Edwards Mum on Hillary as Running Mate
GRINNELL, IOWA -- We got a rare double-dodge of audience questions here in Grinnell, when John Edwards refused to answer whether he would ever consider running on the same ticket with Hillary and who he would vote for if he wasn't running himself.
After the first question on Hillary, Edwards let out a mildly sarcastic laugh and took a sip of water as another man in the audience implored, "Please say no!"
After a couple more moments, Edwards deadpanned, "Next question."
That next question was about who he'd vote for if he wasn't running.
"Where did you all get in?" Edwards asked dryly. "When you're running for president, you don't talk about who you'd vote for if you weren't gonna run for president."
He then pointed back to the first questioner.
"First of all, I intend to be the nominee. I have not decided who I'll choose as my vice presidential running mate," he said before turning to the second questioner. "And I reject the premise of the question about what I would do if I weren't running."
Earlier a gentleman asked about the debates and whether a good debater makes him or her qualified to be president.
"My ex-wife was a nationally-ranked debater," said Nick Ryan, 74, of Grinnell, "and she would make a lousy president."
"I won't speak to your ex-wife," responded Edwards, "but being a smart debater, I don't think most people believe has much to do with being president. I do think, though, they look for what they think are the leadership and human qualities that we need in a president. And I think that's much more impotant to them than how smooth a debater you are."