EDWARDS, referring to Hillary Clinton’s campaign: "They have no conscience.”

[BigBearJohn]

Edwards presented crowds several hundred strong in Manchester and Keene Sunday afternoon with Hilda Sarkisyan, the mother of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan, a leukemia patient from Southern California who died Dec. 20th after an insurance company’s repeated refusals to pay for the liver transplant that could have saved her life.

“This is not only about my daughter Nataline. This could happen to any of us,” said a tearful Hilda Sarkisyan. The Sarkisyans joined the Edwards campaign following his showing in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 5. “For every mom and dad out there, we have to make a change…This is it, we have to go for Mr. Edwards.”

“I want everyone voting in New Hampshire to know what’s at stake. What kind of fighter do you need on your side when faced with this kind of crisis? When you’re job could be leaving? When your healthcare could be at stake?” he asked the crowd in Manchester. “Who do you want on your side? …Because that’s what this is about.”

Edwards’ tactics drew criticism today from Hillary Clinton spokesperson Jay Carson, who accused Edwards of merely using families like the Sarkisyans—and New Hampshire resident James Lowe, who could not speak for 50 years because he did not have health insurance to cover surgery that would have corrected a cleft palate, and Sandy Lathey, a former Edwards’ client who crusaded for new laws after her daughter was badly injured by a swimming pool drain, who are also with the campaign through New Hampshire—as talking points, and not actually helping people.

That attack spurred what is arguably the harshest tone Edwards has yet adopted against a fellow Democrat.

“They have no conscience,” he said, referring to Hillary Clinton’s campaign., and defending his own record as a lawyer who helped the same kinds of people who have joined his last campaign push. (emphasis added)

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MORE: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/edwards_closing_his_nh_campaig.html

[williesgirl]

1. I agree with him and am glad he has the guts to say it. rec'd

[itsrobert]

2. Thanks, I have not seen that posted on DU

in Red. ;)

[UTUSN]

3. Uh, could John save lines like that for RETHUGS?!1 Please. n/t

[TahitiNut]

4. It seems to me that his RESPONSE (not just a "line") was provoked.

To smear Edwards in saying he's USING people and doesn't really help them? Wow! If we're going to chastise folks for flinging shit, let's look at ANYONE who does so ... and maybe have a little extra opprobrium for someone who sends out her "seconds" to do it - apparently not willing to do her own dirty work.

[papau]

5. I think John said "Clinton say feeling sorry does not solve the problem" is unconscionable - and I

do not understand his logic.

[AndyA]

6. Hillary's campaign was way out of line, and I think John responded appropriately.

Hillary needs to look in the mirror before she starts accusing others of following her lead. She wrote the book on pandering.

[CoffeeCat]

7. Wow, is there anyone Hillary isn't attacking?

If I was one of those people touring with Edwards, I would grab every microphone
within a mile and blast Clinton into the 21st Century.

If even one of them would defend Edwards and blast Hillary--and say a few choice talking
points that would render her speechless for the next couple of days---THAT would be beautiful.

Can you imagine how easy that would be for one of them to do?

Hillary's left herself wide open for a verbal lashing of the worst kind--from "We The People".

I'd like to write a few sound bytes and run them up to New Hampshire myself!

:popcorn: