John Edwards' Perfect Moment at UC Berkeley

In fact, there was a motif from the 1960's even before Edwards spoke. Michelle Wasserman, the Cal Berkeley Democrats President spoke of the "distinguished tradition activism, student involvement in politics, civil rights, the free speech anti war movement which all started right here." She fired up the crowd saying it was especially important with the Bush Administration "sending kids to war without an exit strategy."

Juliian Posadas, the Executive President of AFSCME Local 3299, the union that represents 19,500 UC workers statewide also warmed the crowd up. He noted the Edwards event was held across the street from the University and not on the campus itself as Edwards showed his support for the union which is having difficulties in negotiations with the University. Posadas spoke of the difficulty experienced by his union members, some of whom have to hold two jobs to make their ends meet, and do not see much of their children. He said "There is a problem with America where the richest public university in America, the University of California, refuses to pay its custodians a living wage." He concluded, "We need a candidate like John Edwards to eliminate poverty in America."

Kate Michelman, who introduced Edwards, spoke of his strong support for the rights of women. She recalled her days as a college student when the Selma marches took place. When a second march took place in Selma, while pregnant, she marched there. She said Edwards "offers confidence we can change our country, make it what we dream of. That our place in the world as a principled, effective, and humanitarian leader can be restored and that together we can face each other and care for each other." She continued, "The country faces a moment of truth, as we stand at the crossroads of an era that calls for the politics of conviction and principle."

Edwards didn't miss a beat, starting his speech by thanking Michelman, and saying that "The rights of women are a civil right in America, including a woman's right to choose" to raucous applause. He also noted that he was speaking across from the University to show solidarity with union members "in their march for justice, which is what this is."

Edwards said he remembered the Selma march vividly even though it took place when he was 11 years old. Living the in the South, he said "I saw this personally, I didn't see it on television. I saw 'whites only' signs on diners, white only signs on drinking fountains." He continued, "Unfortunately, 42 years later, we have work to do. We have not reached that promised land the Reverend Martin Luther King talked about."

"We have learned great lessons from the marches of the past," he said and then got a jab in on the right with "Men and women of faith can make a difference. Faith in America does not just belong to the right wing in America."

Edwards repeatedly wove in the marches for justice to the cause of the workers at the University and current issues.

He spoke extensively in his speech and later in a press conference about the human rights abuses in Darfur, Sudan. In his speech, he said, "Today, we live in a world, where America is seen as a bully. That has to change and it can change… We in the interests of both ourselves and the world have to make it clear that we understand out responsibility not just to America, but we understand our responsibility to humanity." He noted the epidemic of Aids in Africa and the thousands who die because they cannot get a $4 dose of medicine. He said "The richest nation stands by and watches while we spend billions of dollars on the War in Iraq."

He once again stated clearly that he was wrong to vote for the war in Iraq, took responsibility for it, When he started his next sentence, "The United States Congress, now controlled by my party, needs to stop this President" the applause was deafening and one could not hear the rest of the sentence.

At home, he spoke about "respecting diversity of every conceivable kind--cultural diversity, faith diversity, ethnic diversity, whatever your sexual orientation is, we of the United States of America embrace you."

Edwards said "We are at a historical point in American history. We don't need baby steps any more. We don't need political calculation. We don't need incremental change. We need bold, transformational change."

On global warming, he said he was "convinced that George Bush is the last person on the earth" not to know about the cause of it. He noted that with 4% of the world's population, we produce 25% of the greenhouse gases in the world. He asked how we can go to China and other countries without taking care of our own problem. "That has got to change," along with the current level of usage of the world's oil, he concluded. "How about if America as a nation says 'we're going to commit ourselves to a serious, long term, comprehensive investment in clean renewable sources of energy?'" he asked.

"How about if we have a President of the United States who actually asks Americans to be patriotic about something other than war?" was the next question he asked to applause of the crowd. "We need to conserve, we need to drive more fuel efficient vehicles, and if people don't do it voluntarily, we need to mandate it. And more controversial, but absolutely necessary, we need to have a national cap on carbon dioxide emissions in the United States of America and we need to ratchet that down every day. America needs to understand this is an emergency. That's how serious it is. If you look at the Pentagon's analysis of what can happen in the world with a 3 to 8 degree climate change in the next 75 years, it's a frightening thing."

He then talked about the "totally dysfunctional" health care system in America. "I'm proud of the fact that, as least as of now, amongst the Democrats and Republicans, I am the only Presidential candidate with a truly substantive detailed universal health care plan," he said. He also challenged the students and others to evaluate what other candidates say about providing health care, ending poverty, and eliminating the deficit when they come through. The crowd laughed, and he said "that's the right response." He then acknowledged that his plan will cost between $90 billion and $120 billion. He then said "But I do pay for it in a way that at least some of you will agree with. I get rid of George Bush's tax cuts for the richest people." That brought the house down.

Near the end of his speech, he spoke of the "extraordinary growing disparity between the rich and the poor in this country." He said that many pundits, consultants, and others have asked why he talks about this, saying it is not going to help him get elected. "I'll tell you why I talk about it. Because I believe it. I don't want to live in an America made up of a few rich people and everybody else. I don't think most Americans want to live in that country." He concluded it is "Time for us to recognize again that a growing and strong middle class is the foundation for democracy." He spoke glowingly of having helped to get the minimum wage raised through the ballot in 6 states.

Would Edwards be in California, speaking to college students, if the state's Presidential primary was not being moved to February? The state and the issues we care about are already being discussed as a result of the move. Many of the areas he covered, from universal health care, global warming, income inequality, college tuition, a woman's right to choice, Disinvestment in Darfur, and a livable wage, have been written about in these pages as California issues. Costing about $3 per resident of the state, those present have already gotten their money's worth from the move of the primary which will receive final approval in the legislature this week. Edwards is competing for student volunteers, and that is good for democracy.

We'll see how this all works out after the millions of dollars spent by all serious candidates on television and radio ads. At least for now we can go and hear the candidates themselves and not always at fundraisers.