John Edwards is ending his campaign for the Democratic nomination. Here are the Associated Press, Washington Post, and CNN articles. Edwards is expected to make the official announcement at 1pm at a previously scheduled anti-poverty speech in New Orleans. According to the Washington Post article, Edwards has no immediate plans to endorse anyone. According to the CNN article, his decision is not related to his wife Elizabeth’s health. I hope that is true, but I am still concerned.
The impact on the race will be immediate. With Edwards in the race on Super Tuesday it was going to be difficult for either Clinton or Obama to accumulate a majority of the delegates. With Edwards out of the race, one of the big two is guaranteed to get a majority. The nomination will be settled by Edwards’ voters. Who were they? Were they predominately advocates of change that will be more predisposed to join Barack Obama’s campaign, or were they predominately white voters that didn’t like Hillary Clinton but will still choose her over the non-white candidate?
I guess we will find out soon enough. It’s time for Barack Obama to walk entirely on his own two feet.
What’ll be even more interesting is the effects of people who have already voted by mail. I almost filled out my ballot last night but decided to wait until hearing the news from Edwards’ NOLA speech.
One of the serious drawbacks to voting by mail–things happen in the last week before you vote. I have only voted by mail when the items were issues not candidates.
If Edwards doesn’t announce his support for Hillary or Obama before Super Tuesday, I will caucus for Obama. Not taking any chances on a deal with Hillary.
That’s a good strategy for early voting. I’m anticipating a crazy day next Tuesday for non-political reason so requested the ballot in case I couldn’t make it to the polls.
If my crystal ball is functioning correctly, Obama will win the southern part of the state (the region I live), and Hillary will take the Phoenix Metro area. The outlying areas are a toss-up, but I was expecting Edwards to do well among the copper belt area that is still heavily union. Will be interesting to see what happens now.
it’s like you have spidey-sense.
you’d be surprised what you hear when listening to the wind. Now if only it would tell me what size shirt I should hunt for this weekend…
My election is today. I heard the news as I was leaving to vote. I still voted for Edwards just because I wanted to.
I still have my absentee ballot and I had planned to vote for Edwards. I just got an e-mail from the campaign yesterday inviting me to see Edwards in San Jose on Friday. I’m not voting for Hillary; but I’m reluctant to vote for Obama unless Edwards endorses him.
I’m disappointed that Edwards staff leaked the news to the press before they told their supporters. It may well have been the only way that they could have gotten the press to show up for the speech, considering the news blackout he’s gotten; but it still feels bad to wake up to Cokie Roberts gloating that he’s dropping out.
With Barack Obama, we have a person who is 50 % African. The Democrats have always prided themselves as a party who welcomed diversity, and welcomes all persons.
Can white Democrats vote for a black man? They did in Iowa.
Will white Democrats in Alabama vote for a black man? Texas?
It’s a test.
I know one thing – if Barack cannot win the vote of white Democrats, he will not win the vote of white Republicans.
See what happens when I go back to sleep before checking the dailies? I miss everything! I went back to bed at 5am my time. I thought for sure that Edwards really was going to stay in for the long haul.
Well, I guess it’s the epic Clinton v. Obama showdown that the media has been longing for.
Unfortunately, I think identity politics has more to do with Edwards’ support than his policy stances, meaning that most of his votes will flow to Clinton.
Hope you’re wrong. We supported him so that he could keep hammering away on issues we find important.
Yahoo:
CNN
I think he dropped out because he heard Bush say in the State of the Union that we’re “goin’ after the purveyors of false populism.”
I caught that too. Wonder if Huckabee was included in that dig?
Edwards and 9/11 dropping out at the same time, what a contrast, a big loss vs. a big gain.
Ed Koch this morning on Rudy’s demise
“The beast is dead”
there was a pre-caucus meeting last night of edwards supporters, and even the ‘one corps‘ leader didn’t know this. the grassroots weren’t informed, and this morning there seems to be a sense of betrayal in some of the messages.
this is a major disappointment.
and l’m w/ heartoftherockies…it’s obama, by default.
lTMF’sA
could be a question of funds too. Why go into debt when you’re dwarfed by the media – not seen as viable, not given a chance.
For what it’s worth, a look back The American Prospect
Whither Edwards Supporters?
Despite John Edwards’ determination to remain in the race, some advisers already see the end. The new question is not when he’ll drop out but where his supporters — and the candidate himself — will go next. –Dana Goldstein
Both Edwards and Bill Richardson, it’s not hard to discern where their hearts lean. With Edwards the body language is clear.
reading tea leaves….A hint from Bill Richardson?
for excluding Gravel from debates.
He’s holding an online “alternative debate” tomorrow night, with the network feed on a screen, and he’ll jump in with his answers. http://gravel2008.us will provide a link to the live feed.
What prevents Edwards supporters from checking the already-printed box next to his name?
NOthing. Have at it.
From Newsweek
Damn, that was quick.
Not surprised.
go read my comment upthread…a hint from Bill Richardson...indicative the character of Obama.
It’s a bit tacky IMO…but you know that the Clinton’s would have done it anyway. Reading reports, it seems it was the Clinton’s campaign leaked the story. I’ve read so many stories where there’s the line, “The Clinton campaign said that Edwards called on Wednesday.”
yeah, i gotta go with Obama myself.
I’m not completely sold on the man, but another 4-8 years of Clintonism makes my stomach turn.
no thank you.
I think Edwards supporters were mostly with him because they hated Hillary. So most will go to Obama.
From my own caucus experience, when Edwards was declared “not viable,” his supporters immediately moved to Obama without even blinking.
Now, in the south, it may be different. They might have been with Edwards because they’re uncomfortable with the black man and also can’t stand Hillary. But what’s worse for these voters, the cold calculating Hillary or the black man?
It would be nice if Edwards endorses Obama, but if he endorses no one, most of his supporters should move to Obama anyway.
My 2 cents, FWIW.
A couple of weeks ago, we were asked to complete a survey. 500 responses were tabulated in this informal survey:
I’m trying to find the one taken for the larger party. Edwards was ahead in that one too, but since the numbers were so close, no endorsement was given.
John never had a chance in hell. The media made damn sure of that. It has come down to who has the most money and the big wigs of the party behind them. That is the truth. We are now letting Corporate America and the media(which is now part of Corp Am) choose our candidates.
Oh this has been going on for some time and we allowed it.
Well the media is portraying this in racial terms and so are you Boo. At least 8 “analysts” this morming talked about whether the Edwards voters will eventually vote for a black man. It took one brave reporter to actually provide the exit polling data from the previous primaries/caucuses that showed his supporters were “working class” democrats (the base) and not from the “youth” or “affluent” or “better educated” demographic.
see my examination of the Exit Polls…unfortunately, Edwards’ support was not working class, nor liberal, nor in any way correlated to his rhetoric.
Please repost the link to your analysis.
it’s on the front-page, currently at the top.
Very sad news, but not totally unexpected. I don’t really care for either of the other two.
I think I’ll caucus for Gravel, just to make the O and H supporters convince me as to why I should go over to their side.
I am sick to death of being told that I only supported Edwards because I’m conservative, white and above $100K. If I support either one of the two “top tier” candidates, it will be because their proposed policies have convinced me, not because of anything else. And I am sick to death of defending either one to the GrOPer idiots around me that are attacking because of sex, race, last name, etc. Goddammit.
I would have voted for John Edwards in the California primary – I will be voting for Obama. White male, 50yrs old.
Despite the famous Obama charisma, I don’t get the feeling that he is going to change much – but I’m sure Hillary, whatever good intentions she might have once had, has been bought & paid for by Corporatists up & down the line.
My politics are decidedly Populist & anti-Corporatist.
Like “liberal”, I consider “Populist” a badge of honor & not the epithet that so many these try to make it.