PLYMOUTH, N.H. (AP) - With intensity that matched the heat, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards continued his scorching criticism of special interests Saturday, telling voters his trade policies would work for them, not big corporations.

As temperatures hit the upper 90s, the former senator wondered jokingly whether he actually was in his home state of North Carolina before turning serious.

"The question that has been asked as we negotiate our international trade deals has been: 'Is this good for the profits of big multinational corporations?' That's the wrong question," he said outside an elementary school. "The question should be: 'Is this trade agreement good for working middle-class Americans?'"

Edwards said he will insist that the nation's trade partners meet strict labor and environmental standards and will enact regulations barring other countries from manipulating their currencies.

"And we're going to close down these tax loopholes that actually give incentives to take jobs and go overseas," he said. "This is crazy."

In response to an audience question later, Edwards said the measures he outlined would help reduce the nation's debt to China. He said he also would push to enforce existing laws that require goods to be labeled with their country of origin, encourage people to buy locally and give the government more authority to inspect products and food from elsewhere.

"We all know the problems we've seen with Chinese toys and Chinese food products coming into this country," he said. "The basic idea is to have a trade policy that works and to be clearer that we have not just smart trade but safe trade, where we actually identify problems and encourage people to buy locally because it's good for the American economy."

At two stops later, Edwards and his wife defended his commitment to the working class and emphasized that Edwards himself came from humble beginnings.

"In this country it's power and money, and we the people don't have it," said an elderly man said at Merrimack High School. "You're in a bubble. Look at the Bush family. I voted for them. It was the biggest mistake of my life."

"Don't put me in that crowd, I don't live there," Edwards said. "You make a mistake when you lump everyone together. ... I actually want to change the way this thing works. I want to see it work for you."

Mrs. Edwards then stepped in with a passionate description of her husband's humble upbringing as the son of a mill worker.

Still later he emphasized his call for tax relief for middle-class Americans and universal health care.

Three days into a four-day bus trip of the state, Edwards has been framing his campaign as a fight against the lobbyists and other "Washington insiders" he argues stand between Americans and change. After his brief remarks on trade policy, he took questions, often bringing the subject back to his universal health care policy.

Edwards supports a plan that he estimates would cost $90 billion to $120 billion a year. Employers would be required to cover their workers or pay into a government insurance fund, and workers would get to choose among plans.

Asked how he'd get it through Congress, Edwards said he would be flexible on the details as long as the final plan ensured all Americans would be covered.

Edwards said he also would tell the public not to be swayed by the millions of dollars he predicted health insurers will spend on ads criticizing his plan.

"Every time you see one, I want you to ask yourself who's paying for them?" he said. "The very people who are charging you so much for your health care."

sorry Fanta...edwards has already sold out to AIPAC and the CFR agenda...can't support anyone in that arena...

LMAO...He didn't even know if Cuba's heath insurance was state run or not ....yea..he'd be a great candidate

Fanta..several points do make any sense with his statements...
"Edwards supports a plan that he estimates would cost $90 billion to $120 billion a year. Employers would be required to cover their workers or pay into a government insurance fund, and workers would get to choose among plans"
One, This would create even a bigger incentive for corporations to move out of the country!! and I thought you didn't like the idea of paying for illegal immigrants to have heath insurance because that is what you would be doing!! Also my friend, All of you that want to tax and "punish" the Big evil corporations obviously have never taken basic economics 101, those big taxes, "making company's put money into a "government insurance fund etc don't realize the company will just pass that "expense" on to the consumer...yes you and me in higher prices!!

Next..exactly what "debt" do we have with China??? LOL is he talking about the mythological trade deficit??
Fanta...you but more from your grocery store then they buy from you...isn't that a trade deficit? every dollar that we "spend" in China usually gets re-invested in our markets and in the "global" economy...and actually the countries that don't have this supposed"trade deficit" are in big trouble.

And lastly..our government can't even stop spending our SS money, can't manage Medicare etc and you want and trust them to manage our health care fund???? Please Fanta...this thread should have been posted in the "JOKEs and Humor" section

Damn I thought HR PUFFENSTUFF was running..maybe i'll write him in..

Ah yes, from each according to his means, to each according to his needs, where have I heard that before?

eventually we will have a comprehensive plan...we cannot continue with 25% or more of the people without...and I am in that group...without insurance now for over a year...good thing I take 12 or more herbs a day to help myself...course our leaders (corporate teat suckers) are
trying to outlaw herbal supplements also...

corporate interests before the people..our way of life in free america...

Edwards won't win the nomination because, rightly or wrongly, people see him as a "slick young lawyer". And frankly, in my opinion, he's done nothing to dispute that claim. As has been proven with Bush 1 & 2, Clinton, Reagan, Carter, ect.,there's a world of difference between what a candidate says when he's running and what he does once he's elected.

Red Wine,
LMAO You are so out of touch wit reality it often makes me wonder!
China single handed holds the largest amount of debt this country has!
The rest of your comments are inconsequental. I fiqure if you dont know that then why read any more! Sorry, dont be offended just learn what they heck your talking about!

Knox and everyone else, If you want change in the politics of this country you have to think outside the box. If you vote for the same ole party favorites, your going to get the same old bull****, just with a different face.

John Edwards stand a real chance of winning the Democratic Primarys! He is #3 right now and they have him in the polls to win several States! Head to head, if Hillary wins you will see another Republican President! The people who dont support her in the primary will vote either Repub or stay home! They hate her that much, and the polls show it!

Thinking as everyone else has in the past will put you once again wishing you hadnt and wondering, how the hell did this happen in 2 or 3 years!

Just like the man that said, "You're in a bubble. Look at the Bush family. I voted for them. It was the biggest mistake of my life."

Im still hoping Richardson will pull closer to the leaders, but if not Edwards has a good solid platform. Offers real changes in Washington and is flexible enough to work the bipartisan crap that exists in congress! He is planning on eliminateing lobbyist from politics in the country and taking away the tax incentives for corp. to send your jobs out of the country!

I will never vote for Hillary or Obama. I am one of the ones that will vote Repub. if either one of them wins the Democratic ticket! They are both supported by special intrest groups and to me that is a major contributer to the shape this county is in today! We the People have been replaced and thats a fact!

My vote isnt set in stone yet, but I do trust Edwards on everything but immigration. He wont make a clear enough stand and that leaves me wondering! The other issues are compatible to me, but there is not any candidate that I can agree with on with everything!

I do know Im sick of the status qoue offered by Clinton, Obama, Guiliani, or Romney! God wont be able to help us if any of them become President! I beleive that, I feel it in my soul just like I did when Jimmy Carter won so many days ago!

Well i dont know if john edwards is the right guy!!
But i like the way fanta thinks!,in this case!

I think all of you guys are missing the point. John Edwards has great hair, probably the best of any Presidential candidate ever. Anyone with that great of hair, deserves to be President.

Fanta..sorry..your wrong...stick to military matters, or get a refresher course on economics...
"The rest of your comments are inconsequental"
, shows a severe lack of understanding about our economy, and how business works in our country.

He has a great relationship with his wife too spider!!!

Im not going to repost it just for your education redwine. but China holds 47% of our National Dept!
Look it up!!!

Yes..we can all agree on that...what better qualifications for president...heres to his hair

Ummmmmm?
So Serchin?
What makes you think that way?
Isnt it all about debt anyway?
The fed reserve isnt going to let us do anything they dont want
correct?
So with out standing for a (NON)party we just stay in the rut right?
Even if the(NON)party is good, you nor I have know idea that really goes on!
I do know that china does in fact have debt with us!
Very much so in the automotive industry!!
Mineing,Heavy equ,Steel,wood.ect

Here ya go...Fanta...facts...so you can learn how much China has of our debt

Foreign Ownership of U.S. Debt. Holdings of U.S. debt, which went from 13% in 1988 to 27.5% in 2006. (Source: U.S.Treasury Foreign Holdings of U.S. Portfolio Securities)
Of the total foreign holdings, Japan owns 20% and China owns 10%. The Bureau of International Settlements suspects that much of the holdings by Belguim, Cayman Islands and Luxembourg (21%) are fronts for various oil-exporting countries that do not wish to be identified. (Source: U.S. Treasury report ”Petrodollars and Global Imbalances”, February 2006 .)

How you go from 10% to almost 50% is facinating

The country holding the second most U.S. debt is Japan which held $612.3 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2007. The People's Republic of China holds the most U.S. debt, ending the first quarter of 2007 with over $1.2 trillion in total foreign reserves, of which about $420.2 billion are U.S. Treasury securities.

Sexy, I'm not saying we have no debt, but debt is not always a bad thing. Take Japan...they have been trying to incur debt (yes actually try to get in the red) to stimulate their economy. What would our world be like if no one had any credit cards, mortgages, or car loans....we would all be living in shacks and riding bikes to work

Fascinating!!