Edwards boosts DFL candidates during Minnesota stops
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Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards headlined rallies in Minnesota in support of statewide and congressional DFL candidates on Saturday.
Edwards first stopped in Stillwater at a rally for 6th District Congressional candidate Patty Wetterling in what was billed as a "rally for education," at Stillwater High School.
Edwards used the occasion to call for a bigger commitment to education.
Later in the day, Edwards led a DFL rally in Duluth, a traditional DFL stronghold in Minnesota.
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Edwards accused the Bush administration of "squandering America's moral high ground" as a world leader. And he attacked Republican domestic policies.
"They put five million Americans in poverty in the last six years -- a million more over the course of the last year. And then the president submits a budget to the Congress with more tax cuts for rich people. We're used to that, right, and on top of that billions of dollars in tax subsidies to the biggest oil companies in America. Now, I bet you're like me. I've been worried sick about whether Exxon's been making enough money," Edwards said.
"Remember, we used to be we were the light, this great shining light for the entire world, for human rights, for freedom. We weren't Guantanamo. We weren't Abu Graib. We were better," he said.
Edwards also called for a raise in the minimum wage and laws making it easier to organize unions.
Other speakers included Minnesota Rep. Jim Oberstar and Wisconsin Congressman David Obey. If Democrats regain control of the House, Oberstar would be chair of the House Transportation Committee, and Obey would chair the House Appropriations Committee.
Joining Edwards on the speaker's platform were Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar, Wisconsin Congressman David Obey, and Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar.
