Reading the responses by the readers over the past few days, I see an OVERWHELMING support for Obama. I, too, support Obama and have dug into my wallet 3 times to prove it. It seems what America is saying is "we're not gonna take it anymore!" We deserve a new option, and that option has made itself available through Obama.

We don't expect perfection or miracles, we expect to have a say in how our government works. We expect accountability. We expect our Senators, Representatives, and even our President to be looking out for AMERICA FIRST, everyone else second.

Americans are notorious for their generosity the world over, but with the country in its current state of disgrace, we can barely feed & house ourselves. We will lose our reputation as a generous donor because of the corruption of government over the past 20 years.

So now we shout CHANGE. Now we demand change.

the democrats instead of helping their party , they ar concentrated on McCain ???
please, Edwards, decide adn do something before it is too late again for the democrats.
silence is death.

Go Elizabeth! And I want to thank you again for speaking out and endorsing Hillary's Universal Health Plan.

As a young American, trade social security for a government health care plan… it's that simple.

Our government is too big as it is and if we allow free health care on top of what we are taxed (around 50%… highest in the world i might add), we will end up worse…

I say scrap social security and give people free health care….

A little spunk from Mrs. edwards….she would have made agreat 1st lady.

McCain ain't go no money, all his shots are cheap!

Just as Cindy. DOH!

Let the truth be told about HILLARY and OBAMA. Hillary supporters believe me when I say Obama may not need you guys. Polls suggest 28% of Hillary supporters will be BITTER enough to vote for OLD MAC. Fine with us because Obama has already made up the deficiency by the number of new voters he has and his share of Independents.

So Hillabots take your empty threats elsewhere, you guys are exactly the CANCER we always knew existed in the democratic party. You are no true DEMOCRATS, thank God for that.

Obama 2008.

McCain ain't go no money, all his shots are cheap!

Just ask Cindy. DOH!

Why does McCain always cry "cheap shot" when someone disagrees with him?

Wow. Does McCain know he's running for President of the United States and not "patriot of the century"? We know where he spent 6 years, after his fifth plane was shot down and how his nickname was "songbird" and in his defense how brave he was in not getting out until others were, but I don't think that's the point here.

Elizabeth Edwards was talking about everyday Americans (percentage of which will be POW's is what 0.000001%?) and how as a member of congress, he was able to get great health insurance not available to us all.

Scary this man might be our next POTUS!

Come on, Senator McCain, don't fudge the statements. You have enjoyed taxpayers' sponsored health care every day of your life! Why can't everyone else in America, also, enjoy it !! i know, you say you are not an elitist, now you can prove it. Make it part of the Republican platform. Now, that is putting your money where your mouth is!!!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.

I saw this interview and shame on George Stephonepolis for letting McCain get by with this glib comment which was used to divert and not answer the question because he did not have an answer to the question!

So typical of how the media kisses the ground McCain's feet touch. The headline is Elizabeth Edwards responds. The article tells us about McCain's response to an earlier statement by Edwards. If you want to hear Edward's response, you need to click on another link, despite the article's headline. How about a pretense of fairness in election coverage? It is going to be a long 6 months if the media keeps treating McCain like a god rather than a presidential candidate.

McCain said "It’s a cheap shot but I did have a period of time where I didn’t have very good healthcare, I had it from another government,” said McCain, referring to the years he spent as a prisoner of war. “Look, I know what it’s like not to have healthcare.”

You really wan't this guy to be president? That's so effing demeaning to you're average American who is trapped in their job because they can't afford to lose their employer's health coverage.

Jesus, save our souls and our brains.

Well … the military healthcare is not very good. Have you ever been to a military hospital?

Basically American health care has come at the cost of the Iraq war.

McCain wants to cut taxes to win votes - and then turn around and dump gazillions of dollars into a foreign country.

I'm sure McCain's healthplan will treat those tens of millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions just as fairly as he was treated while he was held captive for 6 years…..

Mrs. EDWARDS

The fact that Healtcare is a all-important issue doesnt justify an
immature personal shot on McCain.

As it is immature the attitude by your husband, who with an endorsement to OBAMA could force Hillary finally to withdraw from
this campaign and not make impossible a later DEM victory in November, only because OBAMA has not make him an offer he
likes.

TOM

Looks like the WRONG Edwards ran for office. Looks like SHE has more guts than her husband.

As he still sits on the fence to see what is in his best interest.

One of the problems related to the high cost of health care in this country is the cost of malpractice insurance… and I'm sure Mrs. Edwards is well aware of this… considering her husband earned his millions by sueing doctors!

I love the idea of universal health care… I just don't see how it can be funded.

I still wonder where McCains health records are……..

Obama 08

Cheap shot, hell. Mrs. Edwards was right on target.

This loser has been feeding at the public trough his entire life. And his only defense is to lamely remind us, for about the millionth time, that he got himself shot down in Viet Nam.

BTW you old loser, if you think the rest of us wouldn't like to have health coverage like yours because its just more big government, why don't you try finding and paying for your own for a change.

I DARE YA!

THERE HE GOES AGAIN!!!

Proppong himself up with the ole" I am an ex POW."

This guy has gotten more mileage out of that than ANY of the THOUSANDS of POWs who returned.

What else you have going for you JOHNNY??????

Good on you for stepping UP and speaking OUT for people JUST LIKE ME.

You are soooooo correct that Senator McCain's statement, while completely true, has absolutely nothing to do with the point you were making ON OUR BEHALF. It is most certainly a life and death question for millions of Americans JUST LIKE ME.

For what it's worth, my husband and I have a junk policy that costs $300 per month, excludes ANY and ALL pre-existing conditions, and carries a $5000 deductible. I consider canceling it EVERY SINGLE MONTH because it seems so incredibly useless and we cannot afford to keep throwing good money after bad.

Our insurance is this: DON'T GET SICK.

You GO, Elizabeth Edwards!!! Keep speaking truth to power and know that America loves you…and I DO TOO.

Julie Simon
Decatur, GA

"…I did have a period of time where I didn’t have very good healthcare, I had it from another government,” said McCain, referring to the years he spent as a prisoner of war. “Look, I know what it’s like not to have healthcare.”

mccain, how dare you say this when you are voting AGAINST support of all kinds for our returning troops. you can SAY you support the troops all day long, we look at your ACTIONS and you, my friend, DO NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS!

elizabeth was RIGHT, you HAVE had excellent government healthcare from birth, so you have some nerve comparing 5 years of your life to the millions of americans who haven ever had decent health care.

and we're all getting a little tired of hearing about your time as a POW 40 years ago. this is a different time and a different war.

Elizabeth - Thank you for the fact that you and your husband understand reality on all issues. All your points are valid. This is a real scary election as the outcome will determine some of these issues in a more positive or very negative way. If the elected officials would only make a decision instead of putting this off, it would help everyone in the country.

Of course he had to bring up that he was a prisoner of war even though it had nothing to do with the issue at hand.

Is that how he is going to solve problems? "Oh I was a prisoner of war, next subject…"

The man is just dangerous. Ok to spend trillion of dollars in Iraq but heaven forbid that we spend something here on education, health care or science research. In the meantime, Asia is becoming the next economic super power.

Hey "The Solution is Simple" are you insane? Americans pay some of the lowest taxes in the western world, which while in itself is no bad thing, we in turn get considerably less services from our government. If you want to dish out your conservative nonsense, think before you speak, and look up your facts before making yourself look like a fool

John McCain is not a very nice guy. He really is not.

Elizabeth who? Oh, the wife of the loser Edwards. And why should we pay any attention to the loser, let alone his wife?

I wish I was rich enough to be a liberal democrat.

Here we go again! McCain is an evil acting man and he is easy to anger. Like Hillary Clinton the two of them have let their horns show. They are candidates that pull and use the race card at random and at will. I an ashamed that we can stoop so low. They both are putting their parties in ruin especially Senator Clinton. She doesn't truly care about the Democratic Party and pulling all the stops. McCain is jabbing the conservatives and pulling no stops. They are both on both sides of the fence and don't know how to tell the truth about where they truly stand on issues. I HOPE SENATOR OBAMA WINS just if nothing but to show them that we (whites) are not always right and have to win at the cost of the Party or the People.

Rochelle
Redan, GA

John McCain is most certainly a war hero. WAR hero. Hundred years of WAR. WAR WAR WAR. Got war? Vote John for more war McCain if you want to spend three trillion dollars a year (of American taxpayers dollars) fighting wars. McCain wants war. OR, alternatively, if you believe in a more civilized form of existence, vote for a Democrat. Let's put that money into healthcare, so that more people can live healthy, happy lives. Let's not spend it on dropping bombs. Vote DEMOCRAT.

John & Elizabeth are good people.

John is one of the best in politics.

Ms edwards is married to a doctor. What better care does she want when she gets a hangnail.

Anyone who serves their country deserve the best healthcare available , remember they keep you safe so you can say stupid things

Well,now McCain wants to see all Americans "not covered",just because some six years he was so?
And… I just want to know, what is so heroic in been captured by enemies?

With 60% of our federal tax dollars going to entitlements now do we really need another entitlement that will push taxes higher and make that percentage even higher?

I say we make sure that children and the disabled are covered and concentrate on the high cost of healthcare caused by litigation and drug costs. Of these one lobby has the Democrats in thier pocket and the other has the Republicans.

How likely is it we will see anything done?

With both parties in the pockets of lobbyist, John McCain is the only one with any kind of a record that suggests he will ignore them and work toward a solution.

During thoses six years did his family have government healthcare ? You bet they did and it was paid for by the taxpayers.

John McCain doesn't need healthcare. He and Cindy can just stel more drugs from their "charity."

McCain is a patriot and a proud American who's sacrifice for this country cannot be completely measured….

That said, his answer for EVERYTHING cannot be " but I was a prisoner of war" You can only milk that cow so many times a day.

…er…steal

To the young American comment: I have some advise for you summarized in one simple word, FIBER

MCCAIN'S POW EXPERIENCE DOES NOT QUALIFY HIM

FOR PRESIDENT. IF THATS THE CASE THERE ARE

THOUSANDS OF OUR SERVICE MEN & WEMAN

THAT BETTER QUALIFY THAN HE DOES.

Who care Mrs. Edwards just shut-up do your job your guy done, time's run
out no more chance.

It is even scarier that people like "tom, los angeles, ca" are eligible to vote. He missed the entire point. The fundamental difference is that Democrats think government knows best how to deliver health care; the Republicans think consumers (and the market) know best. We need another huge bureaucratic government giveaway program like we need a hole in the head. McCain's solution of tax credits is wise and a decent first step. Allowing consumers to buy prescription drugs from other countries is also prudent. Forcing everyone to pay for government-run health care is NOT wise.

Elizabeth Edwards is a virulent, militant Marxist fundamentalist who knows absolutely nothing about health care.

This is more of the same. I'm a Vietnam combat veteran who had the VA hospital in San Diego tell me that my hip was damaged in Vietnam. However, they didn't have the budget for my hip replacement. I used personal insurance to get the hip fully replaced to only find out I'm no longer insurable. Bottom line, VA sent me letter, while I already had the VA card, that I can not use their services. As far as I'm concerned the chatter about health insurance, from both sides can be smelled in a Texas cow pasture.

Him being in a POW camp is his answer for everything.

Obama for President!

Elizabeth Edwards needs to sit on the porch in North Carolina with her loser husband. Even with his great healthcare plan he got nowhere in the democratic primaries.

It brings up a good point. For those politicians who don't think we should have universal healthcare, should they be entitled to taxpayer funded healthcare for themselves? Congress always takes care of itself first and the country second.

For a multimillionaire like McCain, it would have been good politics for him to say right from the beginning of his service in 1983 that he'll buy his own health insurance rather than hav ing the taxpayers pay for it. At least Clinton and Obama walk the walk. They accept government healthcare, but they support at least some version of universal healthcare. McCain, by his actions, is saying "I deserve what I'm telling you that you don't deserve." That is more elitist than anything Obama said.

ACTUALLY ITS MCCAIN THAT LAUNCHED THE CHEAPEST

SHOT. HOW LONG DOES HE INTEND TO MILK HIS POW

EXPERIENCE? AS UNFORTUNATE AS IT WAS,IT NO MORE QUALIFIES

HIM FOR PRESIDENT, THAN AS A BRAIN SURGEON.

As the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hillary is an original sponsor of legislation that expanded health benefits to members of the National Guard & Reserves.

Obama campaign response was weak….

If your are listening to me Obama camp… say this

The true strength of America and the strength that is needed in time of trials, is our principles as a nation.

We do not need mafia type strong arming. we need a president with good judgement who will protect the constitution, keep the nation united. and pursue relentlessly our true enemies. one who was not and will not be bullied and sucked into making decisions based on party politics and intimidation by special interests…

Whose out of touch now??? She talks about health care in the context that relates to the majority of the American population and the only way he can relate is with his POW speech?? Does he get the point or is he being sarcastic and demeaning those of us without health care?

John wasnt a great pilot either, or he never would have become a prisoner,but he did learn how to tell folks what they wanted to hear and let him live.

McCain took the "cheap shot", the point being made is that 64 out of his 70 years of life McCain had government funded health care (dad was in military, he was in military, veteran, then member of congress).
He thinks we can afford health care but is willing to keep US in Iraq for "100 years." 43 cents out of every dollar our government spends goes to military. We have lost trillions $$$ in Iraq and the situation over there is only worse for the persons living there, I feel no safer here and we have lost over 4,000 of our young men and women. We are the only industrialized country that does not have universal health insurance, and no, we are not taxed more than any other country (try Denmark, Sweden to start with) it is just that we get so little for what we pay in taxes compared to other industrialized countries. We get war and decreasing civil liberties for our tax dollars. Besides war, it cost a lot of our tax dollars for our government to spy on its law abiding citizens, give tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% of our citizens, and bail out big corporations, therefore we don't have any left to cover health care and education. I used to be a fan of McCain, however after the utter failure of Bush, I can not vote for McBush or America will fall like Rome if it isn't almost there already.

You want Military Health benefits, join the Military…..You want Politician Benefits…..get elected…….seems simple to me….SERVE

Bravo Eliza but it's high time u and ur husband endorses Obama so as to end this Bilarry campaign.

Please Senator McCain - you do NOT know what is is like to be without healthcare. Being a POW makes you a great soldier, but it does not give you any insight on how poor people have to manage every day of their lives without healthcare. You and your millionaire-trust-fund wife have no idea what it is like to have to live and raise children without healthcare.

Obama or Clinton - anything but McBush - in 08.

My own husband is one of those "tens of millions" without health care in this country. It's horrible that when he gets sick or injured, we just have to hope for the best and wait.

I'm still not over the fact that Edwards is no longer a candidate. He was exactly what America needs right now, pure and simple.

I'm voting for Obama here in PA tomorrow, not because I think he's fantastic, but because I think he's the best one left.

If only Elizabeth Edwards could be our next First Lady. The thought that we might instead get Cindy McCain just depresses me.

Dear Grandpa McCain,

Yes we all know about your heroic behavior in a prison in Vietnam, and I do admire you for it. That doesn't mean that it would make you suddenly competent to understand the HUGE problem tens of millions of people in this country have in getting decent health care. Our system is a laughing stock among first world countries, yet we persist in listening to the right- and their fear-mongering talk of "the danger of socialized medicine". That means continuing to allow corporate health providers and pharmaceutical companies, with their legions of drug pimps, lobbyists, and connections to congress to continue the ludicrous system we have in place.

Mr. McCain will hopefully retire from the senate after his current term is done, and go on an extended tour of Arizona and Florida retirement communities, telling his POW stories with a VFW cap on, playing a little shuffleboard, and enjoying Medicare!

Simpler solution for either candidate. Get rid of the Medicare fraud that exists. Go after the the people that commit that fraud and go after them in earnest.

If you think our tax rate is the highest in the world, then you haven't lived in any of the Scandinavian countries. We pay little in taxes compared to some of the other developed countries.

That being sad, we should get rid of SS. I'm getting sick of old people.

I really hate to be cynical, and I truly respect John McCain (and plan on voting for him if Clinton is the nominee). His service to this country was incredible and priceless. But please stop with the "well, I was a prisoner of war" talk. We know you were. You've built an entire campaign on it. My dad was in Vietnam, my grandfather in WW2, one brother in Desert Storm, one in the current Iraq war, and a borther-in-law on the frontlines in Iraq who lost members of his platoon. But they don't use these things for credibility.
Please, use it when necessary. It loses its appeal otherwise.

My own husband is one of those "tens of millions" without health care in this country. It's horrible that when he gets sick or injured, we just have to hope for the best and wait.

I'm still not over the fact that Edwards is no longer a candidate. He was exactly what America needs right now, pure and simple.

I'm voting for Obama here in PA tomorrow, not because I think he's fantastic, but because I think he's the best one left.

If only Elizabeth Edwards could be our next First Lady. The thought that we might instead get Cindy McCain just depresses me.

She is right. He's completely out of touch with reality on the health care pollicies. Elizabeth said that Hillary's plan is the best, and I beleive if Hillary win PA you will see a John Edwards endorsement for her and in the process give her the nomination.

It's a disgrace how McCain milks his POW card!

Yes, Mr. McSame we know that you were a POW, and I'm sure we will be hearing about it every day until your defeat in November, but we are all prisoners of this coporatocracy that is supporting you!

Who cares if McCain was in a prison camp. It was 38 years ago. He completely dodged the issue, which was: why is he so special that he can qualify for government funded health care virtually his entire life, yet somehow when it comes to you and me not having to pay for our own health care, it is somehow a bad thing. The man is a hypocrite and has zero integrity.

Cry me a river McCain - is this what you plan on running on? Come on! Yeah, yeah, yeah… we thank you for all you did for our country blah, blah BUT surely there must be something else.

Running on your POW time is like BO running on spending his childhood without a father, or HRC running on dealing with Bill and Monica. Come on!

I love Elizabeth Edwards.

Way to keep that old coot busy while Barrack and Hillary settle things.

go get him elizabeth!

Why do people keep calling tax-payer funded healthcare "free" healthcare? It is, in fact, only FREE to those who don't pay for it themselves. It is not FREE for everyone, only FREEloaders.

John McCain supports war when it is necessary and that 's why we are in Iraq. It is necessary. Well, I guess we could cave and bow to Allah. NOT!

Obama/Edwards 08, but Elizabeth not John

Hurry up and endorse someone Edwards, what are you waiting for?

ELIZABETH IS RIGHT ON,THANK YOUFOR SPEAKING ON HEALTH CARE YOU'VE BEEN THERE,AND SPEAK FROM EXPERIANCE ,LETS HELP HILLARY GET US THERE,I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HER AND JOHN ON A TICKET.

I never really understood the 'we should have all the same benefits as the military just for being US citiziens' point of view. Would it be nice? Sure. But I'm employed by a private company and I wouldn't expect anyone on the street to get my benefits.

After all, while it may not be easy to get the benefits of a Congressman, you can always sign up to join the military and experience the great benefits. Of course… there's a cost for everything.

Can the war John it is time for health care. We have the money, choose WAR OR HEALTH CARE. Now that was easy ,h ealth care for the next 100 years.
Run that as your try for the presidency, it will get you votes!

Gee…It looks like McCain is taking a page from Giuliani's campaign book. But, instead of "911″, McCain has to decided to make every sentence consist of a noun, a verb, and "Vietnam POW".

I am so sorry that Elizabeth was slighted by McCain He is an OLD war hero, who more than served his time. How he won the Republican namination, I don't know. McCain is an old soldier who has a HOT temper with his finger on the trigger and ready to explode when crossed. Way to go Elizabeth, fire one and if McCain shoots his mouth again…fire TWO!

A smart and gracious lady, with her heart in the right place.

Reading some of the above comments reminds me of a lot of sour grapes.
Others are utterly false, as the preceding comment indicates.
Everybody and anybody can join the Arm Forces, thus receive the same health care benefits as Senator McCain.
Everybody and anybody can run for Public Office with the same results.
What should be done: the government should come up with a similar plan even if it required some hours of public service in local government to earn those benefits for all citizens. The local governments could contribute the wages to a fund while at the same time some savings would incur to them in the likes of reduced costs,
like pension contributions etc…
Businesses would probably enjoy the savings thus accomodate the
employees or face a health tax if they opt out.
Sounds better to me than those Democratic Universal Health Care which they bragg about at your own expense.
If you trust that OBAMA or HILLARY, you deserve what you get.
Surely, our politicians could come up with a solution. They concoct enough lies.
As for our commentarians, well, put up or shut up.

Social Security is coming up so leave it alone, or make it better . I didn't pay for 45 years so it could be used for someones pet idea . That certainly doesn't change the fact that no one living in the richest nation in the world should have to worry about health care, food or a place to live. We spend way too much on just about everything as a nation but the basic rights each person should have.
There is a lot to be said for being safe and secure and sometimes it means taking a stand or helping others outside our country, but our priority should always be minimum services for all in America. I don't know which of the current crop of candidates is best or worse, none are great, but we will get by, so listen to what issues we can, and roll the dice together.

Based on the quotation from McCain, I'd say he was calling his own statement a "cheap shot." That is, the fact that he was a POW was an easy rebuttal to Edwards' claim that he had life-long insurance, plus a way to remind people yet again of his "hero" status.

How about we just put Obama in the White House and get on with fixing our problems.

Tell it like it is Elizabeth Edwards. John McCain is a fraud and uses his POW as a platform and has done nothing to support veterans that served in Vietnam.

It is just simple PEOPLE…. Mc Cain is out -of- touch with the American people. He is out-of-touch on the economic, health care and the Iraq war issues. I wonder if he is informed on the issues. This guy just wants to be the president of the United States and has nothing to offer… I wonder if he can withstand the rigors of the presidency considering his age. He just wants to be a one time president. He can’t even run for a re-election if he should win in the fall elections…because he will be… what?…76 years old in 2012.

This Billionaire does not have a clue about the economy, healthcare or the average american people .

The Clintons and McCains of the world have nothing to loose and everything to gain from the WHITE HOUSE.

Please America, put someone in there that actually wants to do something, who has something at stake and we will see CHANGE!

Obama 08

Neither Elizabeth nor John Edwards are qualifed to kiss John McCain's shoes.

He's so out of touch with most of America. It's truly sad to see from someone I used to respect. The Straight Talk, Senator McCain, is that we can some up your intentions by your own words. Bomb, bomb, bomb. Bomb, bomb Iran if you and your Republican buddies can't get your 100-year Iraq war.

I certainly hope Sen. Edwards gets a cabinet level position. Best wishes to you Mrs. Edwards.

I always love when McCain starts criticizing Hillary and Obama's plans for healthcare. He says, " I just don't know where we are going to get the $30 billion to pay for that." Okay, but where are we going to get the $171 billion per year that he wants to spend continuing this war? Let's at least spend money we don't have on our own people, not on other countries!

As we all know, neither John Edwards nor his wife have what it takes to be president of these United States. I find Senator McCain to be a patriot who may/may not become president, but certainly has the character that this country needs and that most Democratic candidates do not have. Let's just hope that some of the people's votes besides those who are superdelegates get counted this year.

I think it is obvious who John Edwards will endorse. Edwards health care plan is strikingly similar to Hillary's. Elizabeth Edwards has praised Hillary's plan and I hope they speak their minds before the North Carolina primary.

Looks like Elizabeth is doing the Edwards' talking these days.

In any back and forth between McCain and Elizabeth Edwards on health care, Elizabeth wins hands down. You can't win this one John, just shut up and go wave another flag or something.

He's probably the most out of touch with Americans than all of the candidates

- Wife with $100+ million
- Doesn't have to worry about Social Security b/c his job provides it free "and" since his generation is funded
- Has basically had free healthcare his entire life
- 70 yrs old - he's not really thinking about where we need to be in 20-30-40 yrs like our youth are
- Does he have any kids? if not, this is another out-of-touch topic that many Americans have to deal with (care, insurance, college funding)

Brilliant plan liberals….lets take another step towards socializing this country by nationalizing healthcare….absolutely brilliant…..I'm sure it will work out perfectly since our Federal government is so efficient at running every other nationalized benefits program….no bureaucracy and red tape whatsoever….

And how are we going to finance it?

Let's just surrender to the terrorists and use all the money we would spend to fight those guys plus some more money we get by increasing taxes and everyone can have free health care and all the prescription drugs you want……….BRILLIANT

America wake up!
Act now……end Socialism

already getting tired of him playing the "vet card" - citing his service as the answer to anything when he gets any type of hard question when his policy doesn't measure up. Its as if he's saying, I won't give you health care but that's ok because remember, I was a POW. Vote for me.

Let me rattle off a list of bad ideas for the country… but vote for me because I was a POW.

I'm glad he loves the country and has sacrificed for it, but that doesn't make him qualified to lead - that takes intelligence.

it's too bad, a great country like usa health care is a problem.i am with miss edwards we should have the same health care as these politicians.

The Dems in PA can help the party by bringing this primary to a quick conclusion. That is, if they love the party and this nation over their support for Hillary. We all know who has the numbers regardless of how long this campaign goes on. Hillary's chances are so small that a vote for her is to encourage the party to continue to suffer under Hillary's need to win at all cost! This is common sense, Hillary does not have the number of (a) pledged delegates and (b) popular votes to continue without making it easy for the Republicans to win the general election. I do not hate Hillary; I love this nation and the party better than Hillary.

ELIZABETH:

I hope you are doing well. PLEASE ask your husband to support HILLARY.
THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I WILL VOTE DEMOCRAT IN NOVEMBER. IF HILLARY IS NOT ON THE TICKET I WILL VOTE MCCAIN.

McCain uses his time as a POW as a crutch to bail him out anytime his big mouth or his hot temper gets him into trouble. There have been many POW's. I'm certain McCain has gotten much more mileage from his ex-POW status than the majority of POW's and has capitalized on it at every turn. At some point in time, he has to rely on his accomplishments and his abilities and his plan to hep solve America's problems for the future and not just constantly bring up
the past. He is living in the past. He wants the Presidency for is family legacy, not to helpthe American public.

Hello everyone. I think this country is starting to wake up or the sleeping giant is starting to awaken. What people dont understand is that when it is your time then it is your time. No matter what. There is a time for everything in case you did not know that! It is Obama's time and whoever is his VP. America is about to change… the time is now. Hallucinating Hillary thought this was going to be easy ha ha. She and whoever else should have never said that we can because….Oh Yes we can! and ha ha ha We did. You cant stop the forces of the universe when if is your destiny.

Thank you Elizabeth! No cheap shot taken. MCCain did of coarse have government paid health care but doesn't believe in giving the rest of us Americans the same. Double standards, the rich, influential power people (like he is & others) He was a POW & hero, and a CLOSIAL HIPPOCRIT, also bad tempered, too old to be Pres. & should be an arm-chair spectator, NOT a participant.

I think that the problem with McCain is that he's a hot-head, Granted he was a war hero but the chip on his shoulder is too big to give him the highest seat in the country, We already had a cowboy minded dictator type in office, lets not have another with a even worst temper in office, War has been the way that we built our status power with as a country since our shift from neutrality , yes, but its also caused a depression and by us using our military to train small countries like Iran, our way of the blade has been a cause and effect merry go round for years, So why not change, maybe that's why Hillary and McCain don't want Obama to be in the electorial picture the Old Dog's way of government and tricks made the old dogs fat, dum, and happy, they no longer run to fetch the problems of the people and return with solutions…. Clean money's change isn't too good of a feeling when you've became used to filling your pocket's for years with dirty money.
Maybe it's time to put the old dog's to sleep, and start a new span of polictic's…. Let's see what tricks the world screaming for change has taught a young pup, And too Hillary my mother been married to my Father way more years then you've been Married to President Clinton and He worked in a criminal justice field and granted she may know some things from being around him, experince is not transfered in a ring,
I think we've missed the greatest female candidate for the presidency with Mrs. Dole.
As for Hillary and McCain they're both two old crooks, Obama may be too but he's hasn't crawled through as many dirty places as these two.

She has more guts than her husband. John will sit on the side as he has been doing. The man can't pick sides hoping for one of them to pick him for VP. What a joke he is.

ELIZABETH EDWARDS IS GENUINELY HONEST &

EXCEPTIONALLY INTELLIGENT. TWO TRAITS

MCCAIN CAN NOT EVEN BEGIN TO DEFINE,

LET ALONE POSES. HE BEST NOT MISTAKE

ELIZABETH EDWARDS FOR CINDIE.

What's really funny is hearing McCain refer again and again to his time as a POW. It reminds me of Giuliani going back to 911 again and again, apparently feeling is was his strong point.

I can see it now… "Mr. McCain, how will you deal with the recession?" McCain: "Well, things were in a recession in that POW camp too. I know what it's like to survive.

"Mr. McCain, how do you feel about abortion?" McCain: "Well, lots of those Vietnamese girls near the POW camp had unwanted babies too, but they didn't abort them."

etc. etc.

I was wondering if people understand that if we have universal health care that it would also RAISE taxes? I'm sorry, but I work to hard to have the health coverage that I have and I don't think it is fair to give "handouts" to those that don't. The US gives out to many "handouts" as it is. Go McCain!

Free government-paid health care? How about free government-paid housing, too? Free government-paid cars/trucks? Plasma TV? Ipods? Let's have the government do it all…

i agree that john edwards was a great man and i would have loved , IF possible, for him to run with hillary on a ticket. fact is he will endorse obama. why do i say this? because on the steven colbert show he wore a pin on his lapel. it was an "O". now unless that represents something else, i have to believe it was his "sly" way of telling the viewers who he has to endorse. im saddened to know this. he will endorce obama because the people of nc will not let him hear the end of it if he doesnt. man how he will shrink under pressure. i have no respect for anyone that doesnt stand up to their own convictions and says the hell with what everyone else thinks. when we start making decisions that we dont agree with then we are just puppets arent we?

mCliton

mcbush leave our country alone….

No health insurance is free. You end up paying for it anyway.

Patients from countries with free health care are flooding our hospitals and paying tens of thousands of dollars to be operated on right away, not a few months after they are dead.

Tom, a large percentage of Americans who do not work for congress still have great healthcare.

I'm tired of McCain, Mr. all I know is war, so you didn't have health care while you were a prisoner of war. Question did you expect to? Plus that was what 200, 300 years ago when he was captured.

Sorry you were captured, you should have been faster.

Want to see what free government health care would be like… go see the VA.

Want to see what free government housing is like… go to any major city and check it out.

Want to see how well this work when they are controlled by the government… look at social security.

LMAO…. You've got to be kidding!

McCain is for importing prescription drugs from Canada and letting negotiation happen with Medicaid to bring down the price of drugs.

McCain is a moderate who is being smeared.

You Go Elizabeth!!! McCain is completely out of touch with real Americans!

McCain doesn't use his military background for political gain.

If he did he would talk about how his son just came back from a 7 month tour in Iraq.

McCain never talks about that while Jim Webb campaigned on that wearing his sons boot.

Senator Johnson ran two ads on it.

McCain showed great honor not using his son's service for political gain so for people to say he uses it for political gain is inaccurate.

I'll be darned, John was a POW? Amazing. Not that we haven't heard it every time he speaks. You're a war hero, John. Now try to come up with a plan that actually does something for this trainwreck economy that you and your republican buddy in the White House created. No, John, not more tax cuts for the wealthy and not more wars. And for gosh sakes, old timer, quit nodding off while we are talking to you.

Please do a search for
vietnam veterans against john mccain

I say turn this government over to the women…Hillary/Elizabeth "08! Neither one of them are wimps!

Regarding raising taxes to pay for healthcare….how much money comes out of your paycheck now to pay for your healthcare (if you even get it). My employer only pays 50%. If we have a plan with lots of people on it, it will lower the amount. Also, I was raised as a military brat…had to see military docs on military bases. At that time, we waited long periods to see a doctor but we got good care. Today, I wait in my doc's office sometimes up to 2 hours and then have to wait for authorizations. My family who lives in Europe do not complain about their healthcare. Everyone says that they (Europeans) pay so much in taxes, but guess what, by the time you add what I pay in taxes and what I pay in healthcare, the combined percentage is higher than my European family. Repubs just like to scare you with the cost!!!

For all of you saying that McCain is exploiting his military record as a POW, during which he endured years of torture rather than denounce his own country and be let free, please remember this: his son vounteered for service in Iraq. How often do you hear McCain exploit this? Moreover, his son did not get a posh duty as a son of a senator like Al Gore got in Vietnam. He is serving as a Marine.

A vote for McCain is a vote for Bush

GO ELIZABETH!!!!!!!
THANKS FOR SAYING LAST WEEK THAT HILLARY'S PLAN IS THE PLAN YOU SUPPORT!

NOW, IF WE COULD JUST GET YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND TO BACK HILLARY BEFORE NORTH CAROLINA, WE WILL BE GOOD TO GO!

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I hear people say, "we need Hillary to turn this economy around," my stomach grinds! Do these people think that "all the conditions" that were present during the Clinton years (including getting Gore back as VP, and a Repulican House/Senate) will be back if Hillary were to be president? This is so sad!! Bill has helped ship all the jobs of the 90's overseas; no Clinton will ever bring back those jobs. The Clintons had this planned all along; now they are making the benefits from those past deals that they made ($109 million came from where?). The Clintons will only make more deals, if anyone ever gets them back to that White House. How stupid can some people be amazes me everyday!!

Here we go again, "Americans are notorious for their generosity the world over". No, in fact to those that know about it, it's known that America is one of the cheapest. You are like 20th even when you include private donations. But the worst thing is you are in the top two (Japan the other) offering your aid with strings attached, like you have to buy a certain thing from the USA. This does nothing to help develop a local economy and can hurt more than it helps. It really bothers me how many Americans have things completely wrong. Wake up and drop this "this is America" attitude as if that means it's the best.

Middle age……..This is about health care not about your add for Obama.

CNN for pete's sake screen these comments fairly!

Does being a POW mean you were a great soldier? Not necessarily. In McCain's case it means he was a showboat of a pilot. Read up on his history. How many planes did he crash? Something like 5 and one of them resulted in him ending up as a POW. Does not necessarily mean he was a great man who sacrificed for his country. It might mean he was just a bad pilot.

Methinks it aint Obama getting the preferential treatment, its Mccain. When is the media going to make sure HIS record is properly vetted?

Emmanuel, you are an idiot! Responding to your post only!

People who votes for McCain hear this….A vote for McCain is a vote for Cindy McCain. He is too old to handle the day to day activities of the president. Cindy will have hands on everything and will literally control McCain's agenda. She will make Nancy Regan look like choir girl. Do you want to vote for Cindy? Think!

Uhhh… yeah be did have government provided healthcare - because he was AN EMPLOYEE OF THE GOVERNMENT. All employees of the government get government provided healthcare.

And the idea that we can ever provide enough healthcare for everyone is pure baloney - look at Europe and Canada. All they do there is ration healthcare, keeping chronically sick people left out in the cold. Their systems are no better than ours - but at least competition in our system creates incentive to do a better job.

The Clintons are so silly!

How much did that occupation cost again? I would rather be a liberal for healthcare rather than a war mongering fools. Grandpa McCain won't even sign up for Senator Webb's bill to give our vets better benefits. What makes you think for one second that McCain will help anyone else?

We are the only economical developed country without universal healthcare.

Liberals are already awake, it’s the right wing that needs to open there eyes to what is going on.

middle-aged american and ratgurl must have mated and come up with the same add campaign.

Time is on our side even if CNN isn't.

Go Hillary

Mrs. Edwards is a coward and a shill. If this is the kind of person democrats are proud of, God help us all.

5 years in a concentration camp without any healthcare, or decent food, managing torture, starvation and abuse we can only imagine.. I thank God for men of real character like John McCain.

Contrast John McCain with her poor excuse of a husband who made MILLIONS sueing companies for no other reason than to make himself rich.

She should be ashamed of herself.

There are some folks out there that just don't get it. First I want to thank Mrs Edwards for her considerations. I, too have a pre-existing condition that absolutely bars me from getting any health insurance NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY I HAVE OR DON'T HAVE. There are lots of people out here in this same situation. I want insurance and can afford it but the insurance companies won't take me. Think for a minute about those who can't afford it. I'm spending about $1200/month for meds. What do they do? Just die?
"Are there no Poor Houses?" "Are there no Work Farms?"
Where does it stop and who stops it?

Good, Elizabeth, you keep speaking up!

I guess McCain can use any old opportunity to remind us he was a POW. We all know that and appreciate his service but he still doesn't have a plan to provide health insurance to all Americans and that should be a deal breaker.

what an idiot.

go elizabeth!

One question?

WHERE IS JOHN EDWARDS?

Best wishes to Mrs. Edwards and her courageous fight against cancer. To those against some form of health care reform, have you wondered why your benefits are decreasing while the costs every year are increasing? It's because the hospital that I work at (along with many others) are obligated to treat those at risk regardless of ability to pay. All of those that are worrying about their taxes being raised, it's too late. You are already paying in your insurance premium, at the drug store, at your doctor's office, etc, etc. Your money is still gone and you haven't even realized it! Right now, the only group that is winning is the insurance companies. As a physician, it is frightening to me and it should be frightening to those that think they are "covered" to know how much the insurance companies are practicing medicine. They dictate what tests can be done, how much will be paid, at what point they will cutoff access from surgery, etc. etc. Often, these people have little medical training and in most, certainly much less than your physician. Even if they are RNs, they have not seen the patient and still are not doctors. Unless you are independently wealthy and self insuring, you aren't covered!

Not saying that we should do socialized medicine as in Europe or Canada but we must do something because it is already becoming less affordable for corporations to provide healthcare to both present employees and retirees. This is what is killing the US auto industry as we speak. This is why our jobs are being offshored. This is taking a larger bite out of our paychecks as it stands now.

I'm pretty sure we're paying for those things, tom-z. we're buying them for the soldiers wasting their youth fighting a nonsense war in iraq.

and for tahnee…. the u.s. does give too many handouts. just not to those who need them.

go bake some cookies…

Oh gosh, Mr. McCain, please stop beating the PWO drum. You still had the healthcare, you just couldn't use it. Your response makes no sense, and it is not a cheap shot. Long after you and Mrs. McCain are spending her millions in retirement, most of America will still be without healthcare. Quit being a baby and deal with the issues. Talk about your solution. So far, you haven't offered any. I certainly would love to have the healthcare you and the members of congress enjoy. McCain's unwillingness to respond to the issue as a person who wants to be MY president shows he's out of touch and only really cares about War.

Chris Commented:
April 21st, 2008 6:49 pm ET

He's probably the most out of touch with Americans than all of the candidates

- Wife with $100+ million
- Doesn't have to worry about Social Security b/c his job provides it free "and" since his generation is funded
- Has basically had free healthcare his entire life
- 70 yrs old - he's not really thinking about where we need to be in 20-30-40 yrs like our youth are
- Does he have any kids? if not, this is another out-of-touch topic that many Americans have to deal with (care, insurance, college funding)
____________________________________________
Talk about being out of touch. Several of your points are just plain made up.
His wife may have big bucks. He has always kept his finances separate, and made FAR less than either Clinton or Obama last year. And he's continued working all of these years, not sponging off his wife.
His job does not provide SS free, he has paid into the system and taxes just the same as anyone else who has held an honest job in this country.
He hasn't had free healthcare his entire life, he has earned his healthcare through his service to the government and military.
He actually has 4 children with Cindy, and 2 of them are serving in Iraq! This also negates your point about not caring about where we are in 20-30 years. I'm sure he cares for the sake of his kids & grandkids.
Maybe you should read something before you just spout off about that which you obviously know nothing about.

Thank you Mrs. Edwards for keeping John McOldCodger busy getting hot-headed. All he does is POW this, POW that. I can't wait til Obama gets into a debate with McSame.

I don't support McCain but some of you bloggers are down right nasty and it's really not about all of that. i HAVE A SON, and I don't know if I could exist, how I could have stood having a son as a POW in a filthy, nasty vietnam camp for five years. And I will Never FORGET how our POW's were treated by those people. What I'd rather see from Mrs. Edwards and her husband is to open up their mouths and show us who they are supporting for crying out loud. What is Edwards waiting for, the next millenium? Or a request from Billary to be her VP? The nation is speaking, in large part for Barack Obama as am I. He HAS a plan for health care, a better one that Billary. Speak up and make your choice known! Billary is that desperate that she may approach you. Listen to the nation, how much $ he's raised by people like me donating over the internet. We WANT CHANGE, join us now. We need you!

He just wanted to let everyone know he was a POW again. He is so disconnected from the people I don't know what to say.

To all those nasty people, dems or reps, I would like to say that I would feel honored to pay for the health insurance of others. I was on the 35W Bridge Collapse. I had a traumatic brain injury, fractured neck, broken clavical, seperated shoulder, punctured spleen, shattered left foot. I have insurance, there were many on the bridge that day that didn't, that is one moment in existence, think of all the other moments where health insurance is needed and not available. Again to all those nasty people, I would gladly pay for others to have health benefits.

Like Elizabeth hasn't always lived high on the hog via her ambulance chasing husband ? What a joke.

Tom Z — I've heard this rehashed Republican argument before, but it is overly simplistic and glosses over the true ethical dilemma we face as a country when thousands of Americans in my state of Florida alone die each year as a result of their lack of healthcare. And too many children who grow up without affordable housing also miss out on decent education, and then we see the high rates of dropping out and turning to crime (don't you have a problem with the billion dollar prison industry in our country, where our tax payers pay countless no-bid government contracts to keep people locked up?). Not a single progressive I've ever met would argue that the government should buy us cars, tvs or Ipods. We must be intelligent and moral enough to tell the difference between giving someone an ipod and giving them the medical attention they need to live.

John S. McCain is just like Obama when he can't answer a question properly, he avoids it and brings up his war time spent in prison.

If that is all we will hear during the general election he will definitely lose big time…

You can't become president just because you were a prison of war.

We need a strong president, someone who is ready on day one, someone who knows the game plan already set up in Washington and know how to change it slowly but surely…..

There is only one candidate that is strong enough to be president and that is HILLARY R. CLINTON…

For the first time in my adult life(see Michelle Obama's statement for my age) I'm truly frightened by the cult mentality of both the media(with few exceptions) and the Obama supporters. There is a pathology fermenting in the Obama camp,which is neither healthy nor democratic in its construction.

African- American delegates and super delegates have been bullied to support Obama, people like Tavis Smiley have been intimidated and have received death threats for daring to challenge Obama,anonymous Clinton and McCain supporters posting on blogs have been verbally attacked by Obama's people,Obama himself has used obscene gestures to diminish his opponent while taking refuge in the vogue style of hip-hop musicological linguistics.

Moreover,the virulent attacks on Stephanopoulos and Gibson from so called liberal journalists and bloggers, and all these worrisome trends that are carried under the pseudo-auspice of change and hope, are chillingly reminiscent of days that humanity has vowed to forget and not repeat.
God help us all.

For all you complaining about his "lifetime of free healthcare"–please go sign up at your nearest military recruiter's office. You too can get free healthcare. I'm tired of hearing everyone complain–I have healthcare through my work. However, I took advantage of my free public education to better myself so that I could get a higher paying job with benefits. You people, who probably played around in high school or got pregnant at 16, are now faced with low paying jobs as a consequence and are demanding that society takes care of you. Give me a break–this is NOT a socialist society. You want healthcare, take your stimulus rebate and go looking for insurance, but don't come looking for my taxes to support you.

Oh please–Mrs. Edwards has never worried about healthcare in her life. Imagine how much money she gave to the medical field just to get pregnant at the age of 50. Tell me Mrs. Edwards, how much money was spent on IVF that could have been spent to help the poor?

I'm voting for HIllary yet at the same time I find people's disrespect of John McCain's pow time unbelievable. It doesn't matter if he served 40 years ago. He served our country so that all of us sitting here on this board can have freedom. The person who said that he crashed 5 planes (maybe he was shot down those times, who knows) is another person who has no respect for someone who has served for him and his free way of life.
What kind of person are you anyway?
People make remarks about McCain's POW time as not being as bad as what? Someone who got wounded, someone who got what worse? What is worse then being stuffed into a container in Vietnam for 6 years being tortured?
I don't think it is in his best interest to bring it up so much, yet if he does one should put it down to a seriously traumatic event that is hardwired into his being, rather than he is a worthless old coot, like the way a lot of you act as being so called concerned people for the veterans of america.
Any Vet who served their country and was wounded, captured, or killed, deserves our respect about that issue even if you don't agree with what that person says.
I like McCain much better than Obama, let me tell you. He has a thousand times more character.
So the essence of my dialogue is; have some respect for things you never experienced and probably never will.
Hillary for Prez/Obama if I can pull the lever, if she loses nomination.

Personally, I would like nothing better than a Hillary Clinton/Elizabeth Edwards ticket!

I would expect a "cheap shot "from a from a cheap woman. They don't know any better.

Have you ever read so many nasty, mean-spirited, uninformed comments in your life???

Shock your brain, learn the facts before posting!

you want health ins go out and buy it like 99.9 percent of the rest of us do. If you think it would be free you are delusional.
John made his millions suing Ins. companies. Now where do you think that money than came from? Higher Ins. premiums you dolts.
Gov't raise tax on everyone and everything it all come backs on the consumer. Us.
If you want to ignore our enemies and pretend they aren't there, then I don't want to hear any whinning from dims when we are hit again.
Mc Cain 08

McCain didn't sign that bill because it was lacking and he wanted another better one.

If Mcain had the health insurance I do, then maybe he would NOT have enjoyed the same outcome he does today.

Six Months to find out my appendix was inflamed and near rupture.

good for you Mrs Edwards..we love you. McCain you're going to have a lot to answer for come november! You do have good health care now and millions dont and cant afford it and NEVER will under your plan…hope you sleep well tonight

mccain doesnt really care about the average person hre is only out to support the wealthy and well connected dont let him fool you….AGAIN!

I commend Mrs. Edwards on her comments and also don't believe that John McCain will be able to use that everytime he is responding to something. It was sad what happened to him which is why I really don't understand why he won't sign that new GI bill for the soldiers.

My wife and I will be sending Barack Obama another $25.00 check later this month with the little spending money we have.

Us and many other American's have been voting both at the polls and with our wallets, and he hasn't let us down. He has been running a very responsible campaign, and our money has been well spent and is in good hands.

Obama '08

all she did was live off of her husbands money he ripped off of the common people

I GUESS WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR HEALTHCARE. BUT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORTH 100 MILLION ARE

MCCAIN SHAME ON YOU

here is a simple question….why should I pay for your heath care?

A lot of folks spout ff before they know what they are talking about. First I would like to say that Senator McCain did enjoy having "free" health care for the majority of his life, but how many people that want said free healthcare would be willing to undergo what he did to get it? The option is out there. Join the military and get the bst health care in the world! The health care in the military is a joke! How many of you know that the standards for becoming a military doctor are sub par compared to becoming a regular doctor? Let the first person that wants free health care sign the dotted line joining the military. As a former veteran, I had "free" health care that has now garnered me a disability for the rest of my life. Do the lot of you want that? If you want subsidized or free health care…..Get a job. Stop sucking off the teet of the American taxpayer. For all of those rather wealthy taxayers that believe it should be a universal option, you fund it. I pay for my healthcare and appreciate that I can. That is all I can afford. I cannot afford to pay for someone elses.

We already have universal healthcare. It's called Medicaid! Get a Job and stop being Vampires!

Trust me when I say that Americans need, deserve and are entitled to a Universal Healthcare system (Medicare).

Canadians have had the privilege of having a very responsive, professional and effective Medicare system that has had positive effect on the average life expectancy of her citizens. It certainly was a comfort during the SARS outbreak.

The UK , France and all of the other Western industrialized countries of Europe, as well as, other major countries have similar Universal Health care systems.

I have listened to all of the candidates from both parties and Hillary Clinton's plan (except for John Edwards who had the best plan) is the only one that comes close to plans that have been proven in other countries. Unfortunately, Hillary's plan does not go far enough, but it is far superior to Obama's plan by a country mile.

Do yourselves a favor and view the Michael Moore's movie SICKO and you will get a better idea of what American is missing. It is all true and don't let folks scare you into thinking that it is socialism because it is not.

It is like a social security type system except for your health care and the only way it can work effectively is if everyone is registered into it. Obama's plan will never work effectively because it is voluntary for adults but not children.