Former North Carolina senator John Edwards has probably mentioned the name “James Lowe” hundreds of times in speeches across the country. Edwards has practically dedicated his presidential campaign to Lowe, repeatedly telling his story as a glaring example of health care problems. 

Lowe was born with a cleft palate and had a simple operation at age fifty that enabled him to finally talk.

Edwards is usually incredulous that James Lowe lived for fifty years without a speaking voice and has frequently illustrated his condemnation of the U.S. health care system with Lowe’s story.

Edwards brought Lowe to Iowa to speak on his behalf. He introduced the former coal miner and said “When he told me his story, I sat there listening to it and thinking to myself, ‘How long are we going to let drug companies and insurance companies and their lobbyists run this country?’ … James Lowe got his voice back, isn’t it time for you to get your voice back?”

Lowe praised Edwards and recalled the first time they’d met: “I knew right off, I felt the love and kindness this man here has in his heart for people like me and you all.  And if we want something changed in this world, there’s the man to do it.” 

A video of James Lowe’s speech is below the fold.James Lowe was introduced by presidential hopeful John Edwards at a presentation in the Lisbon School library in Lisbon, Iowa.

Both men received sustained applause before Edwards launched into a tirade on the disparities between corporation profits and the incomes of middle and lower class Americans.



Following this event, Edwards responded to questions about a 527 political group run by his former campaign manager Nick Baldick. Baldick now works for Alliance for a New America.