WATERLOO -- John Edwards sees a fight against poverty as a moral imperative.

And, perhaps, as a way for Democrats to regain the higher moral ground from Republicans.

On Friday he addressed the state convention of the Iowa Federation of Labor. In his speech, he focused on poverty, but also issued a challenge for Democrats to maintain their values of old, to stand up for the poor.

"I became a Democrat because our party is the voice for those who have no voice," Edwards said. "Well, we have to stand up for the 36 million people who live in poverty every day."

Edwards ran for vice president on John Kerry's ticket in last year's presidential election, after failing to gain the Democratic nod for the position himself. The former U.S. senator from North Carolina has since started up a center on poverty at the University of North Carolina. In February he began touring the country meeting with the poor and giving speeches on poverty.

Much of the conversation since the election regarding the Democratic party talks of the need to change to meet the needs of the electorate.

Edwards believes Democrats need to return to what built the party. He wants to attack poverty with the zest of Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert Kennedy.

"How 'bout we go out with a passion and backbone for what we believe," Edwards said. "We need to fight for the people we've always fought for. We don't need to be shifting and jiving to meet what the polls yesterday said or what the focus group said."

John Campbell, a Bridgestone/Firestone worker and United Steel Workers member from Des Moines, has similar thoughts.

"There's this shift where if something seems to work, people start moving that way. I find it reprehensible. I think we need to return to our core values," Campbell said.

Campbell thinks Democrats aren't helping themselves by rushing to look more conservative and avoid the "liberal" tag.

"It seems more and more candidates are moving more toward looking like a Republican. People end up voting for the real Republican and not the fake one," Campbell said.

Edwards' presidential campaign focused on "two Americas," one for the rich and another for the poor. He still campaigns for helping the poor rise up. He said Republicans seem to have seized the higher moral ground.

"Here's the great moral issues of our time, and Republicans are showing no leadership on it," he said.

Later in the day Edwards met with a number of women at Payne AME Memorial Church. They shared their stories with him about difficulties finding child care and finding employment that generates enough income.

"I think it was nice of him to come out and listen. Not many people will do that," said Ellalaura Gamblin.

She has confidence that Edwards can do something to help out those living in poverty.

Marla Martin, another woman who met with Edwards, said she has long had a hard time juggling raising children, keeping a job and maintaining health insurance. She has had problems because when she gets a job, her Medicare is cut, but she then can't afford insurance. It creates a catch-22 where the benefits of work are no better than welfare and food stamps.

"It's either I work and don't see my kids and struggle to pay the bills, or I don't work and can't pay the bills," Martin said.

She was encouraged by the meeting with Edwards and thinks he relates to poor people.

"He came from the same place. He's not one of those who forgets where they came from," Martin said.

Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 219-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.