The door is shutting, Senator Edwards. I'm sorry, but it's true.

[PresidentObama]

I've committed myself to support Senator John Edwards till he drops out...

Whether you love or hate him, I hope all on DU can respect and admire my loyalty, passion, and hard work I've given to the John Edwards for President campaign.

I believe in his cause.

I believe in One America.

I believe we can end the corporate power and corporate greed that's corrupted Washington.

I believe we can remove their powerful grip from our democracy.

I believe we can take these people on, defeat them, and bring about the big and bold change we need in this country.

And I believe/believed in John Edwards.

But it saddens me to see the door shutting for John. Edwards supporters, I'm not telling you to stop supporting him. I'm not stopping. But I want use to face reality: the notion he'll be the nominee just isn't likely. Actually, from here it's near impossible.

South Carolina gives us one last bit of hope.

But even there, he's way behind.

I look at Senator Clinton and Senator Obama as appropriate alternatives.

However, I wish John Edwards was the nominee of our party.

But don't give up the fight, and the cause. Even if he isn't the nominee, fight for the causes and values you believe in. It's important that this campaign not end with just John Edwards, it has to continue. We must demand from our nominee the kind of big and bold change we got from Senator John Edwards and his campaign. We owe it to our nation.

In closing, Edwards supporters...don't give up hope, and don't give up on your country.

We can band together, and fight like hell for change.

We do make a difference. We do.

And I'm absolutely thrilled I had the honor to be a part of the grassroots operation to nominate and elect Senator John Edwards for President!

:) The fight goes on...

[terisan]

1. I haven/t given up on him but shouldhe not be the candidate do you think he would be willing to head

a trues citizens organization that would influence the Washington political game ?

He raises the issues that need to be addressed.

[cboy4]

2. If you've committed yourself to supporting Edwards

"till he drops out," why are you writing, essentially, a concession speech tonight?

I'm curious.

[PresidentObama]

4. I owe it to John to support him to the end, but I know he's not going to win.

I guess I'm supporting him for the same reason people support Kucinich.

They know he won't win, but they agree with his positions and what he stands for.

[wundermaus]

6. that is a profound statement of empathy and understanding

thank you for that. We Patriots are diverse, but that is our strength.

[Divine Discontent]

12. stranger things have happened

and he should stay in it to the convention as he stated so that his delegates, WE his supporters provide him by voting, can possibly decide who becomes our nominee.

I personally am NGU! Onward! This country is in dire need of his leadership. I feel the other two would be less focused on the issues/crimes that we are very upset about here on DU that we believe the BFEE have been committing.


:hug:

[pauldg0]

18. Look how McCain came back...

...I don't know if there is enough time however. I'm praying every day.

[Pierogi_Pincher]

26. That's just what I commented on to my husband tonite.

He was written off last summer--depleting funds, letting go of staff, etc. And now he has a presence again. Strange things can and do happen.
I'm w/ John all the way.
P_P

[Webster Green]

3. Thanks to the fascist media blackout of Edwards..

What a load of crap! The whole thing is a fucking hoax, IMO.

[FrenchieCat]

7. Welcome to the Clarkie world......that Edwards supporters didn't believe

existed back in 2004. It does, and now you have been there.

[Webster Green]

9. Hell, I've been there for awhile..

I voted for Dennis in 2004, and he'll get my vote again on Feb.5

[Darth_Kitten]

32. I remember DU quite well from 2004......do you??

n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. His emphasis on the evil corporations made it difficult for him to get

any face time on evil corporate media outlets.

[DemIdeals]

Oh give me a break

He didn't get any face time because he wasn't winning, and he wasn't winning because PEOPLE, Democratic voters, rejected him.

[Skittles]

14. LOL - are you sure that's all it was?

because it looks to me like the MSM have spent all their time touting HRC and Obama FROM THE START

[Yukari Yakumo]

20. Not all...

Edwards doomed himself with his one-state strategy. By focusing everything on Iowa, he never built the infrastructure and support in the other 49 states. When Iowa didn't fall his way, he never had the safety net like Clinton had.

If he went with a 50-state strategy, he probably would have gotten the additional media exposure too.

[Hoof Hearted]

24. BINGO! Just like my 2004 candidate lost by trying to skip Iowa. (Clark)

Edwards made strategical errors, putting so much emphasis and hype into Iowa (like Dean) and then there was the decision to run as the new "angry" John Edwards, probably on Trippi's advice (think "angry" Dean) instead of the "nice guy" John of 2004. Trippi might have a big contact list but he is the kiss of death.

[Yukari Yakumo]

28. Trippi's an idiot, isn't he? {nt}

uguu

[99th_Monkey]

22. ..this being ESPECIALLY obvious right after Edwards came in 2nd in Iowa ..

M$M coverage = "John who?"

[EffieBlack]

37. Edwards came in second in Iowa

but he came in a very distant second - it wasn't even close. And since he came in second in Iowa in 2004, there was hardly a story there.

There were two stories from Iowa that were MUCH more newsworthy than Edwards coming in second for the second time:

1) Obama's overwhelming victory over the previous VP nominee and the former First Lady/presumed frontrunner;

2) Former frontrunner's disappointing third place finish.

The media understandably covered those two stories - because they were big news. Edwards coming second again was not a story at all.

I have lots of problems with the MSM - but the fact that they didn't fall all over themselves covering John Edwards after Iowa is not one of them.

[99th_Monkey]

41. That makes perfect sense

..since you are obviously enamored with ONE of the two '08 $100Million M$M darlings, and are fine with it being all about them -- forget JE.

If, one the other hand, you supported John Edwards, it would make no sense whatsoever. The M$M's pretense that JE didn't exist after he'd
just come in 2nd was so brazen and transparent, that there were quite a number of scathing post-election strings on DU about it .. did you
miss those?

[Darth_Kitten]

34. exactly.......

:)

[Darth_Kitten]

33. whatever......

next...........

[OHdem10]

8. Beautifully expressed.

[jzodda]

10. I feel as you do

He was my guy and it does not look like he can be the nominee. So now I am going to sit the primary out if he drops by the time NY votes. I will support whoever we nominate though. He will probably stay in the race it looks like in case neither Clinton or Obama has the majority of delegates needed by convention time. This puts him in position to ask for the cabinet post he wants and to put some of his desires into the platform coming out of convention. At least thats what the pundits keep saying. If you can't win, then playing kingmaker may not be too bad for him if I were him. If a nominee emerges out of Feb 5th then I think he drops right away.

[LittleBlue]

11. At some point, regardless of how good a candidate he is, it's time to admit defeat.

It was over after Iowa. This is not dignified.

[Der Blaue Engel]

16. This post isn't dignified. n/t

[Skittles]

17. how about waiting until the rest of us have our say?

how about that for a novel idea?

[KoKo]

30. Ridiculous....

[AdHocSolver]

13. If we don't support Edwards and his message to the convention, this election and the country is lost

It looks like Hillary is on a roll and that means we can expect a new Republican president in 2008. She will energize the right wing and the Republicans will have a good chance to steal 2008, just as they did in 2000, and 2004.

Even if Clinton somehow squeaks by, she is Bush lite -- No health care reform, continued occupation of Iraq, maybe an attack on Iran (they still have oil to steal), and continued offshoring of American jobs (hubby Bill promoted NAFTA).

The worst scenario is that people bail on Edwards because they think he isn't a viable candidate (thanks to a right-wing media) and then either Obama or Clinton implodes.

Keep supporting Edwards all the way to the convention. His having delegates at the convention is our only hope of saving the party and the country.

[LibDemAlways]

25. Hillary or Obama as nominee all but guarantees we'll

be bitching and moaning about Pres. McCain or Pres. Romney next year at this time. What the corporate whores have wanted all along is a Hillary candidacy because they know that given the shitty condition in which the Bush Crime Family has left the country after 8 years, a strong Dem nominee would kick ass this November. They've played the public beautifully. Hype the two least electable candidates and ignore everybody else- making people who don't pay much attention to politics think the Dem. choice is between Hillary and Obama. And looking at this point like it's going to be Hillary, the most polarizing person on the primary ballot. Rove and Co. are, no doubt, laughing their asses off.

[pauldg0]

15. Don't let us know how easy it is to quit......................

If you want to quit, then quit. Maybe something significant can still happen out there....don't throw it in yet bud!!!

[Yukari Yakumo]

19. As Connor MacLeod would say...

"There can only be one."

There can only be one nominee, and the situation is looking grim for Edwards...

He was beaten by a 2-to-1 margin each by both Obama and Clinton in NH,
He got beat badly in NV,
His outlook doesn't bode well in SC,
It does not look good for him in FL also,
And then it's on to Super Tuesday.

Basically. After Iowa, he's taking a heavy beating on all sides. It's hard to stay positive when there isn't much to be positive about.

And I have no idea how much money Edwards has left.
(Did they say how much was raised Friday? It's never a good sign if they didn't.)

[saracat]

21. This is not helpful Kerry2008. I have no idea what the future may bring.

And I say it is up to Sen.Edwards to make whtever decision he likes.There may be doors shutting but others may be opening.

[Hoof Hearted]

23. I'm glad you got to work for a candidate you believe deeply in, I did that in 2004

and had to face the music, just as you are now.

I admire your grace and commitment. It certainly wasn't a wasted effort by any means.

Come this time next year, we can lift our glasses together and toast President Obama or President Hillary Clinton. It's going to be o.k.

Thanks for your dedication and your passion. :toast:

[Benhurst]

29. Yeah, and while we're at it, let's raise a glass and toast

Presidents Gore and Kerry.

:toast:

[stickernation]

27. Edwards 2012 !

If Hillary and Barack keep sparring like they have been, they will destroy each other in the process. In that awful case we'll hope for Edwards to take on whoever beats them - in 2012. Heaven forbid this takes place - sure I want a Democratic President to take over - but what is very unsettling but strangely comforting is the disconnect I feel with the voting portion of the American public. i say strangely comforting because i have been an outsider subgenius punk sci-fi nerd forever, and so I'm used to it. it's like, i have already thrown up my hands - the electorate is full of blockheads, if DEMOCRATS can't recognize the right candidate then I'm about ready to toss out my inkblots - the patient can't see the obvious pattern, so there is nothing the doctor can do right now.

JRE has over the last few months created exactly the kind of fifty-state infrastructure that was missing this time out. It falls to supporters like me to keep this infrastructure alive and thriving until he can run again, especially if the Democrats (again heaven forbid) lose this November. The point being, Edwards hasn't given me a single reason to drop out of supporting him yet. A tip of the hat to Kucinich supporters who know they are supporting the correct candidate. I too know that I am supporting the correct candidate, and I will continue to do so. In 2012 I will be there screaming for him to get the nod THIS time, because obviously the riled up Democrats can't imagine not having a celebrity candidate in this election year. Perhaps by 2012 the media environment will shift further towards the People and away from the moneyed interests. However perhaps by 2012 we'll all be in the Huckabee/Romney Gulag sewing blankets in a far corner of Kansas.

I just wish Obama supporters had shown more solidarity with Edwards supporters; they have often sounded not very Democratic at all, often repeating RW talking points about Edwards like the $400 haircut, failing to support Obama's clearly more pro-long-term-occupation views, and standing by their candidate's Reagan hagiogram. Obama supporters really have missed out, as some of the best DUers have been and are behind Edwards, and Obama himself has failed to convince me. Obama strikes me as sort of a lame debater, whatever his oratory skills - he hasn't landed a blow in all the times I have seen him debate.

Obama and his supporters had so many chances to build any kind of solidarity with Edwards supporters, but you never cared, you just screamed "drop out edwards, drop out". i fear that's what many of us edwards supporters will do. you missed out and as far as I could see you won exactly zero of the head to head battles you pitched against progressive Edwards supporters. so far as I know, Obama is still comfortable with missiles into Tehran and Guanatanamo remaining open.

in a way i feel like saying to the OP: don't be a scab and cross the picket line, we Edwards supporters are going on STRIKE until one of the media-anointed leading candidates actively appeals for us through concrete policy statements and action. neither choice is looking very appetizing. withdrawing in disgust is not the same as apathy. i'll find a way to rally behind the eventual nominee, but I feel cheated. I am rooting for the Chargers tomorrow, that's just how I roll, with the underdog, and I'm with JRE 100%. His campaign has been worth every penny, I have not been cheated.

-s

[Fabio]

38. Yes. More JRE running for president!

[Armstead]

31. The crap transcends Edwards unfortunately

I can see exactly what is going to happen.

It will continue to be yet another replay of the cycle that has castrated the Democratic Party since the late 1970's.

The top of the ticket will be in the hands of a candidate who is a willing slave to the corporate status quo. That same straightjacket will continue to dominate on all levels, from Congress on down.

Liberals and progressives will continue to be marginalized as "too far left" while the Beltway Elite and DLC Centrists will help the GOP tighten the screws on the majority.

[ColesCountyDem]

35. Until he tells me to stop, I'll continue to support him.

He's the first candidate in many years to truly speak for me, and to make me believe that people like me will *finally* get a voice at the convention. I dearly love Sen. Obama, and gave him my support as a precinct committeeman in the 2004 primary, but I will cast my vote for Sen. Efwards, and urge the voters in my precinct to do the same.

[karynnj]

36. I wonder if Edwards will transfer his energies as Dean did in 2004 to an organization

pushing his ideas. When Dean left the race, it had been clear for some time that he coulds not win. Rather than just bow out, he transitioned a kernel of his organization to DFA. (I think that's the right acronym.) In Edwards' case it might even be the poverty institute already set up.

Like Dean, Edwards does not have an elected position to return to. Doing this could, as it did for Dean, give him a continuing voice. I know that until Edwards himself bows out, it may be - on some level - not yet the time to speak of it being over. I know a little how it feels to Edwards people, as we went though the same loss of expectations in January 2007. In a way, it is worse - as we could see the position Kerry has in the Senate, that he is extremely likely to keep.

As one never for Edwards, I want to say that, at minimum, he forced a discussion on the issue of poverty that the country needed - and needs. This is a major accomplishment in an era when the race coverage becomes a series of silly issues created by the media and other campaigns purposely taking every vulnerable statement out of context and twisting it to seem to say what it never did.

[PresidentObama]

39. I hope so. I would love to see Edwards start an organization to put poverty back on the agenda.

[OzarkDem]

40. Way too early for that

The primaries have just begun.

[PresidentObama]

No they haven't.

Hillary took New Hampshire and Nevada.

And it looks like Obama has won Iowa and probably South Carolina.

Edwards just doesn't have the momentum going into February 5th.

[PresidentObama]

42. No they haven't.

Hillary took New Hampshire and Nevada.

And it looks like Obama has won Iowa and probably South Carolina.

Edwards just doesn't have the momentum going into February 5th.

[Monty__]

43. I'm not giving up

I've supported John for 5 years and I'm no going to stop supporting him until he asks us to stop.