Vegas
04-22-2007, 06:15 PM
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070422/NEWS06/704220692/0/BUSINESS01
The U.S. government should invest billions to help Michigan become the hub for transforming the nation's energy economy, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday.
Speaking to more than 1,800 Democrats at the annual Jefferson Jackson dinner at Cobo Center in Detroit, Edwards said he'd like to see Michigan evolve.
"We should put billions of dollars into creation of the new technology and $1 billion should go right to the car companies," he said. "I don't want to see the cars of the future built anywhere else."
With the first primary elections nine months away, Edwards consistently trails U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in public opinion polls about the Democratic contenders for the White House. But he struck a popular theme with the labor-heavy audience.
He said he opposes the trade deal being negotiated between the Bush administration and South Korea. It has faced strong opposition from organized labor.
"I believe in trade deals that make sense for American workers," Edwards said.
Edwards also said he made a mistake in voting for the Iraq war when he was a U.S. senator from North Carolina and that it's time to bring troops home. He said one of his first acts as president would be to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned that Edwards wouldn't receive the state's Democratic support if he doesn't support fair trade and programs that will invest in workers who have lost manufacturing jobs.
"We're not going to stop working until we get George Bush out of office and replaced with a Democrat who cares about Michigan," she said.
Republicans chided Edwards for spending $800 from campaign funds for two haircuts. He reimbursed his campaign.
The U.S. government should invest billions to help Michigan become the hub for transforming the nation's energy economy, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Saturday.
Speaking to more than 1,800 Democrats at the annual Jefferson Jackson dinner at Cobo Center in Detroit, Edwards said he'd like to see Michigan evolve.
"We should put billions of dollars into creation of the new technology and $1 billion should go right to the car companies," he said. "I don't want to see the cars of the future built anywhere else."
With the first primary elections nine months away, Edwards consistently trails U.S. Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama in public opinion polls about the Democratic contenders for the White House. But he struck a popular theme with the labor-heavy audience.
He said he opposes the trade deal being negotiated between the Bush administration and South Korea. It has faced strong opposition from organized labor.
"I believe in trade deals that make sense for American workers," Edwards said.
Edwards also said he made a mistake in voting for the Iraq war when he was a U.S. senator from North Carolina and that it's time to bring troops home. He said one of his first acts as president would be to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm warned that Edwards wouldn't receive the state's Democratic support if he doesn't support fair trade and programs that will invest in workers who have lost manufacturing jobs.
"We're not going to stop working until we get George Bush out of office and replaced with a Democrat who cares about Michigan," she said.
Republicans chided Edwards for spending $800 from campaign funds for two haircuts. He reimbursed his campaign.