LarryK-

John Edwards was born on June 10, 1953. The first and only draft lottery for which he was eligible was on February 2, 1972 (you can see the results at http://www.sss.gov/lotter4.htm). He was assigned number 178. Note that the previous year, the highest number called up was 95 (see http://www.sss.gov/lotter3.htm). Well, the number was meaningless in any case, because no one from that lottery was ever called up, and the entire draft was abolished in 1973. So, you're right, John Edwards doesn't have a war record.

But, unlike Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Pearle, Limbaugh, Rove,… he faced the draft. No deferments, no "other priorities", not even the remotest chance of political maneuvering by his mill-worker father.