The Bare Knuckled Pundit
05-15-2008, 09:46 PM
In a blatantly self-serving jump on the bandwagon, immaculately maned former rival John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama in a surprise appearance in Grand Rapids, Michigan yesterday. Following months of open and behind the scenes lobbying from both the Obama and Clinton camps, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee touted Obama as the new champion of his own crusade to create a unified America as he encouraged party loyalists to unite behind the junior Senator from Illinois.
Opening his remarks prior to his formal endorsement, Edwards engaged in an act of spineless bet-hedging as he effusively praised Obama’s remaining rival, Hillary Clinton. In an effort to salve the slight and avoid the wrath of the Kurgan, Edwards insisted, “We are a stronger party because Hillary Clinton is a Democrat, we are a stronger country because of her years of public service, and we’re going to have a stronger presidential nominee in the fall because of her work.”
On cue, Obama dutifully nodded while waiting to receive the long sought after prize of Edwards’ endorsement.
In the midst of receiving Edwards’ approbation the day after being unmercifully pummeled by Clinton by more that 2-to-1 in West Virginia, the Obama campaign executed a truly master stroke. Stealing Clinton’s thunder, Obama deftly shifted the media’s focus on a dime and regained all-important momentum all in one fell swoop. And this all less than twenty-four hours after the polls had closed in the Mountain State.
Towing the campaign line that the Democrat’s long road to Perdition is nowhere near an end, Clinton campaign Chairman and Master Kool-Aid Mixer Terry McAuliffe responded testily in a written statement, “We respect John Edwards. But as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."
One might think after such a seasoned and mature statement that Mr. McAuliffe might be taking his candidate and going home. Much to the Democratic National Committee’s chagrin, that is not the case.
Meanwhile, Clinton campaign staffers have been scouring Ebay for voodoo dolls and locks of the impeccably coifed Edwards’ hair.
Further taking the sting out of Barack’s West Virginia whooping were signs of cracks developing in the levee holding the rising Obama tide at bay. With the announcement today that he had picked up four superdelegates in addition to four of Edwards’ former delegates, as well as receiving the endorsement of the 600,000 member-strong United Steelworkers Union it is clear the Obama campaign has quickly recovered and is back on track.
What is so striking is the agility the campaign displayed in recovering from what in all likelihood would have been a critical, if not mortal wound had it occurred earlier in the primary hunt.
Moreover, one can only imagine where Obama, Clinton and the Democrats would be at this point had Edwards forgone playing coy and made his endorsement soon after bowing out of the race. Having pilloried Hillary in tandem with Barack, there was never any realistic possibility of his endorsing Clinton. To do so would have cost him any semblance of credibility he had left. Had Edwards had some intestinal fortitude and shown the courage of his convictions by endorsing and campaigning for Obama earlier on, the Democrat’s time in political purgatory may well have been long behind them by now.
Kudos on taking a hit for the time, John! Hope you didn’t mess up your hair jumping on the bandwagon as it neared the end of the parade route!
Opening his remarks prior to his formal endorsement, Edwards engaged in an act of spineless bet-hedging as he effusively praised Obama’s remaining rival, Hillary Clinton. In an effort to salve the slight and avoid the wrath of the Kurgan, Edwards insisted, “We are a stronger party because Hillary Clinton is a Democrat, we are a stronger country because of her years of public service, and we’re going to have a stronger presidential nominee in the fall because of her work.”
On cue, Obama dutifully nodded while waiting to receive the long sought after prize of Edwards’ endorsement.
In the midst of receiving Edwards’ approbation the day after being unmercifully pummeled by Clinton by more that 2-to-1 in West Virginia, the Obama campaign executed a truly master stroke. Stealing Clinton’s thunder, Obama deftly shifted the media’s focus on a dime and regained all-important momentum all in one fell swoop. And this all less than twenty-four hours after the polls had closed in the Mountain State.
Towing the campaign line that the Democrat’s long road to Perdition is nowhere near an end, Clinton campaign Chairman and Master Kool-Aid Mixer Terry McAuliffe responded testily in a written statement, “We respect John Edwards. But as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."
One might think after such a seasoned and mature statement that Mr. McAuliffe might be taking his candidate and going home. Much to the Democratic National Committee’s chagrin, that is not the case.
Meanwhile, Clinton campaign staffers have been scouring Ebay for voodoo dolls and locks of the impeccably coifed Edwards’ hair.
Further taking the sting out of Barack’s West Virginia whooping were signs of cracks developing in the levee holding the rising Obama tide at bay. With the announcement today that he had picked up four superdelegates in addition to four of Edwards’ former delegates, as well as receiving the endorsement of the 600,000 member-strong United Steelworkers Union it is clear the Obama campaign has quickly recovered and is back on track.
What is so striking is the agility the campaign displayed in recovering from what in all likelihood would have been a critical, if not mortal wound had it occurred earlier in the primary hunt.
Moreover, one can only imagine where Obama, Clinton and the Democrats would be at this point had Edwards forgone playing coy and made his endorsement soon after bowing out of the race. Having pilloried Hillary in tandem with Barack, there was never any realistic possibility of his endorsing Clinton. To do so would have cost him any semblance of credibility he had left. Had Edwards had some intestinal fortitude and shown the courage of his convictions by endorsing and campaigning for Obama earlier on, the Democrat’s time in political purgatory may well have been long behind them by now.
Kudos on taking a hit for the time, John! Hope you didn’t mess up your hair jumping on the bandwagon as it neared the end of the parade route!