Shameless Pandering by Edwards

Goodness. I know we have the usual litany of political pandering on Martin Luther King Day and the run-up to it, but give The Silky Pony extra points for shamelessness. He does everything except put on a King mask or appear in blackface. One can only imagine who will top him today.

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards called on Americans to resist President Bush's planned troop escalation in Iraq, echoing a plea by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. 40 years ago to end the Vietnam War.

Edwards addressed about 1,200 parishioners Sunday at Riverside Church, a multiracial, politically active Manhattan congregation where King delivered his famous "Beyond Vietnam" speech on April 4, 1967. King was assassinated exactly one year later.

Edwards spoke from the same wooden pulpit King used and was introduced by King's son, Martin Luther King III. The younger King said his father would have admired Edwards' commitment to fighting poverty.

The former North Carolina senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee touched on poverty issues in his speech, as well as AIDS in Africa, energy independence and a proposed boost in the minimum wage.

Nothing quite like a fabulously wealthy liberal lecturing the little people on poverty issues.