Edwards Endorsement: What does it mean?
According to the Twitter stream just now, the major cable networks and the New York Times, John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama at 7pm eastern. This is a great thing for Obama, particularly in light of the votes Edwards received in West Virginia yesterday.
It’s interesting to see the reaction, though. Some feel as though it’s too little, too late. Others think the timing is inexplicable.
I think something else. I think it’s completely strategic, and relates to the West Virginia vote yesterday. By withholding his endorsement until today, Edwards pulled votes away from Clinton yesterday in a state that may have been the most difficult in the entire 50 United States for Obama to gain any traction within.
Now that the West Virginia primary is over, Obama only needs 25 delegates to have a majority of the pledged delegates. Edwards has 19 delegates. By endorsing Obama, Edwards tips Obama over the within a hair’s breadth of the majority needed to win the nomination, and opens the door for superdelegates to seal the deal.
This is, of course, all speculation. But from a strategic point of view, this moment could indeed be the best moment for an Edwards endorsement.
Technorati Tags: endorsement, John Edwards, democratic nomination
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May 14th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
[...] BREAKING: JOHN EDWARDS TO ENDORSE OBAMA IN MICHIGAN AT 7PM EST. Quick observations: timing is late enough that it can’t be seen as “giving” the nominaton to Obama. He was already in the inevitable category without Edwards’s endorsement. Now starts the superdelegate flood. Obama won’t make any definitive claims until after next Tuesday, when he wins Oregon - he’ll still take the high road and let HRC reach her own conclusions. Timing also counters any lingering sour taste from the expected WVA lost, which Team O always expected. This immediately changes the conversation in a positive direction. Here are some more thoughts. [...]
May 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Well . . . if Barack now gets John’s Florida delegates, then by all means let’s seat them immediately. God it would be great to put an end the incessant bitching.
I guess in Hillary’s new incarnation it would bitchin’, right?
May 14th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Well . . . if Barack now gets John’s Florida delegates, then by all means let’s seat them immediately. God it would be great to put an end the incessant bitching.
I guess in Hillary’s new incarnation it would be bitchin’, right?
May 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Sorry. Didn’t think it posted the first time. Did get it corrected to “be bitchin’” in the second one, though.