Edwards at home
I was in Greensboro today to hear former U.S. Senator John Edwards pitch his new book and chat with some other folks for a story I’m working on for later this week. (My colleague Sonja Elmquist is writing a story about his stop in Greensboro for Sunday’s paper.)
Update: Click here for Sonja’s story.
As The Charlotte Observer’s Mark Johnson wrote in his story today, “A click of the television remote this week should have erased any doubt -- small as it would have to be -- that former U.S. Sen. John Edwards is running for president again.”
To be fair: Edwards hasn’t said he’s going to do it.
But he sure sounds like a guy who is running, even if he’s not willing to come right out and say it. He spent as much of his time in Greensboro Saturday hashing over policy as he did highlighting his book. As one gentleman who sidled up to me quipped, “It sure sounds like stump speech to me.”
The former Senator has been saying for a while now that “something interesting” will show up on his web page sometime in the next few weeks. It’s widely expected that will be the official kick-off to his campaign.
In an odd sort of way, he’ll now be something of a Washington outsider, two years removed from elective office. As he was leaving the building Saturday afternoon, I asked him whether he ever wished he had run again for Senate rather than give up the seat, which is now held by Richard Burr.
“No,” he said very firmly, needing prompting to deliver the rest of the answer. “With what I can do now I have the freedom to focus on the things I care most about,” Edwards said.
Basically, he said, not being a Senator means he’s not tied to the issue of the moment.
So, I asked, would you want to give up that freedom, say for another job in Washington?
“It depends on what for.”
Right. Check the web site.
More to come later this week.