John Edwards Endorses Obama

"Brothers And Sisters, We Must Come Together As Democrats," Says Obama's Former Rival

(CBS/AP)  Democrat John Edwards endorsed former rival Barack Obama on Wednesday, a move designed to help solidify support for the party's likely presidential nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

Edwards made a surprise appearance with Obama in Grand Rapids, Mich., as the Illinois senator campaigns in a critical general election battleground state.

The endorsement came a day after Clinton defeated Obama by more than 2-to-1 in the West Virginia primary. The loss highlighted Obama's challenge in winning over the "Hillary Democrats" - white, working-class voters who also supported Edwards in significant numbers before he exited the race in late January.

"This is a major blow to Hillary Clinton’s hopes of winning over the vast majority of superdelegates she would need to stake a claim on the nomination," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "In the wake of her 40-point win in West Virginia, Clinton has made a direct appeal to party leaders to at least stop and consider their choice. Having a big name still on the sidelines so quickly ignore that plea is a sign it’s having little impact."

Edwards, who received a thunderous ovation when Obama introduced him to a crowd of several thousand, said, "brothers and sisters, we must come together as Democrats" to defeat McCain. "We are here tonight because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I."

He said Obama "stands with me" in a fight to cut poverty in half within 10 years.

Edwards also praised Clinton, saying "we are a stronger party" because of her involvement, and "we're going to have a stronger nominee in the fall because of her work."

He said Clinton is a "woman who is made of steel. She is a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done."

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a statement, "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and the 2004 vice presidential nominee, finished second to Obama in the Iowa caucus in early January before coming in third in the following three contests. He dropped out in New Orleans, the location a reminder of his attention to poverty.

Both Obama and Clinton immediately asked Edwards for his endorsement, but he stayed mum for more than four months. His endorsement would have carried far more clout if he had made it in February, when the Obama-Clinton outcome was very much in doubt.

A person close to Edwards, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he wanted to get involved now to begin unifying the party. Obama also signed on to Edwards' anti-poverty initiative, which he launched Tuesday with the goal of reducing poverty in the United States by half within 10 years.

When he made his decision, Edwards didn't even tell many of his former top advisers because he wanted to inform Clinton personally, said the person close to him. Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, who has said she thinks Clinton has the superior health care plan, did not travel with him to Michigan and is not part of the endorsement.

David "Mudcat" Saunders, a chief adviser for Edwards on rural affairs during his presidential campaign, said the endorsement should take some sting out of Obama's resounding loss in West Virginia.

"For Barack Obama, I think he ought to kiss Johnny Edwards on the lips to kill this 41-point loss," Saunders said.

Edwards waged a scrappy underdog campaign for the Democratic nomination, always outshone by the historic nature of Obama possibly being the first black nominee and Clinton the first woman. He continued to campaign after the family disclosed that Elizabeth's breast cancer had returned.

Obama has 1,883 delegates and Clinton has 1,711 delegates, according to the latest tally by CBS News. Edwards is not a superdelegate.

Edwards has 19 pledged delegates won in three states: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Most of the those delegates have already been selected, meaning they are technically free to support whomever they choose at the party's national convention, regardless of Edwards' endorsement.

[riptide213]

The Obama factor brings a capacity to challenge our political stagnation and harness upbeat energy of new prospects embodied by the American dream, before it becomes the easy to envision American nightmare.

America is undergoing change. Denial of change or to argue against change on the grounds that it somehow implies a contradiction of American values is stubborn imprudence. A philosophical change realized through this candidate may be worth a gamble to win back our hopes and dreams.

If voters have to conclude that change in politics is just an illusion, a pathetic theme echoed election after election then what is the point of our democratic way of life. President selection is not a backroom bequest to a narrow circle of an elite few dynasties.

Obama is our modern day political icon stepping up to carry the blazing torch of political transformation whatever it means to the mountain top of American politics for all to see. Ironically this achievement alone shows encouraging change is possible in our noble nation.

Barack Obama could be assimilated into the lobby riddled political mire like being in the midst of a Borg incursion or Obama may just break the mode enough to bring a spark of optimism into the enigmatic Washington DC mushroom factory.

Its up to Obama to take the party nomination and demonstrate in unfeigned deeds not vain words on how remarkable or flawed America can be if one is given the ultimate opportunity to serve all their citizens.

[dgal878]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you lost your ever loving mind?????????????? Take a vacation with your lovely wife and spare the country your mental breakdown!!!!!

[samthetvcat]

Everybody says endorsements don''t matter, but I think John Edwards'' does because both Barack and Johnny McSame are city folk (as is Hillary for that matter) . . . it must provide some comfort to rural America to feel like there''s somebody familiar who''s walked in their shoes who will be able to give them a voice now. And it thereby shows that it is in fact possible to build a coalition where everybody can feel like they matter (hopefully?). Go John! Gutsy move!

Dems 08! Because GOP can''t think straight!

[mcvet]

Edwards couldnt win his own home state.

After the negro freshman senator named Hussein only wins 10 states in the direct election, Howard Dean should be thrown under the bus so Democrats can re-claim the party from the fringe.




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Posted by tracymorgan0 at 05:35 PM : May 14, 2008
+ report abuse

So in your poor simple mind the Vice Presidentual Canidate who sould be Vice instead of the Evil Piece of Trash we have shouldn''t pick someone to support...well unless it someone YOU like? You really are a sad human... very sad.

[samthetvcat]

---"Edwards couldnt win his own home state"---
Posted by tracymorgan0

As McLame likes point out, he''s no Shrub . . . don''t the rural Evangelicals despise John McCain (aka Juan McAmnesty the non-believer)?

[erasmus81]

"John Edwards To Endorse Obama"

NO, NO, NO, I can''t accept that!!

[jheckerman]

Edwards is a looser. Who cares who he endorces. Obama Will loose this election to the Republicans if he gets the nomination. First term Senator, with no experience. Full of himself and his wife and Pastor cant keep their mouths shut. Why don''t you have a middle class American like Donald Trump endorece him. Not about color- it is about Wealth and arrogance.

[shanev137]

It''s definitely over now.

[beader59]

What an idiot Edwards is. These two vain men deserve each other. It is extremely weird that he waited this ling to speak his simple mind. This Obama frenzy needs to stop and people need to be very afraid of it. And it is not because he is black. He is nothing more than a celebrity who went to law school. Let him spend more time in the Senate before he runs for President. Just how long was he a senator before he announced his candidacy anyway...a year and a half maybe. What an experienced soul we have there. And the loser Edwards who couldn''t even get the support of his own state, yeh I will listen to what he says. I just hope Hillary wins and freezes out these two jerks.

[estabwary]

YAY! I like this.

[concorde5]

Hillary will start Bashing Edwards just like they Bashed Richardson.

She will take the low road every d*mn time.

She makes me sick!

[Keypinitreel1]

Edwards is good for Obama.. the more people that can give him insight to rural America and how they think, what they want...this is just what he needs. He will listen too...

[MDBobbitt]

Big Whoop

[samthetvcat]

---"Hillary will start Bashing Edwards just like they Bashed Richardson"---
Posted by concorde5

Totally - I''m so scared for them :o That''s why I think it''s so gutsy . . . there was also the former DNC Chair who along with his endorsement had to add the caveat that because he had dealt with Karl Rove in the past he felt like he could handle whatever might possibly come out from camp Clinton as fallout . . . SCARY!

[guadalcanal3]

Obama????...This man has not paid his dues...Colin Powell for president!

[canyoutellme-2009]

LOL this is great! People are pi$$ed that Edwards would support Obama. These people who are upset aren''t the democrats either... it''s the republican PUKES that are pi$$ed. I dont blame them because they won''t have Hillary to run against McCain. She''d lose! She''s get the republican base so riled up to vote that they''d go against her because she''s a CLINTON! But hey, this is the FINAL nail in her coffin so say HELLO to PRESIDENT OBAMA!!

[allamr18]

As much as I like him as a person this endorsement wouldve been better earlier in the election for either candidate. He seems a little opportunistic for me. but its his pick so i wont hate on him for that. But Sen Clinton is starting to take some major blows in her support group. But i think shes starting to see shes not going to win

[opedanderson]

Im a HRC supporter, but even I admit now that she cannot be the nominee. It''s really too bad, she would have made an excellent president......

You Obama fanatics need to take this victory in stride and stop being so nasty......

[lvdragonlady-2009]

What''s wrong beader59 - Afraid of change or is it the color of his skin?

Stay strong America, we can beat this........

[borris007-2009]

Awesome, now all you other fence sitters (Superdelegates) get off the fence and endorse now!!!

[suzyqj]

What a disappointment in the Edwards'' endorsement of obama! Guess all the "losers" are going for Obama, i.e., John Kerry, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Ted Kennedy, Richardson - maybe that is a sign that Obama will join them as losers! I believe McCain will get the seat in the White House. Not sure I could vote for him, but maybe so and then hope the Congress is overwhelmingly Democrat to keep him in line! So, so disappointed in Edwards, guess I didn''t know him very well!!!

[stn_sage]

Edwards could have spared SO MANY people so much trouble by endorsing someone earlier!

I don''t think he deserves any credit at all!

If he runs for prez in 2012, and gets the nomination, I hope I''m around to vote against him!

[tulcak]

duh, its Sen. Obama...

[johnny343sc]

ALL HAIL YOUR NEW BLACK MESSIAH... HE WILL SAVE US ALL WITH HIS COCKINESS ALONE...

NO THANKS, I''LL JUST CLING TO MY GUNS AND RELIGION.

"OBAMA BIN LADEN- THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE"

;)

[johnny343sc]

ALL HAIL YOUR NEW BLACK MESSIAH... HE WILL SAVE US ALL WITH HIS COCKINESS ALONE...

NO THANKS, I''''LL JUST CLING TO MY GUNS AND RELIGION.

"BARRY HUSSEIN-- OBAMA BIN LADEN- THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE"

;)

[canyoutellme-2009]

Im a HRC supporter, but even I admit now that she cannot be the nominee. It''''s really too bad, she would have made an excellent president......

You Obama fanatics need to take this victory in stride and stop being so nasty......


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Posted by opedanderson at 05:52 PM : May 14, 2008
+ report abuse

Wait a sec.... OBAMA supporters need to stop being so nasty? Exsqueeze me? YOUR OWN candidate is the one pulling all these nasty tricks out of her rear. She''s the one being so underhanded over and over again and breaking the rules over and over. Then she says baloney stuff over and over and her base just eats it up. It''s absolutely insane. Hillary would make an AWFUL president. She voted FOR the war and she''s talking about blowing up Iran. We''re already in ENOUGH trouble. Wow, you Clintonites are amazing

[l8erg8or-2009]

Opportunistic to say the least, wait until the last possible minute to make a decision that aligns with all the other moronic nitwits that vote for whomever looks like the possible winner, just so they can say I voted for the winner.

[gogam]

To Riptide213:

But why do you think Obama is the right person to demonstrate in "unfeigned deeds" (ironically you mention "not vain words" when all his speeches-and ubiquitous to every politician- are just words).

Might not Hillary or McCain be able to demonstrate the same "deeds" that you mentioned (for some reason you''ve entitled to Obama).

What you say is paradoxically true of all candidates. If they are NOT in office, then they can''t demonstrate any deeds until elected.

[johnny343sc]

ALL HAIL YOUR NEW BLACK MESSIAH... HE WILL SAVE US ALL WITH HIS COCKINESS ALONE...

NO THANKS, I''''''''LL JUST CLING TO MY GUNS AND RELIGION.

"BARRY HUSSEIN-- OBAMA BIN LADEN- THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE"

;)

[allamr18]

Lol wow, its alot of animosity towards people who dont fall in line with the Clinton Machine. Edwards, Richardson, the two former DNC chairs, and the money machine that switched to Obama. Why are you mad at him like he made them switch? They did it on their own merit. Clinton supporters you are just as important to this movement of change as the Obama supporters are.

[taddles-2009]

Ladies and Gentlemen, ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!

[flreason]

"First term Senator, with no experience. Full of himself and his wife and Pastor cant keep their mouths shut. Why don''''t you have a middle class American like Donald Trump endorece him. Not about color- it is about Wealth and arrogance."
Posted by jheckerman

BS. Obama can''t hold a candle to the other candidates in either wealth or arrogance. Cindy McCain has refused to release her income tax returns. McCain, who has made a big show of running a shoestring campaign has used FEC loopholes to use his wife''s corporate jet, but only claim first class air ticket costs on his campaign filings. She, like the Clintons'', loaned money to his campaign when it was in danger of tanking because of lack of funds.

The Clintons'' personal wealth makes Obamas look like chump change. And what could be more arrogant than the thinly veiled racist appeals she has made recently.

Obama has as much experience as Lincoln had in his first term...and a more successful resume. You''re not fooling anyone. It IS about color.

[samthetvcat]

---"Guess all the "losers" are going for Obama"---
Posted by suzyqj

When Hillary endorses him I guess you''re not going to be framing endorsements in that light (?) That cut kind of deep to hear pundits say that Dems don''t take care of their own after elections that don''t go our way the way Repubs do . . . that ought to be a red flag to we Dems if we''re being outdone by the GOPigs in the area of dignity! :o

[megamanx1-2009]

What an idiot Edwards is. These two vain men deserve each other. It is extremely weird that he waited this ling to speak his simple mind. This Obama frenzy needs to stop and people need to be very afraid of it. And it is not because he is black. He is nothing more than a celebrity who went to law school. Let him spend more time in the Senate before he runs for President. Just how long was he a senator before he announced his candidacy anyway...a year and a half maybe. What an experienced soul we have there. And the loser Edwards who couldn''''t even get the support of his own state, yeh I will listen to what he says. I just hope Hillary wins and freezes out these two jerks.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by beader59 at 05:46 PM : May 14, 2008

NOT HAPPENING. IT''S OVER FOR BILLARY. THE NAIL IS IN THE COFFIN.

[taddles-2009]

"Obama is a risk I''''m not willing to take.

Posted by croft777 at 05:56 PM : May 14, 2008"


So, you are willing to allow John McCain to stack the Supreme court, to continue the war on the present course, to allow the economy to continue to tank. You are a fool.

[david1737]

BREAKING NEWS!

Obama pick up another huge endorsement!

McCain messes his Depends!

[ladyesq1]

Yeah, yeah...big surprise. One *** supports another! Keep teh women down...congrats! Oh but thats right...the Democratic party doesn''t care about women voters...just black voters.

Edwards= Traitor

The two WIMPS should run on the same ticket. lol Gosh...our Democratic party is gonna lose AGAIN! Way to pick a nominee!!!!! Pat yourselves on the back.

[allamr18]

johnny: im going to need for you to say something productive to the conversation. those talking points are old and dead. its not effecting people anymore. this is why the dems have won three former republican strongholds in the state legislatures and congress. Fear is no longer a weapon.

[omaar-101]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90381052

Hillary`s Toast ...Well Done !!

The Demographic Story

West Virginia`s voters are typical of those that have been drawn to Clinton from the beginning.

1. The state is 96 % White.

2. Only Florida has a Higher Percentage of Seniors.

3. Big Note, A Mere (16 Percent of West Virginians hold a College Degree), the Lowest Percentage in the Nation, and (25 Percent Lack a High School Diploma.

4. West Virginia also Ranks near the Bottom Nationally in Median Household Income.

Those are the Reasons she did Well.

Translation: Hatfiled & McCoy, My husband & Your Wives are 1st Cousins, My Moonshine is Better than Yours, White Lightening, That Goos Ole Mountain Dew...HillBillies !!!

You Low lifes Knew that Heffa, was going to win W.Virginia & Kentucky, 2 months ago...Jeeesh !!

Much to do about...Absolutely...Nothing !!

[randynason]

I find it hard to figure why Edwards waited so long to endorse Obama, but his wife endorsed Hillary. Regardless-
I wonder if the plan all along has been an Obama-Clinton ticket. It seems strange to me that Hillary hasn''t conceded before now, but maybe O & H wanted the Republicans to think the Dems are divided so that the Repubs would be taken off-guard. Maybe the party is not as divided as some think.

[megamanx1-2009]

FOR THE LAST TIME "LOSER" ONLY HAS ONE "O"...JESUS CHRIST PEOPLE....

[david1737]

johnny343sc

you''re proof that the under educated don''t like Obama.

[johnny343sc]

C''MON PEOPLE, DON''T BE STUPID-

IT''S ONLY 7 YEARS AFTER 9/11 AND WE ARE ELECTING A PRESIDENT NAMED ''HUSSEIN'' THAT GOES TO A WHITE HATE CHURCH AND WAS EDUCATED AT AN ISLAMIC MADRASA...

HOW SOON WE FORGET. THE END OF THE WORLD IS NEAR, I GUESS. HOPE ISRAEL DOESN''T NEED A FRIEND ANYMORE IN THE US, BECAUSE OBAMA BIN LADEN IS GOING TO SELL THE US OUT TO IRAN. JUST YOU WATCH...

I HATE HITLER-Y TOO, BUT I''D RATHER SEE HER POWER-HUNGRY AZZ IN OFFICE THAN THIS WHITE-HATE CREEPO...

;)

[jerr11]

The pretty boy has decided to jump on the bandwagon!

There''s a word for this:

OPPORTUNIST!

[dchu76]

the final nail in the witches coffin

[taddles-2009]

"Why don''''''''t you have a middle class American like Donald Trump endorece him. Not about color- it is about Wealth and arrogance."
Posted by jheckerman "


I thought Edwards was middle class America, he grew up poor, had to make himself, didn''t have anything done for him. Your talking about Edwards who grew up middle class endorsing Obama who grew up middle class as opposed to Hillary who grew up wealthy and McCain who grew up wealth. Come on, who are you trying to kid.

[johnny343sc]

C''MON PEOPLE, DON''T BE STUPID-

IT''S ONLY 7 YEARS AFTER 9/11 AND WE ARE ELECTING A PRESIDENT NAMED ''HUSSEIN'' THAT GOES TO A WHITE HATE CHURCH AND WAS EDUCATED AT AN ISLAMIC MADRASA...

HOW SOON WE FORGET. THE END OF THE WORLD IS NEAR, I GUESS. HOPE ISRAEL DOESN''T NEED A FRIEND ANYMORE IN THE US, BECAUSE OBAMA BIN LADEN IS GOING TO SELL THE US OUT TO IRAN. JUST YOU WATCH...

I HATE HITLER-Y TOO, BUT I''D RATHER SEE HER POWER-HUNGRY AZZ IN OFFICE THAN THIS WHITE-HATE CREEPO...

;)

[omaar-101]

The Math just got WORSE for Hillary Clinton !!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90381052

Hillary`s Toast !!!

1. Delegate Math Favors Obama

2. But increasingly, the superdelegates are moving into the Obama camp. (He gained 30 in just the past week), negating any advantage Clinton might have had from the (16) or more pledged delegates she won in West Virginia.

3. So while the drubbing in West Virginia may be embarrassing for Obama, he still leads Clinton by any tangible measurement: pledged delegates, superdelegates and the popular vote, and there just arent enough contests left for her to catch up.

4. Big Note, And while Obama is setting new fundraising records, Clinton`s campaign debt is estimated to be more than $20 million and rising.

5. In a conference call Tuesday, Roy Romer, a superdelegate and former chair of the Democratic Party, announced his support for Obama, saying, "This race, I believe, is over." Its up to Clinton, he said, to decide when to drop out.

Hatefield & McCoys, Our Wives & Husbands are 1st Cousins, Moonshine, for a $1.59...Mountaineers...

Speaks for the Majority of White America...No Waaay !!!

[jerr11]

I HATE HITLER-Y TOO, BUT I''''D RATHER SEE HER POWER-HUNGRY AZZ IN OFFICE THAN THIS WHITE-HATE CREEPO...

;)

Posted by johnny343sc at 06:04 PM : May 14, 2008



Don''t forget to bring your hangman noose and your hood in November.

[taddles-2009]

"We won''''''''t mind voting for John McCain, and we won''''''''t mind just staying home and not voting at all.

Posted by croft777 at 06:03 PM : May 14, 2008"


That "publish" button a little to complex for you? Yup, yer fer sure one o them Clinton supporters ain''t cha.