Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards greets the crowd during the final stop of his 36 hour campaign tour around Iowa on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008 in West Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
by Monique Garcia
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa- John Edwards told a crowd here today that he learned a hard lesson after an unsuccessful presidential bid four years ago.
“After the election,” the Democratic contender told a packed hotel ballroom today, “I had a woman come up to me and say, ‘You know Edwards, I kinda liked you. Probably would have voted for you, but you never asked me to.'”
The story is remarkably similar to one told by George Bush while campaigning for president in 2000. Then, he told a crowd in Michigan about a Texas congressional race in which he came in second.
After the loss, a woman in Bush’s hometown told him she didn’t vote for him because he “didn’t bother to ask” her to.
Bush made sure to not repeat that mistake, asking the Michigan crowd for their votes. Apparently, it worked, and it seems Edwards is hoping the same tactic will propel him in tomorrow’s caucuses.”I’m asking for every one of you, if you can hear my voice to go to the caucus and caucus for me, to take your friends to the caucus with you,” Edwards said to an energized crowd.
It’s a little odd, however, that Edwards would be taking a page from Bush’s playbook after constantly criticizing him for working for special interests, which Edwards has repeatedly vowed to fight.
On the final leg of a 36-hour bus tour, Edwards, tired “and a little bleary,” rallied his supporters by railing against insurance and pharmaceutical companies and promising to relax the “iron-fisted grip on your democracy,” that he said large companies hold.
“The truth is that corporate greed is in many ways stealing your children’s future. and it has to be stopped,” Edwards said.
Edwards also tried to distinguish himself by other candidates and political strategy by telling the crowd that he is driven by ideals from “in my soul.”
“You can feel the difference in five or ten minutes between somebody who is speaking from here,” Edwards said pointing to his head, “and somebody who is speaking from the heart.”