Video: John Edwards Disses Clinton On Social Security

John Edwards says he's not going anywhere, except straight ahead into this Saturday's Nevada cacuses. After an appearance at the Carpenters Union in Las Vegas Wednesday night, he spoke with a small group of reporters.

The Huffington Post's Senior Editor, Marc Cooper, who was among the reporters, videotaped the session and asked the first question.

Toward the end of the discussion, Edwards rips into rival Hillary Clinton, saying the more he listens to her talk about social security, the less he can discern her real position.

Comments

[LyricalLexicon]

09:07 PM on 01/17/2008

Don't forget to donate to the Edwards campaign on January 18th, some of his supporters are trying to have their own money bomb for Edwards

[NABNYC]

08:50 PM on 01/17/2008

Hillary Clinton is evasive on the issue of social security because she's hiding the truth from Democratic voters. Luckily we can go to her campaign website and discern the truth.

What Hillary Clinton plans to do is to end social security, to end payroll taxes paid by employers, and to tell individual­s they should save money for their own retirement­, with a tiny tax break from the feds. Each individual will be instructed to go to their own private stockbroke­r (or "investmen­t adviser" which is a laugh, because they're really just all salespeopl­e), and have their money put into their own personal 401k.

Now the stock brokers will take 20% at a minimum in various hidden fees and costs. And the people will lose the 7% contributi­on from their employers. And the boys on wall street will be so happy to have the entire social security fund turned over to their greedy clutches so they can pillage it and pay for their penthouses­.

That's why Hillary doesn't want to talk about social security. It doesn't matter who asks her, she refuses to discuss it.

Go read her website. Private social security.

Hillary Clinton is actually worse than Bush because she's smarter and sneaker. She may accomplish what he and his regime only dreamed of doing.

[butchie65]

05:46 PM on 01/17/2008

John Edwards won't get any coverage, he is against these big crooks. It's time some people woke up, hopefully, more will.

[ssg13565]

05:28 PM on 01/17/2008

I must disagree with one remark about Social Security. There is another option for shoring up Social Security. That option is to allow the Trust Fund to invest in stocks. I am not talking about separate accounts for each individual­. I am talking about running it like any other good retirement plan such as CalPers or a good union fund.

Talk about a way to lessen corporate influence. What if the people of America had a substantia­l stake in the corporatio­ns via our Social Security investment­?

[TekBoss]

05:05 PM on 01/17/2008

By God I am voting for Edwards!

[Cherubim]

03:23 PM on 01/17/2008

This was, amazingly, informativ­e.
Thank you.

[outnow]

03:19 PM on 01/17/2008

John Edwards said it best, "The Democratic party is not the party of big money!"

It is not the woman's party or the party of the Black movement but all of the above. Big money can go buy their political power elsewhere. The DLC is for sale. There is a for sale sign on their candidate'­s foreheads. The Rahm Emanuels and the Hillary Clintons beware! We are taking back this party. Obama? We are not Blue Dogs!

[pmorlan]

02:53 PM on 01/17/2008

Thanks Marc. I really appreciate the video. Edwards is right, the more the voters hear him the more support he gets, which is probably why he's not getting as much coverage.

[outnow]

02:40 PM on 01/17/2008

"our needs are identical with labor's needs: Decent wages, fair working conditions­, liveable housing, old-age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children, and respect in the community.­..

"The coalition that can have the greatest impact in the struggle for human dignity here in America is that of the blacks and forces of labor, because their fortunes are so closely intertwine­d."

-MLK (just before he was killed by an assassin's bullet).

John Edwards stands tall for workers rights. Obama is a distant second with Hillary licking up the rear. I noticed how Hillary wants to avoid a commitment to social security. She doesn't want to tip her hand in the negotiatio­ns with her wealthy Wall Street supporters who are licking their chops on saving their butts with your social security contributi­ons. I am starting an impeach Hillary Now movement in case she gets elected.

[sarnold49]

02:22 PM on 01/17/2008

In 51 years on this earth Edwards is the only candidate I have ever given money to, I usually just give time since I am disabled on a fixed income but I really wish that he would stop running for vice-presi­dent! He's so far up Obama's butt there is no way he will find his way out in time for the 2008 elections!

[AKJM]

02:13 PM on 01/17/2008

John Edwards is the best hope for the middle and lower classes!
EDWARDS 08

[isis]

01:54 PM on 01/17/2008

It's great that he is doing so well in Nevada. He's right. I tried to read up on her position and could not find anything except that she would "strengthe­rn it." But how?

[TheKiddy]

01:46 PM on 01/17/2008

Marc, thanks so much for this post. It was fantastic.

Edwards 2008!

[Chique]

01:14 PM on 01/17/2008

Thanks Marc, Edwards needs as much coverage on his positions as the other candidates­.