Political Wire: Some analysts have said you lack a "bully pulpit" now that you're out of political office. What can you do now to keep the issues that are important to you at the forefront of political debate?Edwards kicked off his anti-poverty campaign on Monday at the University of North Carolina at an event covered by the Daily Tar Heel. The AP has more on the Edwards tour.
John Edwards: Now that people know who I am, I want to use that to build support for the issue I am most passionate about -- poverty. So I've been traveling across the country to talk with people from all walks of life about the need to do something to help the most vulnerable and people who are struggling every day. People will hear me bring attention and ideas to this crucial topic.
PW: What was the biggest lesson you learned running for president in 2004?
JE: First of all, it was an honor to be able to run for president and to meet so many wonderful people from all over the country. What became more and more clear to me as I traveled around the country is that the American people want strength in their leaders and I believe that strength comes from conviction. I firmly believe that we need to stand up for what we believe in and we shouldn't try to nuance our way through the political landscape.
I also heard from people that they believe there's a void of moral leadership here and abroad. That's why I strongly believe that Democrats need to lead on the great moral issues facing us domestically -- including poverty -- and globally -- including the genocide in Darfur, climate change, and global poverty.
PW: While you've clearly stated that you haven't yet made a decision on running for president in 2008, what do you need to do today to make sure that option is still open to you in 12-18 months?
JE: I'll leave that for the pundits and political experts to decide. I'm going to stay focused on my work on poverty.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country, including the Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer and Christian Science Monitor.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
