Edwards Endorses Obama

The New York Times reports that John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama yesterday -- at a rally in Michigan.  One can't help wondering about the time and place: why before the DNC Rules Committees' May 31 meeting (at which members will decide what to do about Michigan and Florida) and why in Michigan?

According to Ben Smith at Politico, Edwards earned 16 pledged delegates from several states and will likely get a few more from Iowa; those delegates are now like super-delegates, in that they could switch to Obama or Clinton.  Here's the unbelievable part:

"Sounding a theme of a nation divided into parts by walls, Mr. Edwards said, 'The reason I am here tonight is that Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I.'”

"Mr. Edwards then went on to say, 'There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to tear down that wall and make one America, Barack Obama.'” (NY times)

I must interject!  Unless you consider Florida's and Michigan's voters to be from another nation, America's voters -- as reflected by the popular vote -- have not quite decided whether they want Obama or Hillary to go up against McCain.

I suppose that ramping up pressure is one way to drive a significant number of Democrats to support McCain in November.

Memeorandum has commentary.

Comments

[Adam]

That was unbelievable? Perhaps Edwards was referring to Obama's essentially unassailable delegate lead, since delegates decide who wins? That's not an "unbelievable" explanation of his words, is it?

I'm not asking Hillary to drop out of the race; I respect her desire to play out the process and let the voters in the remaining five contests record their preferences. But I'm not willing to maintain the fiction that the outcome of the race remains in serious doubt. As I said on the other thread, you can seat MI/FL however you like, and Obama will still win.

Edwards was the biggest endorsement left - not because his or any other endorsement has much impact with remaining voters, but because it's likely that most of Edwards's 18 delegates will go to Obama. There's already been rumblings from several of them that they are going to vote for Obama.

[Danny]

'There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to tear down that wall and make one America, Barack Obama.'”

ad nauseum!

If it's not Hillary - "Well then" it's McCain. Blaim the liberal elite! Edwards and Obama held the endorsement until the win in WV for Hillary was won and big (they knew it would be). These men look like they are a bunch of frat boy's on a misogyny binge. I hate the liberal elite and the NEW MATH for an Obama Electoral college is fuzzy and wrong. Democrats are idiots if they nominate Obama.

I'll never vote for the vicious Obama campaign. They have been down right ugly and in Americas face challenging anyone who disagrees with them. Very GWB republican of them. Hillary has taken the high road and her strong supporters know what Obama, Edwards and the other dips on that side of the party have done to harm the Clintons and they will NEVER get rewarded by us for that.

SO - Hillary will win the nomination because not all democrats are as stupid as the Obama supporters have been by destroying the party to win. They played the race card now they can chew on it.

[D. Cupples]

Danny,

I agree with you re: Obama's campaign having been very GWB -- only Obama was smart enough to be stealthy about it.

The anger I felt for several months -- over Obama's campaign, the media folks who clearly displayed bias against Hillary, and the DNC -- has turned to sadness, coupled with a heavy feeling in my stomach.

That's why I took a few days off from answering blog comments.

How are you?

[D. Cupples]

Adam,

I object to Edwards' phrase: "Democratic voters in America have made their choice." I should have bolded it to reduce confusion.

Obama does have the pledged delegate lead, but he doesn't have the popular vote lead (i.e., the "Democratic voters in America") if you count MI's and FL's popular votes (which DNC rules are silent on).

And remember, a dozen or so of Obama's wins are from caucus states, which ARE valid but which EXCLUDE a lot of voters' opinions, making the results less reflective of what a majority of "Democratic voters in America" want.

PLEASE DON'T misread my argument. I'm NOT saying that the current nominating process should be upended.

I'm just saying that Edwards' phrasing is inaccurate. Nothing more.