Early yesterday morning, Sen. John Edwards announced his decision to withdraw from the race for the presidency. On the local news tonight, there was a poll if John Edward's decision to drop out of the race was too soon, or not soon enough. Two-thirds of the respondents suggested it was long overdue. I would have to agree with that assessment.
Either way you view this development in the Democratic presidential race, some political watchers may still engage in a seemingly-theoretical debate about which of Edward's options would have had the biggest impact on the Democratic nomination. His decision to drop out effectively narrows the field to Obama and Hillary, a foregone conclusion in many people's minds.
However, the FOX News coverage presented the converse possibility:
He said he would be “suspending” his campaign, leaving open the possibility that he could leverage some of his pledged delegates to influence the outcome of the national convention. However, no one, including Edwards, expects the suspension to be lifted for him to re-emerge as a candidate.
Maybe he will, maybe he won't. To leverage his delegates could certainly make him a "Kingmaker" at the convention. Senator Edwards doesn't strike me as being someone who would engage in that kind of political manipulation if the opportunity presented itself. (But if that candidate were someone like Hillary....?)
Either way, it's safe to say that one of the four remaining top-tier candidates (McCain, Romney, Obama and Hillary) will become the next president of the United States. That reality brings the pragmatism of my (idealistic pragmatist) political philosophy to the fore. (More on that later, when I give an official TDD endorsement, for whatever it's worth.) If I can pull it off, we'll be presenting some further indepth analysis here on all four of these candidates over the weekend. A small attempt to help you get ready for Super Tuesday. 
UPDATE: One other thought...I've never been able to fully understand Edward's "Two America's" idea about the haves and have-nots. Not that I don't get what he's trying to say, nor do I disagree with the need to equip the have-nots with the means to overcome their circumstances. I've just always wondered in which of those Two America's Sen. Edwards would put himself? I guess we'll never know...
UPDATE: Yet another Gary Varvel rendering of the surprising situation in which Edwards and Giuliani find themselves. Who would have predicted seeing them leave the presidential carnival together?
"I've just always wondered in which of those Two America's Sen. Edwards would put himself?"
yeah, or his kids!?
Posted by: andy | January 31, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Ugg! I don't like any of 'em, much! And just in case some of your readers who viewed my comments on the abortion issue think I was holding out for Huckaby, I don't like him, much, either.
Posted by: Peter Eicher (Disgruntled Fred-Head) | January 31, 2008 at 11:02 AM
i am a very strong obama supporter, aside from being very anti-hillary. none of the republican candidates left are as frightening as huckabee was, but romney does give me the willies.
i think i get sen edwards "two americas" thing.
i ride my bike to work almost every day, except when it is snowy or icy out -- then it is just too dangerous.
on those days my wife drops me off in the morning and i take bus home.
i ride my bike or the bus from the very affluent neighborhood where my office is (i work at a marketing firm) under a bridge were people are driving hummers home from work on 65....
and then three miles of descent into the ghetto, where i live.
the near-east side of indianapolis is full of people who aren't exactly homelss, but certainly aren't living/working in the same america the rest of us are.
they don't have bank accounts -- they use the liquor store to cash the checks they get.
they don't pay taxes because they have no verifiiable income.
they neither respect, nor are they respected by, the authorities.
the cops drive by at 20 mph, never bothering to look anywhere but straight ahead, unless a "real" crime happens, and then they flood the neighborhood for all of two hours while the ghettobirds circle overhead with searchlights poking in the shadows.
these people -- my neighbors -- don't give a rat's behind about the war in iraq.
they don't care about voter fraud and they have never heard of diebold.
they don't care about aids in africa --- they care about how thier house got robbed, again, and trying not to get killed.
the poor in this country may as well live in another country altogether.
Posted by: chris corwin | January 31, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Chris, I do understand the disparity Edwards is trying to draw our attention to. And I actually agree with it to a degree. Though not having lived through such experiences personally, obviously I can only do my best to try to empathize with that version of America and do what I can to better their situation.
My satirical perspective on Edwards has more to do with taking a mild swipe at his attempt to erase from our minds his own multi-million dollar abode while suggesting that his "up-from-humble-beginnings" stump speech somehow qualifies him to be on equal footing with the have-nots in America. That's requires a bit more than I'm willing to stretch.
Posted by: John | January 31, 2008 at 12:51 PM