Edwards In the ‘08 Race
by Pamela LeaveyLate last night I reported that Evan Bayh had bowed out of running for the Democratic nomination for president in ‘08, and now today John Edwards has let it be known he is officially throwing his hat into the ring. AP reports, “John Edwards finalized plans to get in, fast-paced jockeying in a Democratic race under the shadow of two unannounced candidates” — Clinton and Obama. Again we see the media making it all about Clinton and Obama, when it’s a well known fact that other Democrats are considering…
Bayh decided he could not compete with Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, whose possible candidacies have dominated the positioning almost two years before the actual election.
Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, has decided he can and is planning to announce his campaign in New Orleans between Christmas and New Year’s, two Democrats said.
Edwards’ novel choice of sites shows how he wants to distinguish his candidacy: emphasizing policies he believes can unite a country divided by economic inequality, a situation no more evident than in the city’s Lower Ninth Ward, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.
Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter, who worked for the Kerry campaign in ‘04, said that “Clinton and Obama have emerged as the front-runners much earlier than was the case in previous campaigns.”
But she said another candidate could compete with them.
“There’s room for one more. The question is: Who is it right now? And I don’t think anybody can tell you with any real certainty of who that could be,” she said.
Cutter said it is unclear if Edwards, despite campaigning hard in Iowa, can hold onto his lead until early 2008, when the state holds its nominating contest, as potential rivals get serious about the race.
Word has it that “Edwards plans to give Iowa more attention an announcement tour to begin around Dec. 28,” the (unnamed) Democratic officials said.
He plans to travel from New Orleans to Iowa and the three other early voting states — Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
The officials who discussed Edwards’ plans spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to pre-empt his announcement. Edwards’ spokesman, David Ginsberg, would not confirm or deny Edwards’ plans.
Personally, I am still convinced there’s only one potential ‘08 candidate quailified for the job. He’s got the experience we sorely need at this point. He’s in Iraq right now scoping out the situation on the ground.
Note to Crittenden: How old are you? Just asking because when you opine about ‘08 Dems I have to wonder…
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You are joking about Kerry, right?
vwcat,
You are joking, right? Look at the categories. I live in Denver and my line is “If the Broncos can hold on to Mike Shanahan with his pissed as hell facial expressions and really BAD commercials, the Democratic Party ought to adore Kerry.”
vwcat
Quite serious about Kerry – thank you.
Actually, a Biden supporter told me that the Democrats should have had an Edwards/Kerry ticket. That would have won in a landslide.
Indie
Goodness that’s a new twist.
Pamela, it really is.
I think one of the biggest challenges Kerry faces if he is electable despite the media spin.
I think there is pressure on him to decide early because there will be democrats wanting to follow the money and throw their support around the candidate that can win. It not about who will make a good president, it’s all about who can win.
Oops! I meant to say “One of the biggest challenges that Kerry faces is proving that he is electable.”
Indie,
Do you think they will ever learn it’s about who can do the job?
Maybe we ought to tell some people us Kerry folks are just ‘biden our time
Edwards/Kerry would have “won in a landslide”? That’s news to me, especially considering Edwards couldn’t even deliver his home state.
I’m on record going back to ‘04 when Kerry made his selection that Gephardt was the better choice. It would have been a bit more bland (although can you be any more bland than Bush/Cheney?), but Gephardt would have delivered Missouri, Ohio and ultimately, the White House.
Todd
I also thought Gephardt was a better choice.
Quite frankly I think Edwards cost Kerry more than he helped. As the southerner on the ticket Edwards didn’t help in one state in the south and couldn’t even bring his own state to the fold.
That are to tell the dems, progressives something but they rather B!tch about JK.
And how many times has Edwards been to New Orleans? How many times has he spoken with the people? Oh and how many plane loads of goods did he intiate to the gulf?
The answer? John Kerry did all of the above and John Edwards is doing nothing but using the 9th wards misfortune as a prop just like the rethugs do ground zero in NYC and its repulsive.
I agree that there needs to be renewed focus on the gulf as it is getting lost and so much still needs to be done but to use the battered 9th ward as a damn photo-op makes Edwards and his backstabbing wife no better than bush.
If edwards wanted to do something for the gulf he’d represent some of the folks pro-bono and help them fight the system that he supposedly wants to change.
Clinton was slick willy but ol bill still had some compassion edwards has the charm and smile but its cold and fake underneath.
I have seen some of the NOLA bloggers post on Edwards making the bid in the 9th ward. Funny, but the ones that I saw actually like the idea. Strange!
Ouch Pen…
JE ain’t got nothing on JK. That is for damn sure.