Democrats rally with Mrs. Edwards
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By Christopher Graff Associated Press - Published: October 13, 2004
BURLINGTON — Elizabeth Edwards says she can't believe that George W. Bush has cited Harry Truman - whose motto was "The Buck Stops Here" — as a role model.
"That's unbelievable isn't it, because this president has 1,000 excuses why it is not his fault," said Mrs. Edwards during a rally here Tuesday night. "It's not his fault that we have lost jobs in this country; you know there was a recession; you know we've had a war. These are the reasons the jobs have been lost. Not his fault.
"If he has gotten bad information, it's somebody else's fault. If we've got a situation in Abu Ghraib, it's not his fault. In every respect it is never his fault," said Mrs. Edwards.
"We need to make certain that this time we tell him that it was his fault and this American public is going to call him to task. The position we are in around the world, the position we are in in our environment, the position we are in with respect to health care and our education system, with respect to jobs...It is his fault we are there," she said to rising applause from the several hundred Democrats gathered at Union Station.The audience had been well-prepped for Mrs. Edwards' appearance: Former Gov. Howard Dean and U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy set the stage with a series of one-liners attacking and belittling Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Dean especially had fun with the audience, clearly enjoying his old hometown friends and the opportunity to say whatever he felt like saying.
Talking about last week's debate featuring John Edwards and Cheney, Dean said of Edwards: "What a great contrast against Darth Vader over there on the other side. If Cheney had unwrapped his cape, his fangs would have showed."
Dean then did an impersonation and, as the crowd laughed, said, "I know that wasn't very presidential, but I am not running anymore. I can do what I want."
Dean also aimed some of his remarks at Bush: "I see all this nasty stuff going on. I see now that George Bush has taken to calling John Kerry a liberal. Horrors! A liberal!
"You know something about liberals: They actually balance the budget," said Dean. "Not one Republican president has balanced the budget in 34 years. You cannot trust a conservative with your money. Lordy, we need a liberal in the White House."
Dean was followed by Leahy, who joked about his infamous encounter with Cheney in the Senate chamber this summer when the vice president directed a vulgarity at Leahy.
Noting that the next Senate could be evenly divided, Leahy said, "When I have to speak with the vice president asking to break that tie, I want it to be John Edwards because he speaks to me a lot nicer than Dick Cheney does."
Mrs. Edwards was in the state primarily to raise money for the Democratic National Committee. She attended a fund-raiser at a private home in Charlotte before stopping at the Democratic rally.
Mark Michaud, a Democratic spokesman, said he doubted any of the money would be earmarked for Vermont elections. "Where that money goes is anyone's guess," he said. "I would imagine it is more likely to end up in Iowa and Ohio than Vermont."
The rally ran late but Dean, in his comments, noted that one member of the audience had told him he hoped it wouldn't run too late.
"A fellow came up to me and said, 'Listen, we really like you here and appreciate all the things you've done, but don't forget the Red Sox game starts at 8,"' said Dean.
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