Martin Luther King III doesn't think Edwards is Smarmy.

Maybe he'd buy a used car from him?

Martin Luther King, III Praises Edwards For Leading The Fight For Economic Justice In America
Jan 21, 2008 8:19 PM

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Following a meeting at the King Center in Atlanta on the afternoon of Saturday, January 19th, 2008, Martin Luther King, III sent John Edwards a letter praising Edwards' commitment to fighting poverty and speaking out for those without a voice. King, the first son of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the President and CEO of Realizing the Dream, said his father was a fighter and urged Edwards to continue the fight for justice and equality. He also urged the other candidates to follow Edwards' lead.

"I am disturbed by how little attention the topic of economic justice has received during this campaign," wrote King. "I want to challenge all candidates to follow your lead, and speak up loudly and forcefully on the issue of economic justice in America.

"From our conversation yesterday, I know this is personal for you. I know you know what it means to come from nothing. I know you know what it means to get the opportunities you need to build a better life. And, I know you know that injustice is alive and well in America, because millions of people will never get the same opportunities you had.

"I believe that now, more than ever, we need a leader who wakes up every morning with the knowledge of that injustice in the forefront of their minds, and who knows that when we commit ourselves to a cause as a nation, we can make major strides in our own lifetimes."

The letter can be downloaded at: http://www.johnedwards.com/news/20080121-mlk-iii-letter.pdf

The full text of the letter is below:

January 20, 2008

The Honorable John R. Edwards
410 Market Street
Suite 400
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Dear Senator Edwards:

It was good meeting with you yesterday and discussing my father's legacy. On the day when the nation will honor my father, I wanted to follow up with a personal note.

There has been, and will continue to be, a lot of back and forth in the political arena over my father's legacy. It is a commentary on the breadth and depth of his impact that so many people want to claim his legacy. I am concerned that we do not blur the lines and obscure the truth about what he stood for: speaking up for justice for those who have no voice.

I appreciate that on the major issues of health care, the environment, and the economy, you have framed the issues for what they are - a struggle for justice. And, you have almost single-handedly made poverty an issue in this election.

You know as well as anyone that the 37 million people living in poverty have no voice in our system. They don't have lobbyists in Washington and they don't get to go to lunch with members of Congress. Speaking up for them is not politically convenient. But, it is the right thing to do.

I am disturbed by how little attention the topic of economic justice has received during this campaign. I want to challenge all candidates to follow your lead, and speak up loudly and forcefully on the issue of economic justice in America.

From our conversation yesterday, I know this is personal for you. I know you know what it means to come from nothing. I know you know what it means to get the opportunities you need to build a better life. And, I know you know that injustice is alive and well in America, because millions of people will never get the same opportunities you had.

I believe that now, more than ever, we need a leader who wakes up every morning with the knowledge of that injustice in the forefront of their minds, and who knows that when we commit ourselves to a cause as a nation, we can make major strides in our own lifetimes. My father was not driven by an illusory vision of a perfect society. He was driven by the certain knowledge that when people of good faith and strong principles commit to making things better, we can change hearts, we can change minds, and we can change lives.

So, I urge you: keep going. Ignore the pundits, who think this is a horserace, not a fight for justice. My dad was a fighter. As a friend and a believer in my father's words that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, I say to you: keep going. Keep fighting. My father would be proud.

Sincerely,

Martin L. King, III




:)

They're my two candidates who I would like to see leading America in a direction they envision to heal and elevate our country.

dammit

:thumbsup:

:P

:kick: :7

according to my dictionary it means "excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, affectionate, etc."

unctuous means "slimy", smooth, suave or smug. But why not use those words instead, since smarmy does not seem to fit? He's certainly not flattering the lobbyists or corporations. Nor being servile or ingratiating. The only people he seems to be sucking up to are leftwing anti-corporate activists like myself who wanna help poor people and the working class. I wish Hillary would do more of that.

"I want to challenge all candidates to follow your lead, and speak up loudly and forcefully on the issue of economic justice in America."

Thanks for turning it around... but the way it was used in the thread I was thinking of when I posted this, it was ugly and trashy.

Just the sort of thing we already have far too much of in this forum. *sigh*

They've been educated but refuse to learn.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4166589&mesg_id=4166589

I don't know... I have to hope that some will come around if called on it.

I can't help myself... I do refuse to respond in kind though. :)

This is so cool! :applause:

:hi:

He totally supports Edward's drive for economic justice.

http://www.johnedwards.com/splash/

:sarcasm:

:P

:7

:spray: :yourock:

:loveya:

I don't support Clinton but it isn't because I think she's smarmy.

Don't underestimate the power that the lack of media coverage means to any campaign.

It has nothing to do with voters thinking Edwards is smarmy.

Get a frickin' clue.

but it absolutely floors me that people don't seem to grok the idea of deciding based on POLICIES.

:crazy:

It's likely there are many interdependent factors that have marginalized Edwards in the race. Personal reaction and judgment of his character is likely one of those, but how prominent it is can be very difficult to prove. It's like if I were to say "Edwards is doing badly because the media fear him and refuse to report on him"--it's possible, but there's no way to prove why he receives a relative lack of coverage, and it could happen for many other reasons than media "fear" of Edwards.

at least some real voices of the people, like the honorable MLK III, show who Edwards represents.

edit for spelling

sadly too many Americans still take their cues from the M$M.

:evilgrin: