Editorials - 01/09/03

Edwards's run for the White House is exciting for N.C.

The retirement of conservative Sen. Jesse Helms after 30 years in Washington made way for Sen. Elizabeth Dole, the Tar Heel State's first female U.S. senator, who is likely to provide a more moderate voice.

And the New Year's Day announcement that Sen. John Edwards will make a run for president is especially exciting in a state that hasn't fielded a presidential hopeful since former Gov. and Sen. Terry Sanford's aborted 1972 bid.

Regardless of anyone's personal feelings about North Carolina's senior senator, his bid for the White House will bring national attention to our state. Edwards is the only Southern Democrat in what is shaping up to be a crowded race for the party's nomination, and that means a lot of attention will be focused on him and his ideas.

Though Edwards grew up and makes his home in the Piedmont, his South Carolina roots place him squarely in our region. The Raleigh lawyer was born just one county down from Jackson in Oconee County, S.C.

Whatever anyone may think of his politics, there is much to admire about Edwards. A self-made man, he is the son of a mill worker who started out in the mills himself.

The senator, the first member of his family to go to college, is a product of our state's public university system. He earned his undergraduate degree at N.C. State University and received his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

While some critics say Edwards lacks the experience necessary for the job he's seeking, it seems only fair to observe that by the time the 2004 election rolls around, he will have served six years in the Senate. When George W. Bush sought the presidency, his only political experience was six years as governor of Texas. To those who say Edwards has no background in foreign policy, we can point to his tenure on the powerful Senate Intelligence Committee.

Opponents will try to use Edwards's background as a successful trial lawyer who won major victories in personal injury lawsuits against him, but it should be remembered that he won judgments against large corporations on behalf of everyday people who had suffered tragedies.

Should Edwards win the nomination, the campaign would be an interesting one. After all, Edwards, with his working class roots and state university background is the polar opposite of President Bush, who was born to privilege and educated at Yale. Edwards's professional experience is counter to the president's as well in that Edwards has fought against corporate America, while Bush is one of big business's strongest advocates.

It's too early to make predictions or endorsements, but it seems to us that John Edwards is a North Carolinian destined to become a national player.

We wish him well as he embarks on the journey.

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