# Who will Edwards endorse? Will it matter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 11, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195 "2008-02-11T20:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/1 "2008-02-11T20:37:53Z")
John Edwards is expected to endorse either Clinton or Obama for the Dem presidential nomination this week. He is rumored to incline towards Obama, but [Clinton is still trying to woo him.](http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/02/10/hillary-sneaks-away-to-seek-edwards-endorsement/) Which way will he go? Will his endorsement make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/2 "2008-02-11T20:42:39Z")
Obama - Edwards has more to gain in my opinion. His southern constituency has been strongly in favor of Obama, and he will pay this due attention. I doubt Edwards is considering a veep position…just a hunch nothing to back it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/3 "2008-02-11T20:48:09Z")
But how much effect will an Edwards endorsement have in the remaining primaries? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/4 "2008-02-11T20:52:59Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] But how much effect will an Edwards endorsement have in the remaining primaries? [/QUOTE] If they open fl and mi it could have quite an effect. There are still those pople out there who really wanted Edwards and who really can’t decide who to vote for, and a push from Edwards may sway them one way or the other. I don’t wish to hijack however, I think another pertinent question is why hasn’t Richardson endorsed anyone yet? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/5 "2008-02-11T20:55:24Z")
I don’t think it matters. People support the candidate they like, not the one some loser tells them to vote for. And it’s “whom”, not “who”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/6 "2008-02-11T20:57:09Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] …I don’t wish to hijack however, I think another pertinent question is why hasn’t Richardson endorsed anyone yet? [/QUOTE] Because no one cares what he thinks? Sorry. But seriously, he didn’t pull in many votes in the early primaries. Don’t know that he would’ve done all that much better in more Latino-heavy states later, either. I suspect Edwards will endorse Obama. He’s a very canny politico and can see that the momentum is going Obama’s way. I highly doubt that Obama would consider him as a running mate, though - he didn’t do all that well debating Cheney in '04, couldn’t bring either NC or SC into the Democratic column that fall, and was later tagged as disloyal by the Kerryistas. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/7 "2008-02-11T21:02:57Z")
The longer he waits, the less his endorsement is worth and the less he’ll get for it. If I had to bet, I’d say he’ll endorse Obama if he gets a solid delegate lead. I’m not sure his endorsement is worth a lot and there is no reason to suspect he has any interest in another veep run. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/8 "2008-02-11T21:06:34Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] The longer he waits, the less his endorsement is worth and the less he’ll get for it. If I had to bet, I’d say he’ll endorse Obama if he gets a solid delegate lead. I’m not sure his endorsement is worth a lot and there is no reason to suspect he has any interest in another veep run. [/QUOTE] But, he might be interested in a Cabinet post – e.g., Attorney General. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/9 "2008-02-11T21:27:32Z")
I think if Edwards really wanted to be VP or get some other kind of reward, he would have stayed in the race longer. And does Edwards really have the background for Attorney General? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/10 "2008-02-11T22:38:37Z")
Edwards’ endorsement could help some in working class OH and Richardson’s could a bit in TX with Mexican Americans who have been favoring Clinton. Both have mainly missed their chance to make a bigger impact and Richardson’s miss was more the shame as the opportunity to provide some transformational unity between the Latino and African-American communities was something that he was aware of. No matter. To me it seems that the nomination is Obama’s to lose at this point. The question is by what margin. I don’t think that Obama is willing to promise anything in return for endorsements. He’ll win without them, he’ll win with them endorsing HRC. It would be easier with them, but he doesn’t need them. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/11 "2008-02-11T22:47:17Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] And does Edwards really have the background for Attorney General? [/QUOTE] Does Obama have the background to be president? Not by the usual standards, but he still seems to be winning. Edwards is a lawyer with, AFAIK, no experience in criminal prosecution, but he could get assistants who do. It would be a clean-sweep, new-faces sort of thing. (The Bush Justice Department is gonna need one **hell** of a purge anyway.) His role would be to set general policy, e.g., what corporate crimes to go after this week. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anomalous\_Reading](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Anomalous\_Reading](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anomalous_Reading)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/12 "2008-02-11T22:49:58Z")
Right now… It would matter. Momentum is important. An endorsement of Hillary would change the narrative and give her the delegate bump (yes, he doesn’t control them directly, but most would honor his decision - I’d think). And endorsement of Obama would create a narrative of “on the ropes” and Obama surge in a much larger way. Her rhetoric has weakened and she’s not saying “When I’m” nearly as much as “When one of us”… that’s telling to me. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/13 "2008-02-11T22:55:25Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Does Obama have the background to be president? [/quote] Senators, even young ones, have been President before. > [@](#): > > Edwards is a lawyer with, AFAIK, no experience in criminal prosecution, but he could get assistants who do. I don’t think he has any experience in criminal prosecution either. I think the last thing a President Obama would need is charges that he is appointing unqualified people who don’t have experience at their jobs. Who knows what the truth is, but this story says Edwards is not holding out for either job. [http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Obama.html](http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Obama.html) > [@](#): > > Meanwhile Monday, Democratic activists speculated about whether former presidential contender John Edwards would endorse Clinton or Obama. Clinton quietly visited Edwards last week. Obama aides said the Illinois senator would meet with Edwards, but did not say when. > > A person close to Edwards said those familiar with his thinking do not believe he wants a big role in a Democratic administration, such as vice president or attorney general. Rather, this person said, Edwards is pressing Clinton and Obama on his main issue of fighting poverty. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/14 "2008-02-11T22:59:00Z")
[QUOTE=Anomalous Reading] An endorsement of Hillary would change the narrative and give her the delegate bump (yes, he doesn’t control them directly, but most would honor his decision - I’d think). [/quote] He only has 26 delegates. Every little bit helps, but it’s not going to swing the election. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/15 "2008-02-11T23:11:50Z")
Y’know, I really could see Edwards as AG. He was a crackerjack trial lawyer and served a term as a U.S. senator, with two not-embarrassing campaigns for President under his belt. He’s already got a better resume than Bobby Kennedy did in 1961, without the nepotism angle, and Bobby was probably one of the ten most effective AGs ever. Edwards could be a great crusading AG on civil rights, poverty law and corporate crime. The more I think of it, the more I like the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/16 "2008-02-11T23:13:07Z")
[QUOTE=from Marley’s quote] Rather, this person said, Edwards is pressing Clinton and Obama on his main issue of fighting poverty [/QUOTE] Well that’s Obama’s forte. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/17 "2008-02-11T23:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Y’know, I really could see Edwards as AG. He was a crackerjack trial lawyer and served a term as a U.S. senator, with two not-embarrassing campaigns for President under his belt. He’s already got a better resume than Bobby Kennedy did in 1961, without the nepotism angle, and Bobby was probably one of the ten most effective AGs ever. Edwards could be a great crusading AG on civil rights, poverty law and corporate crime. The more I think of it, the more I like the idea. [/QUOTE] Ralph Nader would be even better! 🙂 Not that Obama would go that far . . . one can dream . . . ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/18 "2008-02-12T00:52:27Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] He only has 26 delegates. Every little bit helps, but it’s not going to swing the election. [/QUOTE] Plus 27 in FL, if they attempt to seat the FL delegation on the basis of the Jan. 29 voting outcome. And in this race, 53 delegates is a nontrivial number. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/19 "2008-02-12T00:54:02Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Ralph Nader would be even better! 🙂 Not that Obama would go that far . . . one can dream . . . [/QUOTE] I’d personally like to see Ralph Nader fucked with a rusty piece of rebar, for his role in putting Bush in the White House. We all have different dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195/20 "2008-02-12T01:00:56Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Plus 27 in FL, if they attempt to seat the FL delegation on the basis of the Jan. 29 voting outcome. And in this race, 53 delegates is a nontrivial number. [/QUOTE] True, 53 is significant. But I don’t think Florida is going to go in as-is. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-will-edwards-endorse-will-it-matter/437195.md?page=2)