October 08, 2004

However skeptically one views John Edwards's commitment to medical malpractice reform -- and I'm inclined to agree with our contributor Ted Frank, there's much reason to be skeptical -- there's no doubting Ralph Nader's opposition. Speaking yesterday in Albany, the "consumer activist" turned politico called Edwards a "sniveling coward" for not being more forceful in denouncing Vice President Cheney's support for medical malpractice reform during Tuesday's debate.

Is there dissension within the ranks of Trial Lawyers, Inc.?

The irony is that Nader's staunch support of the status quo litigation lobby makes Edwards -- the former trial attorney whose political career has been almost wholly funded by plaintiffs' attorneys -- come off as moderate in comparison. Of course, blame for that perception also owes much to the GOP's inability to articulate a clear message on this issue: as our editor pointed out on Overlawyered, the vice president did very little to challenge Edwards on the tort reform issue when given the chance...