Nevadans endorse Edwards’ education plan ‘

As Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards prepared to announce his education proposals today, his Nevada campaign on Thursday rolled out a group of educators who support the candidate, led by a lobbyist who is a former state legislator.

The 60-member Educators for Edwards group includes a University System regent, Howard Rosenberg; college professors, current and former K-12 teachers, schools administrators and activists.

The group's chairman, former Las Vegas Assemblyman Jim Spinello, said in a campaign conference call Thursday that he didn't want to step on the candidate's toes by giving details of the plan to improve K-12 education that Edwards is scheduled to present today. But he said he was convinced to support Edwards by elements of his plans such as expanding preschool and giving teachers more support.

He also mentioned Edwards' College for Everyone initiative, which has been tested in the former North Carolina senator's home state in a pilot project by a nonprofit foundation he started. The proposal helps certain students with their tuition if they work part-time.

"I also like his health care plan, and I like him personally," Spinello added.

Spinello served two Assembly terms in the late 1980s and served as chair of the education committee. In 1990, he ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state. He was a Clark County administrator before becoming a statehouse lobbyist for powerhouse firm R&R Partners.

He has not had a career as an educator, but he currently teaches community college and university courses in government and administration.

Edwards has inveighed against federal lobbyists and his rivals who take campaign donations from them, as he does not, saying they give corporations too much power over government. Earlier this week, Edwards said in a speech in Chicago that he wanted to "end the Washington influence game."

He has not, however, decried the Carson City influence game. According to Edwards' campaign, the candidate's objections are to the unsavory culture of Washington, and he views state lobbying as a separate matter.

Asked about Edwards' anti-lobbyist rhetoric, Spinello said, "I'm a professional in the business of government affairs. ... I believe my firm and I do it the right way."

He added, "A lobbyist is an important role. It's guaranteed in the Constitution, and it has a long history in this country. For people to represent their interests to government is an honorable thing to do. But it can be done wrong, and there is some undue influence that can be brought to bear and shouldn't be."

Spinello's list of clients includes the mining industry, developers, a private prison company and the Washington-based Indoor Tanning Association.

It also includes Nevada Power Co. and its parent, Sierra Pacific Resources, which has plans to build a coal-fired power plant that Edwards opposes.