John Edwards in 2007 Democratic primary debate at Drexel
On Drugs:
Oppose decriminalizing marijuana; it sends wrong signal
Decriminalizing marijuana sends the wrong signal to young people.
The president of the US has a responsibility to ensure that we’re sending the right signals to young people.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Education:
Should have universal pre-Kindergarten for all 4-year-olds
We still have two public school systems in many ways in America. We have one for affluent communities, and one for everyone else. We should have universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds, and deal with nutritional and health care needs of younger children,
starting at about age 2. We should have a national teaching university to attract our most talented young people, send them out across America in the toughest places to teach, & give incentive pay to teachers willing to teach in the most difficult places
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Energy & Oil:
Investigate the oil companies and ask for conservation
What we can do in the short term, and I will do as president, is ensure that my Justice Department investigates what these oil companies who are vertically integrated from refinery to pump, are doing. We need to ask Americans to be patriotic about
something other than war. We’re going to have to be willing to sacrifice. If we love this country enough, we’re going to have to conserve, in our homes, in our workplaces, and alter our behavior to make America what it’s capable of being.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Health Care:
Provide incentives for students to go to nursing school
What we need is a universal health care system that gets doctors out of the business of having to deal with insurance companies on a daily basis, to protect them from that. We have a serious nursing crisis. We need to do is expand our nursing schools,
give scholarships to young people willing to commit to come out & go to the places that are underserved after nursing school. We need to get rid of things like mandatory overtime, & have safer staff-to-patient ratios so that we can deal with this crisis.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Principles & Values:
The government should help those hit by natural disasters
We’ve lived with this in North Carolina because we’ve been regularly hit by hurricanes, and I’ve spent an awful lot of time in New Orleans. When families are hit by natural disasters, it is for the national community to be there for them. That’s our
joint responsibility as a national community to be there for them. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see what’s happened there. Because this is a perfect example of a government that’s a mess and the American people who are absolutely extraordinary.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On Technology:
Use technology to protect children on Internet
Q: Would you be in favor of any government guidelines on Internet content?
A: To try to protect children -- using technology to protect children, I would.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
Iran military resolution enables Bush to invade Iran
We need to make it absolutely clear that we have no intention of letting Bush, Cheney, or this administration invade Iran because they have been rattling the saber over and over and over. What this resolution did, written literally in the language of the
neo-cons, is it enables Bush to do exactly what he wants to do. He continues to march forward. He continues to say this is a terrorist organization. He continues to say these are proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
Keep Iran from developing a nuclear bomb
Q: Would you pledge to the American people that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb while you are president?
A: What I will do is take all the responsible steps that can be taken to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
On War & Peace:
All combat troops out of Iraq in the first year in office
If you believe that combat missions should be continued in Iraq over the long term, that combat troops should remain stationed in Iraq, there should be no actual timetable for withdrawal, then Senator Clinton is your candidate. I don’t.
We need to end combat missions; we need to get combat troops out of Iraq. As president of the US, I will do that. It’s a requirement of leadership, as president. I will do it in my first year in office: combat missions ended, combat troops out of Iraq.
Source: 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University
Oct 30, 2007
Page last updated: Nov 30, 2018