Edwards Campaign Press Release - Edwards Campaign Unveils New "Underdog" Television Ad In New Hampshire

In new 60-second spot, Edwards vows he will never give up on the fight to save the middle class, the real underdogs in America

Manchester, New Hampshire – Tomorrow, one day before voters go to the polls, the John Edwards for President campaign will begin airing a new 60-second television spot in the Granite State. In "Underdog," Senator John Edwards says he will never give up on the fight to save the middle class, and he will take this fight all the way to the Democratic Convention and to the White House.

"I may be an underdog in this campaign, running against two candidates with $200 million between them, but the real underdogs are the middle class and the voiceless in this country," Edwards says in the new spot. "I know that the fight to save the middle class will be an epic battle, and I will never give up. We're going to take the fight to save the middle class all the way to the Convention and the White House. We're going to look our children in the eye and tell them 'we left you a better life than we had.'"

Edwards focused on the same message today at a Manchester town hall event that served as the kick off for his 36-hour "Marathon for the Middle Class." For the next 36 hours, John and Elizabeth will talk to thousands of voters about Edwards' bold plans to stand up to the powerful entrenched interests and give hard-working, middle class families a voice in Washington.

At the Manchester town hall, John and Elizabeth Edwards were joined by the family of Nataline Sarkisyan, who passed away in December after her health insurance company refused to pay for the liver transplant she needed.

"I want everyone in New Hampshire to know what is at stake in this election," Edwards said in Manchester. "What kind of fighter do you want to have on your side when your family is faced with this kind of crisis, when your job is being shipped overseas? Do you want somebody who has the right ideas and philosophy, or do you want somebody who has the right ideas and philosophy and the fight to bring about change? Because if I am elected, I will fight for you, I will fight for your kids, I will fight for your grandkids, with every fiber of my being."

To watch the event, please visit the CSPAN website.

The new television spot can be viewed at http://www.johnedwards.com/ads/underdog/. A full transcript is included below.

Transcript of "Underdog" (60 seconds):

I may be an underdog in this campaign, running against two candidates with $200 million between them.

But the real underdogs are the middle class and the voiceless in this country,

Losing ground while CEOs pocket million dollar bonuses

And corporate lobbyists get their way in Washington.

Exxon Mobil rakes in record profits, gets government handouts, and gas prices go through the roof.

At the same time, 200,000 veterans, men and women who wore America's uniform,

Will sleep tonight under bridges and on grates.

We cannot simply replace a bunch of corporate Republicans with a bunch of corporate Democrats.

I've never taken a dime from Washington lobbyists or PACs.

I know who the underdogs are in this fight.

I know that the fight to save the middle class will be an epic battle, and I will never give up.

We're going to take the fight to save the middle class all the way to the Convention and the White House.

We're going to look our children in the eye and tell them "we left you a better life than we had."

I'm John Edwards and I approve this message.