Edwards asks Bush to crack down on trade violators

Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards makes a point to supporters during a town hall-style meeting at the Wyche Pavilion behind the Peace Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday afternoon. Staff/Owen Riley Jr. e-mail this story Related Photo gallery • John Edwards stumps in Greenville

"South Carolina has lost more than 50,000 manufacturing jobs and unemployment has reached a 9-year high at 7 percent," said the freshman North Carolina senator in wrapping up a two-day tour of South Carolina.

"The small town economy across America is absolutely devastated and you never hear this president say a word about it," Edwards said. "His ideas are more and faster tax cuts for the richest people in America," he told a sweat-soaked crowd of approximately 150 at the Wyche Pavilion.

Edwards called for "health care as a birthright," free first-year college tuition and free tuition for those who commit to five years of public service jobs after graduation, $50 billion for state and local governments, veterans' health care equal to that of members of Congress, and tax incentives for business development. He has called for the repeal of President Bush's 2002 tax cuts to finance his program.

But State GOP Chairman Katon Dawson said that while " South Carolinians are still reeling from the Bill Clinton/Jim Hodges era of big government and higher taxes, Edwards says he has a plan to create jobs, but what he doesn't tell you is that his plan is really to raise more taxes and take back money from hard working South Carolina families.

"Thanks to the leadership of President George W. Bush, 1,169,000 South Carolina taxpayers will have lower income tax bills in 2003. And 256,000 business taxpayers in South Carolina can use their tax savings to invest in new equipment and hire new workers. Those are the kind of real solutions South Carolinians care about and the kind of real leadership we have grown to expect from this President," Dawson said.

Edwards, a Seneca native, is one of nine Democrats seeking the party's 2004 presidential nomination.

Another contender, Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, will campaign in Spartanburg today, emphasizing rising gas prices and the erosion of textile jobs.

Tuesday's crowd reacted with enthusiasm despite the steamy weather.

Some, including Cort Flint, a county councilman who emceed the town hall-style meeting, are committed to Edwards. Others, Charles Harris, a Michelin of North America manager, among them, came to hear more. "I like his approach on bringing jobs back to this country, but I like Dean, too," he said, referring to former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

During the question-and-answer segment, Susie Cornelius of Oconee County asked Edwards if he would oppose unfunded mandates that burden state and local governments.

Edwards said such mandates represented tax responsibility shifted away from Washington and promised $50 billion in aid.

His campaign issued a press release that noted Edwards leads the Democratic field with 60 endorsements by South Carolina party leaders.

Also, Tuesday, the campaign of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean announced that it would begin airing television ads in South Carolina and five other early primary states, including the two that precede the Palmetto State, Iowa and New Hampshire. Edwards is the only candidate now running ads in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He added South Carolina to his TV list on Aug. 18.

The former Vermont governor, who is the first candidate to advertise in Iowa, New Hampshire and Texas, will begin airing ads Friday in South Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Washington state and Wisconsin.

All six hold elections following the first caucuses in Iowa Jan. 19 and the New Hampshire primary tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27.

"This shows we're a national campaign," said Joe Trippi, Dean's campaign manager. "We started out in January saying we're going to run a marathon, but we would run the first four miles at a 100-yard dash pace," The Associated Press reported. "Yesterday, we decided to run the next stretch in a 100-yard dash pace — keep taking it to (President) Bush and being aggressive."

Fund-raising by the once little-known Dean caught his opponents off guard when he announced second quarter receipts of $7.6 million, much of it from the Internet and more than any of the other eight contenders.

Dean has quietly made a handful of visits to South Carolina, mostly in the Midlands.

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Dan Hoover covers politics and can be reached at 298-4883.