When John Edwards talks about his rise from first-term senator to vice presidential nominee, he likes to say that the journey began in a tiny North Carolina town, on the floor of the textile mill where he swept debris from beneath the cotton looms, learned about the struggles of the little man and dreamed of a bigger and more prosperous tomorrow.
The political reality, however, is that Edwards’ fate was sealed decades later and in a state much farther to the north.
On the frigid back roads of Iowa, Edwards began running for president almost two years ago, banking his political future on a populist, optimistic message that was more about what was right with America than what was wrong.
Even more, he doggedly refused to go negative on his opponents, despite advice that he never would stand out in the crowded Democratic field unless he drew sharp distinctions between himself and the more-experienced politicians.
On Wednesday night, when Edwards officially accepts the vice presidential nomination in Boston and delivers a prime-time speech, the 51-year-old North Carolina senator will begin to see those gambles pay off.
“I was raised in a little mill town, was the first person in my family to go to college and now have been given the opportunity to run for the vice presidency,” Edwards likes to tell audiences, going on to promise he will fight to give all of them the same opportunities to succeed.
As the Democratic convention kicked off this week, Edwards secluded himself in his elegant colonial home here, spending quiet time in his wooded back yard, making notes in the margins of his typed speech.
Popular wisdom is that he will deliver an energetic, inspirational address that will be well-received among the masses. But the speech–its length, its themes, its tone and language–may reveal much about how Edwards will be used in the coming campaign and how well he has adapted to his new role as No. 2.
Telling typography?
“When he looks out on the floor of the convention, I think there will be one very interesting detail out there,” said Timothy Walch, author of “At the President’s Side: The Vice Presidency in the 20th Century” and director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library. “On all those Kerry-Edwards posters, the two men’s names are in almost exactly the same point size. Usually the vice presidential running mate’s name is much smaller. I think that is symbolically indicative of Edwards’ importance to this ticket.”
For all the early buzz that an amiable Edwards could outshine the more reserved Kerry, there has been little evidence of that. While Kerry has traveled the country giving speeches about how he would act as commander in chief, Edwards has seamlessly glided into the role of salesman in chief. His popular “Two Americas” speech, which during the primary season highlighted an economic divide in America, has been scrapped almost entirely, replaced by a message centered on promoting Kerry.
After the convention, Edwards will continue to advocate for Kerry. But it appears the campaign also will task him to do what he did best in the primaries–win over voters in smaller, more rural areas and appeal to undecided independents. A senior campaign official said Edwards probably will be dispatched most often to Iowa, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin–vital battleground states–and his home state, North Carolina.
Edwards brings a youthful exuberance to the ticket. In addition to his 22-year-old daughter, Cate, he and his wife, Elizabeth, have two youngsters, Emma Claire, 6, and Jack, 4. On Wednesday night, Cate is expected to introduce her mother; Elizabeth is to introduce the senator. Emma Claire and Jack, who stole the show during a recent Wisconsin rally when they boisterously head-butted one another on stage with foam cheese heads, likely will be brought onto the stage at the conclusion of Edwards’ speech.
A bittersweet journey
Edwards flew to Boston from Raleigh on Tuesday afternoon. On the way to the airport, he had his motorcade make a short detour. He quietly visited the cemetery where his 16-year-old son, Wade, who died in a car accident in 1996, is buried.
On Wednesday morning Edwards plans to calm any jitters about the speech by falling into a familiar routine. He will run several miles and then practice his remarks in his Boston hotel suite.
Twenty-four hours after Edwards finishes his speech, his running mate will take the same stage. Walch, the historian, said the onus will be on Kerry to match Edwards’ energy.
“Edwards’ job is to get on base,” Walch said. “Kerry’s job is to hit a home run. I have no doubt that Edwards will get very easily on base. But then the question becomes: Will Kerry hold up his end?”
