Power Through Delegates May Be Edwards Strategy

[Phred42]

Here's Hoping!
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Power Through Delegates May Be Edwards Strategy

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/us/politics/29edwards.html?ref=us

Julie Bosman, reporting for The New York Times, writes, "With the Democratic nominating contest building to February 5, the candidates have been focusing on the crucial game of accumulating delegates, a task that has become a possible raison d'etre for John Edwards."

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — With the Democratic nominating contest building to Feb. 5, the candidates have been focusing on the crucial game of accumulating delegates, a task that has become a possible raison d’être for John Edwards.

After finishing third in three of the four primary contests so far — except in Iowa, where he beat Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York for second place by less than one percentage point — Mr. Edwards has shown no sign of quitting, and his advisers have insisted that he still hopes to capture the nomination.

But they have also floated other rationales for a continued Edwards candidacy, suggesting that his delegates could be used to promote his platform or to help him act as a power broker at the Democratic convention.

“We’re still hoping that John is the nominee,” said David Bonior, the national campaign manager. “But with a chunk of delegates, you can leverage what you’ve been fighting for and standing for. You can raise these issues to where they should be on the Democratic agenda. We’re running for those two reasons: to get the nomination and to have his voice heard on his issues.”

Mr. Edwards has accumulated some delegates, giving him a seat at the table — or at least in debates — with Mrs. Clinton and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois. He has often steered the conversation on policy, and was the first candidate to outline a universal health care plan and an economic stimulus proposal.