If I were John Edwards, here's what I'd do about now:

[Ken Burch]

I'd call Barack Obama and say "OK: Here's the deal:

If you endorse MY health care program now(or better yet, single-payer)I'll endorse you before Pennsylvania and North Carolina, and campaign hard for you in the blue collar districts in BOTH states."

It make the man a hero. It would validate his whole campaign and it would put the corporate media in their place for forcing him out.

There'd be no downside.

He needs to make that offer NOW.

[taterguy]

1. If you were John Edwards you'd be rich!

And you'd have a lovely home in beautiful Chapel Hill.

Wouldn't that be nice?

[Ninga]

7. Edwards went to college, become a lawyer and took on

legal cases that no other lawyers would touch. And won. And earned big bucks for his risky work. Because if he lost, he wouldn't have earned his fees.

There is nothing in the OP that required you to respond with smarmy remarks about Edwards financial success.

[taterguy]

12. Nothing in my post required you to respond to it with whiny self-righteous crap

Pot, meet kettle

[Ken Burch]

14. Actually, yes your post did deserve that response.

You dismissed Edwards as nothing but an insincere rich phony. You acted like his concern for the poor was totally bogus.
What did Edwards ever do to you?

[taterguy]

22. This is what Edwards did to me

Not literally, but metaphorically speaking of course

[Ken Burch]

27. Check your pm's in a moment.

n/t.

[taterguy]

34. Edwards played for the Clemson football team

Don't you know what that means?

[Ken Burch]

38. You're bearing a political grudge over a FOOTBALL rivalry?

William Jennings Bryan on a crutch!

[saltpoint]

16. Seconded. The OP gave us a genuinely interesting scenario vibrant

with current news and the nomination landscape.

Good morning, Ninga. Nice to see ya. :hi:

[Ninga]

18. Thanks OC.

And right back at ya ! :hi:

[Justyce]

2. I don't see that happening. They differ on other issues than healthcare. nt

[Ken Burch]

3. Same with him and HRC.

But backing Obama would give him the chance to make history and be part of something transformative.

[Ninga]

19. Transformative and transcending. A lot of good, hard work can make a reality out of vision.

There is an interesting book "The Law of Attraction" that is starting to resonate with me in a way I have not experienced before.

It is the power of the positive with a full head of steam behind it.

I highly recommend it, especially for those who are open and eager for understanding and seek personal growth.


I am over 60, but still hunger for learning.... I admire the 80 and 90 year olds who are eager every day to learn something new.

[Ken Burch]

32. I admire you for your attitude.

n/t.

[Orsino]

4. I don't see Obama (or Clinton) backing down on corporate health care.

Not to win Edwards.

[Ken Burch]

6. Even if it could close the nomination struggle?

It'd be worth a try.

Anyway, I figured there's nothing to lose by floating the idea.

[Orsino]

8. Either candidate would be accused (rightly) of flip-flopping...

...and would be punished with hard questions about a sudden progressive move.

[joshcryer]

9. Uh, Hillary's plan is practically the same as Edwards'.

[Alter Ego]

5. If I were John Edwards

I'd be relaxing in my home, going "Boy is this going to be a massive clusterfuck."

[joshcryer]

10. That'd be epic, but Obama can't change his plan now, he needs it to run as a centrist in the GE.

If he tries the progressive gambit he'll be screwed. Honestly, Obama's candidacy screwed us over for ever having truly progressive plans inacted.

[Ken Burch]

31. The same could be said for HRC's. Both are equally problematic.

And both need improvement.

[olkaz]

11. If I were John Edwards...

I'd be finding a nice political science professorship gig somewhere with a pretty campus and an awesome university hospital.

And in the meantime, he can plan his resurgence!

(Did we pick the wrong candidates or what? Good lord.)

[theboss]

13. If I were John Edwards, I would be pondering why I can't get votes

Edwards is one of the great political mysteries of my life. On paper, he is everything you want in a Democratic candidate. On the campaign trail, he seems like a natural. Everything about him seems beyond perfect.

And he's won exactly one primary in two election cycles and apparently brought 0 votes to the national ticket in 2004.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. I love him. He was my first choice - BUT I really do think I know

part of the reason. And, it may sound very cruel and may
offend people. But - I think it is a reality. I have
lived in the south and in the north. I grew up in CT
but lived in AL, TX, DC and PA.

IMHO, he needs to work on his speech. If he cares about
one day being president, he should take diction/speaking
lessons. Because, he sounds like a hick - and although
he is brilliant and educated - he sounds uneducated -
and it is mostly a pronounciation issue. For instance,
when he says NAY'-to (he is placing too much of an
accent on the first syllable)

[zalinda]

21. Edwards lost only because the media wouldn't

cover him. When he won second place in Iowa, it wasn't even mentioned on some stations. The media, again picked the candidates. And, I don't like either one of the leftovers, because nothing will change for 90% of Americans, if they can even get elected.

zalinda

[Laura PourMeADrink]

26. I think the media stopped covering him because he never won,

not even in his own state(s). They don't cover
anyone who doesn't win.

I agree with you that Edwards WOULD definitely make
the changes to our country that we need. But,
to be realistic, there's something about him
that people are not attracted to, plain and
simple.

And, as much as I wanted him to be president, I
really and truly think his speech is where
he suffers and he needs a vocal coach.

[karynnj]

36. The numbers were 29%, 30%, and 38%

The biggest story was that Obama won. The next biggest story was that the inevitable candidate, HRC, lost and whether herthen 20 plus points ahead in NH would be enough a cushion to let her win.

What Edwards story was missed - that he and HRC nearly tied about 8 or 9 points behind Obama and he was not going to do well in NH wheer he had little support? Not to mention not winning in Iowa meant he would not pull in the kind of money needed to seriously compete going forward. Edwards entire strategy depended on Iowa - which was the competitive state that he did best in in 2004. (He won as favorite son in SC and did well in WI. )

In early 2007, the story was that Edwards union work would make him the favorite in NV - so he could win if he had Obama's size of win in Iowa. Then won NV and SC. That didn't happen. He got little coverage in NH because he had very little support and Obama's surge and HRC fight were the story. NV - what story do you want for 4%? He did get a lot of coverage in SC when people suspected he would take some of the people leaving Clinton.

[crankychatter]

15. he can't move left until he takes office or he'll risk losing

Edwards plan is no better than Clintons

We NEED single payer and the more complex and deeply entrenched the interim system is, the better it can be used by the corporations to justify indefinite delay

Dean had it right and so does Obama...

[walldude]

20. I think it's a great idea...

Someone also mentioned yesterday that Edwards would make a pretty good AG...

[Ken Burch]

33. That or put him ad H&HS or Commerce.

Potentially, Edwards could be the most progressive cabinet secretary since Henry Wallace. And we need somebody like that.

[Infinite Hope]

23. No downside? He'd be jumped upon for hypocrisy in changing his healtcare proposals.

And give the appearance he's doing it for political expedience.

[MadBadger]

24. And Obama would rightfully tell him to fuck off.

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. If Obama is the nominee, I'll support him. If he does as you suggest, I'll support him now. n/t

[Zachstar]

28. Hmm seems like a good deal for everyone.

It is an interesting idea. I would like to see edwards more involved.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

29. I'd get a haircut!

:hide:

[Zachstar]

30. K&R because while it has little chance of happening... It is an interesting idea

[karynnj]

35. Why on earth would Obama do that?

First of all, he is already winning. He doesn't need Edwards and he things his proposal is better. Changing a major proposal for an endorsement would likely hurt him - not to mention it doesn't look like Edwards would help that much in NC. Obama has Kennedy and Kerry who have expertize on healthcare programs -They know what can get passed.

[Lucky 13]

37. I think Obama would look pretty dumb to endorse someone else's plan over his own.

"Yeah, my idea sucked, but John's was great." I think not.