "And what he recognized -- and all of us have recognized -- is that if we want to bring real change to America and real change to our government in Washington D.C., that change has to come from here. Out here, on the ground, in the real world, not in Washington D.C.," he said.

Edwards says Dean had the strongest grassroots organization in Minnesota and he hopes to use it to help get him votes on caucus night.

Edwards also said he wants to fix the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade pacts to protect American jobs from going overseas. He says he wants to start eliminating the deficit by restoring the tax cuts on the wealthiest Americans and holding down spending.

But Edwards also says he wants to help the middle class save by cutting capital gains and dividend taxes for 95 percent of the nation's taxpayers.

"We can strengthen and lift up these middle-class working families. Help them to save, help them to invest, help them to buy a home. We can also crack down on the companies that are preying on our most vulnerable families, predatory lenders, payday lenders and credit card companies that are fleecing the American people."

Edwards says he doesn't intend to drop out of the race even if he doesn't win any states on Tuesday. It's clear that three of the four candidates consider Minnesota an important part of Super Tuesday. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry held a rally in St. Paul on Wednesday and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich campaigned all across the state last weekend. Rev. Al Sharpton has not campaigned Minnesota.

Several people who turned out for the event say they prefer Edwards because he's more "likeable" than the other candidates and has the best chance of beating President Bush.

University of Minnesota student Alex Bajwa, says he was a Dean supporter but now supports Edwards.

"I think Edwards platform matches Dean's a lot more. Both are optimistic candidates. Just something clicked with me when Dean was out of it so Edwards seemed like the guy to naturally go over to," Bajwa said.

Kerry supporters have also been actively courting voters and the media. They've offered a list of state and national politicians who support the Massachusetts senator.

Former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, a Kerry supporter, says he and Kerry both served in the Vietnam war. Cleland says Kerry is a better Democratic candidate than Edwards and will handle the economy better than President Bush.

"I think he's the candidate for us, not just in the Democratic Party, but in the country as well. There are other fine people running, but John Kerry stands head and shoulders above them all," Cleland said.

Meanwhile, supporters of President Bush say they're patiently waiting to see who wins the Democractic nomination.

Ron Eibensteiner, chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota, says both Kerry's and Edwards' plans to raise taxes will hurt the economy. Eibensteiner predicts that President Bush will be the first Republican presidential candidate to win Minnesota since 1972.

"I think President Bush should have that debate with the Democrats. Do you want less government and more control over the economy, the private sector having control? Or do you want big government, big taxes, big spending programs? If that correctly gets articulated, I have no doubt that President Bush will carry this state," Eibensteiner said.

Eibensteiner says he believes that Minnesota is turning more Republican, which could make the state a battleground in the November election.

It's likely that the Democratic nominee and President Bush will make several appearances in the state before the general election.

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