John Edwards Stiffs the Kids, Cancels Scholarships… Hello Media?

July 31, 2008 | Filed Under Democrats/Leftists, Education, Elections, Media Bias, News, Publius Contributor, Society/Culture, Warner Todd Huston |

-By Warner Todd Huston

Yes, there are two Americas. The one where John Edwards used to have a scholarship program that he intended to set up as an example for all of America to follow… and the one where he cancels that scholarship program. Is it because he isn’t running for president any more? Since Edwards has other things to do now — like hiding from the media in his mistresses’ house and maybe getting a few $400 haircuts — Edwards has pulled the plug on his pilot scholarship program in North Carolina. It was for the kids… now it isn’t. As the media ignores Edwards’ love child story, any takers if they will ignore this one, too?

In May of 2007, to great fanfare, Edwards rolled out his “College for Everyone” plan saying that this was a college plan for “any student wishing to work hard.” At that time, the well coifed, two-time presidential candidate said that he wanted “every young person” to go to college and touted his new program then beginning at Greene Central High School in Snow Hill, NC.

At Greene Central High School in Snow Hill, North Carolina, Senator John Edwards today announced his plan to make college more affordable for millions of students. Edwards’ College Opportunity Agenda includes a national “College for Everyone” initiative, which would pay for one year of public-college tuition, fees, and books for any student who is willing to work hard and stay out of trouble.

It was national news, then, of course.

But now that he no longer needs the publicity, the kids find themselves in one of those Americas where they have no more scholarship because John Edwards has yanked the one he was offering.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards is pulling the plug on a scholarship program he started at an Eastern North Carolina high school — a program he once promised would be a model for the nation under an Edwards presidency.

It is said that the program was a great success and helped many of the kids at Greene Central to go on to college and all at a small cost of $600,000 over the last 2 years, small at least for the multi-millionaire, Edwards. But alas it is no more.

Some local reports have claimed that this scholarship program was a three-year program. But there was little talk of any three-year-lifespan when he announced the program.

In any case, the scholarships are gone, Edwards deciding not to continue the program. Let’s sit back and see if the media report this one? Then again, maybe he is just that irrelevant?

(Photo credit: jalopnik.com)

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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as newsbusters.org, townhall.com, New Media Journal, Men’s News Daily and the New Media Alliance among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events. He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of publiusforum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston