My Words are Flat and Harsh

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards as made poverty eradication in the U.S. his central focus since 2004, when he first sought the Democratic presidential nomination and then ran as vice presidential running mate on the ticket headed by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry. The issue has remained his main rallying point as he seeks the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination for the 2008 presidential race.

But on Thursday- Edwards took his anti-poverty campaign international, calling for a systematic effort to tackle global poverty.

Edwards’ plan includes extending primary education around the world; improving preventive health care in the developing world, specifically focused on access to clean water; and creating economic and political opportunity, through microfinance for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and by building democracy.

The plan also calls for the establishment of a Cabinet-level coordinator for global poverty eradication efforts, which currently are spread out across some 50 government agencies, Edwards said.

The new plan comes atop domestic goals he already has outlined: ending poverty and building a “working society” by establishing universal health care, transcending global warming, creating a new energy economy and improving the education system.