Reply #59: He may have waited too long . . .

[EffieBlack]

Edwards is in a difficult spot now. Had he endorsed right before or right after Super Tuesday, he may have had some real impact. But now, he's in a bit of a bind.

His choices:

Endorse Clinton BEFORE the North Carolina primary - if she wins the state, he's in good shape. But right now, she's so far behind and he's so unpopular there that it is unlikely that his endorsement will help her much there. If he were to endorse and she doesn't carry the state, his inability to help a candidate in his own home state will make him appear very weak and could well bury any chance he has in the future of being an important political player.

Endorse Clinton AFTER the North Carolina primary - if Clinton loses North Carolina and THEN he endorses her, it may be too little too late - not to mention the fact that Clinton and her supporters might be unhappy that he waited rather than getting behind her in the state when he might have helped her there.

Endorse Obama BEFORE the North Carolina primary - if these press reports are correct, that seems like the last thing he wants to do.

Endorse Obama AFTER the North Carolina primary - this would make sense only if Obama wins the primary. But if he endorses at that point, he'll look spineless and appear to be jumping on the bandwagon after the fact

None of these options seem to work well for Edwards at this point.

I think he waited to long for an endorsement to be meaningful.