Edwards vows to 'take back democracy'
Candidate gets celebrity boost from Sarandon, Robbins, Denton
By Katherine Lanzer
Tuesday, January 8, 2008----
DOVER — Nearing the end of a long, frenzied day of campaign events, Sen. John Edwards on Monday night gave a crowd of supporters and undecided voters his best last-minute pitch.
"Tomorrow will be a big day — an important day in the state of New Hampshire," he said of today's primary elections. "We're going to take the first major step in taking this democracy back for the people of the United States of America."
The energy was high in the packed Elks Lodge. Edwards took big oil, big corporations and "money-entrenched" lobbyists to task, saying their actions harm the middle class.
"Anyone who doesn't believe that we have a fight on our hands is living in Never Never Land," he said. "We have a fight on our hands, an epic fight on our hands. ...; Nothing will change until we break their iron-fisted grip on the democracy."
Calling himself the "underdog," Edwards made reference to Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who've received large media attention. "I am not a celebrity candidate," he said. Even so, plenty of celebrities surrounded him on Monday night. James Denton of "Desperate Housewives" warmed up the crowd before Edwards arrived; actor Tim Robbins officiated; and actress Susan Sarandon stood by as Edwards spoke. Robbins and Sarandon had also appeared at an event at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton earlier in the day.
Will Lenharth of Barrington was at his fourth political event of the season. The day before the primary, he was still undecided — though he'd narrowed it down to two candidates.
"I'm leaning toward Edwards or Obama," he said before Edwards' speech.
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Between Edwards and Obama, he said, "I feel like I'm not losing with either choice."
It was in this same Elks Lodge that Bill Clinton fought to save his candidacy in 1992. Faced with the exposure of marital problems and allegations that he'd dodged the Vietnam War draft, Clinton told an audience just days before the primary, "I'll never forget who gave me a second chance and I'll be there for you until the last dog dies."
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