Edwards, mandatory service, going to wars, candidate's own words [View All]

[The Count]

yesterday I posted a thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3284890&mesg_id=3284890
about Edwards's advocating mandatory service
"so that everybody in America--not just the poor kids who get sent to war--are serving this country,"
I had jumped to the conclusion that "mandatory"+"Going to wars"=military.
It can mean civil contractors, latrine cleaners, observers - you name it...
I admit I merely copied the title of the Nr #1 electoral news at digg.com...
(yeah, in other parts of the internet, these things are allowed)
I don't pretend to know exactly what Edwards meant by that service.
To most it sounds very much like draft.
At best, it may have been an absurd attempt to copy Charlie Rangel's stunt. I was angry with Charlie too(whom I love) - but at least that man is a war hero, so he has some weight on the issue.
Anyway, I think the issue is important and relevant enough to merit discussion on DU, so here it is: what do you think? Agree? Good for him? If Edwards said it it must me good? How does this mesh with previous sponsoring of IWR, theats to Iran and declarations that "the American people can be convinced of the necessity of a new war with Iran?"
Is it OK to discuss candidates own words anymore - even if WaPo glossed over them?
Or copying talking points should be the only Edwards threads allowed?