Edwards leaves Poverty Center

from The Herald Sun

By Emily Coakley

CHAPEL HILL -- Former Sen. John Edwards has left the UNC Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity he founded three years ago to make a second run for president.

Edwards gave up the UNC job Thursday, the day he made official what he had long hinted and was revealed a day earlier when his campaign accidentally went live with his "John Edwards '08" Web site, that he will be a candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Edwards chose the back yard of a victim of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans' devastated Ninth Ward to declare his candidacy Thursday.

Edwards, 53, called for an increase in community service and cuts in poverty, global warming and troops in Iraq. He said he made a mistake in voting for a resolution to go to war with Iraq, but noted that he didn't conduct the war.

He also said the country should provide universal health care for all and end its dependence on foreign oil. He said he would tax oil company profits and eliminate President Bush's tax cuts to pay for his priorities.

"We need to ask Americans to be willing to be patriotic about something beyond war," he said.

He said that will include a National Call to Action Day on Jan. 27 where Americans can contribute their time to help enroll children in government health care programs, fight for an increase in the minimum wage or other efforts.

In his bid for the presidential nomination, Edwards will likely battle a host of Democrat foes, possibly including U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Joe Biden of Delaware, Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, among others.

Edwards was the Democratic Party's 2004 vice presidential nominee on a failed ticket with Kerry. Edwards had earlier dropped his own presidential bid.

Edwards, an extremely successful trial lawyer in North Carolina who built a personal fortune on the strength of some highly visible personal injury awards, served one six-year term in the U.S. Senate after being elected in 1998. He did not seek re-election to the Senate in 2004.

In his letter of resignation to Jack Boger, UNC's law school dean, Edwards outlined what he saw as the achievements of the center he helped create and which is housed in the law school.

The center's achievements, Edwards wrote, include holding conferences and panel discussions and, in April of next year, publishing a book of essays from a variety of scholars called "Ending Poverty in America."

Edwards, a native of South Carolina who grew up in the mill town of Robbins in the Sandhills of North Carolina, graduated from UNC's law school in 1977.

Despite Edwards' departure, there are no plans to discontinue the center's work.

Boger has already announced the appointment of Marion Crain, the center's deputy director, to replace Edwards as director.

In his resignation letter, Edwards said the center had managed to raise enough funds "to ensure that the Poverty Center remains a permanent part of the UNC family and will be able to continue its work for many years to come."

Edwards got a warm send-off from UNC Chancellor James Moeser.

"We wish John Edwards all the best in his future pursuits. He has done an excellent job in guiding the initial work of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity. There is a strong foundation in place for the center to continue to address issues related to poverty," Moeser said.

In related news, it appears Edwards' campaign headquarters is up and running in Chapel Hill. Contact information on his campaign Web site, www.johnedwards.com, lists the campaign's mailing address as Southern Village.

Edwards will wind up a two-day, five-state tour with a "special homecoming rally" at 4 p.m. Saturday in Southern Village.

Tickets are required. They are free and available at www.johnedwardsevent.com