Edwards win SC Teachers endorsement

[DemDogs]

Kerry, Dean, and Edwards spoke to the SC endorsing committee, and yesterday the South Carolina Education Association endorsed John Edwards. There is a lot of discussion at the Edwards blog, including a comment by a teacher who was there when Edwards spoke. <http://blog.johnedwards2004.com/article.pl?sid=03/10/25/1611224&commentsort=1&mode=nested&newsid=>

The story about the endorsement is at <http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031025/APN/310250748&cachetime=5>

Edwards found support among the teachers Saturday. "He's my candidate," said student teacher Jamie Mathews, who works at Dutch Fork High School.

Mathews said he likes Edwards' plan for scholarships to teachers. "I don't think enough focus is given to getting teachers into the classrooms, especially young teachers."

Edwards' message of reform also appealed to seasoned teachers. Brenda Whitehurst, a teacher from Bethel Elementary, has been in the classroom for 21 years. She has seen firsthand the strains on schools required to meet mandates in No Child Left Behind, but given no funding to do so.

"Our class sizes have gone up, programs have been cut, our health care costs have gone up, our benefits have gone down. And yet they ask more of us every year," Whitehurst said.

The South Carolina Education Association voted Saturday to recommend Edwards for president, said association spokesman Cecil Cahoon. It's the first time SCEA has recommended a candidate. In the past, the National Education Association has recommended candidates, but this year left it to individual state chapters to decide.

The group interviewed Edwards, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and U.S. Sen. John Kerry on Friday.

[La_Serpiente]

1. I really think that Edwards has a chance

I am not an Edwards supporter, but I think a lot of people have been underestimating him. Many people are undecided still yet and he can make up for that ground.

I have no doubt in my mind that he will win South Carolina. If anything, he's going to be the one that will wipe out Liberman.

Edwards against Clark? Hmm...well..Clark can take states like Tenesee, Kentucky, Arkansas. Other than that, it's really a tossup.

This primary is going to look interesting.

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

4. I agree

I think Edwards has a long battle in front of him, but he definitely can pick up speed and be a contender. I am a teacher, and really like what he has to say on education. It wouldn't surprise (or sadden) me one bit if he won the nomination.

[Meshuga]

2. Out of the three candidates interviewed...

Edwards won the position with the teachers. Go edwards!

[dsc]

3. Good for him

It is also nice to see their state education association endorsing Democrats. Ohio's endorsed Voinovich for Senate. Good for them and good for him.

[OhioStateProgressive]

5. true, but...

the Ohio's Teachers Association endorsed Dennis in ALL of his Congressional Races...and my mom (a teacher, and union rep), say's that Dennis has a decent shot at some kind of endorsement from them this time as well

[dsc]

7. Are you talking about the OEA or OFT?

They are very different unions. If your mom works in Cleveland Municipal Schools then she is in the OFT.

[OhioStateProgressive]

8. actually

my mother works in the Columbus City Schools

[dsc]

9. that is also an AFT school

all the big cities in Ohio are and a much, much, more liberal union. I remebered them having endorsed Kucinich in 98 and 2000. The NEA is much more conservative up here and has made crappy endorsements.

[chimpymustgo]

6. Yay for Edwards! Don't count him out.

This is a great endorsement, especially since Edwards beat out Dean and Kerry for the nod.

[AP]

10. This is great because he got the endorsement after the union listened to

him Kerry, Dean (anyone else?) make personal appeals to the union members.

It was totally unmediated by the press. The union heard each one speak and picked the one who was the best.

It bodes well for the way the rest of the public will react to Edwards after hearing him in person, rather than hearing about him through the media filter.

[ncdem4life]

11. SC teacher endorsment

I think the SC endorsement is well deserved. But do you think that non-southerners will be as quick to endorse Edwards? Personally, I feel as if he does have widespread appeal and is a man who holds the issue of education as a top priority. I'm starting to feel as if he's the candidate that I'm going to support.

[knick4life]

12. Edwards Wins

I am not surprised at all at Edwards' winning the endorsement. He is by far the best candidate on education, providing common sense solutions. His education plan is located at http://www.johnedwards2004.com/education.asp

[DemDogs]

15. No surprise really - great education platform

He has a great education platform. <http://www.johnedwards2004.com/education.asp>
He helped start two free after-school programs in North Carolina before he was in the Senate. <http://www.wade.org/> Teachers ought to love him.

[jeremiah fpoa]

13. defeating the withering juggernaut

John Edwards is preparing to lead a valiant charge against the Dean juggernaut by slowly getting endorsements around the nation while poll figures are climbing. By February he will have quite a repertoire of endorsements and a number of good showings in early primaries (including a land-slide victory in SC). By then, the nation will have caught on to the amazing platform he is presenting (including the education aspects) and his following will be astronomical. Now, it's just a matter of time.

[DemDogs]

14. And Edwards now has third to himself in NH!

He is on the rise everywhere.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. He leads in SC. Gets an endorsement in SC.

When/if he starts performing outside of that area he could be formidable.

[DemDogs]

17. Third in NH

And rising. On the rise in Iowa (within a couple of points of Kerry). Edwards is on the move everywhere, beating Clark everywhere (even though Clark gets much more ink) The press won't treat it as serious until it is the magical "double-digits" -- but NH is at 9 and on the rise, so stay tuned.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

18. Don't get me wrong...

I see it as virtually a two person race; despite conventional wisdom. Dean and Edwards. Edwards and Dean.

I can see JE taking 3rd in Iowa, 2nd in Hew Hampshire and 1st in South Carolina. It undoubtedly has a look of momentum when viewed in it's chronological order. This will be the crucial moment for Edwards. What next? On the same date that Edwards takes SC, I see Dean taking AZ and NM, Geppy taking MO, and maybe Edwards taking VA. Four days later, Dean taking both MI and WA. Then candidates dropping by the wayside. Then March 2nd. Maybe Kerry will hang in until then because of MA. Big day, evenly split between North and South... probably the day that decides it...

:shrug: