Edwards le entra a Hillary

El precandidato Edwards dice que la senadora Clinton aspira a sustituir la "dinastía" de los Bush con otra dinastía. Quiere seguir favoreciendo a las grandes corporaciones de EEUU.

Edwards accuses Clinton of cronyism

By: Mike Allen
Oct 29, 2007 02:40 PM EST

Former senator, struggling to catch up, levels charges of corporate favoritism, dynastic succession.


MANCHESTER, N.H. — Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) accused his rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) of coziness with corporations and warned against perpetuating a “political dynasty.”

Edwards, struggling for traction in New Hampshire, warned his party Monday against trading “corporate Democrats for corporate Republicans; our cronies for their cronies; one political dynasty for another dynasty.”

Speaking at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, Edwards said the result would be “a Democratic version of the Republican corruption machine.

“Sen. Clinton’s road to the middle class takes a major detour right through the deep canyon of corporate lobbyists and the hidden bidding of K Street in Washington — and history tells us that when that bus stops there, it is the middle class that loses,” the senator said. “We can’t stand quietly by and let this corrupt system continue.”

At a news conference afterward, Edwards reprised the “electability” argument for his candidacy: “We need a candidate who can both win the White House and help Democratic candidates in tough places — in red states, in swing congressional districts.

“I have won in a red state — I beat the Jesse Helms political machine to get elected to the United States Senate. I also grew up in rural America.”

The campaign billed the address as “definitional” — a sobering assessment of where the country would head if the Democrats choose a candidate who defends what Edwards views as a broken system.

“Although I have spent my entire life taking on the big powerful interests and winning — which is why I have never taken a dime from Washington lobbyists or political action committees — I too have been guilty of my own silence — but no more,” he said.

“It’s time to tell the truth. And the truth is the system in Washington is corrupt. It is rigged by the powerful special interests to benefit the very few at the expense of the many.”

At one point, Edwards detailed his objections to Clinton — coyly at first, then baldly.

“A few weeks ago, around the sixth anniversary of 9/11, a leading presidential candidate held a fundraiser that was billed as a homeland security-themed event in Washington, D.C. targeted to homeland security lobbyists and contractors for $1,000 a plate,” he began.

“These lobbyists, for the price of a ticket, would get a special treat — the opportunity to participate in small, hour-long breakout sessions with key Democratic lawmakers, many of whom chair important subcommittees of the homeland security committee.”

Then: “That presidential candidate was Sen. Clinton.”

“Now, when I asked Hillary Clinton to join me in not taking money from Washington lobbyists, she refused,” he continued.

“Not only did she say that she would continue to take their money, she actually defended them.

“And today Hillary Clinton has taken more money from Washington lobbyists than any candidate from either party — more money than any Republican candidate.

“She has taken more money from the defense industry than any candidate from either party. She took more money from Wall Street last quarter than Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama combined.”

In response, Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said: “In 2004, John Edwards said, ‘If you are looking for the candidate that will do the best job of attacking the other Democrats, I am not your guy.’

“But now that his campaign has stalled, he's become that guy. If Mr. Edwards is so concerned about the influence of special interests, he should give back the hundreds of thousands of dollars he's taken from health care, securities, and insurance companies.”