Some of the blog-based discussion on John Edwards's recent support for mandatory service have confused it with support for a military draft. A comment by Elizabeth Edwards on the Daily Kos offers clarification:

John is not in favor of a military draft. Never has been. When he was in the Senate and in the 2004 campaign, he proposed a national community service program for high school students, modeled on the program at the public school our older children attended. The habit of public service is one that we want to encourage. Whether that means that high school program or a national public service program for all of us -- even those out of high school -- we know we need to think about it, to get all Americans committed in a real and meaningful way in making America as strong and as compassionate as we can. He saw on the Gulf Coast what committed Americans can accomplish, and he dreams big about how much more we could do.

Regardless of our candidate, I hope we can "get all Americans committed in a real and meaningful way in making America as strong and as compassionate as we can."