Edwards 17 minute speech in SC interuppted at least a dozen times by applause

[jackson_dem]

The noon rally had 1,000 people attending in a brick plaza on the university’s sprawling campus under robin’s-egg-blue skies. Everyone who traveled from New Hampshire was in a jovial mood, meandering around the university’s gentle lawns. But the evening rally was insane, truly a homecoming. An amazing drum line from Dreher High School warmed up the overflow crowd of more than 500 ardent supporters.

The Bon Jovi song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home?” was playing as Edwards bounded onto an elevated stage in the school’s cafeteria.

“Man, it’s good to be back in South Carolina,” he told the roaring crowd.

This was the most intense, excited Edwards event Mehta has seen with him on the trail. His 17-minute speech, highlights of his routine stump remarks, came to a halt at least a dozen times, stopped by cheering supporters who made his remarks inaudible. And this is a man who speaks so loudly into a microphone, you rarely have to worry about your tape recorder not catching his remarks.

“One thing I learned growing up in mill towns and mill villages in the south," Edwards said, "including right here in South Carolina, is something all of you learned, which is … you’ve got to be willing to fight for your survival. That’s what this is about.

“You need a president who takes this cause personally, not someone who reads it in book. What’s happening here in South Carolina, not someone who has somebody explain to them what’s happening with mills closing, jobs leaving; what’s happening with the school system in South Carolina. You need somebody who understands personally and who takes this battle and this fight personally. I want you to know I was taught from the time I was this big that you never start a fight, but you never walk away from a fight. And we have a fight in front of us!”

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/01/edwards.html

[Yael]

1. w00t!! Go John, GO!!

[Triana]

2. K & R - Nice welcome home for JRE (n/t)

[redqueen]

3. "...we have a fight in front of us!”

Lord, ain't that the truth!

[balantz]

4. Yeah!

K&R

[Catchawave]

5. I hope the crowd looked like this:

[Divine Discontent]

6. WOOHOO! GO JOHN! Come on South Carolinian Democrats! n/t

[laureloak]

7. I know it feels good to be where you're not made fun of

for the way you talk.

[adnelson60087]

8. Edwards is a uniter of both middle class and poor

black, white and other. Obama is just empty rhetoric and buzz-word speeches, while Hillary is just more corporate bull. He can help move this country where it needs to go, if only the people of SC give him a chance to prove it. I know he'd be back there too, long after the election is over. It IS home after all....

[jackson_dem]

9. A strong finish in SC could be a springboard to some Super Tuesday wins

I believe John will win states on Super Tuesday and that will utterly shock the media. It will force them to ask who is this Johnny who came from nowhere to win states and have several strong seconds?

[smokey nj]

10. K&R!!!!

[Senator]

11. Now, If He'd Just Say "Impeachment" ...

... he'd be interrupted by a 17 minute standing ovation.

Everywhere he went.

(And that word "fight" would quit ringing so hollow.)

----

[onehandle]

12. kick. nt

[earth mom]

13. K & R! nt