John Edwards made the two-day barnstorming tour through rural South Carolina where he wanted to remind voters that he is the candidate that will never forget the plight of his fellow Southerners.
“Right after the debate (Hillary Clinton) flew out and she’s been gone and she won’t be back until, I don’t know, later in the week or on primary day,” John Edwards said on his tour. He added: “And the question is if she’s not gonna spend time here the week before the South Carolina primary, what do you think the chances are that she’s coming back after the primary?”
Edwards would continue with: “You need somebody who when they’re President of the United States – and that’s me – will come back to South Carolina, will understand what’s happening in your lives.”
Edwards criticized both Democratic and Republican rivals for not understanding the needs of rural voters. He targeted US Republican presidential hopeful John McCain for saying the economy was doing fine.
“John McCain said just a few days ago that the economy’s actually doing fine,” he said in regards to Edwards. He then fired at McCain by saying: “He needs to come to Bennettsville and see what’s happening in the real world. Because out here in the real world, people are struggling.”
He brought allies to appeal to the rural audience.
After Edwards’ remarks, he and the rest of the audience would join Dr. Ralph Stanley in singing Amazing Grace.