Edwards' wife raps Bush in local speech

The vice presidential candidate's wife spoke at a health clinic.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Democratic vice presidential nominee's wife said today that President Bush is failing the country when it comes to health care, among other things, for his constituents.
Elizabeth Edwards spoke at the Ohio North East Health System Inc.'s Youngstown Community Health Clinic to a group of about 40 invited guests.
"I don't think the president is mean-spirited," said the wife of U.S. Sen. John Edwards, Democratic vice presidential nominee. "I don't think he sees what's happening in this country."
Edwards was supposed to host a roundtable discussion about health care, and at the beginning of the event said that she wouldn't move the conversation in a particular way, and would let the discussion evolve naturally. But Edwards dominated the event, speaking for a majority of the time.
Guests
Two of the three people were sitting on the podium with her were John and Nancy Burke of Liberty, who are struggling through retirement. The husband used to work for Wean United, also known at one time as McKay Machine, but the business no longer exists and he lost his pension and company health plan.
The other person on the panel was Linda Warino of Canfield, the local Nurses Association president. Warino didn't speak until about 40 minutes into the program.
Edwards touted the Kerry-Edwards plan to provide less-expensive health care and free or reduced cost college education to some universities for people under certain conditions. She said the money for the programs would come from rolling back the tax breaks Bush gave to those who make $200,000 a year or more.
"People say that can't be true, but one-third of the Bush tax cuts went to those who earn $1.2 million or more," she said. "That's a pretty good chunk of change."
Edwards said the cost of prescription drugs is out of control, and Bush is doing nothing to stop it. The Burkes, who are on Medicare, said Nancy originally went to Canada to get their drugs, and now has them shipped to her from that country because the cost is less there.
"Under Sen. Kerry, you wouldn't have to do that," Edwards said. "We want someone to walk into the Oval Office and say I'm going to fight for John [Burke]. These are value judgments. This president talks a lot about values, and he's making judgments to side with the pharmaceutical companies."
Bush profiled the same clinic during a May visit to Youngstown, calling the facility a success story.
Edwards agrees that Bush is "doing the right thing on community health centers, but he's not doing the right thing on the uninsured."
Response
In response, Kevin Madden, a Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman, said: "President Bush has laid out a plan to open or expand 1,200 health center sites to serve an additional 6.1 million Americans by 2006. President Bush will build upon his proven record of expanding access to health care to help communities in need. President Bush is also focused on reducing the costs of health care while expanding access by promoting new technologies, fighting for medical liability reform and expanding association health plans for small businesses and civic associations. & quot;
Edwards said Bush is not working for Ohioans, pointing to the state's increased unemployment rate under the president.
After the event, The Vindicator asked Edwards why she thinks Bush-Cheney has opened a lead of between 7 percent and 12 percent in polls in Ohio, considered a key battleground state for both parties.
"I don't know how the polls work, but I can tell you that if every single person in Ohio voted, John Kerry would win Ohio," she said.