Hard Hitting Questions for Edwards

Poverty and Hedge Funds don't usually mix. But according to former Senator John Edwards, they do when you're trying to find the connection between financial markets and poverty.

It was recently brought to the attention of a hungry press that John Edwards had worked for Foretress Investment Group, which according to the New York Times is "a highly profitable hedge fund and private equity firm with several executives on Forbes' latest billionaires list." Now, I don't have a problem that he was working at the hedge fund because many politicians seek to reap the benefits that go along with their name and prestige once they enter the private sector. However, I do have a problem with his insistence that it was his way to help end poverty.

Sure a person can learn a lot about financial institutions by working at a hedge fund, but its a little strange that a man with so many connections to the University of North Carolina couldn't bring in professors and set up various symposiums at his UNC poverty center to discuss the topic of markets and how it relates to a growing disparity in wealth. This approach would not only benefit him, but it would also facilitate conversation between interested Americans and academics.

John Edwards is not a stupid man. I'm sure he thought about all of this but I'm also sure he tried to work for this hedge fund under the radar - quietly receiving numerous benefits. While we have to wait to see what his compensation was, I'm guessing because of who he is, it was not small.

If he truly wanted to work for the hedge fund for academic reasons, he should have donated all the compensation he did receive to his poverty center. This would have shown that he was serious about understanding the connections between markets and poverty.

I like John Edwards a lot, I personally believe he is the best candidate out there. I just believe that he should come out and admit that working for the hedge fund was a great opportunity. It allowed him to make a lot of money and to also learn more about the connection between financial markets and poverty as well. Its time for Edwards to admit that while he is no longer a "normal guy" who lives a normal life, he can still be an advocate for those that do not have a voice.