The most prominent lawyer in the 2008 presidential race self-destructed earlier this month. John Edwards, who was a very prominent trial lawyer, watched his political career go up in smoke after the National Enquirer proved he had been cheating on his cancer-stricken wife. That revelation sunk him, and perhaps cost him any chance of being a vice presidential nominee.
But the Democrats have officially nominated their ticket for the fall, and have put two lawyers on it. With the nomination now official, it's Barack Obama for president and Joseph Biden for vice president. Both are current Senators in the United States Senate, with Mr. Obama representing Illinois and Mr. Biden representing Delaware.
Both have law degrees. Obama, who got his JD from Harvard, is famous for being a Constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago School of Law. Biden got his JD in 1969 from Syracuse University College of Law.
Senator Biden practiced law from 1969 to 1972, when he was elected to the Senate. And Senator Obama never practiced law, but has (famously) been a ''community organizer,'' in addition to being a professor.
Senator Biden has been involved in crafting lots of crime legislation as well as bankruptcy reform bills. Senator Obama has not had much legislative impact yet due to his short time in the Senate.
With presidential candidate Obama accepting his party's nomination in Denver, the Obama/Biden team will, if elected, be yet another example of how lawyers are attracted to politics.
Senator McCain, Obama's opponent, does not have a law degree.
