OMG, you mean Edwards was a lawyer defending people from big corporate?

[ShaneGR]

How dare he! I mean, how could a man possibly represent all of those scumbag little people who have no one else to turn to? Seriously, how dare he represent the family of that little girl who had her intestines sucked out by a faulty pool manufacturer! Does he have no shame for making sure her medical costs and cost of living was taken care? Who in the **** does he think he is for representing hundreds of people who were maimed, injured, and otherwise ***** up by large companies!

And how dare he take donations from lawyers who do the same. Who does he think he is?

Word to the wise people, John Edwards was over TEN points down with less than a month left in his Senate race of 1996. The Repuglican started running ads about him being a trial lawyer. You know what Edwards did? He brought out the very people he represented as an attourney for twenty years. You know what happened?

He won.

[kanrok]

1. Edwards is a class act no matter what occurs n/t

[Skwmom]

2. Edwards was a personal injury attorney

Most personal injury attorneys are not in it to help the little guy. They are in it for the $$$$. I heard a blurb today on one of the cable shows that Edwards cherry picked his cases (he wanted the guaranteed pay offs).

[ShaneGR]

4. Nice try

Cherry picked? You mean he made sure that his clients, who had been generally maimed, screwed over by the system, and had no else to turn to.... you mean he made sure they were ok?

By god! How dare he!

[spooky3]

11. And, Edwards worked on a contingency basis, meaning no fees unless

he won. I'm sure he will consider it a compliment that someone considers that his taking a case is a "guaranteed" win.

Choosing cases on their merit and seriousness and likelihood of payoff is what lawyers are SUPPOSED to do. Just ask any of the wingnuts who constantly complain about our "litigious" society, whose courts are filled up by lawyers trying to get money for people with frivolous cases or those that will have no consequences.

I linked an article from the W. Post in the Editorials etc. section of DU. It described his legal career in some depth, as did an article in the NY Times linked elsewhere. Amazing how few people read it who feel free to bash.

[ShaneGR]

13. That's the weird thing, people who bash but haven't read about his career

Like I said in the original post, what some people think is a negative.... is actually a HUGE positive.

[Skwmom]

34. Just because a case is not an easy win

doesn't mean that it is frivolous. I just find trying to turn a personal injury attorney into a defender of the little people a stretch. It's called money.

[spooky3]

37. Do you think you are convincing anyone here?

Why don't you go chat with any lawyer about where one goes when one is chasing easy money? They go into corporate law, defending corporations. Personal injury and discrimination suits are high risk and only the extremely gifted and smart make a lot of money doing that kind of case. There has to be another reason why one with those talents goes into that field, and it is because s/he believes in what she is doing.

If you want to change anyone's mind here, you need evidence and a strong argument.

Better yet, why don't you try explaining why you like YOUR candidate rather than trying to run down someone else's?

[ShaneGR]

42. 1 out of 50

According to the Washington Post that's how many cases Edwards took that he was referred to.

And he never advertised. Sorry, your argument doesn't hold water.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

46. corporate lawyers vs. trial lawyers

honestly, which one would you rather have running things?

[Skwmom]

33. No one else to turn to?

When a case is a sure winner there is plenty of other attorneys to turn to. It's the people with cases that have a lot of merit but are harder to win which are generally left without representation (unless you have an attorney that is in it to fight the good fight rather than just cash in).

[PurityOfEssence]

10. "I heard it on one of the cable shows"????

Well, that's damning, isn't it? Hell, tar and feather that evil whoppertunist afore he litigates again.

Hell, I've heard on the cable shows that George W. Bush is smart, that he genuinely cares about people, that Jerry Falwell's a prince, that there's no such thing as "global climate change", that deficits don't mean spit, that we're the noble benefactors of mankind and that there's endless proof of the existence of WMDs.

[ShaneGR]

16. Yeah

Kind of weird how that works.

[bowens43]

44. You mean he took cases where the plaintiff

actually had a valid case? For shame!!

[kanrok]

47. Nice broad assumption

Don't pretend to know the motives of trial lawyers. I happen to be one and no more than you'll ever hope to. Your ignorance is apparent.

[Bake]

51. Im one too, and I am offended by the horsesh*t!

I'm with you, kanrok! Although I don't do plaintiffs' personal injury law anymore, I can tell this other idiot that there is no such thing as a "sure thing" plaintiff's case. The plaintiff's lawyer, however, foots the entire bill -- and litigation is EXPENSIVE -- and recovers NOTHING unless he/she wins or settles the case.

Only in it for the money! MY ASS! I'm still waiting for any verifiable FACTS to back up that assumption.

Bake

[kanrok]

52. Yep, Bake, you got it

By the way, I just lost a trial last week and took a 30K hit on expenses. Brain injury case, good liability and very, very difficult causation. My client has to live with the results for the rest of his life. Some "lottery" we have, dontcha think?

[ShaneGR]

53. Proof that people will resort to anything in an election

Even if it means attacking your own constituants.

[arewethereyet]

3. the scoundrel ! imagne, a lawyer with a silver tongue !

no wonder he can touch people with just his words !

who do republicans go to when the chips are down ? lawyers.
who do democrats go to when the chips are down ? lawyers.
who do independents go to when the chips are down ? lawyers.

see a trend ?

you can love up or hate um but you can't live without them.

[ShaneGR]

6. The interesting part about his cases

Is reading the quotes from the defendents. They ALWAYS praise him.

[salinen]

7. Lawyers may be the last vestige of

restitution left for the average Joe.

[QC]

20. Exactly. In a time when regulatory agencies are owned by the industries

that they are supposed to regulate, the people have no protection left except the right to sue.

And that's why the "tort reform" movement is trying to take even that away from us.

If Edwards sued negligent corporations, then good on him! I wish there were many more like him.

[ShaneGR]

21. See the Post story sited below

Excellent example

[lastknowngood]

5. That makes him a bad guy to all those repgs trying to protect

those poor corporations from "frivolous lawsuits" like asbestos.

[ShaneGR]

8. What are you talking about? Asbestos?

There is no such thing. Until you get sick from it and need someone to help. How dare he!

:hi:

[rolodomo]

9. This part really caught my attention...

One complicated example was Bailey Griffin, born severely brain damaged to a young chicken farmer, Christopher, and his wife, Ashea. A Charlotte jury found the obstetrician negligent and awarded the Griffins $23 million based on arguments by Edwards's expert that Bailey would live 40 years, requiring total care. However, Bailey died at age 6. The Bush administration highlighted the award in a 2002 report denouncing what it called "the litigation lottery." Christopher Griffin responded at the time that he did not feel like a lottery winner. "Every time I go to my daughter's grave, it's hard to feel that way," he told reporters.

That's right. The Bush administration labeled Mr. Griffin, who lost his beloved daughter at age 6, a "lottery" winner.

[PurityOfEssence]

12. Conservatism stems from selfishness

Things that happen to other people don't really count.

The truly dangerous dynamic of the rampant right wing is that it sucks the heart out of its opponents; it's hard to believe the true and profound meanness of some people and still retain one's love for mankind.

Ah well.

Nice post.

[rolodomo]

15. Yes, it was scary heartless

Part of me wants Edwards to bring it up over and over and over until the administration rues the day they put this soulless calculation into one of their written reports. The other part thinks it is just too sad and scary to even bring up.

[spooky3]

19. and the sad thing is, even if he did, these people would not "get it."

They don't "get it" until a tragedy happens directly to them. Then, it is a devastating event.

[ShaneGR]

14. Could I have a link to that story?

Please, thanks. Could you PM it to me?

[rolodomo]

18. Sure, I'll also include it in this message

Washington Post Article

[rumguy]

17. How dare he use his legal skills to represent people....

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

22. Yes that is now a sin in the Democratic party

It isn't only some candidates that now sound like republicans.

I have a confession to make. I, too, have dirtied the Democratic party with fucking boatloads of trial lawyer money over the last 22 years...even sell $10,000 worth of tickets ( a table of ten) to a big hoity toity Democratic Beverly Hills fundraiser annually.

I apologize for my latte liberalness that was used to fund the party. I now see the error of my ways. If we fight for the little guy $25 bucks at a time then THAT makes a difference..

If we do it $10,000 dollars at a time we are the scum of the earth. Nevermind that you can still at least sue your doctor when he takes out the good kidney and leaves the cancerous one in. :D

I am SOO SOO sorry. Can you all ever forgive me?

[JohnKleeb]

23. Trial Lawyer NSMA is a trial lawyer!

:D
Youre no good ;). Yes since when is what Edwards did a bad thing, I am really proud of what he did. Great lawyer and an even greater man thats what I have to say about John, would make a good president.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

24. Nope I'm not a litigator

but some of my best friends are :D

[JohnKleeb]

27. Got a friend of mine who wants to go in to law

I wanted to be a lawyer when I was younger.

[ShaneGR]

31. Thanks for the nice post

I think and Edwards/Kerry or Kerry/Edwards ticket puts us in the primetime. And Kucinich seems to agree, more or less.

[sandnsea]

25. Thank you

Work you don't remotely have to do for people who generally don't remotely get it.

[Carl Spackler]

26. From the Boston Globe

Edwards' trial summaries "routinely went beyond a recitation of his case to a heart-wrenching plea to jurors to listen to the unspoken voices of injured children," according to a comprehensive analysis of Edwards' legal career by The Boston Globe in 2003.

The Globe cited an example of Edwards' oratorical skills from a medical malpractice trial in 1985. Edwards had alleged that a doctor and a hospital had been responsible for the cerebral palsy afflicting then-five-year-old Jennifer Campbell.

'I have to tell you right now -- I didn't plan to talk about this -- right now I feel her (Jennifer), I feel her presence,' Edwards told the jury according to court records. " inside me and she's talking to you ... And this is what she says to you. She says, 'I don't ask for your pity. What I ask for is your strength. And I don't ask for your sympathy, but I do ask for your courage.'"

Edwards' emotional plea worked. Jennifer Campbell's family won a record jury verdict of $6.5 million against the hospital where the girl was born -- a judgment reduced later to $2.75 million on appeal. Edwards also settled with Jennifer's obstetrician for $1.5 million.

[ShaneGR]

30. Sounds to me like he had a great trial

John Edwards on a stage with the stooge.

Enough said.

[Carl Spackler]

32. Sounds to me like he has a lot to do with

my ever rising insurance premium!

[spooky3]

38. No, states with insurance award caps have the same

premiums as those that don't. The insurance companies are charging you for their investment losses and for the bad behavior of a minority of physicians. So why blame the victims and their attorneys? If it were your child, facing years of 12 hour per day medical treatments and permanent disability, you would be beating down the doors of those responsible, and well you should be. Good lawyers REDUCE negligence because those few doctors who don't care enough to do the right thing know they will be held accountable financially or get out of the business.

Edwards proposes solutions here and everyone with these concerns should read this excellent article ("Let's Keep Doctors in Business")"

http://www.edwardsforprez.com/000172.html

[maxr4clark]

50. Oh, so he IS the John Edwards that talks with dead people.

Just kidding. ;)

[maxr4clark]

28. No no, he is the son of a mill-worker

who has the permanent shine to his hair that only Breck products can give.

Washington state has a Senator, Patty Murray, who ran as a soccer mom. She's turned out to be a good Senator--she was even reelected. John Edwards doesn't have as much experience for being President as Senator Murray does; I can't imagine him as President.

He does have a good stump speech, though.

[ShaneGR]

29. I like Patty Murray, actually met her in DC

She's the chair of the DSCC now. You know what the Dems in the Senate call Edwards?

The Natural

Google it

[maxr4clark]

49. I like Patty Murray too,

but she doesn't have the experience to run for President. She wouldn't beat Bush for President here in Washington, which is a Democratic state. I'm not sure Edwards would beat Bush in North Carolina, either.

[spooky3]

39. And how much elective experience does your candidate have?

How familiar is he with the workings of the Congress? Does he know how to run a great campaign against a Republican machine? Has he built a business from the ground up? I am always amused when some Clark supporters have an issue with "experience", discounting Edwards' lifetime of success at everything he's done--for no apparent reason--yet they are quite open-minded about Clark's non-traditional experience. I like Clark and would be pleased to support him as the nominee, but think his supporters would want to be consistent in looking at Edwards' background.

Rather than repeat the RW meme, why not consider this: Bush has more relevant experience than ANY of our Democratic candidates, 3 years as pResident. Does that make him more qualified?

[maxr4clark]

48. I am consistent in looking at Edwards' background.

Edwards was a successful trial lawyer, yes. However, he apparently took no pro bono cases, which says a lot about what he considers important. Was he working for his clients, or was he interested in the money and the prestige? No pro bono cases makes a strong argument that it was the money and the prestige. He has only his Senate term as a record of public service, during which time he has voted for two of the pieces of legislation I disagree with the most: the Patriot Act and the Iraq War Resolution. Running for President during his first term as a Senator convinces me he has an enormous ego, not that he knows what is best for this country. He is also talking about trying to change the way government works as his main issue, which frankly I think is less important than most of the issues facing the United States this year. So, his own platform convinces me that he doesn't have good priorities.

In contrast, Clark has spent his whole career in public service. When he retired from the Army, he did three things: (a) helped a local Little Rock company, who had no previous government contracts, participate in a program intended to prevent another attack like the one on 9/11; (b) got involved in investment banking, i.e. trying to create jobs--from what I hear, he was quite successful; and (c) got involved in a company working on electric motors for use in hybrid and hydrogen-powered cars, i.e. got personally involved in trying to increase American energy independence.

Edwards would not win against Bush in the general election. He may be a charismatic speaker, but there is no credible evidence that he would make a good President, and Bush is an incumbent.

[JNelson6563]

35. I think this is the lamest attack on Edwards

What impresses me and cancel out the stereotyping of "trial lawyers" applied to JE is that he never sued anybody when his son died tragically. He could have easily.

Julie

[spooky3]

40. I totally agree.

[ShaneGR]

41. I never thought of that, doesn't that make a point

A sad point. But true. His son was in an SUV. And it was a rollover. How many people sue for that? He didn't.

[Snappy]

36. Kerry/Edwards

I think that may be the team.

[molly]

43. Perhaps a "dream team" ?

[ShaneGR]

45. No! Edwards/Kerry

I must insist!