Edwards makes pledge on healthcare

John Edwards' second TV spot in his make-or-break state of Iowa focuses on healthcare and his sort-of-angry populism.

The ad, which will begin airing statewide later today, shows him on the stump pledging to take away health insurance from himself, senior presidential appointees, and members of Congress if they don't approve universal healthcare by July 2009 -- six months after he hopes to take the oath of office as president. Members of Congress get comprehensive coverage -- better than most people get through their employers -- through the federal government.

Other than that wrinkle, his universal healthcare plan is similar to those offered by his main rivals for the Democratic nomination. Polls show that healthcare is among the top concerns for Democratic voters. Edwards is focusing on Iowa, and also on New Hampshire, to break through and become the primary alternative to national front-runner Hillary Clinton.

But Edwards argues that Clinton, in particular, is too tied to special interests to get healthcare reform done.

"We all want universal health care –- but just having a plan is not enough," Edwards said in a statement issued by his campaign today. "We've seen plans fail before in Congress, and they will again unless we have a new approach. We have to be willing to take on the drug companies, insurance companies, and their Washington lobbyists who killed reform last time. But if you're defending the system, taking money from their lobbyists and giving them a seat at the table, reform is just not going to happen."