John Edwards for President-John Edwards visits New Hampshire

John Edwards visits New Hampshire

Apr 20, 2006 5:18 PM

Holly Ramer
Associated Press
Apr 20, 2006

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- When John Edwards toured Page Belting three years ago, he was a U.S. senator running for president, and the industrial belt manufacturer had 75 workers.

When he returned Thursday, the company had just cut its force to 15 workers and moved outside the city to a building half the size of its old facility. Once Concord's largest manufacturer, the company was forced to downsize due to declining sales, a failed acquisition, rising energy prices and increased overseas competition.

"They're trying every way they can to make it work, but they're an example of the struggles that American manufacturing is having," Edwards said.

Edwards, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004, now leads the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina law school. He's spent the last year and a half traveling the country, elaborating on the theme of his campaign - that America remains divided between the rich and poor.

"The concept of two Americas is more powerful and stronger in reality today than it was four years ago. I don't think it's enough to talk about what's wrong unless you have some ideas on how to make it better," he said, rattling off a list of solutions including raising the minimum wage, expanding the earned income tax credit, leveling the playing field for union organizing in the workplace and improving access to college.

In addition to talking to workers at the manufacturing plant, Edwards also spoke to workers and clients at Dress For Success, a nonprofit organization that provides low-income women with upscale business clothing and helps them prepare for job interviews. Many of the women are single mothers who work and attend school full-time, he said.

"The stereotype that's out there that people who live in poverty are lazy and irresponsible is just not the truth," he said later at a fundraiser for New Hampshire House Democrats.

"I don't claim to have all the answers for poverty," he said. "But I am absolutely certain there's a hunger in this country. A hunger to be inspired again."

Edwards also described his recent trip to New Orleans with 700 college students to help with the cleanup of Hurricane Katrina, saying the tragedy has opened a window of opportunity to do something about poverty.

"The American people understand something that the crowd of politicians in Washington do not understand: that when we help the victims of the hurricane on the Gulf Coast, or when we do something about the millions of people in poverty, this is not something we do for them," he said. "It's something we do for us, because the truth is it makes us bigger and stronger."

Edwards said he hasn't decided yet whether he will run for president again in 2008, saying he is focused on his making sure his wife continues to recover well from breast cancer and on his work with the poverty center. As the Democratic National Committee considers changes to the presidential nominating calendar, Edwards said he supports Iowa having the first caucus and New Hampshire having the first primary, but wouldn't comment on a proposal to insert one or more additional caucuses between those contests.

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