John Edwards in National Public Radio

On Corporations: Trade policy caters to interests of big corporate America

A: This whole issue of balance--if you look at what's happened--and this didn't just happen under George Bush; this has been going on for a decade and a half now--in my hometown, the mill that my father worked in, and the people that I grew up with--that mill's closed now. The jobs are gone. The same thing has happened in Newton, Iowa, and all across this state.

I met a man a few years ago, who talked about having to look his child in the eye and explain why her daddy, who had worked in that mill his entire life, that factory, had lost his job and hadn't done anything wrong, because his child did not understand.

American trade policy is catering to the interests of big corporate America. It has been for a decade and a half. And we desperately need a president of the United States who, instead of asking, is this going to help corporate profits--is this actually going to stand up for American workers and American jobs.

On Corporations: Corporate interests have taken over democracy

A: I think we have an enormous struggle to try to restore the power in the country and the democracy back to the American people and take it away from big corporate interests, et cetera, who've taken over the democracy.

On Immigration: Loss of middle-class jobs drives down wages, not immigrants

A: The studies show is there are a lot of things driving down wages. One of those things is the loss of good middle-class jobs, which has been accelerated under this administration. And I think there are a variety of things that are contributing to that. There are a whole range of things that we need to do if we actually want to save the middle class and strengthen the American economy.

On Immigration: No short-term solution; need comprehensive reform

A: They're in a very vulnerable position. What we want to make certain is that we are enforcing the laws that apply to employers. This is not a short-term solution. I wish there were a clear short-term solution that would be effective. The answer to this is comprehensive immigration reform. That is ultimately the answer.

On Immigration: H1-B visas only for jobs Americans can't do

A: Well, the first point is, why is America not educating and training American workers to do these jobs? That's the starting point. If American workers are actually competent to do those jobs, American workers should be doing those jobs. The whole purpose of the H1-B visa program is to bring people from other places that have to do jobs that we don't have American workers to do.

On Jobs: Trade policy should look out for manufacturing jobs

A: What is fair to think is that we have had a trade policy that has cost America--my father, who worked in a mill for 37 years so that we could have a better life than he had, that mill that he worked in is gone. Jobs all across Iowa are gone. And the reason is because America has catered to the interests of corporate profits, not the interests of the American middle class, not the interests of American workers, and not the interests of these manufacturing jobs. America, to be competitive over the long term, needs a trade policy that works, that looks out for the interests of the middle class.