Senator John Edwards, D-N.C., continued his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination in front of a crowd that couldn’t be contained by Sun Hall on Tuesday.

“I don’t think we were expecting this many people,” said Matthew Goodman, Ames at-large city councilman.

The night started with an introduction by Goodman.

“We have a very important choice to make. In less than a month, Iowa will become the most important state in the union,” he said.

Goodman went on to talk about his endorsement of Edwards for the Democratic presidential candidacy.

“Edwards is passionate about solving poverty issues and our situation in Iraq. It’s good that he has a universal health care plan, instead of other candidates just talking about it,” he said.

After Goodman’s introduction, Edwards stepped onto the stage to a round of applause.

“We have such important work to do. I look at the world, and see an America where our government has been taken over by a few people to the detriment of everybody else,” he said. Edwards spoke briefly about why he believed the country was being controlled by drug and insurance companies and how it affects the middle class.

“One story that stands out with me is a man I met once, who was 51 years old and born with a severe cleft palate, and he couldn’t speak. He finally got the insurance companies to help him get the required surgery a year ago. The fact that he went 50 years without being able to speak because of the insurance companies makes me outraged,” he said.

After his speech, he answered questions from the crowd covering a wide range of topics. One question focused on his voting history and whether was a flip-flopper because he voted to support the war in Iraq.

“That’s not flip-flopping, that’s me taking responsibility for being wrong. I was wrong to vote for Iraq then, and I’ve learned my lesson,” Edwards said. “I’ve been as strong, as forceful on preventing military action against Iran as I can be.”

Another issue Edwards discussed was college funding and student debt. He detailed his plan, which has already been put into action in parts of North Carolina.

“If you can work 10 hours per week while you go to school, then America will pay for your tuition and books at state universities. We’re going to fund this by getting rid of banks as loan intermediaries,” he said. “This program is already running in a few spots in North Carolina, and it’s been going great.”

Steven Benne, freshman in art and design, was originally torn between supporting Edwards and Obama before he heard Edwards’ education funding plan.

“Hearing him detail that plan shows that he actually has a plan and isn’t just going to wing it like some other candidates,” Benne said.

Another big question he answered was supporting schools in the wake of No Child Left Behind.

“Children aren’t going to learn by just filling in bubbles on an exam sheet. A friend of mine in North Carolina said this, and I use this quote a lot. He said, ‘You don’t make a hog fatter by weighing it,'” Edwards said.

Edwards went on to talk about his plan for bettering schools, which involves sending expert teachers and money to schools with poor marks and focusing on individual student progress.

“There are two public education systems here in America. If you’re in a public school in a wealthy suburb, you have a much better chance of getting a quality education than if you’re in a school in the inner cities or poor rural areas,” he said. “The quality of education you receive should not depend on where you live.”

His main focus, however, was on improving the country for the sake of future generations.

“The great moral test of our generation is whether or not we can leave this country better off than when we found it,” he said.