Kerry camp disputes Edwards' claim

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Former supporters of U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential bid have disputed former Sen. John Edwards claim that he wanted to aggressively respond to attacks.

Many top campaign aides from Kerry's 2004 bid for the presidency, with Edwards as his vice presidential nominee, disputed Edwards' contention he was one of the only individuals who wanted to react strongly to attacks made against their campaign camp, the Boston Globe said.

In this year's presidential campaign, North Carolina's Edwards has maintained he had actively proposed that the Democratic camp defend itself from criticisms made by President George W. Bush.

While some other campaigners have supported Edwards' stance, Massachusetts' Kerry and several top aides insist the senator had to be forced into reacting at all, the Globe said.

"Edwards refused to play the traditional role of a running mate -- being the person who's delivering the negative message on the opponents," a former Kerry-Edwards camp official said.

The Globe said that during his current campaign, Edwards distances himself from the characterization by actively defending himself and aggressively confronting his opponents.