Editorial: Edwards a great choice

Wednesday, July 7, 2004 | 8:43 a.m.

It's no surprise that a day after Sen. John Kerry chose Sen. John Edwards as his running mate, the two are beginning their campaign together in Ohio. The Economist magazine described Ohio as "the very definition of a swing state." The political culture in the Buckeye State is conservative, yet the residents are restive. Under the Republicans in the White House and the Republican majority in Congress, they have experienced massive job losses.

The political climate in Ohio is not much different from the rest of the crucial swing states, which will decide the election. After four years of economic upheaval under Bush-Cheney, people are ready to listen to the Democratic candidates. But to really listen, and to really become enthused and energized, they need a gifted speaker. John Kerry has obviously touched a chord -- the polls already show him even or a little ahead of President Bush. But Kerry must have realized that in all of the campaign appearances, speeches and debates ahead, he's going to need someone of extraordinary appeal by his side.

A trial lawyer for 20 years, representing people in product liability, personal injury and medical malpractice cases, Edwards earned millions. But his political philosophy, which comes through so earnestly in his speeches, is the polar opposite of the Bush/Cheney ticket, which counts the "haves and the have-mores" as its core constituency. Edwards' values were formed in his childhood in the Carolinas, as the son of parents who worked shifts down at the local mills. In the Democratic primaries earlier this year, Edwards went from near-political obscurity as a freshman North Carolina senator, to the presidential candidate who finished second to Kerry and who had made a resounding national impression with his impassioned theme of "two Americas."

We believe Edwards was an excellent choice. In an age more and more being defined as polarized, Edwards is able to win people over with his concern for ordinary Americans, his easygoing manner, his intelligence, his optimism and his positive approach to campaigning. We see Edwards rising to the occasion and as one able to easily defend himself against the type of brutal criticism seen on the presidential campaign trail.

As a senator, on issues relating to jobs, Edwards supported unions, job training programs, federally assisted child care, an increase in the minimum wage and affirmative action. On the environment, he supported a federal law requiring greater fuel efficiency, he opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and he supported the United States taking a leadership role on global warming. He supports the Second Amendment, but also has supported background checks and was opposed to unrestricted sales at gun shows. On health care he supported stem cell research and a plan for vastly increased coverage for children and adults. He supported Family Planning and a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion. On immigration he supported a legalization program for undocumented immigrants who had proven themselves to be hard-working and honest.

With respect to foreign policy, he opposed giving aid to countries with records of human-rights abuses. He called for working with our allies to pressure North Korea into ending its nuclear program. He supported more funding to fight AIDs in Africa. He called for reforms to the United Nations, to make it a more effective peacekeeping body (he opposed any U.N. command of U.S. troops). On these and other issues, with the exception of Yucca Mountain, we believe Edwards was a thoughtful senator and presidential candidate.

Regarding Yucca Mountain, Edwards in 2002 voted in support of President Bush's plan to open the Southern Nevada site as a dump for high-level nuclear waste. He was concerned about nuclear waste piling up in his own state, which has nuclear power plants. Even though he vowed to work on a safe plan for transporting the waste, his vote was wrong and we were concerned when he was campaigning for the presidency during the Democratic primaries. Our concern has abated, however, now that he has joined with Kerry, who has long sided with Nevada in the fight against this ill-conceived project. Edwards told Sen. Harry Reid on Tuesday that as Kerry's running mate, he is "fully committed" to stopping Yucca Mountain. We welcome him to the fight.