“It is important for the president to lead and to have a vision,” said John Edwards, presidential hopeful, lawyer and former U.S. senator during his visit to Wake Forest University on Jan. 29 during WFU School of Law’s “Conservation With” series, which took place in Wait Chapel.
Moderators Miles Foy and Edwards sat at front of the chapel, facing the audience as Edwards discussed details about his run for presidency and conversed about his family and personal life.During the “conversation,” Edwards was candid and direct about the responsibilities of the upcoming president and about his views on current issues such as the war in Iraq.
According to Edwards, the biggest concern for the new president is to “re-establish leadership.”
“In the first 100 days the president should travel the world. The world needs to see the American president as a good, honorable person,” Edwards explained. He also added that “America does not just tolerate diversity, it embraces it.”
Edwards admitted that he voted for war on Iraq because at the time he thought there were weapons of mass destruction there. However, Edwards now admits, “I was wrong. I take responsibility for that … But I do not take responsibility for the management of the war. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are the culprits there.”
When asked if global warming is a problem, Edwards humorously responded: “The last person who figured out [that] global warming is a problem is in the Oval Office now.”