Edwards, eyeing '08 reaches out to donors
Private event points to an Oval Office bid
WASHINGTON -- Former senator John Edwards, the 2004 Democratic nominee for vice president, is leaving little doubt that he is laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign in 2008.
A gathering last Tuesday in Washington was an example. The North Carolina Democrat invited several past -- and, he hopes, future -- donors together for a private briefing on his political plans, a gathering that also included several prominent politicians.
The attendees showcased Edwards's reach into several key constituencies in the party.
Among the former and current Democratic elected officials were Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Representative Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania, and former lieutenant governor Ben Barnes of Texas.
Labor leader Bruce Raynor, the president of Unite Here, attended. Fred Baron, a Dallas lawyer involved in Edwards's 2004 presidential bid, and New York financier Leo Hindery also stopped by.
Iowa state Senator Ed Fallon may have been the least-known but most important participant. Fallon ran a surprisingly strong primary campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination this year, a bid based largely on his opposition to the war in Iraq.
Edwards's last presidential campaign was the subject of a ruling last week by the Federal Election Commission.
The agency said Tab Turner and his Little Rock law firm have agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty for violating a federal law that prohibits corporate contributions and donations made in the name of another person.
Turner's firm assisted the Edwards campaign in Arkansas. The FEC said that the Edwards for President committee agreed to pay a $9,500 penalty for accepting in-kind contributions from Turner's firm and donations made by Turner in the name of relatives. 