Newsweek: Sources say Edwards will endorse Obama if he drops out

[Herman Munster]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/84290

Sources within John Edwards's campaign tell me that if Edwards drops out (unlikely before New Hampshire), he will throw his support to Obama.

[keep_it_real]

1. Cool

[calteacherguy]

2. I just post a poll on this!

I am a prophet! (sort of :-))

:wow:

[davidinalameda]

3. Edwards isn't going to drop out any time soon

[silverojo]

21. Nor should he

He beat HRC in Iowa, for heaven's sake. He's not out of the race by any means.

[jefferson_dem]

4. Wow. We'll see what happens after NH.

...

"Sources within John Edwards's campaign tell me that if Edwards drops out (unlikely before New Hampshire), he will throw his support to Obama. Should the Illinois senator win New Hampshire and South Carolina, it will be next to impossible to prevent him from becoming the nominee on Feb. 5, Super Tuesday.

The only way he gives Edwards or Clinton a second wind is to mess up. The press will get more intense, increasing the likelihood of a crippling mistake. But so far, Obama has suffered no more than the normal number of relatively minor gaffes. One or two flat debate performances won't be enough to sink him. It will take the kind of big gaffe that only rarely transforms campaigns."

[Robbins]

7. Edwards

If he drops out I think it will be after South Carolana.

[frogmarch]

5. Sorry to hear that.

I support Edwards, but not about this. I will never vote for Obama.

[Joe the Revelator]

10. You'd rather vote for Hillary? She's kind of like the anti-Edwards

[FlyingSquirrel]

6. Speaking of SOURCES:

Consider the one posting the OP.

[Bullet1987]

9. If Obama wins NH and SC...

to think he's not the clear favorite to get the nomination is to be in denial plain and simple. If Edwards doesn't like Clinton as much as it seems, he may drop out before Super Tuesday to help Obama and give him a boost.

[FlyingSquirrel]

13. Not so fast....

That's not the way it works. It's all about expectations. JE is not expected to win South Carolina regardless, because of the black vote. If Edwards can pull off a second place finish in NH over Hillary Clinton who's been number one in almost all the polls there, suddenly he can claim that his candidacy has momentum. The media coverage and money will start flowing his way as the media hypes a "two-man race".

Let's not forget: This is the media's game. They like ratings. You think they want it to be over before Super Tuesday? NOT A CHANCE. They'll hype Edwards' "unexpected meteoric rise in New Hampshire" and the sudden "mono-a-mono" till they burst, as opposed to the other possibility: "Obama runs away with it, Super Tuesday irrelevant." Yawn. What a story.

No, one way or another they're gonna have their two person contest for the nomination - it only remains to be seen whether that second person is Hillary Clinton or John Edwards.

I have a feeling that NH voters who are currently soft supporters of HRC will be thinking, "Do I want to support her losing candidacy and allow Obama to cruise to the nomination uncontested, only to possibly lose in the General Election after the Republican Slime Machine gets through with him? Or should I shift to Edwards right now and make it a contest? Who would have a better chance in the GE, Clinton or Edwards?"

I can hear the gears grinding in their heads as we speak.

[saracat]

8. Well, really, if his only other option is Hillary, who would he endorse?But I think no one.

He isn't going to drop out and he isn't endorsing anyone else(even if he does later)

[Marlie]

11. I heard Chuck Todd on MSNBC

Say Obama better watch out - they'll pull out all the stops to bring him down now. I'm assuming he was referring to the Clinton campaign. If so, maybe John Edwards will come out smelling like a rose if he can hang in there long enough. Guess I can only hope!!

[Cha]

17. I think Obama is

watching out if you heard his victory speech in Iowa.

[bigdarryl]

23. Thats what they were supposed to do in Iowa I think this Clinton machine is...

OVERRATED!!! everybody is supposed to be scared of the Clintons when campaigning its total BULL

[Quixote1818]

12. He may have worked out a VP deal with Obama already. nt

[Didereaux]

14. My thought is he will not endorse in the primaries, because...

Edwards has a real chance of a decent cabinet post and if he endorses the wrong candidate he is out of national politics as a participant. He cannot return to NC and run for state position or his old job, because even he admitted he cannot win in his home state. Edwards is an alright guy and deserves a decent post in DC, he also is a lot more pragmatic than perhaps some of his more ardent supporters know.

[Pastiche423]

18. "...he is out of national politics..."

I just love the sound of that!

[unc70]

20. Bullshit! Show me a link where he said he couldn't win in NC. Polls say otherwise n/t

[WA98296]

15. I call Bullshit on Newsweek. John Edwards is focused on winning, not what if.

[Quantess]

16. He better not drop out. (no text)

[depakid]

19. "sources say..."

Yawn.

[TeamJordan23]

22. I can believe this report.... Why? Because Edwards doesn't want to be the spoiler

Edwards knows him and Obama are the candidates that could bring change to the country versus Hillary, who will be the establishment President.

If Obama does well in NH and SC, I can see Edwards dropping out before Super Tuesday. I don't think he will want to be a spoiler and spoil it for Obama. I don't know if he will openly come out and endorse Obama, but I would not be surprised if he did.