Edwards' Wife Bashes Clinton Health Plan

Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, shakes hands with supporters of the "Jena 6" as they depart for Louisiana Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Elizabeth Edwards accused Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton of copying the health care plan outlined more than seven months ago by her husband, John.

The New York senator has failed to lead on an issue in which she has extensive experience, Edwards said.

"Does Mrs. Clinton's plan seem very familiar to you?" Edwards said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Mrs. Clinton has _ seven and a half months after John unveiled his health care plan _ unveiled a health care plan that is in every material respect just like John's."

Edwards calls Clinton's plan "John Edwards' health care plan as delivered by Hillary Clinton."

Elizabeth Edwards has been one of Clinton's sharpest critics. She said Clinton, working with President Clinton, had a chance in 1993 to push universal health care through Congress and they should have been the first Democrats to come up with a new plan for health care.

"We would have expected her to be the first one out of the box, not the last one out of the box with a health care plan," Elizabeth Edwards said. "And then for her to come up with one that looks like John's, it's almost as if she hasn't been willing to have the courage independently to be a leader on these things."

Clinton's campaign said she has the strength and experience to make sure everyone in America has quality health care.

"Nobody has worked harder or longer to improve health care in America than Hillary Clinton," spokesman Zac Wright said in a statement.

Edwards also said Clinton shouldn't raise money from people through a program that allowed donors to rub elbows with key members of Congress.

"You can have a meeting with a member of Congress if you donate to Hillary's campaign. What she's saying is she's willing to sell special access to the government. Just send a check," Edwards said.

Edwards stood by her criticism of liberal group MoveOn.org for a New York Times ad that called Iraq war Gen. David Petraeus "General Betray Us" before his testimony last week.

While Petraeus should be criticized for writing in a 2004 opinion piece "saying everything was going swimmingly in Iraq," the language MoveOn.org used was wrong, Edwards said.