NewsMax.com
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2003

"I run for president to be champion, to be a champion for the same people I fought for all my life: regular folks," the multimillionaire former trial lawyer said outside his home in Raleigh, N.C.

"I think these people are entitled to a champion in the White House, somebody who goes to work every day seeing things through their eyes and who provides real ideas about how to make their lives better, not somebody who's thinking about insiders or looking out for insiders," he said.

He filed the paperwork that will allow him to begin raising funds and plans a series of media appearances.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have preceded Edwards in forming formal presidential exploratory committees.

Because Edwards, 49, faces re-election to the Senate in 2004, he'll have to choose between the presidential race or re-election to the Senate – by the spring of 2004.

Edwards serves on five committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Intelligence; Judiciary; and Small Business. He was sworn into office on Jan. 6, 1999.

He worked his way through North Carolina State University and graduated with an honors degree in textiles in 1974. He earned a law degree with honors in 1977 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

At an address last month at the Brookings Institution, Edwards offered his plans for a national security shield, renewing his call for a new domestic intelligence agency. Separate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the new agency would be dedicated to gathering and analyzing information about terrorists and share intelligence with other law enforcement agencies.

The new agency, the senator emphasized, would not have arrest powers and would protect civil liberties through strong guidelines, internal auditing, and an independent office of civil rights.

Pointing to dramatic failures in stopping the Sept. 11 terrorists from entering the country, Edwards also proposed increasing the number of immigration, border patrol and state department consular officials by 10,000. He called for tripling funds for border control information technology, and condensing the confusing array of immigration documents.

To better secure the most tempting terrorist targets, he proposed federalizing security at nuclear power facilities, strengthening regulations for chemical and industrial plants, and encouraging improved construction techniques and security procedures at skyscrapers and sports arenas. He also suggested improving ventilation, emergency exits and chemical sensors in mass transit systems.

Edwards also proposed investing $5 billion to hire and equip first responders across the country. "The administration may think homeland security is about changing the color code from yellow to orange," he said. "Let me tell you something – the colors that will make America safer are firefighter red, EMT white and police officer blue."

He faulted President Bush's homeland security strategy as uncoordinated and underfunded.

In the meantime, Roll Call has reported that South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle's advisers say he's "leaning" toward running, one putting the chances at 60-40.

However, the Washington Post reported that Daschle is being urged to run for re-election in South Dakota – as his Senate seat will surely be taken by a Republican if he does not.

Also, reported Roll Call, Daschle's advisers say it would be difficult to both campaign for president and be Senate minority leader.

Editor's note:
David Horowitz shows "How to Beat the Democrats"

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