Before his lecture Tuesday, former senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards spoke with The Herald about poverty, life after his 2008 presidential run and his plans for the future.
The Herald: What have you been doing since the primaries?
Edwards: A variety of things. Speaking at venues like this. I have continued to work with the Poverty Center at the University of North Carolina, which I started a few years ago. I have been talking to and working with folks who are interested in doing entrepreneurial work in the area of poverty.
Could you elaborate on that?
Sure. People have wanted to seek investors and investments in socially responsible companies and investments. That's basically what I've been doing. And I've left out the most important thing, being with my family and my children and making sure they're taken care of.
Going forward, do you see a return to electoral politics or issue advocacy? Where do you see yourself?
I want to spend my life working on the core issue that I'm most passionate about, which is helping the poor, and that means both dealing with poverty in America and addressing the issue worldwide.
In December I spent some time in Haiti working in the slums outside of Port-au-Prince, or in Port-au-Prince actually. Cities like Cite Soleil. These are the kinds of things I care the most about and I want to focus on.
Do you have any specific plans you could tell us about regarding poverty issues?
No, I'm going to continue to do the things I'm doing, continue to work with organizations about this issue and we'll see what develops. This is where my energy and passion is and this is where I'm going to be focused.
Does that mean you will not be returning to electoral politics or is that still up in the air?
It's hard for me to see me doing electoral politics. What I want to do is - I want to help the poor in whatever way I can have the most positive effect. If that means working in poor communities in America, then it will be that. If it means working with organizations that help the poor globally, it will be that. Whatever, working in the government, it will be that. It doesn't matter to me. For example, I think Vice President Gore - who I'm not comparing myself to - Vice President Gore has shown very clearly what is possible for somebody to accomplish outside of government in the area that he cared deeply about, which was the environment.
Do you feel that the stimulus does enough to help keep people out of poverty or do you feel it's too focused on bailing out the financial sector and big business?
Well I think that President Obama's stimulus package has good structure. I think he's focused on the right things. Some of the things he's proposing are some of things I myself proposed when I was running for president.
This is easier for me to say because I'm not president, but I think that what may be necessary is more, not less. Being more aggressive, not less aggressive. I think it's really important that we stay ahead of the curve.
There was a column by Paul Krugman in the Times yesterday about falling behind the curve. I worry that the problem is sufficiently serious that if we get behind the curve it's going to be hard for us to get back in front. So, I would personally do more and be more aggressive, but I think conceptually what he's doing is very good.
Is now the time to re-look at trade policy and see how it's affecting the working class people and the manufacturing sector?
I've been very clear about my views about trade. I think that it is very important for us to trade, but trade in the right way with real environmental and labor standards that America actually enforces. I think we also - you didn't ask me this, but it's a more controversial area - there's a real question about farm subsidies. Particularly farm subsidies that taxpayers are providing for ... multimillionaire and corporate farmers. It doesn't make any sense to me. And it completely undermines our capacity to help the poorest places in the world.
Why did you decide to come to Brown, and why now?
I love coming to universities, particularly public-minded universities who are interested in public policy and who are interested in America and the world. In the extent that I can add anything to the public debate and discussion of these issues, I want to help and I also want to hear from students. I think it's really valuable for students to ask questions and speak their mind about these things.
- Ben Schreckinger and Jenna Stark
