[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Anthony Wright
Executive Director of Health Access California

John McCain is getting beaten by a woman, and it's not Hillary Clinton. It's Elizabeth Edwards.

In unveiling his health care plan, McCain seems super-focused on the fact that many more people could be denied coverage because of "pre-existing conditions," as he seeks to shift people from employer-based coverage to the individual insurance market, with some assistance from a tax credit.

Elizabeth Edwards pointedly has challenged McCain, saying that an American with her or his health history would be denied under McCain's plan in the individual insurance market. (To be fair, the Los Angeles Times made this point earlier.) She's absolutely right.

And because of this, McCain has a liability. He even has a "myth and facts" section of his website designed to counter exactly one, and only one, myth:

"MYTH: Some Claim That Under John McCain's Plan, Those With Pre-Existing Conditions Would Be Denied Insurance.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

CMR has the highest respect for the former Senator from North Carolina and his supercharged clarion call for closing the gaping divide between the haves and have-nots in our country, who have been increasingly desegregated after seven years of President Bush. For the record, we are also more than a little sweet on his wife, the delightful Elizabeth Edwards.
 
So we reject the current wisdom of the national punditocracy, such as it is, which would prematurely winnow the Democratic field down to two. And we are castigating ourselves for giving in to the temptation with this week's "The Majority Vote," which attempted to cheekily parody the shocking results of New Hampshire with a poll question that offered the choice of Clinton, Obama and Mike Gravel.

There's more...

Photo courtesy The Washington Note.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Elizabeth Edwards (left, with John and their two children) used her alloted time before the Democratic Party'sExec Board this morning to toot her husband's horn on Iraq, health careand education.

"We know there are two school systems in this country," she told thecrowd of nearly 500 today. "We have two health care systems. We evenhave two voting systems, it turns out."

Edwards, a breast cancer survivor who was tragically re-diagnosed acouple of months ago, received a warm reception from the largelyliberal audience. She used the platform to outline an issues-basedcampaign.

There's more...

Photo courtesy of Richard Silverstein.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

And, you know what, It's not the fourth of july. But everytime I think Saturday, I want to say, "in jim's garage". Oh well. 

Anyway, the meeting started off with a bang this morning. After getting lost in the innards of Sacramento's northern manufacturing district, I eventua.ly found the Radisson on, I kid you not, Liesure Lane.  Good times.  I got here early to attend the Labor Caucus meeting, where they were talking about the Net Neutrality Resolution. I'll let dday go into that discussion further.

Elizabeth Edwards (in the picture above, with Sen/Chair Art Torres next to her) spoke in the general session.  As always, she made excellent points, both in her own right, and for her husband's campaign.  Whether John himself can get some more traction in the primary race, is, of course, another issue.

Following the wonderful Mrs. Edwards, Sen. Darrel Steinberg, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi and Board of Equalization Chair Betty Yee addressed the general session.  More will follow, and follow my flickr stream for more.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Ann Coulter was on MSNBC's Hardball yesterday, doing her usual liberals killed the dinosaurs shtick, when she received a phone call from none other than Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate and former Senator John Edwards. The ensuing exchange is just embarrassing for Ann and worth a watch.

Not to look a bigoted gift horse in the mouth, the Edwards camp was quick to put out a fundraising letter. Letter over the flip...

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

It seems like this is the week to roll out new TV ads for the Democratic presidential contenders. Yesterday, Obama released his first two ads of the cycle, now here is John Edward's offering called "Strength of America". The ad is airing in New Hampshire and features a cameo by Elizabeth Edwards.

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Calitics will have the chance to chat with the incredible Elizabeth Edwards for a few minutes tomorrow and would like to speak for you, the greater Calitics community.  Hers is an incredible personal and political story, and she has a unique position in the current course of American politics.  And so the floor is open.  What would you like to say to or ask of Elizabeth Edwards?