Edwards comes up short in race for the presidency

RALEIGH, March 4 — U.S. Sen. John Edwards ended his bid for the presidency Wednesday, returning to his home state to make his final speech as a Democratic candidate for the White House.

Speaking at Broughton High School, which his son Wade attended before he died in an accident in 1996, the North Carolina senator looked back on his upstart campaign with fondness and encouraged those in attendance to continue his fight.

“You should not step back. You should step up,” he told the staff, supporters and Broughton students who filled the school’s gymnasium floor and the royal purple bleachers behind it.

With “John Edwards: President” signs still serving as the backdrop for the raised stage on which he spoke, Edwards thanked his staff, his parents and his wife, among others.

“All my life America has smiled on me, and today I’m smiling right back,” he said.

As members of the Secret Service lined the balconies in front of the gym bleachers and misty-eyed staffers listened in the corner of the room, Edwards also took time out for some lighthearted moments.

When his youngest son, 3-year-old Jack, became fidgety on stage, Edwards chuckled and cracked a joke about his children’s low level of patience. The problem wasn’t solved until someone handed Jack a campaign sign, which he held proudly as his blond, mushroom-cut hair bounced above his eyebrows.

The crowd laughed, and as it turned out, Edwards’ speech would address his son and countless others. “To have my life blessed with four beautiful children and family and friends — I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The suspension of Edwards’ campaign came after his rival for the Democratic nod, U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, won 9 of 10 nominating contests Tuesday, making Kerry 27-for-30 in state primaries and caucuses.

Edwards was shut out as former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who suspended campaign activities Feb. 17, won his home state.

An improbable ride

Despite the end result, Edwards’ campaign has surprised all but his most virulent supporters.

As a moderate Democrat who grew up middle-class in Robbins, Edwards provided a good story for the media, but his status as a first-term senator made many question his experience and his ability to win the nomination.

Indeed, Edwards struggled through December, suffering from a lack of name recognition and finding himself in the single digits in both national and state polls.

Then his luck changed.

He unveiled a new stump speech focusing on the differences between rich and poor. He insisted on running a positive campaign when his opponents were berating each other in Iowa, the site of the first nominating contest. He traveled throughout the Hawkeye State, meeting voters and wooing them with his speaking skills.

When the dust settled, Edwards had rolled to a resounding second-place finish, winning 32 percent of the state’s delegates.

But excluding a win in South Carolina on Feb. 3, Edwards never was able to get the boost he needed to emerge as a clear alternative to Kerry. Victories in Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin might have changed the dynamic of the race.

Still, he expressed little disappointment when discussing the race Wednesday.

“You know, it wasn’t very long ago that all the pundits and pollsters said, ‘By the time we get to Super Tuesday, there won’t be a John even competing, much less fighting, for the nomination.’”

Back to basics

Ultimately, Edwards’ speech Wednesday was about the themes he has touched on throughout his campaign: fighting inequality, forming a better life and finding the resilience to overcome adversity.

Though the majority of the senator’s talk consisted of new material, he also touched on ideas from his stump speech, which he delivered verbatim at campaign stop after campaign stop for three months.

“I see all these faces turning from skepticism and despair to inspiration and hope,” he said.

The idea was raised again later in his speech, shortly before he walked away from the podium, mingled among his supporters and finally disappeared behind a black curtain.

“In my life I have learned two great lessons: One, that there will always be heartache and struggle, and two, that people of strong will can make a difference."

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.