In upcoming attraction, John Edwards rescues a nation hijacked by special interests and delivers it back to the hands of the people

Columbia, South Carolina – Two days before South Carolina voters go to the polls, the John Edwards for President campaign unveiled a new theatrical trailer for Native Son: The Movie starring Senator John Edwards. The trailer, narrated by well-known voiceover artist and Edwards' supporter George DelHoyo, highlights how Edwards has spent his life standing up to the rich and powerful to help the kind of regular people he grew up with in the Palmetto State, and how, as president, Edwards will rescue a nation hijacked by special interests and deliver it back to the hands of the people.

"From the people that want to end this senseless war, comes the story of the man who will bring you stronger schools, smart trade and universal health care," the narrator explains. "Starring South Carolina's native son, John Edwards. On January 26th, choose a brighter future – John Edwards for President."

Today, Edwards wraps up a two-day "Back Roads, Back Home Barnstorm" of South Carolina's small towns and rural communities to bring attention to the millions of rural Americans who, for too long, have been forgotten by Washington politicians. Edwards has seen how the voices of working Americans – like James Lowe, who could not speak for 50 years because he did not have health insurance, like the men and women who worked in the mills with his father Wallace, and like so many others he has met across South Carolina, have been forgotten.

Joined by James Lowe, his parents Bobbie and Wallace Edwards, his daughter, Cate, and Rev. James Blassingame of Sumter, South Carolina, on the last day before the primary, tomorrow Edwards will campaign across South Carolina to meet with voters and tell them, as President, he will never forget the voices of South Carolina's working families.

The new trailer for Native Son: The Movie is featured prominently on the John Edwards website at http://www.johnedwards.com/sc/video/native-son-movie and a higher resolution version can be downloaded at http://www.johnedwards.com/watch/native-son-movie/press. A full transcript of the trailer is also included below.

Transcript of Native Son: The Movie Trailer (90 seconds):

NARRATOR: In a world where candidates are many, one man stands apart from the crowd.

EDWARDS: When people say to me, 'why are you running for President of the United States,' I can say it in one sentence. I'm running for President of the United States because I want everyone in America to have the same chances that I've had.

NARRATOR: Born to humble beginnings in South Carolina, he spent his life fighting against the rich and powerful to help the kind regular people he grew up with.

SUPPORTER: Give 'em hell, Johnny.

EDWARDS: Oh, I will.

NARRATOR: Now we have the chance to let him bring that fight to the White House, to rescue a nation hijacked by special interests and deliver it back to the hands of the people.

EDWARDS: The strength of America's not just in the Oval Office, the strength of America is in this room, right now. It's the American people, the incredible capacity of the American people to do great things. And we need you. Your country needs you.

NARRATOR: From the people that want to end this senseless war, comes the story of the man who will bring you stronger schools, smart trade and universal health care. Starring South Carolina's native son, John Edwards. On January 26th, choose a brighter future – John Edwards for President.

EDWARDS: I'm John Edwards, and I approve this message.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Senator John Edwards released the following statement urging Senate Democrats to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA):

"In Washington today, telecom lobbyists have launched a full-court press to win retroactive immunity for their illegal eavesdropping on American citizens. Granting retroactive immunity will let corporate law-breakers off the hook and hamstring efforts to learn the truth about Bush's illegal spying program.

"It's time for Senate Democrats to show a little backbone and stand up to George W. Bush and the corporate lobbyists. They should do everything in their power -- including joining Senator Dodd's efforts to filibuster this legislation -- to stop retroactive immunity. The Constitution should not be for sale at any price."

Edwards criticizes Senator McCain for failing to acknowledge the impact of the struggling economy on South Carolina's families and questions Senator Clinton's commitment to the Palmetto State

Bennettsville, South Carolina – Today, on the first stop of his "Back Roads, Back Home Barnstorm," Senator John Edwards explained why it matters for the American people to have a president who understands their way of life, and how, as the only candidate born and raised in South Carolina, he will fight for hard-working Americans in the Palmetto State and across America. At the event, Edwards referred specifically to Senators McCain and Clinton, saying that if Senator McCain believes the economy is really doing fine, he should come to South Carolina and see for himself the impact of the struggling economy on South Carolina's families. He also questioned Senator Clinton's commitment to the people of South Carolina, criticizing her for leaving the state immediately after Monday's debate.

"We need a president of the United States who actually understands you're life. It's one thing to fly into South Carolina from someplace else, give a speech, go to a debate and then fly back out. It is a very different thing to have lived here, to have grown up in this part of the country and to understand in a personal way what's happening in you lives," Edwards said at the Bennettsville event. "I do – I know what it's like to go to Friday night high school football games, I played in a few of them myself, to go to church on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night—that's the way of life, that's our way of life. It's how I grew up.

"And the reason it matters is because if you have a president who understands your way of life and who cares about where you life, the odds go up tremendously that they're actually going to fight for you. That they're going to understand what's happening with the loss of jobs, what's happening with the economy, that they won't say things like 'well the economy's doing fine.' And they won't just fly in here for political events and leave; they'll actually come back and pay attention to what's happening in your lives.

"We've seen what's happening here in South Carolina with the unemployment rate going up, 6,000 jobs lost last month, and then John McCain said just a few days ago that the economy actually is doing fine, that we're not headed into a recession, the fundamentals were strong and remain strong. He needs to come to Bennettsville and see what's actually happening in the real world – because out here in the real world people are struggling.

"And I know, for example, Senator Clinton was here on Monday night for the debate that we had in Myrtle Beach. I hope some of you got to see the debate. But then right after the debate she flew out and she's been gone and she won't be back until I don't know—later in the week or until Primary Day. And the question is, if she's not going to spend time here the week before the South Carolina primary, what do you think the chances are she's coming back after the primary? And what are the chances she's coming back when she's President of the United States?"

During his two-day rural "Back Roads, Back Home Barnstorm" tour, Edwards will be joined by actor, producer and humanitarian Danny Glover, former Congressman and Dukes of Hazzard star Ben "Cooter" Jones, and North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler. Rev. James Blassingame of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Sumter will also join Edwards during the barnstorm. Rev. Blassingame and Senator Edwards both grew up in Seneca, South Carolina and both worked in the J.P. Stevens Textile Mill.

California's sixth largest paper picks Edwards for his leadership in standing up for middle class families

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, California's Fresno Bee endorsed Senator John Edwards for President citing his leadership in standing up for middle class families and ending the war in Iraq.

"Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' campaign for president offers a much-needed vision that recognizes the hope and promise of America," the editorial board wrote. "It's a view that includes solidifying the plight of working families and others in the middle class. This group of Americans has struggled the past eight years under an administration that has catered to the well-connected and powerful, and it's time for leadership that understands the contributions and needs of American families. We believe that John Edwards can provide that leadership and urge Democratic and independent voters to support him in the California primary on Feb. 5."

Last week, more than 1,000 supporters attended a community meeting with Senator Edwards at the Southern California Public Service Workers' headquarters in Los Angeles. Edwards enjoys the support of more than 760,000 union members across California, including the support of California's single largest union, the California SEIU State Council. Edwards has also won the support of dozens of diverse Democratic elected officials and party leaders from every region of the Golden State.

The endorsement can be viewed at: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/341733.html.

The full text of the endorsement is included below.

Edwards best for Dems

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' campaign for president offers a much-needed vision that recognizes the hope and promise of America. It's a view that includes solidifying the plight of working families and others in the middle class.

This group of Americans has struggled the past eight years under an administration that has catered to the well-connected and powerful, and it's time for leadership that understands the contributions and needs of American families.

We believe that John Edwards can provide that leadership and urge Democratic and independent voters to support him in the California primary on Feb. 5.

Edwards has been running behind Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in the early primary and caucus states, and we recognize that he needs to do better if he is going to have a chance of winning the nomination. We believe that Edwards has the opportunity to do well in the upcoming states as his message of hope begins to be heard.

Edwards has a realistic plan for withdrawing this nation from the quagmire of the Iraq war. He has proposed reducing troop levels by 40,000 to 50,000 immediately and then withdrawing all "combat" troops in 10 months. He would station about 10,000 troops in neighboring countries to serve as "quick reaction forces" if al-Qaida attempts to make Iraq a safe haven.

He supports a balanced immigration policy that recognizes the need for an agricultural guest-worker program that would enable farmworkers to "come out of the shadows." He would protect our borders by doubling the Border Patrol and sanction employers who hire illegal immigrants. In exchange for playing by the rules, he would offer illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. That path would not be a gift, but would include paying a fine and learning English.

Edwards has been out in front in offering solutions to the nation's economic problems, even before the administration realized the depth of the current crisis. His plan includes a $25 billion economic package that would invest in clean energy, expand unemployment benefits, help states that are cash-strapped and establish a "home rescue fund" to keep homes out of foreclosure. His plan could grow to $100 billion if the economy doesn't turn around.

We supported Edwards four years ago in the Democratic primary because he offered a real opportunity to bridge a nation that has been divided along class lines. That need has only increased under the current administration, and we think Edwards, with his populist message, offers a change for the better.

Edwards campaign begins airing new television spot in South Carolina that draws contrasts between Edwards and his competitors

Columbia, South Carolina – Today, the John Edwards for President campaign began airing a new 30-second television spot in the Palmetto State to highlight how Senator Edwards is the only Democratic presidential candidate who will stand up to the drug companies and powerful Washington lobbyists and fight for hard-working middle class families.

The ad begins with photographs of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama on the screen as the narrator states, "One gets more money than anyone from drug companies. The other one takes more money than anyone from Washington lobbyists. What's happened to the Democratic Party? Whatever happened to the party of the people?"

As the visuals switch to a montage of crowds at Edwards' campaign events and images of Senator Edwards working to rebuild a home in New Orleans and greeting supporters, the narrator continues, "The only one who's never taken a dime from PACs or Washington lobbyists, who knows we've been ignored too long, who knows that rebuilding the middle class is more important that politics - our John Edwards. The only one."

Born to a working class family in South Carolina and raised in small, rural mill towns, Edwards has spent his life taking on powerful interests on behalf of hard-working families like the ones he grew up with. He has never taken a dime from Washington lobbyists or PACs, and has pledged that he will ban corporate lobbyists from serving in his White House. As president, he will only support smart and safe trade deals, opposing trade deals that put the profits of multinational corporations ahead of the needs of hard-working families.

Tomorrow, Edwards will set off on a two-day "Back Roads, Back Home Barnstorm" of South Carolina's small towns and rural communities to bring attention to the millions of rural Americans who, for too long, have been forgotten by Washington politicians. During the tour, Edwards will be joined by longtime activist and actor Danny Glover, Congressman Heath Shuler, former Congressman and Dukes of Hazzard star Ben "Cooter" Jones and Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley. During the barnstorm, Edwards will visit volunteer firefighters, stop by diners and discuss his bold plans for change with South Carolinians.

Edwards is the only candidate in the race who was born in South Carolina and he is the only Democratic candidate to ever win in a "red" state. Edwards leads the Democratic field in both campaign stops and money raised in the Palmetto State, and his campaign boasts an impressive statewide grassroots organization strengthened by deep support from Edwards' 2004 campaign.

A full transcript of the new ad is included below. To view the ad, please visit: http://www.johnedwards.com/ads/what-happened. A high quality version of the ad can be downloaded at: http://www.johnedwards.com/watch/what-happened/press.

Transcript of "What Happened" (30 seconds):

Narrator: One gets more money than anyone from drug companies.

The other one takes more money than anyone from Washington lobbyists.

What's happened to the Democratic Party?

Whatever happened to the party of the people?

Good question.

The only one who's never taken a dime from PACs or Washington lobbyists

Who knows we've been ignored too long.

Who knows that rebuilding the middle class is more important that politics.

Our John Edwards.

The only one.

John Edwards: I'm John Edwards and I approve this message.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – John Edwards released the following statement on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

"Roe v. Wade was an important step on the road to full equality, opportunity and dignity for women. On the 35th anniversary, it is important to reflect how far we've come as a nation, but more importantly how far we still have to go.

"I strongly support a woman's right to privacy and reproductive choices. That right has been under attack though -- by President Bush and his anti-choice agenda and by the Supreme Court, which has been moving the right-wing's agenda faster than we've seen in decades. The hard right turn of the Supreme Court is a stark reminder of why Democrats cannot afford to lose the 2008 election. Too much is at stake - starting with a woman's right to choose.

"As President, I will guarantee the right to choose and ensure that women can make choices in their lives with dignity and can participate in our society fully, as equals."