John Edwards to endorse Obama

John Edwards will endorse Senator Obama for President tonight.  No word yet if Edwards will encourage his 19 pledged delegates to follow suit and support Obama as well.

Comments

[Joe]

Wow, I thought he'd remain neutral, but I guess the divisiveness got to him? I wonder.

Honestly, I didn't think he'd want to go against his state like that after Clinton's huge win there.

I guess he's hoping to make sure this is over after Oregon? I believe we'll have a nominee by then for sure at this rate.

If he instructs his delegates to go for Obama, that will almost be bigger than winning the entire state...

[Truth]

John Edwards will be VP. He waited until now for 2 reasons. To mute the WV win coverage today and to siphon some of the vote from Hillary yesterday. Edwards was much closer to Hillary on the issues, so this is pure politics. America will have to take a shower after this Primary.

Just like Mr. Super before Edwards, everybody paying attention knew their choice well before public endorsement.

[Nate]

Hey,

Could you do a more extended post on the behind-the-scenes lobbying for super-delegates. What strategies do the teams employ? What are the differences in their strategies and messages? Has either campaign attempted to exploit opponent's "scandals" to you personally? How far in advance before you endorsed did the Obama campaign know your preference? Did you tell the Clinton campaign before the press release?

Just curious, but I'd be interested to know whatever you feel comfortable sharing.

Thanks

[Nate]

Joe, Edwards state is North Carolina and it went huge for Obama, not Clinton.

Truth, Edwards was a strong, strong critic of Clinton's ties to lobbyists and corporate interests. In the debate in SC, he said in no uncertain terms that Clinton is not a candidate equipped to bring about change. Everything at this level is political, sure, but Edwards and Clinton were running very different campaigns, and but for healthcare, Edwards is much more aligned with Obama.

[Blame]

I suspect the relationship between Edwards & Obama is a tad strained. His endorsement only came when all hope for Clinton had gone, and does not include his wife.

Edwards endorsement did not come free. Obama agreed to take up his anti-poverty initiative. That was payment in full. He won't be paid twice.

This may sound like a crazy prediction but both VP's are going to be women. With Hillary gone there are going to be a hell of a lot disgruntled women, and hell hath no fury. The candidate who doesn't chose a woman VP isn't going to get them.

[Joe]

You're right, Nate. Why on earth did I confuse them? Guess it's time for me to spend a little time with remedial geography.

But I think Truth has a good point about the timing. Although, he can't have made up his mind too long ago. Obama was more in need of an endorsement right after Rev. Wright's Part II, IMHO.

At least for me, the tension left the race after the media all but called this election a week ago.

[Joe]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/politics/bal-mddelegate0515,0,5558212.story

Pledged delegate flips? I wish he wouldn't. Obama doesn't need one measly delegate and it can't help him with Clinton supporters.

[Truth]

Blame: This may sound like a crazy prediction but both VP's are going to be women.

I'm not saying you are wrong Blame, so this isn't an attack on you by any means. You are stating the real (sad) dynamics of the American voter today. Reverse your statement with race instead of gender:

"Clinton does not want Obama, but she will put a black man as VP to capture that black vote". That would be extremely offensive, so Obama just putting a woman candidate on the ticket to capture disgruntled women will also be extremely offensive. I'm not saying it won't work to a degree, but it really shows how pathetic we as American Voters have become.

I was offended that WV was built up as a racist primary, but NC was a turning point. The black divide in NC was far greater than the white divide in WV. If the black vote was split 50/50 in NC, Clinton would have won 57% to 43%. Calling WV a racist vote I believe actually made Obama’s General Election chances even worse.

Obama has only won one state in two months. He is obviously trying to address the electability argument by going to the states he needs to beat McCain. Hopefully that improves his Obama v. McCain by state poll numbers, but returning to the VP theme that started this all; Obama needs to pick somebody that is extremely strong in the economy. If not in the VP role, then strong cabinet positions that shore up his economic weaknesses.

[Nate]

Truth,

"Obama has only won one state in two months."

This is the most biased comment you could make. Let's look at the calendar. In the past two months, there have been 4 contests. Obama has won two of them and Clinton two. Sure, Guam isn't a state, but if you push the calendar you're advocating back two weeks, it would include two more states.

It's funny how now the calendar, with extended breaks between primaries late in the season, allows Clinton to push silly memes based on who has won in the last week or so.

In anycase, we'll see some more Obama wins in the weeks to come, and the party is coalescing around him as the presumptive nominee.

[Joe]

Yeah, I think Truth raises a number of good points. A strong cabinet is definitely a must, especially one that shores up issues like the economy. I think he also raises a good point that a VP candidate shouldn't appear to be a form of pandering. Though I tend to differ in that I believe McCain will almost certainly choose a more conventional VP.

For one, Rice is perhaps the only female VP candidate I've seen mentioned seriously. But I feel more like he'll play it safe, lest he have low turnout. So I'm guessing that Huckabee will the nominee, because he's sure to want to target swing voters like me and he doesn't have that many great options.

I figure that the war is draining plenty of religious conservatives who might support the Republicans just because of single issues like abortion (but not for very many other reasons) who can't possibly justify it by saying that their vote might save lives when the Republicans are out there starting unjustified wars, and making noises like they want to try for another war in Iran.

[Blame]

Joe.

And how can I not but agree with you? The faster Obama fills his cabinet the better. I am sure he will choose talented people, and he will manage them well. Best he gets together a full Whitehouse team well before November. It would remove the argument that he is an empty suit.

Clinton would not choose a black VP because there was never any possibility of blacks voting Republican. They are used to swallowing disappointment.

Obama will choose a woman VP because with one he could convince women to stay. Especially if is a strong, older, white woman who they can expect to be able to (some extent) control him.

Obama will not choose a male white VP who "resonates with the working class" because they will never believe that Obama will listen to him. The male hillbilly vote is lost. It was traded for the educated vote. In my opinion a fair trade. You can have popularism or professionalism, but not both.

[Truth]

Obama "has this philosophical view that you can sit at a table with drug companies, oil companies and insurance companies and negotiate with them, and somehow they'll just voluntarily give their power away -- and I think that's a complete fantasy. It will never happen."

"And unfortunately, nobody who thinks we can just sit down and talk them into compromise is going to bring change either."

Edwards on Obama, December 2007.

----------------------------------------

EDWARDS: You voted against it because the limit was too high, is that what you just said?
OBAMA: That is exactly what I just said, John, because...
EDWARDS: So there's no limit at all.

EDWARDS: The question is, why would you over 100 times vote present? I mean, every one of us -- every one -- you've criticized Hillary. You've criticized me for our votes.
OBAMA: Right.
EDWARDS: We've cast hundreds and hundreds of votes. What you're criticizing her for, by the way, you've done to us, which is you pick this vote and that vote out of the hundreds that we've cast.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: No.
EDWARDS: And what -- all I'm saying is, what's fair is fair.

EDWARDS: In order for the plan to be universal, it has to mandate coverage for everybody. ...

OBAMA: And, John, both you and Hillary have a hardship exemption, where, if people can't afford to buy health care, you exempt them, so that you sort of don't count them.
EDWARDS: But we would cover them. We cover them, Barack.
OBAMA: But you don't cover them.
EDWARDS: Yes, we do.
CLINTON: Yes, we do.
EDWARDS: Yes, we do. It's not true, Barack.
(CROSSTALK)
CLINTON: That is not true.
EDWARDS: No, no. Here's the problem. The problem with this argument is you can make exactly the same argument about Social Security. I mean, you think about the analogy. What George Bush says is he wants people to be able to get out of the Social Security system, choose, elect to get out of the Social Security system. Well, that's exactly what this argument is.
OBAMA: No.
EDWARDS: This argument is you shouldn't have to have health care. If you choose not to have health care, you shouldn't have to have it. And that is a threshold question. It is a judgment. It's a fair policy debate.
(CROSSTALK)
EDWARDS: There's nothing wrong with us arguing about this, but I believe that there is not a single man, woman, and child in America who's not worthy of health care. Everybody should get health care.
(APPLAUSE)

John Edwards 1/21/2008

----------------------------------------

"There is one man who knows and understands this is the time for bold leadership ... and that man is Barack Obama."
Edwards 5/14/2008

[Truth]

By the way, I was just pointing out how silly politics can be, with John Edwards being the example based off the thread title. I actually think Edwards would make one of the best Secretaries of Labor and actually prefer him there to the VP slot. His one term in the Senate would not help Obama at all come November in the high profile VP spot.

Once again, Obama - make the 10% & 15% tax brackets 0% and you have revolutionized the USA. How could a Republican in Congress vote against tax cuts, so it would sail through. Follow through with the Social Security cap removal & lower to 4.2%/4.2% and state you will only raise the capital gains tax to 20%. This is vastly different than welfare. It stimulates the economy across all classes - lower, middle, upper - employee / employer. If he anounced the above (which is inline with his talk), I would gush over Obama just like the Obamabots. First General Election shut out in history (good thing those 1%'ers get shut out with the winner take all system).

Nate, you included Guam despite a delegate tie. Are you now suggesting the popular vote is more important? Popular vote not limited to the 50 states + DC? Ok Nate, I'm holding you to that.

[Blame]

Damn Damn Damn.

I did it again. That last post was for Truth, not Joe. I just can't get the hang of the author's name not being within the dotted lines.

[Truth]

Blame, if you really want to refer to it as the "hillbilly" vote and that it is not important, then you would have just lost the General for Obama. Keep in mind that you don't show up with your degree to prove your education at the exit polls. The education split was extremely mild compared to all the other splits. I’m still trying to find these educated supporters because Joe has been the only one here willing to cite some actual issues. The fact this blog is pro-Obama is the reason I post here. If I’m looking for a reason to support Obama, you go to Obama supporters. Anyway …

The "hillbilly" vote is the swing vote. You even say yourself that the black vote is not a swing vote. McCain/Powell might seriously test that. Powell didn't just say "Iraq bad" (behind the scenes), he downright made Nostradamus a hack with his spot on call of what would happen. But that is the all foreign policy ticket, so I don’t expect to see it. I’m still hoping Colin Powell defects to the Democrats. Even in Powell’s darkest moment (UN presentation) he was smart enough to put Tenet right behind him. He is just too bright not to serve his country.

I think someone like Romney is where McCain will go. Someone that understands the business world, a core of the Republican Party. I'd be greatly surprised if it was Huckabee. His fair tax alone does him in.

[Mr Super]

Truth - while I support Senator Obama, this blog was never intended to be a "pro-Obama" blog per se. Though it seems that most of the posters here (and on the blogoshpere in general) are Obama supporters.

[Blame]

Truth.

Lol. I am hardly in the position to loose anybody an election. I am here to discuss politics only with you nice people. The joy is in trying to figure out what will happen.

The hillbilly vote is as you point out important. I just have to disagree that in this most unusual election it will be the only swing vote, or even the biggest. Women are about 55% of the voters and Hillary has I think turned many into swing voters, but the most interesting vote is the change vote.

I just think that the opposition of older, low income, white voters is not based on racism but a genuine understanding of Obama’s politics. Obama plans to base America’s recovery on new jobs in new industries. Those jobs are just not going to them! They will go to the young, and the freshly trained. And where will the money come from for these new industries and this new training? It will come from cutting subsidies. They are not going to vote for Obama because change never favours the old, or the traditional.

America is at a crossroads and it has a choice. It can adapt to a world where most low skilled manufacturing is done in India and China. That means moving toward new technology where American skill and inventiveness gives it the edge. The alternative is to continue borrowing money from the Chinese to pay subsidies until China can buy America. Then Americans will find themselves digging coal for Chinese companies at Chinese wages.

[suekzoo]

Truth, Edwards prefers Attorney General to VP. Good spot for him, IMO, or Secy of Labor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/15/john-edwards-open-to-vice_n_101873.html

[Blame]

Regarding Powell. Again you are absolutly right. Powell can be VP of any party anytime he asks.

The Problem is that he has proved imposible to catch. Personaly I think that just proves how bright he is.

[jcar]

Truth:

You can't compare the WV and NC votes when it comes to racism. What is going on in voter's minds in these states? Two completely different things.

In WV, most voters who said race mattered to them, voted for Clinton. With many Whites, we all know what is going on. I've seen it written too many times online: "I don't want a Black president.", "The Blacks already get too much.", "Obama only cares about the Black agenda.". My mother has had more than one elderly friend say to her: "We don't want the Blacks running things-- then things are really going to go down hill!"

What I've described above is racism. It is a voter saying: "I will not vote for a Black!" The assumption being, that "the Black" can't do the best job. That may be what happened in West Virginia with many of the 20% who said they voted on the basis of race. The possibility is certainly worthy of discussion.

In the Carolinas you have something else-- Black voters who have been voting for whites ever since they were given the right to vote. I'm not saying there aren't racist Blacks, we know there are... and there are a few, I'm sure, who are voting for the first time. But for the most part, Black voters in the Carolinas voted for Bill Clinton and they supported Hillary in very large numbers, before race became an "issue".

Hillary made an obvious play for the "racist" vote, and it doesn't make her a racist. Hillary is one who will go for every vote (as she is going for Republican voters, now). Unfortunately, her play for the White vote offended Blacks, many of whom adored the Clintons previously.

Surely, Bill and Hillary knew this would happen-- they went with the group who could give them more votes.

[Nate]

Truth,

You can't just change the meaning of my argument and then attempt to hold me to your conclusion. I was simply pointing out that your "won only one state in the last month" line was disingenuous, because it discounted Guam, which is important simply because it apportions delegates. I don't think the popular vote will determine this contest, and there are a myriad of reasons why it is not a clear-cut metric. If you actually care to inform yourself about it, visit Talkleft.com. I suspect you're just in a mood to demagogue, though.

[Joe]

I'll agree with Truth on that one, Blame. Don't call it the Hillbilly vote, and don't underestimate the impact of online supporters. I don't like the Republican party at all any more, and I know that a few online comments from nasty people on other blogs (not here) soured me on Hillary. I don't think it's a good idea to say things like that, no matter how little you think your words matter.

However, I disagree with Truth about the VP slot. I think they need it to reach out. I'd say that McCain attracts the fiscal conservatives enough with things like his opposition to earmarks, though I could be wrong. His biggest weakness, IMHO, is among the religious, which is why I thought he'd go for Huckabee. Of course, I could be wrong. It's not like Romney would be a bad choice. I just think you need the VP and cabinet to reach out, not to make your core supporters happier. But what do I know? I'm far more worried about the war than the economy (though I'm certainly worried about the economy, too, especially with the war dragging us down).

Anyhow, Edwards would certainly make a fine AG. I almost wonder if there's any way he could get Ron Paul into a cabinet slot? I know that Paul's support is near fanatical, especially online, but I don't know if he would accept or where a good position for him would be. That could really act as a spoiler for McCain, IMHO, given his base of support.

[suekzoo]

I've been laughing all day at the pundits downplaying the Edwards endorsement as not all that helpful or important. I sure would call the 6 pledged delegates of Edwards' that moved to Obama today very helpful. Thank you, John Edwards!!

[jcar]

"won only one state in the last month"???

Obama won the caucuses in Texas, and Hillary's slim popular vote win there may have been due to Limbaugh Republicans.

In Indiana, it is pretty clear that Hillary wouldn't have won without Republicans who said they'd be voting for McCain in the fall. She won by 11,000 votes, and about 40,000 of her Republican voters said they wouldn't vote for her in November.

[Truth]

I still say Deval Patrick for AG. Edwards is just too perfect for the Labor spot.

Side note, the whole Obama "sweetie" thing is stupid. This election has been so PC, that PC has become a weapon. His Annie Oakely comment was much worse.

Blame, you attribute the "job technology change" to Obama, but the fact is Clinton has a more progressive and detailed approach and has an actual record of supporting her words. I've provided some examples in the past, so I won't rehash.