Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, a one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, made a surprise appearance at a Obama for president campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan (which we visited two years ago), and endorsed Obama. Edwards may help Obama a little with rural and working-class white voters, and Obama needs to make up for lost ground as he has shunned campaigning until now in Michigan and Florida, with their illegally early primary elections. But I still don't completely understand why Obama has barely campaigned for the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. Sure, these are both Southern states that haven't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate in 10 years plus. But West Virginia has two Democratic U.S. senators and a Democratic governor and Senator Clinton isn't entirely wrong - The Republicans were able to steal the 2000 presidential election - in Florida - because Vice President Gore had already lost West Virginia, a state he and Bill Clinton carried in 1992 and 1996. If Gore had won West Virginia, he wouldn't have needed Florida. And Kentucky actually elected a Democratic governor by over 20 percentage points just six months ago (though how much difference six months can make, as Governor Beshear looks less formidable now).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Edwards and Obama
Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, a one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, made a surprise appearance at a Obama for president campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan (which we visited two years ago), and endorsed Obama. Edwards may help Obama a little with rural and working-class white voters, and Obama needs to make up for lost ground as he has shunned campaigning until now in Michigan and Florida, with their illegally early primary elections. But I still don't completely understand why Obama has barely campaigned for the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. Sure, these are both Southern states that haven't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate in 10 years plus. But West Virginia has two Democratic U.S. senators and a Democratic governor and Senator Clinton isn't entirely wrong - The Republicans were able to steal the 2000 presidential election - in Florida - because Vice President Gore had already lost West Virginia, a state he and Bill Clinton carried in 1992 and 1996. If Gore had won West Virginia, he wouldn't have needed Florida. And Kentucky actually elected a Democratic governor by over 20 percentage points just six months ago (though how much difference six months can make, as Governor Beshear looks less formidable now).
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As soon as she heard about the endorsement, Stephanie wondered if Obama and Edwards will run together. Tonight I found Obama-Edwards ticket T-shirts on sale on the Internet already. Certainly, in the picture above, they look like they could be running mates. Interestingly, some of the year-old speculation I found on the Internet imagined an Edwards-Obama ticket, instead of the other way around. What a difference a year makes.
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