Edwards formally declares candidacy

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First in his hometown of Robbins, in his adopted state, and later in his native South Carolina, Edwards promised an economic recovery built around job creation, free first-year college tuition and healthcare as "a birthright for every child born in America."

The freshman senator, who made millions as a trial lawyer and has been campaigning for nearly two years without seeing his candidacy catch fire in the polls, would roll back the Bush administration's tax cuts that benefit the affluent to partially finance his spending program.

He said that Bush's guiding principle is "a twisted reflection of the American dream. Instead of 'opportunity for all, special privileges for none,' he's given us 'opportunity for all the special interests,'"

Edwards said he would be "a champion for regular people every day" who would fight his heart out to "bring back America's dream."

In Robbins, a small ailing textile town in North Carolina's Sandhills, Edwards, 50, stood in front of the cotton mill where his father worked and where he once mopped the weave room as a young man.

The Seneca native chose the University of South Carolina, outside Russell House, for his second announcement.

Six busloads of supporters, including two from Greenville and one each from Seneca and Laurens, helped augment a constantly coming and going crowd of students. Many of the latter stopped for free ice cream, then headed off to class.

Edgar Williams, a retired postal union official, made the drive from Beaufort to show his support for Edwards.

"He understands the poor and the working class," Williams said. "He'll take us further in the years ahead."

Others were curious, including USC student Cathie Wilson of Lake Wylie, who said she knew little about Edwards, "but I know I don't like Bush."

The state GOP saw to it that Edwards' visit didn't go unnoticed.

Party Chairman Katon Dawson said, "I see he is actually making his first announcement today on Comedy Central. What a great metaphor for what to date has been a joke of a campaign."

A sometimes raucous group of student-age Republicans chanted, "Go home John," causing Edwards' three-man rock band of two guitars and bongo drums to juice up the amplifiers. Edwards allies chimed in with rhythmic, "Ed-wards, Ed-wards."

The GOP group waved signs: "Another greedy trial lawyer" and "Pay yours first," a reference to Edwards' late payment of some property taxes in Raleigh and Washington.

At one point a woman supporting Edwards confronted the protesters, shouting, "Tell me one single thing the Republicans have done," as she followed them along the sidewalk.

Edwards' South Carolina appearance is more than symbolic.

He needs to win this state's Feb. 3 presidential primary, the nation's third and the first Southern test for the nine — maybe 10 — candidates. On Tuesday, retired Gen. Wesley Clark of Arkansas, edged closer to the race.

At this stage, Edwards isn't in the driver's seat.

He has largely been mired in the mid single digits in most national polls and in the latest South Carolina poll, by Zogby Research, led — with 10 percentage points, one more than former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and two more than Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts.

Larry Sabato, University of Virginia presidential scholar-author, said "Edwards is not even on the radar screen right now, but I believe his money and general appeal will get him there, at least for a while. He's committed totally to the presidential race — there is no alternative, no incentive to do anything but run flat-out."

Sabato said Edwards' hope rests in front-running Dean defeating Missouri Rep. Richard Gephardt in Iowa, Dean defeating Kerry in New Hampshire, leaving himself and Lieberman as the only "candidates who can emerge as the anti-Dean."

That would then match the younger, well-financed and telegenic Edwards against the less than charismatic Lieberman, Sabato said.

"All those things have to happen," he said.

Clark's entry has little significance, Sabato said, asking, "Where are these Democrats dying for Wesley Clark to get in? I see some Independents and Perot people, but they're not going to dominate the primary process."

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