It's not a surprise President Barack Obama is singing praise towards Congressman Chet Edwards. Back in August of 2008, Edwards appeared on Obama's very very short list as a potential Vice Presidential candidate. So hearing about the success of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at a local level and hearing Obama gush over Edwards just makes sense.
Because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Congressman Edwards worked so hard to pass we are putting people t work across the country to get our economy back on track.
In Texas, $621 million from this recovery plan will be used to build a new military hospital that will treat soldiers and veterans alike. This is the kind of critical investment we must make to support our brave soldiers and veterans who have sacrificed so much for us, and this is the sort of progress that can happen if we bring Democrats and Republicans together to focus on solving the challenges we face as a nation.
Congressman Chet Edwards has made the decision to stay in Congress, and it is the right decision. In a statement releases yesterday Edwards made his intentions to stay in the House of Representatives clear, and announced that he had informed the President Elect's transition team of his choice.
From Press Release:
"While it is an honor to have been considered for the position of U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, I believe I can make the most difference for veterans, our district and country by continuing to serve in Congress. That is why I have informed President-elect Obama's transition team that I intend to continue representing the 17th Congressional District of Texas."
After Chet Edwards made Obama's short list for VP in August, it now appears the Democratic congressman is under consideration to be named Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the AP reports.
"I would want to think long and hard," Edwards, D-Waco, told The Associated Press at a groundbreaking for a new Fort Worth veterans outpatient clinic. "I wake up every day being blessed to represent my district, representing veterans ... and we've done a lot of good things."
Edwards is chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee, which helped increase funding for veterans' health care and benefits by $16.3 billion the last two years.
He also said he would have to consider whether he wanted to give up his position as the second-highest ranking Democrat on the Energy and Water Appropriations Committee. Edwards also serves on the House Budget and Appropriations committees and Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
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"I love my present job," Edwards said. "Where could I do the most good for veterans? I'm not sure."
I would guess that if Edwards decides he really wants this job it will be his. I expect him to stay in the Congress, however, where he will have a lot of power given his seniority, committee assignments and (after the VP speculation) relationship to President-elect Obama.
Of course, if Edwards does decide to leave Congress, it would be very difficult for Democrats to hold on to his seat.
While speaking to a small group of students on a Texas college campus last week Rob Curnock said that the reason he would be more qualified and a stronger advocate for veterans than Congressman Chet Edwards is because his father served in World War II. "My opponent has nothing on me there."
As a veteran I can say this will complete authority: when it comes to veterans issues Rob Curnock has nothing on Chet Edwards.
Congressman Edwards has a distinguished voting record on veterans' issues. In 2006 Edwards received voting rankings from the Disabled American Veterans of 100%, the Retired Enlisted Association of 86%, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Edwards a grade of A-. In fact Edwards has received a perfect vote ranking from the Disabled American Veterans for the last three years. As the Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee Edwards increased veterans' health care funding to $11.8 billion and because of his seniority in Congress is able to be a strong voice for veterans.
"My first thought is what a wonderful thing it is for so many people. It eliminates the stigma attached to mental illness and obviously it eliminates the discrimination imbedded in the law. [. . .] But on a personal level, clearly, savoring this victory with my father [Sen. Ted Kennedy] at this point in our lives - at this moment in his life - is a dream come true."
More than one-third of all Americans will soon receive better insurance coverage for mental health treatments because of a new law that, for the first time, requires equal coverage of mental and physical illnesses.
The requirement, included in the economic bailout bill that President Bush signed on Friday, is the result of 12 years of passionate advocacy by friends and relatives of people with mental illness and addiction disorders. They described the new law as a milestone in the quest for civil rights, an effort to end insurance discrimination and to reduce the stigma of mental illness.
Passing mental health parity legislation has been a huge priority for the Kennedys. Teaming with Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-MI) (who himself has battled alcohol and drug addiction), Congressman Kennedy held a series of nationwide hearings last year on the need for mental health parity legislation. Congressman Ramstad praised Rep. Kennedy willingness to speak openly about his personal struggle with bipolar disorder, noting that "[t]he power of Patrick's personal witness has touched thousands."
The House Democratic Campaign Committee is hosting Congressman Kennedy and Congressman Chet Edwards at a fundraising reception Houston on October 22. You can find more information or buy tickets for the reception by clicking here. If you can make it, come out to honor a great legislator who has invested tremendously in improving mental health coverage for Americans who need it.
This afternoon if you where on the Texas A&M campus you could have had "Lunch with the Candidates." The event is part of the Texas A&M Student Government Association "Gig the Vote" campaign.
Congressman Chet Edwards was there, and so was his opponent Rob Curnock. Other Democrats that where there included Mark Thompson, who is a candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, and Susan Strawn, who is a candidate for Judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; Representative Rick Noriega, who is a candidate for Senator, and District Attorney Bill Turner both had representatives there. There was also several other Republican candidates for office represented.
The purpose of the event was to simple give a forum for students to interact with the candidates and ask them questions; and throughout the afternoon all the candidates where available to students and fielded questions and listened to concerns.
The Young Conservative of Texas (YCT) took advantage of the forum, the point of which was for candidates and politicians to interact with the students, to ambush Congressman Edwards.
When your opponent is a well respected member of the community, and is an incumbent Democrat, the only thing for a Republican to do is go so far to the right that your opponent appears to be on the far left.
Rob Curnock spoke to a small group of students on a college campus on Wednesday afternoon, and talked for almost an hour without actually saying anything.
Curnock said that Congressman Edwards has "San Francisco values" and is one of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's "top boys in Washington." Curnock spent a significant amount of time attempting to paint Edwards as a far left liberal, but the truth is that Edwards is only liberal when compared to a far right conservative like Curnock.
After arriving in Denver for the Democratic National Convention, Congressman Chet Edwards (D-Waco) told Ken Herman of the Statesman that he thought the scandal involving former U.S. Senator John Edwards hurt his chances to become Barack Obama's running mate.
"I would have to think that a bumper sticker that said 'Obama/The Other Edwards' might have been a bit difficult," Edwards said Sunday after arriving in Denver for the Democratic convention.
Chet Edwards (not related to the former North Carolina senator) said he was notified Aug. 10 that he was on Obama's short list "and there was a possible plan to have my name released to the public" in the days that followed.
That was the same time that details began to emerge about John Edwards' affair with a former aide in his unsuccessful presidential campaign.
"I'll let you juxtapose the date of the John Edwards exposé with when they were about to release my name," Chet Edwards said.
Chet Edwards indicated no bitterness about the timing or toward John Edwards.
"It's really not productive for me to speculate" about how big a role the John Edwards situation played in the selection process. "I'll leave it to you to draw whatever judgment you want. It probably wouldn't be off base if you said something about that time period is exactly when another Edwards name jumped on the front page of every newspaper in America."
While the scandal did complicate the prospects for an Obama/(Chet) Edwards ticket, I do not think it was the deciding factor.
Edwards, who thinks Biden was a great choice, doesn't really seem to either. However, there is no doubt it was an additional hurdle for a darkhorse VP hopeful like Chet Edwards, who is not well-known outside of his congressional district.
When Obama told him "several days ago" that he would not be selected, there was no mention of any reason for the decision, according to Chet Edwards, who said the selection of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden was "the perfect choice."
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"When I knew this was getting serious was June 30 when I was driving to Dallas from Waco," he said. "My cell phone rang and he said, 'This is Barack Obama. How are you doing?' Frankly, I thought it was one of my prankster friends kidding me."
While it surprised many to see Chet Edwards make the "short list," we will never know what might have happened had he not shared a surname with a certain former senator from North Carolina.
Update 11:33pm: It is now official, according to CNN and Politico. The ticket: Obama-Biden. The Obama campaign will announce the selection to supporters in (the long awaited) text message later Saturday.
Update 11:13pm: ABC News is reporting that Secret Service agents have been dispatched to Delaware to begin protecting Joe Biden. It seems more and more likely that Biden is the pick.
The AP is reporting that both Evan Bayh and Tim Kaine have been told that they will not be Barack Obama's running mate.
Though Chet Edwards had been said to be a finalist, Chris Cilliza believes that most of the talk in the coming hours will focus on Sens. Joe Biden and Jack Reed.
It is starting to look like Biden has gone from merely the conventional wisdom to the likely choice. We should know very soon. Keep your cell phones on.
This may be your last chance to make a prediction. Do you think our own Chet Edwards has a chance? Or will Obama pick a senator like Biden or Reed?
The Associated Press is reporting that Democratic circles have confirmed that Waco Congressman, Chet Edwards, is considered to be on Barack Obama's shortlist for Vice President.
WASHINGTON - Presidential candidate Barack Obama is hours away from naming his running mate, as little-known Texas congressman Chet Edwards is emerging as a finalist.
Democratic officials say that Edwards was one of the few Democrats whose background was checked by Obama's campaign, and he was a finalist for the job.
Edwards is among a small circle of people mentioned, including Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana.
Perhaps we will know soon enough, but very interesting that Congressman Edwards has bubbled to the top as a strong possibility for Vice President. He is certainly qualified.
Like most of you, I'm waiting for my phone to buzz.
"My first thought is what a wonderful thing it is for so many people. It eliminates the stigma attached to mental illness and obviously it eliminates the discrimination imbedded in the law. [. . .] But on a personal level, clearly, savoring this victory with my father [Sen. Ted Kennedy] at this point in our lives - at this moment in his life - is a dream come true."
