Running on the backs of the poor?

John Edwards - former Senator from North Carolina and Democratic Veep nominee - says he's not running for President in 2008 ... at least not yet.

But instead he's "pouring [his] heart and soul into" poverty and has started a new poverty center in his home state.

Of course he said this while on the radio in Iowa - the site of the first presidential caucus in '08 and where the chosen few candidates will rise to the top while the rest begin their short decent into oblivion.

Kerry won in Iowa - Edwards second and Dean third - and that win began Kerry's steamroll of the D-primaries; just like it would have started Edwards' or Dean's if they had won.

That's why Iowan's are getting so much attention these days ... and it's fun to watch the politicians go out of their way to say they're not running. They make the pilgrimage to Iowa and once there stress - at least publicly -how it's too early to start talking about 2008.

Of course Edwards met with key Iowa Dem. party officials and backers of his 2004 campaign ... but I'm sure all they talked about was poverty.

Here's my question: Since when did poverty become a national issue on which to launch a presidential campaign? What does Edwards know that we don't? And please don't respond by saying he's doing this ONLY becomes he cares about the poor - I'm sure he does care if they're poor, unless they ask him to defend them in court. But let's be honest, shall we? He's running for President - just like the rest of them. So why poverty?

Click here to see results and info on the 2004 Iowa Caucus.