Elizabeth Edwards: War in Iraq Not Making AYP

Last night, at a Macon, Georgia fundraiser, Elizabeth Edwards spoke to a group that included Kyle George, a Mercer law student and veteran of the war in Iraq. In response to his question about what Sen. Edwards would do as President to end the war in Iraq and begin bringing out troops home, Elizabeth paused and said , "you know, if we took the language of No Child Left Behind and applied it to this war, there's no way the war in Iraq has made AYP ." (Adequate Yearly Progress) That might've been the best line of the night. It is interesting, isn't it, that we go to great lengths to hold teachers accountable and to measure the progress of students, but despite the billions invested in Iraq, we don't do nearly as much to measure the progress of the war or hold George Bush accountable? It's time for a President who will get us out of the multi-billion dollar quagmire.

Support the Troops - End the War

Leading, once again, Sen. Edwards has a new website, "Support the Troops, End the War" where he calls for a day of action on Memorial Day to do both. Sid, over at Cracker Squire, points out that there is a Washington Post piece about this effort, and he notes that this may be a risky strategy. Cracker Squire: Edwards campaigns to make Memorial Day an antiwar statement -- This is risky and could backfire.

Maybe Sid's right, but Edwards has made it clear from the beginning of this race that he will not be doing what's safe- he'll be doing what he thinks is right. I appreciate his courage and his leadership. There is no issue facing the American people that is more important than Iraq. Besides, this is a two-prong strategy- Support the Troops and End the War. There not a lot controversial here.

Here are some of the things he suggests we do to Reclaim Patriotism:


1. Get local, get active, and get outdoors. Walk the streets of your neighborhood. Get everyone you know to sign a petition to your local government body—for instance, your town or city council or neighborhood association—to pass a resolution requesting that Congress use its funding authority to support our troops and end the war. Bring the petition to the next meeting. Share your plans here.

2. Send our troops a taste of home. Go shopping with your kids, your friends, your neighbors, and buy a whole bunch of stuff that would make a soldier happy to receive (check for restrictions). Then go through a site like Anysoldier.com, OpGratitude.com, or TroopCarePackage.com to send your package to a soldier in Iraq. Take photos and tell us about it.

3. Gather in public. On Memorial Day, get your friends, kids, co-workers, neighbors, aunts, uncles, grandfathers, grandmothers, and anyone and everyone you know together to publicly support the troops and end the war. Be sure to check with your local authority for any permits you need for public gatherings. Contact local media to publicize your event. Make sure you conduct yourself respectfully—both for those serving in Iraq and the memory of the brave servicemen and women that Memorial Day honors. Share your plans here.

4. Pray. Organize a prayer vigil for our troops at your house of worship. Tell us about it.
Make your voice heard in Washington. Call President Bush at (202) 456-1111 or email him at comments@whitehouse.gov. Call your Representative and U.S. Senator and ask them to use their funding power to support our troops and end the war. Tell us about it.

5. Get vocal. Buy a bunch of poster-board and markers. At a picnic or with family and friends, make signs that say “SUPPORT THE TROOPS - END THE WAR.” Bring them to your local Memorial Day parade. Then take a digital photo of yourself and your family or friends holding up the poster and tell us about it. We’ll include it in a “Democracy Photo Album” on our site.
Greet a vet. Before Memorial Day Weekend gets started, get in touch with the Yellow Ribbon Fund and volunteer to provide welcome-back services and mentorships to injured soldiers returning home. Tell us about it.

6. Say thank you. Send a thank-you note to our troops through organizations like Let's Say Thanks, A Million Thanks, or Operation Care Packages. Better yet - gather folks together to write thank-you notes at a picnic. Tell us about it.

7. Help an injured vet. Before Memorial Day Weekend gets underway, contact your local VA Hospital and learn how you can volunteer. Tell us about it.

8. Light up the night. Get your friends and family together and organize a Memorial Day candlelight vigil to support our troops and end the war. Share your plans here.

This is cross-posted at Georgia Women Vote!

Edwards if the First to Respond to DFA on Iraq

Edwards has made it his business to lead on important issues. Check out his response to DFA on Iraq:

Edwards Leads-Again

John Edwards is making leading on tough issues a habit. He was the first presidential candidate to call for universal health care and to put forward a comprehensive plan to make it a reality. He was the first to apologize for his vote to authorize the war in Iraq, and the first to say that we need to get out troops out of Iraq. Now, today, after months of political "if I had known then what I know now" double-speak, Hilliary Clinton is also calling for a March 2007 time line for withdrawal.And on Thursday, Edwards was the first candidate to pull out of the Nevada presidential debate because it was sponsored, in part, by Fox News. His principled stand on this and other issues could've come with a big price tag- he could've been the only candidate to miss the debate in this key early primary state of Nevada. But sometimes when you do the right thing, others ultimately follow, and on Friday, the Nevada Democratic Party pulled the plug on the debate, pointing to the participation by Fox. Edwards has the strength of character, the courage and the vision to lead on all of these issues. I want a leader to be President, not a politico who checks a poll and then decides what he believes.