Clinton, Edwards have a mutual interest in each other's success right now?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

==John Edwards and Hillary Clinton have a mutual interest in seeing each other's candidacy prosper over the next four months.

Edwards wants Clinton's national poll ratings to rise, rise, rise. That way, if/when he beats her in Iowa, he will have slain a giant. Also, the thinking in Edwards land is that if Clinton rises, the press will conclude that Barack Obama is falling.

Clinton wants Edwards to keep his lead in Iowa and remain competitive nationally. Some of her advisers figure that Edwards and Obama are competing for largely overlapping pool of undecided voters.

Edwards also fires at Obama from his left and provides voters with a nice contrast, in the minds of the Clinton campaign, in terms of policy. It's probably true that some Clinton advisers are comfortable, right now, with John Edwards's being seen as the boldest candidate, policy-wise. Better Edwards than Obama.

Defeating Edwards in Iowa -- something the Clinton campaign believes is doable but not absolutely vital -- could clinch the nomination for Clinton if and only if Edwards remains strong enough to be...beaten.==

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/08/the_edwardsclinton_mutual_sust.php

[ludwigb]

1. Some Say Obama and Edwards are competing for a common pool of votes

But that's not necessarily true. It's quite possible that Hillary would actually gain more if Edwards left the race. After all, if Edwards continues to be viable enough to win Iowa, then Hillary will not be able to sow the nomination up, and should they both falter, Obama will be waiting with his deep pockets.

According to this thread, Edwards supporters on DU are pretty much equally divided between Obama and Clinton as their 2nd (or 3rd) choice
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_

[draft_mario_cuomo]

2. If Edwards drops out HRC winning Iowa means much less since she would be expected to do so

Apparently the polling the HRC campaign has suggests Edwards and Obama are mostly competing for the same votes. DU is not an accurate reflection of the electorate. This is a place where Clinton barely cracks the double digits and Kucinich was at 31% in a recent straw poll. Clinton is not nearly as hated among the general population, particularly among Democrats, as she is on the netroots.

[frogcycle]

3. NOT ME!

After Edwards, I say oh shit and vote for whichever one gets it, but they aren't my second or 3rd or 4th choice