Breaking News: John Edwards To Drop Out According To CNN!

Email Print posted by ihavenobias 01/30/2008 09:43:31 AM EST

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WOW!

Well, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out for Obama.  I can only hope (as an Edwards supporter #1) that it helps him.

And I also hope his progressive rhetoric/positions continue to influence both Obama and Hillary, especially knowing that they'll likely become more conservative when we get to the general election. The last thing we need is a watered down centrist to help move the country from far-to-the-right to "right of center".

Unless people think the war, Patriot Act/spying and massive tax cuts (and on and on) were somehow "moderate" things to begin with.
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Breaking News: John Edwards To Drop Out According To CNN! | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 hidden)
Please God Yes! (none / 0)
C'mon Johnny, have your supporters throw their votes to the O-man!

by jarett on 01/30/2008 09:47:15 AM EST

Uh-oh (none / 0)
This is going to depress Zenie big time.

by bfaul on 01/30/2008 09:57:38 AM EST

Cenk Deserves Some Credit (none / 0)
a lot of credit in fact, because he got a lot of shit over this clip from January 15th where he predicted this might happen.

The second prediction that this would help Obama remains to be seen (please, let it be true!).

by ihavenobias on 01/30/2008 10:05:20 AM EST

Yeah also. (none / 0)
I deserve a lot of credit as well.  I'm mostly kidding, but I have taken a fair amount of crap from Edwards people for saying repeatedly that he needed to get out after SC.   Go me!

by Spencer on 01/30/2008 02:09:45 PM EST

[ Parent ]
On the subject of Obama though (none / 0)
My dad tells me he's seen people on MSNBC talking about how good this is for Hillary.  But, more than likely, they're all wrong as usual.  I don't understand why it would deflect any voters her way (other than the few people who just want to see a woman president regardless).

by Spencer on 01/30/2008 02:27:34 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Richard Bey was saying this today (none / 0)
Apparently a bare majority of Edwards supporters are supposedly going to break Hillary.

Inconceivable, if true.

by jarett on 01/30/2008 02:31:38 PM EST

[ Parent ]
What is their basis? (none / 0)
Are they judging by the same sorts of polls that have been, er, less than accurate lately?

SAM: What's new, Normie?
NORM: Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach and they're demanding beer.

by Spinny on 01/30/2008 02:33:43 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I really have no idea (none / 0)
It seems incredibly unlikely to me that pro-fighting, pro-change Edwardsians would be all for status-quo Hillary.

by jarett on 01/30/2008 02:37:49 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I don't know either but... (none / 0)
The guests today are scaring me a little bit about the "less educated" voters going from Edwards to Hillary.  Their arguments make sense.  I guess that just means we'll have to school some people.

by Spencer on 01/30/2008 03:28:50 PM EST

[ Parent ]
first off (none / 0)
first off, i was saying obama = jfk - catholic + black long ago, and now the news is running with the jfk business.  i want my 3 quadrillion dollars.

but seriously, i'm going from edwards to obama, but i actually can see how less educated individuals would go from edwards to hillary.  people that think "health care" when they hear hillary clinton's name will think it completely fitting to shift their vote to her.

by mathcore on 01/30/2008 11:32:57 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ah Phooey! (none / 0)
I was gonna say that it was bound to just be a rumor.  But this is it.

Damn, I really wanted to vote for that man.

I can't really say between the 2 that are left who I would pick.  I love Obama's rhetoric, but I'm old enough to remember Jimmy Carter's presidency.  He was a good man who wanted good policies but could not play the system well enough to get much done.

But I'm not sure I could pull the handle for Hillary unless she was my only Democratic choice.

Phooey.  :(

Hey, this website needs some emoticons.  :D

by blueheartinaredstate on 01/30/2008 02:37:55 PM EST

Sad (none / 0)
a sad day for this Edwards supporter.  I do understand why some may vote for Hillary though.  Obama is a fair orator (I don't get as excited as some, obviously), but he has been vague about some issues and hasn't shown as much leadership in the Senate, like Cenk mentions (of course, neither has Hillary).  Hillary may be centrist, but there is a lot to clean up after 8 years of Bush and she might be able to get a lot more done than someone banking on Americans truly wanting change.  I think people want change from the disaster that is the Bush administration, but they are largely afraid of any real change.  What they want is security (money).  As a white woman, I must say that race and sex don't enter into the decision for me.  I'm leaning Obama, but won't be all that disappointed if Hillary wins.  I'm old enough to have seen much worse things happen.
--Angela

by desertpear on 01/30/2008 03:33:26 PM EST

My New Slogan For The Obama Campaign (none / 0)
(I know it's too long but still)

Obama may well turn out to be a watered down, corporate centrist (aka, Hillary Clinton), but there's at least a *chance*, however small, that he's better than that.

Now come on, you're telling me that's not inspiring?

by ihavenobias on 01/30/2008 04:56:45 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Not bad ;) (none / 0)
Like I said, I will vote Obama now that Edwards is out, and most of my Edwards-voting friends seem to be going the same way.  But I've actually nurtured the same hope about Hillary, before anyone even expressed their candidacy this time around.  It will be exciting for the whole world if Obama wins and I hope to help make that happen. 

by desertpear on 01/30/2008 06:53:06 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I'll give you a dollar (none / 0)
to make up some signs with it and also email the Obama campaign and suggest they use it to replace "Si Se Puede".

Explain that what it lacks in brevity it more than makes up for in substance which is his weak area.

by ihavenobias on 01/30/2008 06:55:39 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Si se puede (none / 0)
I have to say that the whole "yes we can!" thing annoys me in Obama's speeches.  Along with the rhetoric of "they said" we couldn't do it, etc.  Yes we can WHAT?  Who are THEY?  I've never heard anyone say they thought Obama couldn't make it in this race, but I do live in the leebral Pacific NW. 

I wish we could have a candidate that didn't have to parade around some belief in "faith" and Baby Jesus to get elected too.  I long for the day when we can stop pandering to Christians and start looking to science to solve our problems and leave the religion out of politics. 

by desertpear on 01/30/2008 08:35:01 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I totally agree on the Jesus thing, 1,000% (none / 0)
but as long as it doesn't change what he does in office, I'll live with (and I assume you will too).

by ihavenobias on 01/30/2008 08:54:19 PM EST

[ Parent ]
oh yeah (none / 0)
I'm not actually against people having their faith and religion.  I just don't want to hear about it or have it interfere with politics.  I always feel a bit embarrassed when I hear these super powerful candidates talk about god like he's some petty human up in the clouds betting on americans in wars.  

by desertpear on 01/31/2008 12:16:31 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Elizabeth factor (none / 0)
A friend of mine today made the interesting point that the likely loss of Elizabeth Edwards' fight with cancer during this campaign season (no question, she is a very sick woman) would have made it almost impossible for John to run effectively. Yes, they made the joint decision months ago that he would continue, but do you really think that if and when her health took a serious downturn he would not have to turn away from politics and focus on what matters more? I think this as much as anything else may have led to his decision to make what you might have thought was a too-early exit today. A tough call to make, but he may be relieved in a way to be able to leave the trail and lend his advocacy to the causes he cares about on his own schedule, because if he were forced to turn his attention away from a campaign in mid-season (and he almost certainly would be) the consequences to his prospects are unknown.

by ashbul on 01/30/2008 03:40:21 PM EST

Good Riddance! (none / 0)
It’s fitting that John Edwards began and ended his campaign in New Orleans.

A city that lies 10 feet below sea level, in the bull’s eye of the Gulf Coast hurricane zone.

A city that has no business being rebuilt, because it is not structurally viable or economically viable.

A city that was mismanaged for 200 years by corrupt Democrat political machines.

A city that survived on handouts to the dependent class.

A city that perfectly exemplifies the Democrat philosophy of government, giving money to stupid people so that they can breed more stupid people.

by KenTX on 01/30/2008 04:53:56 PM EST

where is bfaul? (none / 0)
I expect a vigorous reply to this post.

by KenTX on 01/30/2008 05:32:57 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Here ya go (none / 0)
On behalf of the people of New Orleans who do think that their city has value and are willing to stay and make a go of it,  pissoff.

by bfaul on 01/30/2008 05:55:49 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I smell a 3rd party coming on... (none / 0)
Now that Edwards is gone, where are the pissed off and disenfranchised gonna go? I smell a 3rd party...

by bobo1 on 01/30/2008 11:53:16 PM EST

Nader (none / 0)
Consider yourself linked.  In addition to that old story, I heard something on Maddow about a new site to lobby for a Nader candidacy that was launched today.  I hope I'm not alone in saying "Dear god no!  Please don't do it Ralph!"

by Spencer on 01/31/2008 12:04:21 AM EST

[ Parent ]
3rd party? (none / 0)

McCain's in charge! run!

house

by acroso on 01/31/2008 05:50:03 AM EST

[ Parent ]
The Roof The Roof The Roof (none / 0)
is on fire!

We don't need no water let the mutthherfukker burn!

Burn mutthherfukker burn!

by KenTX on 01/31/2008 07:08:37 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Breaking News: John Edwards To Drop Out According To CNN! | 26 comments (26 topical, 0 hidden)
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