Edwards Endorses Obama

[Falkenhayn]

Per Breaking News Prompt on MSNBC...

[chitoryu12]

And link is where?

Sheesh...

This in particular is a short synopsis of the interview and the New York Times's take on it, which is basically his Southern accent made it difficult to tell "I voted for him" from "I voted for 'em".

[Pint0 Xtreme]

CNN LINK

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Democratic presidential nominee John Edwards will endorse Sen. Barack Obama Wednesday at a campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, according to Obama's campaign.

Edwards dropped out of the Democratic race in on Jan. 30 after poor showings in the early contests, in which he racked up just 26 delegates to the party's August nominating convention in Denver.

He told NBC last week that Obama, the current Democratic front-runner, is the party's likely nominee. Both Obama and the other remaining Democrat, Sen. Hillary Clinton, had sought Edwards' blessing.

Edwards said last week that it was "fine" for Clinton to continue making her case, but expressed concern that a continued campaign could damage the party's prospects in November.

Wednesday's endorsement could help Obama reach out to white, blue-collar voters -- a demographic group that Obama has failed to capture, most notably in the recent Pennsylvania and West Virginia primaries.

Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.

After dropping out of the race, Edwards asked both Clinton and Obama to make poverty a central issue in the general election and a future Democratic administration, something both agreed to do.

An endorsement from Edwards -- who ran as vice president on Sen. John Kerry's ticket in the 2004 presidential election -- would have a significant impact on the race, Democratic strategist Peter Fenn said.

"You could make an argument that the change issue does benefit Barack Obama, that he picks up that support. You could also make the argument that there's a lot of support out there amongst people that will go to Hillary," he said. "The big issue here is who will he endorse."

Some political pundits predicted in the past that Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction

"The conventional wisdom is that Barack Obama will pick up maybe 60 percent of them, and in some places, that makes a huge difference," former presidential adviser David Gergen said.

Time magazine journalist Joe Klein contends Clinton "represents a lot of the things that [Edwards] campaigned against, you know, the old Washington Democratic establishment that he believes got too close to the corporations in the '90s."

Edwards announced he was dropping out in New Orleans, the same city where he declared his run for the 2008 Democratic presidential race.

"It is time for me to step aside so that history can blaze its path," he said.

With his wife, Elizabeth, and children at his side, Edwards said he couldn't predict "who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," but he said it would be a Democrat.

Edwards trailed Clinton and Obama in the early contests, including a third-place finish in Tuesday's Florida primary with 14 percent of the votes. He also came in third in key races in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Klein said Edwards played a positive role in spurring his competitors during the early part of the campaign.

"On a lot of substantive issues like health insurance, he was the first one out of the box with a very ambitious universal plan, and I think he forced the others to become bolder in a lot of their policy prescriptions, energy dependence and so on," Klein said.

John Edwards is a South Carolina native with an undergraduate degree from North Carolina State University and law degree from the University of North Carolina.

Before entering politics, winning a Senate seat from North Carolina in 1998, Edwards was a lawyer representing families "being victimized by powerful interests" and gaining "a national reputation as a forceful and tireless champion for regular, hard-working people," according to his campaign Web site.

[Patrick Degan]

Hillary: Just for that, he's no longer on my vice president list!

[The Duchess of Zeon]

26 delegates that he can throw behind Obama? That's the same number as the entirety of all the delegates from West Virginia. Obama has, once again, picked up even more delegates instead of losing them. Even Kentucky and Puerto will make it hard for Hillary to pick up any delegates now--she's actually now sixteen behind where she was heading into the West Virginia primary, and she'll barely make up even that deficit in those contests most like.

[Patrick Degan]

It is indeed one of the ironies of this race that Obama's "defeats" do not impact him all that much while Hillary's "triumphs" end up not helping her at all —and then Obama ends up erasing whatever putative gain Hillary's made in this or that primary.

[Haruko]

Nitpick:

26 delegates that he can throw behind Obama?

CNN reports 19 are still attached to Edwards. The other 7 broke away several months ago.

[Chris OFarrell]

I wonder if this was all agreed to some time ago, but the announcement was held in until now, just after Clinton won WV, so as to try and rob any momentum or 'happy' feelings from her supporters after her expected victory.

[CmdrWilkens]

I wonder if this was all agreed to some time ago, but the announcement was held in until now, just after Clinton won WV, so as to try and rob any momentum or 'happy' feelings from her supporters after her expected victory.

I doubt it in the sense of being planned to one up Clinton. I think Edwards made up his mind a long time ago and just wanted to wait until at least some of the media started to say the race was over because then he can beone of the brokers at the table to end this thing which gets him BIG points. Basicaly the timing works out best for Edwards but was likely not truly co-ordinated with the inention of usurping Clinton's good news day. Admitteldy when the WaPo runs an article pointing out that all the WV coverage has focused more on Obama's Superdelegate lead than Clinton's WV victory then its not much of a good news day for her.

[JME2]

Good, very good...

[irishmick79]

Washington Post piece suggested that Edwards didn't make his decision until after Hillary's big night in WV. I read somewhere that Edwards didn't really appreciate Hillary's rationale that she's the better candidate because she's got the support of poor whitefolk. Obama has courted Edwards heavily for months, and Edwards said he was leaning towards Obama just a week or two ago, but was reluctant to make an endorsement then.

Edwards endorses Obama

[Coyote]

Edwards said he wouldn't endorse anyone until the race was over-- he's sending a signal that basically, the race is over.

Hillary has, in the last couple weeks, begun to slide into being an object of pity by those non-supporters that still pay attention to her.

[Master of Ossus]

Hilarious.

(CNN) -- Hillary Clinton's decisive win in West Virginia caused John Edwards to throw his support to Barack Obama, the Illinois senator's aides said.

Edwards was concerned that the Clinton storyline -- that Obama can't win white, working-class voters -- was becoming too damaging to Obama and the party, aides said.

Obama had been courting Edwards for four months. Since Edwards abandoned his presidential bid in January, he and Obama have talked regularly, Obama said.

As late as Monday, Edwards told CNN's Larry King that he wasn't prepared to make an endorsement.

"What I don't want to do is contribute to the divide," he said. "At least for this moment, I think the reasonable thing for me to do is let voters make their decision."

But Clinton's crushing win in West Virginia on Tuesday highlighted Obama's weakness with working-class white voters, a segment of the electorate that may prove pivotal in November.

Among white voters without a college degree, Clinton defeated Obama by 50 percentage points. Among white voters making less than $30,000 a year, Clinton's margin of victory was more than 60 percentage points.

Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.

"The reason I'm here tonight is because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I," Edwards told a boisterous crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Wednesday. Video Watch why Edwards picked Obama »

"There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America, not two, and that man is Barack Obama." Edwards also praised Clinton's candidacy.

Despite trailing in pledged delegates, superdelegates and the popular vote, Clinton has repeatedly said her campaign will keep going. Clinton campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe said Wednesday that, "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."

Wednesday's endorsement could help Obama reach the blue-collar voters who have been reluctant to embrace his candidacy. On his flight from Grand Rapids to Chicago, Obama told reporters he has no doubt Edwards will help him in every demographic.

And the signs are beginning to show with Thursday's endorsement by the powerful United Steelworkers Union.

"When the presidential primary contests began last year, our Union felt strongly that because of Senator John Edwards's deep commitment to working people and because of our shared beliefs, he deserved our strong endorsement," the union said in a press release. "Today, by virtue of a unanimous vote of our International Executive Board, we find ourselves once again in agreement with Senator Edwards, this time with his decision last evening to endorse Senator Barack Obama."

The union's leaders took aim with Sen. John McCain's "lock-step commitment to four more years of the broken Bush economy and the broken Bush foreign policies."

"We commit ourselves to working tirelessly for his election and for a new age of cooperation among Democrats, Independents and thoughtful Republicans alike in which working Americans are restored to a place of dignity in society and in the American economy," the press release said.

After dropping out of the race, Edwards asked Clinton and Obama to make poverty a central issue in the general election and a future Democratic administration, something both agreed to do.

Edwards released his 19 delegates, and they are free to vote for the candidate of their choice.

John Moylan, a former senior adviser to the Edwards campaign, said the former North Carolina senator's delegates "are very, very committed to John Edwards."

He said at least six of his eight delegates in South Carolina are prepared to endorse Obama.

"I think you will see overwhelming support of John Edwards delegates standing with John Edwards, and now standing for Barack Obama," he said on CNN's "American Morning."

Obama said he hopes Edwards takes an active role in his campaign, but he declined to speculate about an Obama-Edwards ticket.

As Obama inches closer to the Democratic nomination, there's been renewed talk of a joint ticket with Clinton. Obama has said both Edwards and Clinton would be on his shortlist, but he has repeatedly said it's too early to start talking about it.

Clinton on Thursday was scheduled to campaign in Bath, South Dakota, before heading to California for a fundraiser.

Clinton's campaign is about $20 million in the red. The senator from New York spent Wednesday meeting with her finance team and reaching out to undeclared superdelegates.

Obama was expected to be in Chicago and had a fundraiser scheduled in the evening.

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

Oh god this shit is Epic Lulz. Big E endorsing Big O because of Hillary's racism-bought victory?

Nice cockblock, Big E. Racism must never be allowed to stand!

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

[General Zod]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

He'd make a good veep but I'd still say it's still a bit early to be talking about who's going to be who's running mate, unfortunately.

[Coyote]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

He said he'd never accept it, but he'd be a good counter to Obama-- although there'd be a "too liberal" tag applied by the GOP buzzards.

Obama needs to find a nice, white former General.

[The Original Nex]

Edwards has reportedly expressed interest in the post of Attorney General.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

He said he'd never accept it, but he'd be a good counter to Obama-- although there'd be a "too liberal" tag applied by the GOP buzzards.

Obama needs to find a nice, white former General.

I've been thinking Wesley Clark would be great for that.

[CmdrWilkens]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

A chance...sure...is it realistic not so much. Edwards had his run for the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. While I think he would do a pretty decent job I also don't think his heart would be in it. The movement to address poverty is, near as I can tell, about as heartflet as you can find in this day and age. Given that the Vice Presidency is about the worst position from which to make inroads into that issue. He would do better heading up something like HUD or possibly DOL because then he could have real influence on things that affect the working poor rather. I could see him as AG but again it would be hard for him to really advance his own agenda through that post.

[Durandal]

Is there a chance that Edwards will be Vice President?

He said he'd never accept it, but he'd be a good counter to Obama-- although there'd be a "too liberal" tag applied by the GOP buzzards.

Obama needs to find a nice, white former General.

No, he needs Bill Richardson. Richardson can bring in the Latino vote that Obama has trouble with, served as Secretary of Energy under the Clinton administration and can offset the whole "Obama has no experience" argument. And to boot, "Richardson" doesn't sound like a Latino name, so it won't scare those skittish white housewives away. Hell, Richardson doesn't even look Latino. It's the best of both worlds, politically speaking.

Just forget about this working-class white people nonsense for a second. (Do you really think Obama would have cruised to victory in states like Missouri, Kansas and Mississippi if he didn't know how to appeal to rural white people?) Whatever white people Obama couldn't win over during the primaries are basically lost causes. If some white Democrats weren't going to vote for him because of his race, then they won't vote for him in November regardless of who his running mate is. And the majority of the disgruntled Hillary supporters will hold their noses and vote Obama, no matter what they're saying now.

[sketerpot]

Richardson also has a lot of experience in diplomacy, both the friendly visit-other-countries type that vice presidents have to do all the time, and the more tense kind of diplomacy where you're negotiating the release of hostages from another country that doesn't like you -- Saddam Hussein in 1996, and the president of Sudan in 2006.

He appeals to the saner part of the Republican party, the part that wants to focus on the economy and tolerates fundamentalist wackos and neocons. His record of fiscal responsibility is appealing, and his support for concealed carry laws should appease Republicans who see guns as a huge issue. Really, he's a fantastic running mate.

[Mr Bean]

Even better with Richardson on the ticket we can give up on the poor bigoted vote, a Mexicaaan and a Darky? Heck no we won't go. Even better when they can point to how McCain has the KKK vote solidly behind him. I expect them to go so far as to endorse McCain if Richardson is the VP.


Speaking of which, Bill needs to keep the beard.

Before


After

[Coyote]

No, he needs Bill Richardson. Richardson can bring in the Latino vote that Obama has trouble with, served as Secretary of Energy under the Clinton administration and can offset the whole "Obama has no experience" argument. And to boot, "Richardson" doesn't sound like a Latino name, so it won't scare those skittish white housewives away. Hell, Richardson doesn't even look Latino. It's the best of both worlds, politically speaking.

Good points, all, but I (personally) think that Richardson would do better as Secretary of State, where he can actually use his experience to better gain. VP is, for the most part, a figurehead; Dick Cheney being something of an aberration in his unprecedented amount of power. Richardson would easily do a great job as SecState.

Just forget about this working-class white people nonsense for a second. (Do you really think Obama would have cruised to victory in states like Missouri, Kansas and Mississippi if he didn't know how to appeal to rural white people?) Whatever white people Obama couldn't win over during the primaries are basically lost causes. If some white Democrats weren't going to vote for him because of his race, then they won't vote for him in November regardless of who his running mate is. And the majority of the disgruntled Hillary supporters will hold their noses and vote Obama, no matter what they're saying now.

Oh, I'm not only with you on that, I'm one of those "whities for Obama". It is always a toss-up between a chuckle or an outraged growl when Hildibeest claims that "Obama can't win white votes". I'm so white I make Casper look like a Brother.

[Shroom Man 777]

Holy Shit! Richardson looks like a fat Tony Stark!

And, mang, I feel great for Obama.