Bryan/College Station Eagle - Edwards would take VP offer

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Published Thursday, July 03, 2008 6:05 AM

Edwards would take VP offer

By MATTHEW WATKINS
Eagle Staff Writer

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U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards says that he is not working to become the next vice president.

But if Barack Obama offered him the chance, Edwards said, he would take it.

"Would I serve if asked? Yes," he said in a brief interview on the Texas A&M University campus Wednesday morning. "It is a privilege just to be mentioned."

Edwards' name surfaced as a possible candidate last week when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a Newsweek reporter that the Waco Democrat would be a good choice.

Soon after the suggestion, Edwards -- who represents the 17th Congressional District, which includes Bryan-College Station -- released a statement saying that he was flattered but that he had not had any discussions with the Obama campaign.

Edwards declined to say whether that remained true Wednesday.

"Senator Obama has publicly said that he wants the process to be a quiet one, and I am going to respect that wish," Edwards said, adding that he was grateful to be mentioned as a possible candidate.

"I can't imagine many Americans would turn down the offer to serve their country as vice president," he said.

Numerous media outlets have mentioned Edwards as a possible running mate since Pelosi's suggestion, but it remains unclear how serious he is about the job. The Obama campaign has not publicly disclosed its selection process, and dozens of politicians have been mentioned as possible candidates in the media.

Edwards has served as a congressman since 1990. He began representing Bryan-College Station in 2003 after a congressional redistricting in Texas.

Since then, he has survived two re-election bids against Republican challengers, beating Arlene Wohlgemuth by about a 4 percent margin in 2004 and Van Taylor by about 18 percentage points in 2006.

Edwards, an A&M graduate, carried Brazos County in both elections.

On Wednesday, A&M officials praised Edwards for his representation of Brazos County.

"He reaches across party lines," said A&M System Chancellor Mike McKinney, a former Republican state representative. "The biggest part of his role is representing the people, and once you are elected, your obligation is not just to the 50 percent-plus- one who voted for you, but everyone."

Edwards was at the College Station campus to tour its AgriLife research facilities, for which he secured about $20 million in federal earmarks this year.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has opposed earmarking, but Edwards defended it as an important way of funding projects in the district.

"While I see that some earmarks should be stopped, we shouldn't overshadow where the good ones are that are making our country better and safer," Edwards said. "If we were to end earmarks altogether, it would devastate our research at A&M."

Edwards said the money secured for AgriLife research would help explore some of today's most pressing issues, including gas and food prices, the water supply, national defense and food safety.

• Matthew Watkins' e-mail address is matthew.watkins@theeagle.com.

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13 comment(s) found!

Posted by: On: 7/7/2008

Comment Title:
Ol Chet was getting us something in Hearne, $250,000 for the POW camp. Where is it? We haven't seen anything done here yet.

Posted by: Mickey Mouse On: 7/5/2008

Comment Title: It ain't news
until it happens. The media is so desparate to find a news item that possibilities have become news. If I were possibly offered the VP slot by either candidate I would be open to serving.

Posted by: Eric On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: Oh Fox, you're as misinformed as Fox News
"We are starting to see more success in Iraq" -- Is that why we're now having to spy on the Iraqi Army that we trained to make sure they're not killing our soldiers? (http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fg-intel2-2008jul02,0,1040691.story) "7 years of solid economic growth" -- Growth for whom, exactly? The last seven years have put us where we're at today... expensive gas, highest rate of home foreclosure in our history, our top companies considering or going into bankruptcy. "numerous occasions...without his Aggie Ring." -- OMG!! What is he thinking? Does he not wear a Chinese made American flag lapel pin either? (Irrelevant) "What are you afraid of?" -- Absolutely nothing, my friend. Not anymore. In 2004, the GOP fear mongering machine bullied their way into the executive and legislative branches. The American public is fed up with being scared into the voting booth. It's funny, I was curious if the 23% of the American public that still approve of our president actually existed. Good news, we've found 3% of them!

Posted by: On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: 2foxes sly as a rat
Mr. 2foxes, You keep bringing up that impeachment vote. I suggest you ask representatives Paul and Brady why they voted for it. Your comments are only a commentary on how little you understand.

Posted by: name On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: name them handro1
Please name the policies of the Bush Admin that got us in the "condition we are in", and what condition is that? Please name them. And then explain the "condition" we are in. Drop the high gas prices and we are not in that bad of shape.

Posted by: Obama & Edwards supporter On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: Chet Edwards for VP
Chet Edwards on an Obama ticket makes it that much more appealing. Chet has done an amazing job for our state, especially for our area. He is a positive representative of what it means to be a Texan and even more so being an Aggie, we should all be proud and honored that others recognize his abilities. Kudos to Nancy Pelosi.

Posted by: f2foxes2001 On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: Barack Obama
Handro, for all of your name calling, you failed to explain how I was misinformed. Tell me how our condition is so bad. We are starting to see more success in Iraq, we have enjoyed 7 years of solid economic growth up until now and once the oil bubble pops, assuming we don't get Jimmy Carter II, gas prices will settle at levels they should normally be at. I guess if you are an out-of-work liberal democrat waiting around on a government check, I can understand. As for Scott, I have seen the guy in public on numerous occasions, being from Waco myself, without his Aggie Ring. Just because he wore it everyday in front of you, doesn't mean that he's not guilty of being an Aggie out of convenience. I mentioned his name only b/c I find it interesting that his supporters in the media have made it off limits. Why? What are they afraid of? What are you afraid of? This guy is an empty-suit marxist who is slicker than a used car salesman on Texas Avenue in Bryan. No offense to the used-car salesmen in Bryan as I am sure you people have at least a shred more of character than this empty-suit that is running for President.

Posted by: Jim On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: sad
Barack Obama is scary enough without mentioning Hussein. I weep for our country if he gets elected.

Posted by: Scott On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: foxes is wrong
Fox's claim that Edwards doesn't wear his Aggie Ring in Washington, DC, and is a 2% is utterly false. I graduated from Texas A&M in 2007 and had the privilege of interning in Chet's DC office in 2005. I can assure you, the congressman wears his Aggie Ring everyday, and the office is littered with Aggie memorabilia.

Posted by: Eric On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: Curious
Why do you feel it necessary to refer to Mr. Obama as "Barack Hussein Obama"? Do you refer to Mr. McCain as "John Sidney McCain III"? No, you probably don't. You're using it to scare people, the only problem is, it's not working. So figure out something else to justify your Baracknophobia... I hear he's teh blak OMG!!11!

Posted by: handro1 On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: funny fox
Sorry Fox...maybe you should find somebody to run your little bit of the world down where you are. As for me, I don't care where he wears a ring, I don't care what you think about liberal pork...sadly you are misinformed. The reason we are in the condition we are in is because of the good old boy who has tricked everyone he is "just like you" and his policies of the past 8 years. You know the boy from Kinnebunkport who lives in Crawford.

Posted by: M Pustka On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title:
Chet Edwards is one of the good guys. As the article states he has the courage to reach across party lines as is necessary to do what is right and for that he has my respect.

Posted by: f2foxes2001 On: 7/3/2008

Comment Title: What Rep. Edwards really is....
Rep. Edwards is nothing more than a Marxist liberal who votes lock step for big government along with Speaker Pelosi, all while coming back here and trying to re-brand himself as some kind of moderate or conservative Democrat. In other words, his voting record does represent the traditional values (small government, individual freedom, & support for the Armed Forces) that are prevalent here in the Brazos Valley and in Central Texas. Just ask him about his latest impeachment vote. I wonder who pressured him to do that. Just ask him about his voting against tax cuts for ALL Americans, not just the select few that the Democrats want to pander to. It is easy to laud this gentleman for bringing back the “pork” for Texas A&M and then to claim that other government pork projects should not be done through “earmarks.” Does one really think if that this backbench flunky who tows Pelosi’s liberal, big government line can secure $20 million for Texas A&M that the other 434 Representatives aren’t going to get their pork too? Either one is for earmark spending or they are not. You cannot have it both ways. Entitlement spending and wasteful government projects are the reason this country is running deficits, not Defense Spending (4% of the budget) or cutting taxes (U.S. Treasury receipts have hit an all-time high since the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts). Sadly, Rep. Edwards is only an Aggie out of convenience. We call that a 2%er down here. When he is in Waco and in Washington, you do not see this person wearing his Aggie Ring. He claims it is because he shakes many people’s hands. Well, I shake many people’s hands too and my Aggie Ring has never gotten in the way. He has usurped the Aggie Loyalty b/c he knows that Aggies support each other. Well, let me tell you, he is no more loyal to Texas A&M when it is not convenient than I am to that institution over in Austin. He can talk about being an Olin E. Teague Award recipient all he wants, but does not erase the fact that he is just using us as blind serfs. Oh wait, that is how Democrats see the masses, as serfs. I hope he remembers that when he is sitting up in the press box at Floyd Casey Stadium with his big-shot Baylor father-in-law this fall and we are down here rooting-on our Aggie team. In conclusion, Edwards will be a perfect fit for Barack Hussein Obama and his liberal friends that are trying to bring our country down a notch or too to assuage their personal guilt that they somehow feel for living in the greatest country in the world.