So, tell me, would John Edwards investigate the crimes committed by the thugs in this administration

[in_cog_ni_to]

? If so, would he pardon them if they were tried for their war crimes and convicted? Better yet, would he ORDER the thugs be investigated? We all know crimes have been committed.

I just watched his DNC Fall Meeting speech and really liked it. I still can't decide who I'll vote for.

I think Biden could win the General election, but that damn Bankruptcy Bill is just too much for me to let go...just like Hillary's IWR vote. I can't vote for her either....PLUS, those 2 are too connected to the corporations. I also don't think either Biden or Clinton would INSIST on investigating the criminals who are now in power....they're both too connected to the DC crowd.

Would Edwards though?

[Blackhatjack]

1. Absolutely!

He understands the connection between the corrupt criminal elements in this Administration and their successive resurgence in later years if we don't root them out this time.

He is your best hope to see that the Bush Administration crimes are investigated and exposed.

[cali]

2. Has he ever said he would?

If he hasn't said so, I see no reason to assume it.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. I've never heard him say that either.

That's why I have to ask. I want these thugs to pay for their crimes and, so far, Dennis Kucinich is the ONLY candidate I've heard say will investigate, but then I don't often listen to John Edwards because he's never been a favorite of mine, so he could have said it and I just missed it.

[ray of light]

7. exactly!!! Nobody has said much...Besides, even if they did, they talk

out of both sides of their mouth. As Gravel stated at Y-kos, "The people on the stage will say anything to get elected. That's why I'm here just telling the truth."

[JDPriestly]

16. What do you think would happen if any of the candidates promised

to prosecute if they got elected?

[KoKo]

4. How would he be able to do it? Like Carter wouldn't he be marginalized?

The Beltway "Powers that Be" and the compliant complicit M$M aren't reformers who want to do what's best for the country. They just want to get along. Carter came up against this Mighty Force. It's even worse today. Even with good intentions...where would he find the mighty allies he would need to prosecute them? The Bushies and Reagans have pretty much dismantled everything...and in another year it could be complete. How could he restructure the whole government? He would still have a reluctant congress no matter how many Dems we get in there...there are still the Blue Dogs, NeoCons and the hardline Repugs with much power. The Beltway and Financial Powers have been very happy with what has gone on. :shrug:

[99th_Monkey]

5. Can you point to anything that Edwards has said to support your claim ...

other than his frequent broadsides against corporate corruption and politicians on-the-take in DC?

I'd like to see it if he's said flatly that he would investigate BushCos criminal behavior and
prosecute accordingly... I'm not doubting you necessarily .. it's just that I've never heard him
say this.

I'm a Kucinich supporter for this very reason BTW .. that Dennis has been unequivocal about this,
and actually taken action (see Impeachment HR 333)

[SeattleGirl]

3. How funny that you posted this, as I was just thinking about it.

Not just in terms of Edwards, but whether any of the dem candidates would if they won the Presidency.

I highly doubt that Hilary would. I don't have enough of a read on Biden or Obama where that issue is concerned.

I think that if any of them would, it would be Edwards, as his work as an attorney was going after companies/corporations that did harmful things or produced harmful products. It's not something he shies away from, and I hope that would also be the case with the Bushies.

[Breeze54]

8. They're already being investigated by Waxman

so, I don't think he'd need to...the work is already being done.

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. I know, but all that is just a dog and pony show until they get elected.

It's not going to go anywhere. Did Condi or KKKRove ever testify before Congress? I didn't think so. I hear contempt charges will be filed soon. Those will be ignored too. We need someone who's serious about this and insists these thugs pay for their crimes.

[Breeze54]

10. I don't see it as a 'dog and pony show'...

I see it as gathering evidence. We need at least 60 senators

to be sure to get impeachment passed.

The rethugs would just vote it down unfortunately.

I think Kucinich would definitely pursue criminal charges as well as Edwards.

[Snotcicles]

11. I think he would appoint honest and ethical people to the justice department

I think he would take their recommendations and let the cards fall where they may.

[madrchsod]

12. it`s not up to him to order an investigation

this is the responsibility of the attorney general or the house and senate. it is not in his duties to order an investigation. with that said, he can call the boys and girls in and have a chat about how things are going..wink..wink.

[blm]

17. What he COULD do is allow access to needed documents - something Clinton wouldn't

do. For example - when the CIA drugrunning story came out it n 1996 it was downplayed by the administration and it took 2yrs to get needed documents for the court case.

IranContra books should have been opened when the CIA drugrunning report came out in 1996. We should have had a Dem president using his oval office power to facilitate the access to documents. We had a Dem president who sided with protecting the secrecy and privilege of Poppy Bush and his illegal operations.

[rug]

13. As Attorney-General, sure.

[Ravy]

14. I was so hoping for that to be a dem debate question for all the candidates. nt

[OneGrassRoot]

15. I could see him investigating Halliburton, Blackwater, Diebold, et al...

leading to crimes of B*shco.

[Pastiche423]

18. No

His actions while in the senate have made that clear. Afterall, he did co-sponsor and vote for the IWR, while thousands upon thousands of his constituents begged him not to.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

[Blackhatjack]

19. Here are some examples to back up my answer....LINKS PROVIDED

John Edwards has called for investigations to be conducted on each of these Bush Connected Disasters. No reason to think he would change his stance once he is elected President.

IMMUNITY AGREEMENTS GRANTED BLACKWATER:

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/09/21/hillary.funds/index.html

"Yesterday’s news that the Bush Administration granted unorthodox immunity agreements to Blackwater employees is extremely disturbing -- and another symptom of the corrupt nexus between private security firms and the Beltway politicians who shelter and feed them.
"These immunity agreements could prevent investigators from learning the truth about these mercenaries' involvement in the recent deaths of 17 civilians in Iraq. They will also undermine America's moral reputation just at a time just when we most need to succeed in winning the hearts and minds of Iraqis.
"I urge Congress to investigate who in the Bush State Department was responsible for this decision and to explore whether anyone from the White House requested these agreements. I also ask the Department of Justice to redouble its efforts to investigate and prosecute all liable parties for the attacks in Iraq."

SIGNING STATEMENTS USED BY PRESIDENT:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/04/bar_group_will_review_bushs_legal_challenges/

``I think one of the most critical issues in the country right now is the extent to which the White House has tried to expand its powers and basically tried to cut the legislative branch out of its own constitutionally equal role, and the signing statements are a particularly egregious example of that," Edwards said. ``I've been doing a lot of speaking and writing about this, and when the ABA said they were looking to take a position on signing statements, I said that's serious because those people carry a lot of weight."

MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATION IN THE OIL BUSINESS:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,276719,00.html

John Edwards Wants Justice Department to Investigate Wave of Oil Company Mergers
SAN FRANCISCO — Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says a wave of mergers in the oil industry should be investigated by the Justice Department to see what impact they have had on soaring gasoline prices.

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION:

http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2007/08/one-campaign-issue-ignored-by-big-media.html

"If you stand up to them and say consolidating the media is a bad thing, it's an unhealthy thing, what they do is attack you," Edwards replied. "They can continue to attack. They will not silence me. We are right about this. The media should not be consolidated and Rupert Murdoch should not own every newspaper in the United States of America"

[shadowknows69]

20. I doubt it

and I'll be fine with that as long as he, or anyone, get to the task of fixing the damage that's been done.