Edwards Campaign Press Release - Edwards Launches New Television Ads In Iowa And South Carolina

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Today, Senator John Edwards goes up on the air with two new television spots which detail why he is the one candidate the American people can trust to take on the corrupt system in Washington and stand up and fight for America's working families.

In "Born," which begins airing today in South Carolina, Edwards talks about his experience growing up in a working-class family in rural Carolina mill towns. "When the mills closed, I saw first hand how devastating bad government and corporate greed can be," says Edwards. "I'm running for president to do what I've always done – fight for people like the ones I grew up with against the powerful forces that have corrupted Washington." Edwards was the first Democratic candidate to go up on the air with television ads in South Carolina earlier this month, and this is his third new spot in the state.

Today in Iowa, Edwards will begin airing "Mess," which focuses on his belief that ensuring our children have a better life is the great moral test of our generation. "We're going to have to be willing to take on this corrupt system and change it," says Edwards. "And if we're not going to do it, we're going to have to be willing to look our children in the eye and say we're going to leave this mess for you."

Both ads can be viewed in their entirety on the campaign's Web site:

"Born" at http://johnedwards.com/watch/born; and "Mess" at http://johnedwards.com/watch/mess.

A full transcript of each ad follows below:

"BORN"

My dad worked in the mills.

When I was born, he had to borrow fifty dollars to bring me home here.

When the mills closed, I saw first hand how devastating bad government and corporate greed can be.

I'm running for president to do what I've always done - fight for people like the ones I grew up with against the powerful forces that have corrupted Washington.

Don't tell me it can't be done.

I'm John Edwards. And I approve this message because growing up here, you never stop fighting. And you never forget where you came from.

"MESS"

What we want to make certain is true is that our children have a better life than we've had. Twenty generations of Americans before us have ensured that that was true.

And if we want to do that, we're going to have to be willing to take on this corrupt system and change it. And if we're not going to do it, we're going to have to be willing to look our children in the eye and say we're going to leave this mess for you.

This is the great moral test of our generation, and we will meet that test.

I'm John Edwards and I approve this message.