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Following the 2004 campaign, in which he was the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Edwards created the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity in Chapel Hill, which produced a series of seminars and a book on poverty. Edwards has proposed a $15 billion to $20 billion per year anti-poverty program that includes universal health care coverage, 1 million temporary public jobs, housing vouchers, raising the minimum wage and new laws to encourage organized labor, among other things. Edwards has set a goal of ending poverty in 30 years.

Poverty still an issue?

Poverty was once a potent issue, championed by Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s and Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s. But as the nation became more middle class, poverty has receded as an issue.

In a Gallup Poll conducted last month, only 5 percent of those surveyed mentioned poverty, hunger and homelessness when asked what was the top issue facing the country.

"I think we came to times, starting with President Reagan, where there was a too widespread view in our country that if somebody was poor it was their own fault," said Peter Edelman, a poverty expert and former Robert Kennedy aide. "I think too many politicians, in terms of talking about it openly and honestly, felt it was a little too risky to challenge that preconception."

Even President Clinton, who supported tax breaks for the working poor, tended not to frame the issue as fighting poverty, Edelman said.

But Edelman said there are signs that poverty is getting more attention, mainly because of growing economic inequality. Edelman said that while there may be 37 million Americans whose income is under the poverty line, there are 90 million people who are having trouble paying their bills every month.

Poor support Clinton

Neither Clinton nor Obama has stressed fighting poverty like Edwards. But Clinton can tap into her husband's legacy and Obama once worked as a community organizer on the Southside of Chicago.

Poor people have not been flocking to Edwards' campaign. According to a recent Washington Post-ABC poll, Clinton had the support of 55 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents with household incomes below $20,000. Obama had 20 percent and Edwards had 10 percent.

But Edwards' target is not just poor people. He's also hoping to appeal to party liberals and leaders and organized labor, who share his view that the government should take a more active role in combating poverty. The Edwards campaign is also using the poverty trip to raise a little money, asking supporters to contribute $8 -- a reference to the fact that one of eight Americans lives in poverty.

Edwards appeared to be making inroads along the antipoverty trail, but it was still difficult. James Figgs, a school transportation director, said he was supporting Edwards for now.

"He is the only one who has shown interest," Figgs said. "But if Obama comes, because he's an African-American, he'll probably win here."

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