Marc
I am breathless from a little party in my kitchen. The festivities ensued when I got the official word that John Edwards has decided to endorse Barack for the Democratic nomination. I love this endorsement for so many reasons. Both of these men have been my Senator at one point. John Edwards was my Senator during my final years of graduate school at Duke. Obama was my Senator during my last years living in Chicago. I have great affection for both of them.
I have a little dream of an Obama-Edwards ticket. I know that it is unlikely and probably not even the best strategic choice, but I just love the idea of the two of them together in the general election. These days I would be happy to see Edwards as Obama's attorney general. I love the idea of a trial lawyer in the attorney general position. Can't you see the ads on the back of phone books, "Have your civil rights been violated? Call John Edwards at 1-800-Get-Feds" We could retire the national debt on contingency fees.
I was hearing rumors last month that Elizabeth Edwards was going to back HRC during the North Carolina primary and I was happy to see that it never happened. Still, I felt disappointed that Edwards did not come out for Barack while he was campaigning in the Tar Heel State. Obama easily carried the state, so all is forgiven.
Many Edwards supporters and staff have already come to Obama's campaign. So now I hope that with Edwards clearly on the team that Barack will become more vocal on issues of poverty. And you know I want to see Katrina on the public stage in the general election. Some may see this as Obama's chance to make inroads with the much touted blue-collar, white, male voters. I doubt it. As I have said before, those voters will go 2-to-1 to McCain in November regardless of who takes the Democratic nomination. And by the way, regardless of what HRC says, the Dems don't need a majority of this demographic to win and they have not been the base of the party since FDR. Not even BIll Clinton needed these voters to win twice.
Edwards' endorsement is a good sign for a growing consensus in the party that Obama is the nominee and that Hillary is just unrelenting political eczema.
One quick personal story about my Obama-Edwards party. As I was doing a little victory song, my daughter came into the kitchen and asked why I was so happy. "Great news baby. John Edwards says he thinks that Obama should be the President. Isn't that great?"
"Sure." my savvy 6-year-old responded, "But wouldn't it be better if Hillary and McCain said that they thought Barack should be the President?"
Marc, Given my daughter's astute analysis of this situation, what is your take?
Melissa
