"I think Americans are actually willing to sacrifice," Edwards said during a forum held by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. "One of the things they should be asked to do is drive more fuel efficient vehicles."

The former North Carolina senator was asked specifically if he would tell them to give up their SUVS, he said, "Yes."

...Edwards was asked during his appearance how he explained the contradiction of asking Americans to sacrifice while he's living in a 28,000-square-foot mansion.

He said he came from nothing, worked hard all his life, has always supported workers and fought big corporations as a lawyer.

Of course, as a lawyer, Edwards knows that when the federal government indicts you on multiple counts you're in some hot water.  Still, he refuses to return the illegal (allegedly) campaign cash.  Ethics are, apparently, not quite as important as competing in the cash race with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.  

Meanwhile, Fieger-time himself continues the battle against Joe McCarthy, black books and vast rightwing conspiracies.  Not that the judge is buying it.  AP is also reporting the case might just be going to trial.

A motion seeking to dismiss the charges was filed Tuesday and thrown out shortly afterward by U.S. District Judge Paul D. Borman.

Fieger and Johnson are charged with conspiracy, causing the Edwards campaign to unwittingly make false statements, making illegal campaign contributions in another's name and making illegal campaign contributions from a corporation.

Sounds like a winning team, right?  Maybe Edwards would consider Fieger for a potential running mate.  They're both lawyers.  They both like illegal campaign money (allegedly).  And, though Fieger isn't on record just yet supporting an abolition of the sports utility vehicle, I'm sure he'd be willing to issue a statement if Edwards asked nice.

Then again, maybe TELLING American citizens (not asking, mind you) to give up their SUVs isn't the best way to ingratiate yourself to voters in a state dependant on the struggling automobile industry.  For all the insistence by the radical left in Michigan that the state's economic ills must all be laid at the feet of the big 3 there's a surprising lack of outrage when a candidate for the highest office in the land insists he'll tell Ford, GM and Chrysler to stop producing their most profitable vehicles.

Not exactly the best way to get the industry back on their feet.  And not exactly the best time to threaten hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs, most located in and around Detroit, a city virtually tied with Buffalo as the poorest big city in America.

According to the Detroit Free Press figures released yesterday stick the D with a 28.5% poverty rate.  But that's not the half of it.  

Poor households in Livingston County jumped 28.7% while other metro Detroit areas saw increases that ranged from 25.1% in Dearborn to 22.3% in Livonia to 69.8% in Canton.

Nationally, by contrast, the poverty rate declined from 13.1% to 12.7% in 2006 -- the first dip in this decade -- and median household income climbed to $48,451. In 2006, the poverty level for a family of four was an annual income of slightly less than $21,000.

And while the same story tells us about people like Rich Andrews, a Madison Heights resident and former landscaper who's looking to Nevada for employment, there are thousands more just like him in the region.  

After 5,000 applied for 350 Walmart jobs in Livonia about a month ago (wait, I thought those were supposed to be the worst jobs in the world... huh...) a job fair yesterday in Clinton Township drew thousands in the first day.  And it'll continue today.  The Detroit News reports:

Tables overflowed with would-be workers filling out paperwork for security, maintenance, management and sales jobs. Many were forced to sit on the floor to complete their application.

By the time the first day of the fair was over at 6 p.m. Tuesday, more than 4,000 people had attended, in search of one of the 1,000 jobs that are to be filled before the exclusive mall opens to the public Oct. 18 on M-59 between Garfield and Romeo Plank roads.

I just hope none of them pulled up in SUVs.