Univision Network Democratic Presidential Debate

Interview

UNIVISION NETWORK DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

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MODERATOR: Senator Edwards, it is a risk for you to be here?

MR. EDWARDS: I think it's a great honor to be here, an extraordinary privilege.

You know, I grew up in a small town in North Carolina, and my dad worked in mills all his life.
And we went to that town so that my father could work hard and try to build a better life for myself and my -- my family, just as millions of Latino families are trying to do today. In fact, that small town is now half Latino, in rural North Carolina. And those Latino families that came to Robbins, North Carolina, came there for the same reason my father came there: to work hard, support their families and try to build a better life for themselves and their children.

But they're up against huge obstacles. Just a few months ago, I was in Canton, Mississippi, as part of a poverty tour, and I met with poultry workers who worked in a poultry plant in Canton, Mississippi. And one of them was a man named Daniel who had been badly hurt on the job. And because of his injuries, he wasn't able to work. And when he asked about trying to get health care or workers' compensation, the first question they asked him was, "What's your immigration status?" This is a perfect example of what's wrong with Washington and why the government is not working for the American people, and not working for Latino families. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Unfortunately, the question is for Senator Edwards. Senator Edwards, if General Petraeus has indicated that there was some success of these troops, would you still be in favor of withdrawing Iraq (sic) in a few months?

MR. EDWARDS: I'm absolutely in favor of America leaving Iraq. What I'm concerned about, about the Petraeus report, is that it will be basically a sales job by the White House, that it'll be a PR document -- (applause) -- because that's what we've continually gotten from this administration, throughout the course of the war.

And it will be focused on this benchmark or that benchmark than whether some minor progress has been made on one particular benchmark.

The underlying question that has existed the entire time that we've been in Iraq is, have the Sunni and Shi'a moved toward some sort of serious political compromise? Because without that compromise, there cannot be peace or stability in Iraq. It cannot happen.

And I think we know the answer to that right now. The answer to that question is there has been no political progress. In fact, the Iraqi parliament went on vacation for three or four weeks while American men and women were putting their lives on the line in Iraq.

Here's what I believe. I believe no political progress means no funding without a timetable for withdrawal. And if the president vetoes a bill that has a timetable for withdrawal, the Congress should send him another bill with a timetable for withdrawal and continue to do it until he's forced to start withdrawing troops. (Cheers, applause.)

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MODERATOR: The same question, we're going to ask, about immigration to all the candidates. Would you commit during your first year of the presidency, to immigration reform?

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MODERATOR: Senator Edwards, now your time to respond.

MR. EDWARDS: The answer's yes, I would commit to do it, not just in my first year, but at the beginning of the Edwards administration. I think the president of the United States has a responsibility to do something about this hugely important issue for America and for 40 million Latinos who live in America and 13 (million), 14 million who are undocumented.

You know, it's interesting to me. When you walk into a Blockbuster to -- to rent a movie, you don't see anybody, but you hear a voice saying, "Welcome to Blockbuster." We can figure out when somebody's walking into a Blockbuster. It seems to me we can figure out when somebody's coming into the United States of America, and especially if we use the technology that's available to us. And I think that's what the focus should be on -- more Border Patrol, better use of technology, as absolutely a path to -- to earn citizenship for those who are living here and who are undocumented.

But we also have to get at the underlying causes of the migration from Mexico, which means addressing the issue of poverty, education, health, the reason that so many are coming to the United States. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Thank you. (Applause.)

We didn't want to ask all the questions, so from univision.com they're still sending questions. This from Jorge Ramos.

Do you believe Americans will work on a farm 10 hours in 105- degree weather for only 8.50 per hour? He would like to know if undocumented immigrants are necessary for the U.S. workforce?

Senator Edwards.

MR. EDWARDS: Well, first of all, we should be proud of the fact that because we've had so many workers come into this country who deserve a path to earn citizenship and who are working to support their families have made America richer, culturally more diverse, and they are in fact performing jobs that, in some cases at least, would be difficult to find others to perform. So for that reason they're -- they are an important part of our economy, and I do believe they're an important part of our economy.

But the other thing that we need to do is not just recognize the economic benefits of these workers, but understand in many cases they are being abused, they are being taken advantage of, their rights are not being protected. And it is enormously important that we have comprehensive immigration reform so that those who in fact are working 10 hours a day in 105-degree heat have the same sort of worker rights that other Americans have.

They are no less human, and no less value as human beings, and they deserve those same rights, which is why there needs to be a comprehensive immigration reform and path to earn citizenship. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Thank you, Senator.

The same question, Senator Edwards. There's an anti-Hispanic sentiment in the United States. How can you curb that?

MR. EDWARDS: Well, I think having a president of the United States who actually believes that it's enormously important to move this country forward, that will unite America, instead of seeing what we've seen with this president, who uses absolutely every tool available to him politically to divide the country.

That needs to be brought to an end, and -- (interrupted by applause) -- I am -- I am committed as president of the United States to standing up for Latinos, for standing up for African Americans in this country, to standing up for all those who need someone to speak for them. You know, my own view about my party, the Democratic Party which I love dearly, is our party is at its best when we speak for the poor, the disenfranchised, those who are disadvantaged, the disabled. And I think when we lose our ability to speak out loudly, passionately and forcefully for those people we lose our soul, and we cannot lose our soul. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Thank you, Senator.

Since you mentioned Hugo Chavez, this question is for Senator Edwards. Is Hugo Chavez a dictator? If he continues to be friends -- enemies of the U.S. like Iran and Cuba, would you end relations with Venezuela, or would you stop buying oil from Venezuela?

MR. EDWARDS: Well, the starting place is one of our problems with our relationship with Venezuela and one of the problems with Chavez's basis for power in Venezuela is they have a very heavily oil- dependent economy. The United States of America unfortunately helps feed that oil-dependent economy and the power base for this dangerous leader.

I think actually what America should be doing is having a policy throughout Latin America that instead of being ad hoc, which is what we've seen under this president, either disengaged or bullying, one of the two. That's what Latin American countries have seen from the United States of America. That is the reason that Chavez can be so effective in bringing others in Latin America to surround him when he demonizes the United States of America.

If instead America was a force for good in Latin America, for example, making education available to millions of children who have no education, helping stop the spread of disease, the simple things like sanitation and clean drinking water, helping with economic development, microfinance, microlending, to make hope and opportunity available to millions of people in Latin America, it would pull the rug out from under a man like Hugo Chavez. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Thank you.

Senator Edwards, must we raise taxes in order to provide health care for Americans?

MR. EDWARDS: I do not believe you can have universal health care for free. There are some who I think will make that argument. I don't think it's the truth. My own health care plan, which was the first one in this campaign and I'm very proud of it -- comprehensive, requires coverage for everybody everybody -- costs $90 (billion) to $120 billion a year. And I pay for it by getting rid of Bush's tax cuts for people who make over $200,000 a year. (Cheers, applause.)

But if -- but if I can, I want to go back to your original question, which was, why don't we have universal health care? There's a very simple reason: Because Washington is broken. There are some who would argue that the way we'd have universal health care is we sit at the table with drug companies, insurance companies, and their lobbyists, and we negotiate with them.

My view -- and you would -- should give them a seat at the table. My view is, if you give drug companies a seat the table, they'll eat all the food. (Applause.) What we have to do is, we have to take these people on, take them on directly, change this system. You cannot defend this system and bring about the change that we need for universal health care for every man, woman and child. And that's exactly what I intend to do as president. (Applause.)

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MODERATOR: Thank you, Senator Gravel.

Senator Edwards, what's the greatest contribution of Hispanics in the U.S.?

MR. EDWARDS: I think the Hispanic community has contributed to this country in every conceivable way. And I think it would be a mistake to identify one way that they have contributed. They've been extraordinarily patriotic, serving this country in Iraq and other places. They've added and strengthened, added to and strengthened the American economy. They've added to the richness and depth and diversity of America and American culture through music and every conceivable way.

All those things make America better. They make America stronger. And the truth is I am running for president of the United States because I came from nothing to having everything in this country, and I didn't get here by myself. My country was there every single step of the way for me, and I want to be the president of the United States who makes sure America's there every single step of the way for every single Latino in the United States of America. (Applause.)

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