Edwards Declined to Go Into Hiding on 9/11

[Massacure]

WASHINGTON - Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards (news - web sites) was on his way to work at the Capitol when terrorists struck in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001, but he says he declined to join other members of the Senate at a secure location because his family would not be with him.



His wife, Elizabeth, was out shopping. Eldest daughter Cate was at college in New Jersey. Youngest daughter Emma Claire was at school, and son Jack was on a play date.

U.S. Capitol Police were whisking members of Congress to secure locations for their safety.

"I said, 'Well, what about my wife and my kids?'" Edwards told CNN's Larry King in an interview Wednesday, a day before an independent commission investigating the attacks releases its long-awaited report. "And they said, 'Well, they'll stay here. And I said, 'Well, if they're staying here, I'm staying here."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=2&u=/ap/20040722/ap_on_el_pr/edwards

Kerry saves a man's life in the middle of a warzone, and Edwards refuses to go into hiding unlike AWOL and Dick. Tell me who has the better values now?

[wolfgirl]

1. What a guy!

I betcha Bush wanted to hide not to mention Hastert, Delay, Frist, Santorum!

[Carni]

2. Edwards is such a cool guy

The more I hear the more I like him...

Can you see a pantywaist like Frist declining the preferential treatment on 911?

[CharlesGroce]

5. Check out this Edwards analysis

at http://www.antiwar.com/orig/zunes.php?articleid=3074

[Carni]

14. OMG I AM SO SHOCKED

I think I am going to have to vote for Nader based on the article you have thoughtfully provided.

NOT!

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Carni]

20. Sarcasm?

What do you mean?

I was very "moved" by your posting and felt that I would have to vote for either Nader, or Bush as a result.

Is that a bad thing?

I thought you wanted me to know what a mistake I was making in supporting Kerry and Edwards?

Was I wrong?

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

42. I was also very "moved".......or maybe that was the bran muffin?

[nodehopper]

33. Voting for Kerry/Edwards does not mean

we have to turn a blind eye to their fault. It's more, like, once we get them in office, these will be issues to lobby them on.

[itcfish1]

44. Sorry

In this election we do have to overlook Kerry/Edwards faults. We have not other choice. This is one of the most important if not the most important election in this country. We have to be just like the republicans. United no matter what. We must get these criminals out of the WH and congress.

[nodehopper]

51. did you READ what I just wrote?

did I SAY we shouldn't vote for them? of course, we should. I completely agree with you. However, my vote for Kerry is a clothespin vote. I am not happy with a lot of his platforms. I WILL vote for him and encourage everyone else to vote for him, because I'm down with the Anyone But Bush platform.

However, like I said, VOTING for them does not mean we have to overlook their faults. So that once we vote them IN, we will be aware of what issues to lobby them about, and in what ways our work will be cut out for us.

Or at least that's the case for me. I don't know, if you will be complacent at stopping with Kerry in the White House. Of course, he will be better than Bush, anyone is better than the neocons. That's why I am voting for him and that's why I am doing voter registration drives in September. But why sanctify him? While he is obviously better than the PNAC/neocon cabal, he will still continue with the American imperialism program, just not in quite the James-Bond-Villian fashion embodied by our currend administration. Does this mean we should vote for Nader? Hell no.

But please tell me, how what I wrote is in disagreement with what you just replied to me.

[PeaceProgProsp]

35. Edwards is ran for president so that we'd have no more imperialism.

That's my impression.

[nodehopper]

52. huh? how on earth is Edwards going to stop imperialism?

Kerry is not running against impreialism, anyway. He is just running against the hawkish unilateral PNAC version of it. Which is obviously better that the current administration, so nobody jump all over me saying that I am suggesting that we vote for Nader.

[ezee]

6. Talk about "Girlie Men" Frist is surely one!

[pa28]

34. Thats too funny.

I can just see Frist and Hatch tripping all over themselves to get to the exit first.

[DBoon]

3. Lucky family

to have him for a husband and a father.

[psychopomp]

4. Good choice under the gravest circumstances

Shows guts and "family-first" priorities. Glad to find these qualities in Edwards.

[annxburns]

7. Could John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards BE ANY CUTER.

(Sorry, rant)

I don't say this in a derogatory way at all. But could they be just any more gosh durn apple pie, hopeful about America, make me feel clean just watchin them, hopeful Americans!

Man, they are GREAT. Get them out there Kerry!

[notadmblnd]

8. I know.. they're just like a big giant bar of soap

makes ya just want to wash America down with them doesn't it?

[annxburns]

12. Here ya go, getcha all cleaned up and ...

...dried off. Now you go out and play my young Americans. Tomorrow will be better than today.

I love it! Elizabeth was at a SALE on 9/11. Whata peach of a woman. John dropped Emma Claire at school and worried about his family, wouldn't save his own skin without finding them first.

Sigh. I LOVE OUR TICKET.

[mom cat]

9. And when did Dimson first worry about his family?

[KittyWampus]

29. Gack, Junior Was Worrying About The Bin Laden Farmily's Safety On 9/11

[SammyWinstonJack]

49. Dimson was just trying to get himself

"outta harm's way." :eyes: I believe that is what he told that German reporter?

[CharlesGroce]

10. oh how brave!

I remember what I did, I went to Numerical Analysis class. I didn't cancel anything or cry.

But, my wife, upon hearing of the attacks that morning from my mouth, within seconds said to me:

"You know what, I hold George Bush personally responsible for this! I bet he let it happen!"

What an insightful woman! I'm glad she's mine.

[Carni]

18. "Numerical analysis class"

You are really a brave man...

I would have been afraid that was a primo terra-ist target
(I probably would have cried too)

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Carni]

24. Vote GOP/Nader

And stop seeking my attention.

[2Design]

25. sleep

[doctorbombeigh]

38. Charles, Karl Rove loves guys like you. n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

43. (Sounds of hundreds of chirping insects).

[AZCat]

32. That's so weird...

I went to my numerical analysis class too! We just had lab that Tuesday, and the TA was just ignored while we all watched a tv that had been set up in the corner.

I didn't do homework for a week, though.

[JI7]

11. Chimp and Cheney hid during Vietnam War which they supported and hid

during 9/11 and even days afterwards.

[struggle4progress]

13. Well, HE knows what's important, doesn't he? eom

[Skip Intro]

15. And the bush flock want to talk about values? n/t

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

16. That's why I'm saving this one for the grandkids

[Lindacooks]

17. What a guy!!!

A great husband and father and someone less concerned about his own welfare and more concerned about others. Couldn't be a bigger difference between Senator Edwards and crashcart*.

[CharlesGroce]

23. Um

read here:

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/zunes.php?articleid=3074

[Zynx]

26. So you are going to vote for Bush/Nader then?

Good for you. Would you like a cookie?

[2Design]

30. yes zynx give charles a cookie......and maybe he'll fall asleep again

[2Design]

27. their family values are in their soul....love this team....

[BattyDem]

28. And that's how you measure a man

Crashcart and Bunnypants crawled into their caves, but Edwards chose to live - or die - with his family. F*ck the GOP and their "family values" - Edwards knows the true meaning of the words.

I suddenly find myself humming Clay Aiken's song, "Measure of a Man" (I admit it, I adore Clay ... and I don't care if you make fun of me! :P )

Would he walk on water
Would he run through fire
Would he stand before you
When it is down to the wire
Would he give his life up
To be all he can
Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?


Another thought I had ...
For me, it's 1992 all over again. You see, I really liked Al Gore before he became VP and when the Dem ticket was "Clinton/Gore" I found myself constantly wishing it was "Gore/Clinton". Of course, I eventually came to love the Big Dog. B-)

Now the Dem ticket is "Kerry/Edwards" and each day I hear something that makes me wish it was "Edwards/Kerry" - but hey, things worked out great the last time, so I'm optimistic. :-)

[WLKjr]

31. That man has some big BAWLS!

If that is what he said, that has to get a awful lot of respect. That is courage and unwaivering right there. Take that and talk it down rethugs.

[Lex]

36. Edwards makes Mr. "Undisclosed Location" look like a wimp.

Edwards is the real thing, Cheney is a chickenshit.

[mark414]

37. EVERYBODY RATE THIS A 5

GO, HURRY!!!

(sorry for the caps)

[Tight_rope]

39. Watching it on CNN right now...Good for him...one less sorry punk

to worry about!

[wickerwoman]

40. This could backfire on Edwards- I wouldn't spread it around.

Here's a man, a heartbeat from the presidency. At that point, the country _is_ for better or worse, more important than your family.

Do you really want a president who refuses to think about his own safety and responsibility and whose first thought is always for his family?

It's a bit of a double-edged sword. I applaud his obvious love and obvious commitment to his family, but in a leader in a position of extreme responsibility, that same love is actually a liability in my book.

[Bridget Burke]

41. The responsibilities of a President or VP are different.

In an extreme situation, the man at the top (or just next to the top) might have to subordinate concern for his family to the needs of the country.

Edwards was not in that position on 9/11. Nobody really knew what was going on; there was no certain knowledge he was in danger. At worst, the country would survive without him (another Senator). Rather than hide, cravenly, he thought it was important to be there for his family.

Do you think Bush's actions on 9/11 show concern for anybody but his own cowardly self?

[Justice]

45. Do you think Bush's actions on 9/11 show concern for anybody but

his own cowardly self?

Your post was excellent, that last line deserved a headline!

Edwards had an immediate reaction - shows he thinks on this feet.

We have never even heard a report of Bush ASKING about his family.

[wickerwoman]

46. Again, I'm of two minds on this.

On the one hand, as a senator, I find his actions extreemly laudable and they show that he is the kind of person, and the kind of man, that I would want to know.

On the other hand, as a prospective VP, I think it raises valid questions about where his loyalties would lie in another crisis. I don't just mean another 9/11. Maybe I've been watching too much West Wing, but here's a guy with three vulnerable children. What would he do if their lives were threatened? If they were kidnapped? Would he be able to perform his job if his family was in danger. Because that's what I expect from a president or vice-president. His life _isn't_ his own in a crisis any more. He can't shrug off security to go looking for his family.

Bush strikes out on two counts- he didn't do his job and he didn't seem to give much of a shit about his family either.

But you only really need to strike out on one.

And I think that this is how the wingnut's will spin this particular anecdote.

[AP]

47. He couldn't live without his family. When P/VP, your family gets protet-

tion too. It won't be an issue then.

[Gin]

50. crash cart had his wife with him....in case anything happens..their

families are included....its different with a senator.

Wonder who all went without their families.

[Claire Beth]

48. He is a CLASS ACT! n/t