Edwards Touts Plan to End Iraq Conflict

Last week, Edwards sent a Web notice asking his supporters to use the holiday to speak against the war. Paul Morin, national commander of the American Legion, called the request "as inappropriate as a political bumper sticker on an Arlington headstone."

Edwards also called Monday for spreading the burden of serving the country by mandating national service.

"One of the things we ought to be thinking about is some level of mandatory service to our country, so that everybody in America _ not just the poor kids who get sent to war _ are serving this country," he said.

After the event, Edwards said he had not meant to imply that only the poor go to war, only that everyone should serve in some way.

"We have people from all walks of life in America who are serving, including Reservists and National Guard," he said. "What we want to do is to have all Americans to have a chance to serve their country."

Some leaders of local veterans' groups also have deplored Edwards' call for war protests on Memorial Day.

"I think the senator has the best of intentions," said Stephen Shurtleff, who was co-chairman for veterans outreach on Sen. John Kerry's 2004 campaign. "But I think (Memorial Day) is a time to reflect. I think all the presidential candidates want to end the war, but this Memorial Day is not the time."

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On the Net:

Edwards' Memorial Day message: http://www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com