I Like Edwards - But I Got To Ask.........

[global1]

if he is so against Washington lobbyists and how they donate money to his competitors and expect to get something in return for their monetary support - how come he is staying in the race to gather delegates and become the king maker?

In essence - he is giving something (delegates) to either Hillary or Barack - in return for something - maybe like VP or something.

Isn't this a bit of hypocrisy?

[More Than A Feeling]

1. The delegates he receives come from us, not from lobbyists.

John Edwards is our voice, not the voice of lobbyists. There is no hypocrisy here.

[saracat]

2. Not at all. If he doesn't win, he wants to use that influence for "us" .He is the ONLY one speaking

for "US".As Truman said"the president is the lobbyist for the People" ! JOhn is our lobbyist!

[Extend a Hand]

3. I think he's in it to win

It's not sewed up by a long shot:
2025 delegates total
Clinton 230
Obama 152
Edwards 61

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/

[Tulkas]

9. He has one 2nd place finish and 3 3rd place finishes, name one state he can win? or even finish 2nd

He campaigned in Iowa for five years and came in second. He has no viable path to the nomination.

I am sorry, I like the guy but he can't win.



If I played Tiger Woods, I might only be down 3-4 strokes after the first two holes (maybe), but I can't ever make that up to win. It would not be over "by a long shot but there would be no hope of victory.

[Tulkas]

11. I am gonna say a very bad thing, Fair warning!!!

This should be a NoN ISSUE, I don't want to bring it up and I understand that you will be angry with me for saying it.... but...


I assume that when he and his wife discussed her illness something was said like "I won't stop fighting for what I want and you better not stop fighting either" ... something to that effect.


Again I apologize for even mentioning her condition, I just think he won't stop fighting because he made her a promise.

I can respect that. I had been saying things like... Edwards is the new Nader... and He is just a Spoiler hurting his own cause..


I have softened my rhetoric. I am an asshole but I am not heartless.

If he wants to try and trade his endorsement for the V.P. spot there is nothing I can do about it so I may as well deal with it.

[AndyA]

19. John Edwards is on record as stating he will not accept a VP position.

The media has made this a matter of gender and race. Everyone wants to be a part of history by electing the first woman or AA President. And that's great, but we should be electing a President based on who's best able to:

1. Beat the GOP candidate
2. Fix the mess Bush will leave behind
3. Do something to bring the country back to the left
4. Restore our reputation around the world
5. End the war in Iraq and bring the troops home
6. Provide health care for all
7. Deal with outsourcing of American jobs
8. Fix the tax break loopholes

And, of course, there are a lot more, but those are just a few for starters.

John Edwards is in this so that people like me will have a voice. Barack does not speak for me, neither does Hillary. So, without John I have nothing. And there are many more like me.

Corporate America has had a blank check during the Bush Administration to do whatever the hell they wanted to do. The new bankruptcy law, outsourcing, going overseas to get tax breaks, dumping pension plans, killing competition by condensing the market. We need someone who is not beholden to corporate America to restore balance.

John Edwards is the only one who can do that. Barack makes lots of promises, but there's no meat on the bones. And who knows what Hillary will really do if given the chance, she changes her position on issues to suit the weather on any given day.

The media is trying to minimize John Edwards, and promote Hillary and Barack. They've been doing it for months, before the first vote was even cast. Why is that? What do they fear?

Whatever it is, it's enough to tell me he's the right man for the job. I hope he hangs in there until the convention, and uses whatever power he may have to give me a voice for the next 4 years.

[and-justice-for-all]

4. I would have to say no..

in this instance I would not call it a hypocrisy.

[Tulkas]

5. Obama does not take Lobbyist Money, Only Hillary does that (of those 3)

[fenriswolf]

6. lets be clear

a "minority"of the american people have voted yet. I mean minority in the fact that the race is still far from decided. He is staying in because he has a legitamite chance. I know alot of people in cali who are pulling for edwards.

[2rth2pwr]

7. He has no formal, legal way to pledge the delegates to anybody.

If he is in it at the convention, they will stay with him through the first ballot. After he is shown not to be viable, the delegates themselves decide where to go. And they can go to whomever they choose, they are beholden to noone.

[Tatiana]

10. No, but if he urges them to vote for one of the other candidates, they likely will. n/t

[2rth2pwr]

12. No, why would they? They may have been Hillary or Obama supporters. nt

[Tatiana]

13. Because Edwards asks them to? It's like the Iowa caucus.

Dennis didn't have enough votes, so he urged his people to move to Obama. And they did. They could have split or chosen not to, but usually pledged delegates honor the wishes of their candidate. They are usually vetted by the state party and candidates for loyalty.

I'm not at all saying they HAVE to listen to Edwards. Just that any delegates he earns most likely will; especially if Edwards wins important concessions on economic policy.

[2rth2pwr]

14. he has no power to wield, they are free to go to either candidate.

What benefit can be derived from being loyal to the third place finisher?

[JDPriestly]

8. Maybe to keep his issues before the public.

You may not realize that Edwards has lead the other candidates on many of the most important issues. I'm sure he wants to be president, and I know he is ready and qualified to be president. But, more than anything, he is a man of ideas and dreams. He wants to make sure that whoever is the candidate, himself of someone else, the issues that he knows really matter to ordinary Americans are foremost in the minds of that candidate. And the only way he can insure that is to go as far as he can go.

He may ultimately be the compromise candidate.

[avaistheone1]

15. That does make alot of sense.

I sure hope things unfold that way, that is if Edwards does not assume the presidency.

[Two Americas]

16. no

Putting delegates into the convention who support Edwards message is a legitmate way to give more people a voice in the direction of the party.

By the way, I wonder how many people know that Lincoln was in fourth place going into the convention that eventually nominated him.

[avaistheone1]

17. Good to know. I wasn't aware of that.

That's very encouraging.

[melody]

18. If I see the words "I like" and "But" followed shortly by ellipses one more time ...

I'm going to scream.

Luckily in cyberspace no one can hear you scream.

[Madam Mossfern]

20. I heard that!

:silly: