Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. I'm shocked beyond shocked. He knew he couldn't win but he could take delegates to the convention and play kingmaker. Does he endorse? And if so, do his people follow? He's got a very nice 10-15% of the Dem votes behind him.
MSNBC's Chuck Todd is reporting that a deal may have been struck between Edwards and Obama. Oh it's on!
Well, looks like we might get a test of the competing theories on whom Edwards was taking votes from.
Talking about timing. I assume he's been promised a very generous post by one of the candidates (Obama?) in case of a win. But surely, not a VP spot?
Nope, looks like no endorsement coming, at least today: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hoAvkYTooNMqpzn8fF_3B76ko8eAD8UG88K82
Edwards is not running for VP again. If either Hillary or Obama is offering a Cabinet position to him in exchange for endorsement + delegates collected, it would likely be Justice / Atty General. But I doubt that any such quid pro quo was offered or accepted.
I'm not at a TV so it may have just been idle speculation on Todd's part. If Edwards is endorsing Obama, he's doing it before Tuesday. A non-endorsement is effectively support for Hillary.
If he doesn't go to the convention and play kingmaker, and he doesn't endorse either candidate before Tuesday, then he's truly as vapid as I've always suspected. And he's doing his supporters a disservice. Good riddance, tool. EDIT: I should add that if he's dropping out because his wife's cancer has reached a more aggressive stage, then he's making the right move. If that's not the reason... tool.
Let me get this straight. John Edwards drops out, McCain wins Florida and holds a significgant lead in the WTA states on super Tuesday, The Mets land Johan Santana, the Giants are playing in the superbowl and my little girl is getting her first teeth. Am I having the best week ever or what?
Since Edwards is not going to endorse anyone today, maybe he wants to start a bidding war between Clinton and Obama, fighting for his endorsement?
It was over after Iowa, but he did well enough to think that "just maybe" so he stayed in the race until South Carolina. He ran to win, not to give endorsements or play (fantasy) kingmaker.
In my case, we lost our heat for several days during the coldest part of the winter, we can't sell our condo, I'm buried at work, I'm busy with classes, my son just started getting molars--which is *not* fun--and we blew a fuse last night and had no replacements. I was tempted to say that this has been a ************ week, but then I arrived at work and learned that Edwards dropped out of the race. Best. Week. Ever!!!!
I don't agree with this. The media will argue about which candidate is being stung by the nonendorsement, but I don't think anyone will agree on the answer.
There's some evidence he's actually taking more votes from Clinton than Obama -- at least in some states.
It's tough to say, really. I think a lot of the blue-collar union types would go from Edwards to Hillary.
I like Edwards to a point, but make no mistake that he is a pure political animal. I don't doubt that he would pursue the populist agenda he advanced, but I think he hitched his wagon to that agenda because he thought it was a winning strategy. He is now shopping himself for the best possible deal. There was a story a few days back that he could be the AG in an Obama administration. I actually think that would be a good place for him to land. My guess is that he will be on the phone with Hillary this morning asking for something more or at least the same deal. If he gets the same or better, he will pick who he thinks will win.