CHRIS KROMM, http://www.southernstudies.org
Kromm is executive director of the Institute for Southern Studies and publisher of Southern Exposure magazine. He said today: "Edwards' populist side -- his famous campaign message of the 'two Americas' -- isn't just rhetoric: Edwards has pushed for a patient's bill of rights, closing corporate tax loopholes, overhauling NAFTA, and beefing up laws to protect union organizing. He has opposed school vouchers and privatizing Social Security. He's also pro-choice, opposes federal efforts to ban gay marriage, and gets high marks from environmental groups. But he lost some progressive supporters with his early and unapologetic support of the Iraq invasion, as well as his vote for the Patriot Act -- although his grilling of John Ashcroft over military tribunals is legendary. In short, he's not the populist barnstormer the Republican National Committee would have you believe, but he's also not your typical conservative Southern Democrat."