Just like millions of other Americans, it seems former Sen. John Edwards is keen to get his hands on a PlayStation3. So much so that an Edwards staffer last week contacted the Raleigh, North Carolina Wal-Mart to reserve one for Edwards and his family. Later the same day, however, Edwards gave a speech denouncing Wal-Mart, telling a story about how his son chided another student for buying shoes there.
Shoes of course aren’t Playstations, which–it seems–are a necessity. Still, the discrepency didn’t escape the notice of Wal-Mart. The next day, the company issued a press release –tongue firmly in cheek–inviting Sen. Edwards visit his local store. The release went on, however, to note that:
…the PlayStation3 is an extremely popular item this Christmas season, and while the rest of America’s working families are waiting patiently in line, Senator Edwards wants to cut to the front. While, we cannot guarantee that Sen. Edwards will be among one of the first to obtain a PlayStation3, we are certain Sen. Edwards will be able to find great gifts for everyone on his Christmas list–many at Wal-Mart’s “roll-back prices.”
This isn’t exactly your typical corporate PR language. Someone in Bentonville, it seems, was pissed, and wasn’t afraid to let it be known. And rightly so. Wal-Mart has done far more to improve the lives of ordinary Americans than any politician, Sen. Edwards included–yet has long been a whipping boy of those politicians. It was right to hit back.
No word yet, on whether the senator ever got that Playstation.
The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.
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