What Did Obama Promise Edwards?

[halliburtonsux]

What Did Obama Promise Edwards? By Michael Rectenwald, Ph.D. 15 May 2008 John Edwards's endorsement of Obama seems par for the course for Hillary. As soon as she wins, superdelegates endorse the other guy. As soon as she wins, backers endorse her opponent. The more she wins, the more media decry her staying in the race. The better she does, the worse she's made out to be. It's quite a staggering and stunning beating that she's been taking from the liberal elite.

John Edwards's belated endorsement of Barack Obama for Democratic presidential nominee is one in a series of blows. Like the others, it comes at a strange time. Not unlike the way things seem to go for Hillary Clinton in this campaign, the endorsement comes after Clinton's most resounding victory, and the widest margin of victory for any candidate in any Democratic primary to date this season--68 to 26--a 42 percentage point trouncing of the "presumptive nominee." (With a loss like that, should that be "presumptive" or "presumptuous?") Further, Clinton continued to rack up massive margins in the very voting blocks that Edwards had courted and claimed previous to dropping out. Beyond that, she also won over Obama's core voters.

The question is, given the fact that Clinton wins and wins big the Edwards constituents, why would Edwards, the supposed populist bucker of the elite establishment, endorse the candidate who loses his "own" group of voters and loses it big?

A potential Edwards endorsement was losing all efficacy and came at the last possible meaningful moment. If Edwards's endorsement was to mean anything, it had to come now. And given that Edwards is the person whose endorsement might mean the most to the constituency that Obama is being slaughtered amongst, his endorsement is necessary for Obama's presumption to go on.

<snip>

[ingac70]

1. AG I hope. n/t

[halliburtonsux]

10. Me too, if Obama wins the presidency. But I think the GOP has...

a third coup d'etat in the bullpen.
They know that the Democrats/US citizens will just 'roll over' once again, unfortunately.
Only a Democratic landslide could prevent another GOP stolen 'election.'

[Warren Stupidity]

2. I give up, what?

Was it really really bad? or just really bad?

[PoliticalAmazon]

17. Maybe to invite him over for a pot-roast dinner? With onion gravy? n/t

[elocs]

3. That Obama "promised" Edwards anything is an unproven assumption.

Another unproven assumption: what did Clinton promise Edwards?

[rodeodance]

27. ah, but juicy gossip is so delicious

[FrenchieCat]

Why, JetSkis of course.......

as was publicly discussed.

No secret. Pretty straight forward.

[sniffa]

16. And he got it (per his speech)

[billyoc]

21. The spy job. Preferably some place with the possibility of a jetski chase.

:rofl:

[halliburtonsux]

33. I like that Obama pic!

n/t

[LSparkle]

4. He admitted that Obama had signed on to the "Half in Ten" program

I don't doubt that HRC would (will) also support that, but perhaps
she was not as quick to get on board.

I can't help but think there was some relation between Edwards winning
7% of the WV vote and his coming out to endorse Obama the next day.
If voters were continuing to vote for him to "send a message" (we
don't like the woman and we don't like the black -- we want a white
man), he wanted them to face up to the fact that these are their choices
and to make it clear to them which candidate he prefers.

[AllentownJake]

5. Maybe nothing

Who was Edwards more friendly with on the campaign trail Hillary or Barack. Seems like he made a reasoned decision on who he thinks would make the better President.

That being said I hope he's the next Attorney General.

[goldcanyonaz]

6. To be passed around like a peace pipe in prison?

[RazBerryBeret]

7. he endorsed Obama in the hopes

to bring his "own" group of voters to back him. That's the criticism we've all been hearing of Obama lately..the hard working class...Edwards probably thought he could help him out a little.

Obama may have promised to help him with his ending poverty cause.

[BlooInBloo]

8. The chance to be on the winning team.

[democrattotheend]

9. It wasn't the biggest victory of the season

Obama won Idaho with 81%, Hawaii 76-24, DC 75-25, and a bunch of other caucus states by huge margins. And DC was a primary, not a caucus.

[Boz]

11. TWO WORDS, TO WIN

[islandmkl]

Ph. D.?...lots of "presumptuous" and "supposed populist" and "losing all efficacy"..

and "slaughtered amongst"...

I'm thinking Ph.D. is shorthand for PILED HIGHER and DEEPER...

those initials behind your name signify a great deal of time, and one supposes effort and achievement, pursuing an 'enhanced' education...

those initials do not make one an intellectual, let alone well-informed...

but, sometimes, they do make one amusing...

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

12. His DU alias?

[K Gardner]

13. Rectenwald. Ugh. Can't get beyond that :-)

[halliburtonsux]

29. Isn't that a bit prejudicial?

n/t

[Binka]

50. Oh Quit Seeing Trouble Where There Is None

The name is very close to RECTUM as in asshole. Enjoy your stay.

[PoliticalAmazon]

14. To cover his expenses? n/t

[Darth_Kitten]

VP

it has to to be something big.

[Bensthename]

15. The author acts like this is the first of the campaign. This is all but over.

This argument may have made sense about 3 months ago.

[jaksavage]

18. Nothing.

He was holding him for a grand entre.
Obama's got Game!

[Drunken Irishman]

19. Why does Michael Rectenwald have to inform us he has a Ph.D,?

[K Gardner]

22. Ya'd just have to get to know him to understand :-)

[rodeodance]

25. lots of authors do this.

[BlooInBloo]

31. It's a common Ph.D. thing. I've never been a fan of it myself. It's just showing off.

[halliburtonsux]

32. He didn't. I added 'Ph.D' as he is, and people on the 'Left' are always...

diminished in any dialogue with the Right.

[earthlover]

37. phd=pile it higher and deeper

[halliburtonsux]

40. What's your point? The man is educated in his field.

n/t

[Eurobabe]

42. the more letters the bigger the ego

I worked in Academia, Ph.D's can be some of the biggest blowhards on the planet. Many of them suffer from personality disorders, MEGOISM. (my eyes glaze over)

Sign me: 48%er (with a lowly MA :rofl: )

[Liberal Veteran]

20. A shrubbery!

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

24. Yes!!!!!!! a Monty Python reference. Every thread should have one.

[honkytonkmaster]

23. Something was promised

A few days ago, Edwards, spoke against endorsements, saying endorsement are overrated:

Edwards still has not endorsed either candidate, saying he "would not inflate the value of my supporting or endorsing any candidate. That's blown way, way out of proportion."

He contends endorsements carry more weight with the media than with voters: "I don't think they make a huge difference."

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90325735


Now all of a sudden endorsing a candidate became soo imperative.

[MethuenProgressive]

26. A Headline.

Probably Edwards' last one.

[indimuse]

28. just getting started...

He's going to take John's 28,000 square foot home (thanks john!!) and donate the sale proceeds to the hungry and homeless in district 13 Chicago, where Barack obama F*CKED these people with there own hard earned tax dollars..he lied and NEVER delivered what he promised on his FRAUDULENT State Campaign trail, bought and paid for by the 'Chicago Combine Elite'!

[halliburtonsux]

47. Yes, Michigan and Florida need to count.

n/t

[DU GrovelBot]

30. ## DON'T DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.1
==================



This week is our second quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Whatever you do, do not click the link below!

[Orsino]

34. Possibly to aid the best candidate.

But that's not enough for this Ph.D. in English, who insists that Edwards must have some darker motive, and is therefore a complete opportunist.

[Raejeanowl]

35. V.P. n/t

[KSinTX]

36. The friggin' jet ski. nt

[unlawflcombatnt]

38. What Did Obama Promise Edwards?

Hot air.

[madrchsod]

39. the moon

[graycem]

41. AG & spy, I hope. :D n/t

[DearAbby]

43. A free visit to GOLDEN HAIR SNIPS

Or maybe a Pony? I hope Obama is smart enough to offer a position to Edwards, in his administration.

[musicblind]

44. Hopefully at least AG, or to alter his health care plan

I trust Edwards enough to know that it had to be something worthy (ie. considering Edwards/Hillary's health care plan, or making poverty a priority in his administration). Edwards is a man of principle and I would expect that his bartering for the endorsement will show that. Not to mention that Edwards wants us to ALL win this fall by keeping McCain out of office. I think part of the endorsement was biting the bullet and saying "You know what, Obama is a good presidential candidate and it's obvious what we have to do here." I think that if Hillary had been where Obama is at this point in the game, and Obama where Hillary is... Edwards would have given just as strong a consideration to endorse Hillary.

I say this as a person who supports Hillary and does not want her to drop out until the primaries are done in June. I respect Edwards a lot and I trust him to be able to make wise choices in his reasoning for endorsements.

[SeattleGirl]

45. Jet skiis all 'round!

:)

[TexasObserver]

46. he was promised whatever he wanted

If he wants AG, he got it. If he wants SC, he got it. If he wants VP, he got it.

John Edwards allowed Obama to stomp on the embers of hope Clinton brought out of West Virginia and end hope when Hillary most needed it. He allowed Obama to make up in delegates those he lost in West Virginia. He allowed Obama to say to all superdelegates: It's over, come on it and join the winning team.

Clinton would have given Edwards the same thing, but he didn't want to endorse Clinton, because she is not trustworthy and stands for the wrong things.

[bobbert]

48. A jet ski

he wanted 2 jet skis, but he should be happy with one

[helderheid]

49. He kan haz cheezburger.