John Edwards 2008: What’s not to like

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
As we mentioned yesterday, during the NAACP forum Edwards called for ex-convicts’ voting rights to be re-instated. But a rival campaign tipped us off that Edwards voted against a 2002 amendment that would have done just that. It was introduced by Sen. Harry Reid and co-sponsored by Sens. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Russ Feingold (D-WI). The measure failed 63-31.

It would have been tacked on to a bill — introduced by Dodd — to help fund states to meet federal election technology requirements. The bill passed 99-1.

Of the Democratic presidential candidates who were in the Senate at the time, Clinton voted for Reid amendment; Edwards, Dodd and Biden all voted against.

“The vote was to protect the underlying bill to expand voting rights,” the Edwards campaign said, and quickly pointed out, “Dodd sponsored the bill and voted with Edwards.”

MSNBC First Read 7/13/07
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/13/270267.aspx

Of the leading candidates, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and Gen. Wesley Clark have pledged to end the Bush administration’s raids on medical marijuana patients and providers. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean — who blocked a Vermont medical marijuana bill in 2002 — have not. Edwards has said it would be “irresponsible” to stop arresting medical marijuana patients.

Marijuana Policy Project, 2/4/2004
http://www.mpp.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=glKZLeMQIsG&b=1173731&ct=1973545