Hedging my bets -- I'll be bummed if Edwards endorses Clinton but will understand

[Armstead]

As an Edwards supporter who shifted to Obama as the default "not Clinton" alternative, I'm hoping Edwards either endorses Obama or sits it out with no endorsement.

IMO the Clinton/DLC Machine is antithetical to Edwards message and represents what he was critical of.

However, if Edwards does decide to endorse Clinton, I'll grudgingly assume he's doing it for honest reasons, and that he believes she has the best chance to win and cary his message forward. So I won't bash him.

Of course, if he endorses Obama, I'll say "I knew it!" :)

[LakeSamish706]

1. Sorry, but as an Edwards supporter I would not understand him endorsing her at all.....

That would go totally against his entire campaign with respect to Corporations. I think that he should not endorse at this time, period.

[jsamuel]

4. both Obama and Clinton are corporate compared to Edwards

Obama got the most donations from drug companies, Clinton got the most donations from insurance companies

He brought it up at NV debate to Obama.

[LakeSamish706]

6. And based on that, he should not endorse either of these candidates. IMO

[jsamuel]

8. if the ONLY issue were corporations, yes, but it isn't the only issue

UHC is a big one

[Armstead]

12. But that's tied to corporations too

[jsamuel]

13. sure, it is tied, but look at the plans

one is UHC the other isn't

One gives up on UHC before it starts.

[Armstead]

14. Well, I disagree with Edwards on that one

I believe mandates will make it harder to get any of these plans passed.

The only way mandates would make sense, IMO, is if they are part of a true universal health system that is public, instead of being tied to insurance companies and private plans.

It's going to require a fight anyway. Since none of the candidates is willing to fight for what is truly best and universal, because they don;t want to rouse the opposition, then it makes no sense to keep the least popular "Nanny State" aspect of it, while abandoning the core principle.

[jackson_dem]

16. Preventing a President McCain is the biggest issue

And that affects every other issue. If he thinks only Hillary can win it is logical for him to support her to prevent a President McCain.

[RiverStone]

2. The Clinton/DLC Machine is antithetical to everything Edwards was critical of...

Yes!

And I won't understand. He would be a hypocrite and I'd lose lots of respect for him. What other motivation could he possibly have other than a self serving one?

And I say that as a former Edwards supporter.

Best thing he can do is sit out the primaries (not endorse Obama either) and support our nominee after the convention.

I hope he stays true to his word - remember how much he was anti-lobby! Hillary is not anti-lobby.

[jsamuel]

7. if he thinks Obama is no better than Clinton, then that explains it

If Clinton has more positives in other areas, that explains it. Many Edwards supporters went to Clinton for such reasons.

[RiverStone]

11. He needs to do as Al Gore is doing...

Support our nominee after the convention.

And BTW, I don't think an Edwards endorsement would make much difference in the states that are left (except NC).

[Independent-Voter]

21. I agree, but and Edwards endorsement would hurt chances in NC

Trust me on this on. Edwards isn't popular at all in NC.

[Selatius]

3. If he endorses Hillary, I would guess it had something to do with her health care proposal.

When you line up Edwards' proposal and her proposal, they are essentially the same. You'd have to dive into the details to find the differences, as economist Paul Krugman pointed out. Krugman said Edwards' plan would leave open the door to transition to single-payer health care at a later date, for the fact that it gives people the option of purchasing public health insurance plans in addition to private health insurance plans.

People would quickly find out that the government-provided health insurance plan that competes with private insurance plans would not be trying to "nickel and dime" them by denying care and trying to charge high premiums because it doesn't have the fiduciary burden of trying to generate profits for shareholders.

[Meldread]

5. I agree, although I do not think his endorsement will mean much at this point.

At best, it'll get whoever gets the endorsement some free press. Hillary needs it more than Obama, but the truth of the matter is the majority of Edwards supporters have chosen a candidate by now. Those that are still supporting him over Obama or Hillary are doing so out of dislike for them, and therefore his endorsement will do little to change their mind.

He might be able to swing a few blue collared undecideds in Ohio if he campaigns on a candidates behalf, though, but we'll see.

I do agree, though, that if he endorses Hillary it goes counter to everything he campaigned on, but we already know that the Clinton camp is desperate for anything they can get right now. They would have promised him the moon and stars to get his endorsement - just for the free and positive press. The Obama camp, from what I've been hearing, has steadfastly refused to use bribes to get Edwards on board - there was talk that someone from inside the Edwards Campaign was contacting Obama asking for the VP slot, and the Obama campaign flatly told him no deals would be made.

[Why Syzygy]

9. I was never an Edwards supporter

and think he should abstain from any endorsements. I'm in Obama's camp by default because I think Hillary is the worst thing that could happen to the Democratic Party. I think Obama can strengthen the party as well as our country.

[Oskie]

10. Why did Obama campaign for Lieberman in '06? You can say

you're against this war but what happens when a great opportunity comes along to show it by supporting anti-war Lamont instead of pro-war Lieberman. Obama campaigned for Lieberman. Uber-pro war Lieberman. I'm just sick of inauthencity. Walk the talk, damn i8t!

[jackson_dem]

15. Edwards knows Obama is as DLC as Hillary

He also knows Obama is as corporate as Hillary. He is dealing in facts, not beliefs and false hopes.

[Armstead]

17. False hope is better than no hope

[jackson_dem]

18. Facts>hope

[Yael]

19. "Its personal, not political"

"and when its personal, you simply can't deal it away for political gain".

John Edwards, New Hampshire debate, Jan 2008. Paraphrased.

I have defended him over hypocracy charges for almost a year of his campaign.

If he endorses Hillary, I have lost that moral footing as, at that point, it will be "political, not personal".

[Vinca]

20. I'd be disappointed if he endorses Hillary, but it would say more

about him than Obama. I really don't think it will make much of a difference one way or another at this point. If he wanted to have an impact, he should have endorsed before Super Tuesday.