Confirmed: John Edwards to endorse Barack Obama tonight

So, it was a revealing slip the other day when, as reported in the Ticket, former Sen. John Edwards said he was going to endorse the Democratic presidential candidate he had just voted for in the North Carolina primary and then referred to that person as "him."

Tonight, according to sources in the Obama campaign, Edwards will endorse Sen. Barack Obama at a rally in Michigan, a crucial state for Democratic plans to recapture the White House Nov. 4.

It's perfect, and not accidental timing, for the freshman senator as it will shift the political conversation away from Sen. Hillary Clinton's lopsided victory in West Virginia Tuesday.

In public and in private conversations today in Washington with potential campaign donors, she was trying to use the win to show momentum and raise questions about Obama's. It's a bitter pill for Clinton, who had adopted several of Edwards' campaign themes, including fighting poverty, in an effort to win his endorsement.

But now the prime-time focus will be back on the Democratic front-runner, who will let other Democrats and the media ask the recurring question, "Why doesn't she just give up in the face of the unconquerable delegate math?"

In her victory speech last night in West Virginia, the New York senator indicated she would stay in the race until "everyone" is heard, possibly including settling of the Michigan-Florida vote-counting morass.

In a campaign appearance today, Clinton's spouse, ex-president Bill Clinton, remarked he never thought it would be the Democrats who would not be counting votes from Florida.

Now, that leaves only one big kahuna out there ...

... who's not yet endorsed, former vice president Al Gore. He's likely to await a grand entrance and proclamation at the national convention in Denver in August.

(UPDATE: Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe issued a brief reaction: "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over.”

(Mike Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee, also issued a statement equally full of joy and praise: “Barack Obama and John Edwards share an out-of-touch agenda that would raise taxes on families while cutting funding for our troops. The only question is why didn’t Edwards endorse sooner?  Edwards’ endorsement of a candidate he previously blasted as inexperienced, hypocritical and lacking substance will not help Obama with voters looking for real change.”)

-- Andrew  Malcolm

Photo Credit: CNN

Comments

[maz hess]

edward did it only for the good of the party. I think he is right. Lets take it on the oldy mccain who would be over 80 years old at the end of his second term.

[gaypastor]

Shocking...isn't it? A younger handsom man endorses another younger handsome man over the older, more experience woman. Forget it Hillary...they just as soon see you "baking cookies in the kitchen" than make history!

[Anna]

Time and time again Hillary Clinton is being snubbed and disrespected by the media and leaders in the democratic party. John Edwards waited until now to announce his endorsement for Barack Obama to try and take away momentum from Hillary's victory in West Virginia. This kind of politics is very unfair and helps to divide the party even more. If Barack Obama is nominated, I will send the democrats a message in november. They won't get this democrat's vote.

[Mandelay]

"Hello, John, this is Howard. LIsten, we can't afford to have her embarrass him with another blowout in Kentucky, John. Your party needs you, John. We can't make this happen our way without you."

"But Elizabeth has backed her health care plan over his. I was planning to sit this one out. Hey, how'd you like my 7% in West Virginia last night?"

"Exactly. John, stepping up tonight will pretty much wipe out any memory of yesterday and will probably knock Kentucky off the screen entirely next week. We'll take care of Elizabeth."

"Well, I don't know..."

"John, you'll see, it's better this way .. our way."

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Hillary..
Do be an Obama helper
Don't be a party pooper
Do be Iraq ender
Don't be a gas tax faker
Do be a do be
a do be all day long.

Do something beneficial for the Democratic Party now.

[Michael]

Edward's endorsement is a big deal. I continue to think he would make an excellent VP choice. He's a populist southerner without the Clinton baggage. There will be strong pressure on Obama to accept Hillary as VP. It may strengthen the ticket, but it inevitably weakens the Obama presidency. Turn the page.

[Harriett Heisey]

Well, the people wouldn't vote her out, the media and the Party couldn't get her to drop out, but after the drubbing Obama took last evening in West Virginia, John Edwards rode to his rescue with his endorsement and they stabbed her in the back.
What did Edwards get for his delegates and his endorsement? Very likely the V.P. spot on the Obama ticket.
Furthermore, Hop-Along Edwards probably saved the bacon for those superdelegates who were sweating bullets they may have to announce their decision and anger their constituency.
The scenario of an Obama/Clinton ticket has always been a horrible idea and would place Hillary in the position of a scape goat. A position the Obama presidency would be only too happy to take advantage of. I can't imagine her agreeing to the V.P. spot.
If they lost the election it would be her fault. If they won he would have won in spite of her on the ticket. Anything that went wrong would be her fault. Every failure of an administration (and there will be failures), every bump in the road would be thundered about as a boulder she placed there. I can't imagine a life in such an untenentable position.
Well, you will never find me cheering the Obama/Edwards duo! I have voted in every presidential election since Eisenhower (so you know I'm one of those old white women Hillary's opponents are so derisive of) but this is one election I will be sitting out and I won't be missed that's for sure. My stomach is not strong enough to handle the bile this episode has created.

[Malama Makena]

Love John and Elizabeth. He should be on the VP short list.

If not John Edwrads, it should be a white man, preferably a Southerner.

[crat3]

ONE LOSER ENDORSING ANOTHER LOSER. Edwards is trumped by PEOPLE POWER.

The West Virginia resounding defeat of Obama was an expression of PEOPLE POWER that proclaimed Sen. Clinton is the Democratic presidential nominee. The PEOPLE POWER of Sen Clinton's victory trounced the pro-Obama biased media. Superdelegates who are endorsing Obama daily in an end run around the Democratic nomination process to swipe the nomination for Obama should ponder seriously the PEOPLE POWER that buttresses Sen. Clinton. Edwards, Obama and his superdelegates are taking the Democratic Party down the path of a train wreck in November.

[John Ryskamp]

Typical Edwards bonehead play, right when Obama is about to be indicted in the Rezko scandal:

Curtain Time for Barack Obama - Part II

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_evelyn_p_080513_curtain_time_for_bar.htm

[andrew]

SHE NEEDS TO THROW IN THE TOWEL AND QUIT. What a waste of time and money to keep going. Lets forget about Hillary, and see what happens in November with Obama and McCain. She is like an annoying fly that won't go away.

[Roger]

I hope Hillary keeps fighting. The Superdelegates are acting too soon and making a wrong choice. Nominating Obama who is arrogant with no experience, will only lead this country further down to disaster from what it is already. He's weak and he has all these dreams of hope and change but where is he going to get the money to do all those things?! He knows nothing about foreign policy. Sorry Obama, if you get the nomination, I won't waste my time going out to vote. We're doomed if he wins the general election. John Edwards endorsement means nothing. He didn't even last long anyway.

[gaypastor]

Shocking...isn't it? A younger handsome man endorses the other younger handsome man over the older, more experienced woman. Forget it Hillary...they'd just as soon see you "baking cookies in the kitchen" than make history!

[carlton lee]

'In a campaign appearance today, Clinton's spouse, ex-president Bill Clinton, remarked he never thought it would be the Democrats who would not be counting votes from Florida.'

Yeah! He knows that Democrats don't have any moral guiding authority. Agreements mean nothing if you need to win. Cheat. It is a win at any cost world at least on their side today. (Nixonian sort of.) Hilary qualified because of her married name, deserves it because of PRIVATE sex acts. Hilarious. 50 percent of the people DO NOT LIKE HER. Get a clue Bill.

[VOTER 08]

OMG, am I the only person left in America that is able to see that BHO can't beat John McCain in the National election. What in the He_ _ is the DNC doing? HRC is the candidate to back, she's the one that would have a shot at John McCain not BHO. This election is the most unbelievable thing I've seen the Dems totally screw up in decades. The one clear shot they have at the White House in 50 yrs. and they're backing the wrong horse yet again, unreal. I also love it when I hear all those political talking heads say, that they don't really believe that HRC supporters will actually vote for McCain. I've got news for all of them. IT"S TRUE and we will do just that very thing come November. It will wind up being a land slide victory for John McCain. Too bad Dems, losers again sad.

[Jason]

This endorsement is so silly. News stations are showing it as breaking news. I endorse Obama too. Is my endorsement breaking news. Why didn't Edwards endorse him 5 or 6 weeks ago. It would have had meaning. I think this endorsement shows the party as very undecided. Be careful democrats. We are looking confused.

[mona]

Congratulations to Obama on getting the endorsement of let's see a senator who ran for vice president and couldn't even carry his own state and then also tried to run for president and couldn't even carry diddly squat!!!!

Congratulations again to Obama, you just got one of thee most influential endorsements this century.

President Hillary 08

[sed]

As a former supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, it's time for the party to unite and move forward with the general.

She fought a courageous campaign, and she is a great American. That said, hoping your opponent implodes so that you can win is not exactly what I would call a sound strategy.

[AS]

Obama and Edwards might be a good ticket, but if the Democrats insist on an Obama and Clinton ticket, I suggest a compromise. Let it be Chelsa, not Hillary.

[PeteGio]

Way to stick your neck out Edwards! What a true leader...not! The race is over and Obama has the nomination. Time to start positioning yourself for power. An Edwards endorsement only makes me less likely to vote for Obama. So now we know not only is John Edwards the definition of a hypocrite as he preaches for the poor from his 28,000 square foot mansion, he is also pathetic. Please stop giving him press. We would be far better off if he simply vanished.

[carl gritzmaker]

The Clinton's wants to steal the nomination. They cannot believe that they are not wanted and they are not wanted thus the lack of majority. But they would rather sink the Democratic party than concede. They are both scoundrels and will do anything to regain their power.

[Jatts]

Its a man's World, what a shame.

- A 34 year old man from California.

[Marshall]

Obama has no experience. He'll never win. The swing voters are too nervous because he's way too fresh. McCain by a landslide. You wait and see.

[partly cloudy]

Obama/Edwards '08!!

[julia]

Good news. It's time for the party to unite and focus on taking back the White House in November.

I'm sorry for Senator Clinton's supporters who haven't accepted that this nomination race is over yet, but it is. It's time for Ms. Clinton to bow out gracefully. And for what it's worth -- I'm a woman and I'm white, but that doesn't mean that a white female candidate was automatically going to get my vote. Or that a black candidate would. I vote for the person, not their gender or their skin color. This country would be a lot further along if everyone else did the same.

Liberals and Democrats in this country need to focus on uniting the party. Threatening to vote for a war-mongering conservative who wants to take away a woman's right to choose instead of the Democratic nominee sounds rather like a child threatening to pack up their toys and go home if they don't get to tell everyone else what to do. Except it's worth, because this isn't child's play. It's serious. It's the future of our society.

In 2000, our election was stolen from us. But in 2004, we let this country re-elect someone patently unsuitable for the job because we couldn't unite ourselves. I've been embarrassed to call myself a Democrat for the past four years. We all should have been embarrassed. And we can't let it happen again.