John and Elizabeth Edwards are stars of a show they aren't at

As the fevered North Carolina primary campaign kicked into its final gear this week, John Edwards accentuated his decision to remain neutral in the Democratic presidential race he once competed in by going off on a family vacation to Walt Disney World.

But whatever recreation he and his wife, Elizabeth, were engaged in Friday night, their ears must have been burning -- in a good way. At a state party dinner in Raleigh, N.C., Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sang the praises of the Tar Heel native son they vanquished earlier this year, as well his high-profile spouse.

Clinton spoke first at the gathering and, as Times reporter Noam Levey relates, she stressed her commitment to the causes Edwards and his wife hold dear.

"Let me say what a great fighter North Carolina and working Americans everywhere had in John Edwards," Clinton said as the crowd cheered. "His courageous fight to end poverty is a fight I will see to the finish."

(Clinton has, in fact, pledged to create a Cabinet-level office devoted to focusing on poverty.)

"Let's take a minute to express our gratitude," she added.

But there was more. Clinton ...

then said, "I want to thank Elizabeth Edwards for her passion."

Amid more applause, she lauded the erstwhile first lady contender as "a true champion for universal healthcare."

Obama took the podium later and, as Times reporter Peter Nicholas noted, he dropped an intriguing hint that he won't forget either of the Edwardses if elected president.

Said Obama: "I'm so grateful for their contribution and I'm looking forward to working with them in the next administration to make sure we are doing everything we can to deliver on the full promise of America.''

Obama also commended the couple for spotlighting poverty in America, saying the Edwardses "really set the tone for this presidential race with their courage, with their ideas, with their passion and commitment to working people and to making sure that we focus our attention on not just the haves, not even the have-littles and want-mores, but have-nots.''

The Edwardses could be excused for thinking, if only more voters in the early Democratic contests had had such thoughts uppermost in their minds.

-- Don Frederick

Photo credits: Getty Images (Clinton); Associated Press (Obama)

Comments

[DEMOCRATS WANT OBAMA TO DROP OUT NOW]

DEMOCRATS WANT OBAMA TO DROP OUT NOW! They are not going to give this Presidency to Obama because hes black and if we don’t hand it to him, blacks will riot and stay home, so what? American is ready to elect a black man not this black man who recently revealed a major character flaw and again calls into question his judgment and truthfulness of the candidate whose entire appeal has been based on character or his lack there of and not solutions.

More than half the voters will not vote for obama!: 56% who heard speech less likely to vote for Obama, his unfavorable rating among registered voters up 37 percent!! Clinton leads McCain 48 to 41 percent among all registered voters, while Obama and McCain are tied. National lead dropped 10pts now tied with Senator Clinton and he is now losing in IN too. Once 25 pts ahead in NC now just 5pts-

Obama's Chickens Come Home to Roost too little, too late. The Wright controversy had revealed a major character flaw and calls into question his judgment once again and truthfulness of the candidate whose entire appeal has been based on character. Wright is like an uncle you love and respect As imperfect as he may be, he has been family to me for so many years, I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community” "I can no more disown him [Jeremiah Wright] than I can disown my white grandmother." a woman who once confessed her fear of black men after a black man had tried to shake her down for money. She gave him some, but he kept demanding more. "If the bus hadn't come, I think he might have hit me over the head," Obama says she told him. Rev Wright was right! Obama speech is ONLY for political purposes after the severe drop in polls!

Obama is now declaring himself shocked and disappointed at Wright's unrepentantly racist and anti-American views? Obamas obviously support his feelings of anti-America and white hatred that the church endorses to stay for 20 years and raise young daughters in that atmosphere Obama can no longer plausibly claim innocence in this matter, because he is the one who has encouraged Wright by trying to excuse and explain his views. All of this is why it is no use for Obama to backpedal from his association with Reverend Wright, or to denounce him now, six weeks too late. It was Obama who sought to provide the Reverend Wright with immunity from criticism--and he can't complain when the reverend tries to take full advantage of that immunity. This is the final collapse of the noble promise of the Obama campaign. The man who had once put himself forward as the candidate who would transcend racial politics once and for all has ended up legitimizing a Christian equivalent of Louis Farrakhan--and injecting him into the American political debate. Wright “Calls for Justice and Repair,” followed a statement in which he declared that “The Biblical principle of true repentance is that the offended party is given compensation to make up for that which has been stolen from them, the losses that have been inflicted upon them and their families.” A reparations plan for blacks could extract several trillion dollars from American taxpayers’ pockets. http://www.dontvoteobama.net

[Anee]

You forgot to mention the audacity of the Snobama supporters who booed Clinton, shows you the low class nature of his supporters.
If Snobama had any class he would concede now, that would be the smart thing to do. His candidacy is so tarnished and ruinned by Wright and Ayers that the Repubs are already using him as campaign fodder for other elections. He is going to lose the general election, just like Gore and Kerry and be portrayed as the losers that they are today, never to be able to resurrect their candidacy. If he gets out now he can save some of his dignity and his political career and run again in eight years. If he continues he's doomed, as is the dem chances of the white house next year.
For all his supporters and the black vote, he should explain to them the situation and stress to them that they should rally around Clinton, who has a better chance against McCain.
The argument that black voters will stay home is weak because even when they voted 90 percent for Gore and Kerry we still lost.
If Snobama is the candidate, how many white or non-black voters will stay home? We need their votes to win.
Snobama supporters need to get over the fact that he has painted himself into a corner and is destined to lose.
To save our party we need him to concede.

[mariann]

John Edwards will endorse Obama after the NC primary on 050608. Elizabeth will endorse Hillary. So, NO hard feelings either way...

[chris c]

poor guy spent all that time and energy on a anti Obama website filled with lies and distortions. Too bad the masses of the American people are not buying the BS you are selling. I would actually respect you more if you just came out and admitted that as a scared bitter racist you cannot bear the thought of a Black man achieving something you could never aspire too. I am not surprised that less educated whites are supporting Clinton, I am sure you and your neighbors have Clinton signs in front of your trailers right next to the rebel flag that you honor like a proud american.

[Core democrat]

They may not endorse either one. But I feel they both favor Clinton. Not only Elizabeth, but John, too. It is not Obama, but Clinton, that has solutions much closer to John Edwards. And that includes solutions for the lower and middle class Americans as well as a Health care Plan that covers all Americans. How can John Edwards endorse a candidate after Small town America comments, too? They were elitists at best. And count some college educated voters like me and my husband, that will never vote for Obama now or in the GE. Obama has offended many voters. Too many to ever be elected President. And I am sure John Edwards recognizes this, too. And I can not even imagine what Elizabeth Edwards had to think about Michelle Obama's comment about finally being proud of this country. Yes, she really said that. Not words of a First Lady. And Elizabeth is so the opposite.

[Cathy]

America is ready, not just for a Black president but Sen. Barrack Obama for president, who by the way is just as much white as black. I'm a 53 yr old small town mother of 3, grandmother of 3. If Hillary wins this nomination it will be because of the republicans who cross over to vote for her because they know they can't beat him. We had 8 years of a president who a great many of us believe was not elected honestly. People won't stand for Republicans picking the Democratic nominee this year.

[jon]

I sent money to the John Edwards campaign. A few days later he dropped out of the race.

Obama...its not about being black or white...he is too young and too inexperienced. Comparisons to JFK are way out of line. JFK was a war hero and had served many years in congress before becoming a senator. Obama never served in the military...I wonder why.

Clinton...no...but at least she is genuinely closer to John Edwards' view on the economy, healthcare and the like.

To the head of the Democratic party...you had this election handed to the Democrats by Bush's actions as president. But you managed to blow it. YES, the Democrats have blown it.

At least Edwards proved himself in the 2004 race, and had actually finished a term as senator.

John, you shouldn't have gotten out of the race!

[Jim]

Core Democrat:

you are deceiving yourself.

You think Edwards will endorse Clinton after lambasting her in public for being the typical Washington insider??

either way, she will not win the nomination. She will need to win ALL of the remaining states including IN and NC by 69% or more to break even with Obama.

Good luck. Core Democrat, you are actually just a Core HillBilly.

[Paul Stewart]

DEMOCRATS WANT OBAMA TO DROP OUT NOW | Post on May 03, 2008 at 06:37 AM

I think people have to remember that it takes a majority of the population to win the position of nominee, and to win the Presidency. It does not take a majority of only certain people or groups of people, such as for example those that Hillary is more able to attract. There is nothing special about this group or that group, which may be more attracted in the main to Hillary versus Obama -- the reverse is also true in other places; in fact, more so because Obama has a majority in the race for nominee and has only to do the same to win the Presidency.

This is the United States. It requires a simple majority of the people -- each one created equal and treated equal and counted equally. To make any suggestions that somehow the votes that Hillary gets which, as mentioned are fewer than a majority, are better votes than those that Obama is getting is simply ridiculous and have no place in democracy and this country.

All it does, somehow is fuel the concept of how Obama can't get the "right" votes from the "right" [read white] people and he's somehow deficient. When, he is in fact not deficient, but the leader and getting those white folks too as the majority overall, despite resistance in certain pockets of the population. If there's a discussion it should be in the reverse way with a question about why is Hillary not able to get the kinds of votes that overall is giving a majority such as Obama is achieving.

Similarly to get a vast majority of one group or another by either one is of interest but not significant in and of itself unless the sum total of all those different groups gives an overall majority such as Obama has achieved.

I guess it would be too simple for the press and others to focus on this in a way that is based on the fundamental democratic and other principles of the Constitution and American human rights and freedoms. And why are we being dragged away from those? And by whom? And to what end?

[Paul Stewart]

"Comparisons to JFK are way out of line. JFK was a war hero and had served many years in congress before becoming a senator. Obama never served in the military...I wonder why."

I don't think you give enough credit to Obama. I think he can potentially be as much as JFK. He is in my mind certainly more than just another politician. As far as not being in the army - what is your suggestion saying? Whatever it is saying, I don't think Hillary, existing Republican leadership or Bill Clinton can claim anthing like that either - does that disqualify? And Kerry was - did that make him better material than Bush? Lame....

I believe there is much evidence that Obama is not a typical politician - he is potentially much more and he was born to lead America at this time. The important question is - will America take up this generous and much needed opportunity?

Hillary can't win on the issues, she can't win on the numbers. She might win if she can leverage the party establishment sufficiently to over throw Obama's democratic winnings. While, as many have mentioned in other posts here, Obama has not exploited them, Hillary has many more skeletons -- and they are not even in the closet.

The argument that her baggage has been picked over will mean nothing to the Republicans in the election. They will use everything that is there and stuff that we still don't even know about -- I'm sure there's more to come or perhaps to be invented in a way patented by Rove/Bush and currently licensed to Hillary.

Most important, Hillary is in my view fundamentally not a strong leader and most vulnerable on the issues to losing to McCain. Clearly, she does not possess experience competitive with him in the areas where she claims an advantage - ready on day one, security and war. Just where does she have any background that supports this - her say so and that of all the generals who have been told to back her? This does not give her the experience to go head to head on these issues with McCain. Indeed, she is untested except for the Bosnia sniper fire I suppose. And, her husband's experience does not count for her.

Hillary's way to the nomination even with leverage on the party establishment is predicated on character assassination and racism. Obama's character is good and she can't dredge up any real issues- no Wright and Rezko and a slip of the tongue about guns and religion that is based in truth are not real character issues.

So she has initiated the chatter about guilt by association and she is trying to find as many such things and thread them together and say it makes a pattern. Now this gives license to the fools, the bigots and those afraid of change not to mention to bloggers that can hide behind anonymity in the virtual world. Also, to those that are figuratively blind supporters of her and the Republicans who now parrot obtuse connections to unsavory people or events and look to get it said that Obama and his wife are unpatriotic. I can see this comment about Obama not having served coming from that angle.

The best way for the Democrats to win in November is to harness the movement for change in politics and in Washington that Obama is leading. And not just to win, but because more importantly, it is critical to America's future. Many now can see that this is a movement by the grass roots, not just a some well spoken words from Obama as some would have you believe. If Clinton got on the bus instead of throwing herself in front of it, all the more powerful. If she stopped crying "Obama is bad, the sky is falling, and I'm much better than what I say he is" and get on the bus, well, all the more powerful too.

I think now that Wright has spoken out so fully that the world can clearly see he has his own issues, this will now fall away. It is clear now that Obama is not Wright and that Wright is not Obama. These are two different people who are clearly of opposing views on the issues. To now even suggest that Obama also holds Wright's instead of the right views is like suggesting he believes in aliens. This is now clear to reasonable thinking people, which I believe the majority of Americans are. And these people know it is time and I think actually have already moved on -- it is way overdue. This is not expedient for Obama -- it is imperative for America so she can get on with the challenge of restoring herself.

I ask Americans to step back from the fanatic blogging and the fueling of divisive issues that are being stoked. Particularly those that call themselves leaders in the media and in the political sphere. I think if you do that the reality of the situation and the immediacy of the unprecedented challenges America faces will lead you to understand that there needs to be a meaningful search for the truth, the facts and a meaningful discussion of what is right (not what is left or right).

If it helps as a reminder, I list the obvious challenges here, and I'm sure there's more if you take some time to think about it - the mistaken brutal, bloody and expensive war in Iraq, the mishandled war on terror, the still missing Bin Laden, the weakened economy, plummeting dollar, health care, Social Security, America's reduced standing, lost opportunity and near irreparably damaged reputation in the world, the crying need to be resuming global leadership to solve for eg - the financial crisis [made in America], the environment, poverty, health, etc.. And leadership is not shoot before you look.....

And, I would forcefully add underlying all of this, the challenge is to restore the very clear decline in moral fabric of American society which has been mauled. Just look at the tremendous waste of energy on the Wright episode -- the time that was spent by Hillary on this matter in her Fox interview for example. Surely this is not leadership or addressing issues - its ignoring all these important matters, and wasting precious time and energy on Wright (with a gleeful smile in the interview) and on anything divisive or derogatory to the opponent. This is about personal interest and dividing and conquering for your own ends and agenda.

A true leader would politely dismiss the questions about Wright or remark that it was a tragedy that he was so far off of reality on so many points. A leader would then move quickly on to the real topics. Leadership is about debating these issues and leading America through them. It is not about finding ways to use your power and position to arbitrarily, willfully and maliciously destroy the character of others in part through the mindless bloggers posting here. While, all the time, hypocritically promoting the notion that saying ugly things makes you a strong and tough person - a "fighter". And because the other person doesn't spit back in your eye they must somehow be weak.

And please in considering your vote in the Democratic primaries and in the general election look to what is in your own best interest and your families' and especially, your childrens' and their future generations'. If you do that, I think you will understand why you should choose Obama.

I invite you to also look at the prospects for America and Americans as a whole nation. It has the potential to be greater than the sum of its parts. Right now, it is notably less and a race won by exploiting divisions, will reduce it further. Just look at the nonsense in the blogosphere where everything seems polarized. Shame on the exploiters. There is no discussion. It is I'm right and your wrong. No search for the truth, which is easy to see if one just seriously looks. No balance etc. It is worse on the Clinton side in my view, something reflected in the high rating of those in her camp who say they will toss their vote in the general to McCain.

I am confident the American era of confusion, hate and fear will come to an end - it might be sooner or later but it will end. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time....

America will get what it deserves out of this election - if its garbage in then its garbage out. America needs more than that, and to truly see the reality of the situation and vote for something different. If it does not, it will get more of the same. For something different, vote Obama. He may be just another poltician. But it is undeniable that he might be something much more and he is leading a movement for change. Why squander the opportunity?

I believe America will have the courage to vote for a new politics, a new discourse and a new future based on truth, justice and the real American dream. And it will again lead the world.

[Minka-Mouse]

EXPLAIN ME THIS!!

In the landmark civil fraud case against Bill Clinton in Los Angeles, where the former President is charged with defrauding a Hollywood dot com millionaire to help Hillary Clinton obtain more than $1.2 million from him for her 2000 Senate campaign, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz ruled on Friday, April 25 that Hillary Clinton would not be required to testify in a sworn deposition as a material witness in the case until AFTER the November election!

While Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Al Gore, Ed Rendell, Barabara Streisand, Cher, Stan Lee, Brad Pitt, Mike Wallace, Larry King et al may be called to testify and be deposed starting in May, Hillary alone has been protected from explaining her role in her husband’s fraud charges.

In an astonishing ruling by the Judge, Hillary Clinton may NOT be deposed about her role in the illegal solicitation and cover up of the largest contribution made to her Senate campaign until after the presidential election. This is the same contribution Hillary denied knowing about or receiving when Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post asked her specifically about it and her relationship with the donor, Peter Paul, in August 2000. Its the same contribution her finance director David Rosen was criminally tried in May, 2005, or hiding from her and her campaign. Its the same contribution the FEC fined her campaign for hiding from the voters in three false FEC reports by her treasurer between 2000-2006. (www.paulvclinton.com)

Equally surprising as the ruling was the judge’s request to Hillary defense lawyer David Kendall to “say hello to his ( Judge Munoz”) friend Bill, also a partner in Kendall’s law firm”
The decision to shield Hillary Clinton from civil discovery for an additional seven months, thereby delaying a long postponed trial, was made by the judge on his own, without any request by Hillary or her lawyer to make the ruling. No discussion was permitted by Paul’s lawyer before the decision was made. Judge Munoz’ unilateral decision effectively saved the floundering campaign and hopes of Hillary Clinton to win her party’s Presidential nomination!

Had Senator Clinton be forced to testify under oath, as a material witness and beneficiary of the fraud that her husband is being sued for before the Democratic Convention, her remote chances for being nominated the party candidate would have been unquestionably destroyed.

Hillary has never publicly commented on the case in which she was a defendant from 2003-2006. Nor has Hillary ever commented on the videotaped phone call she made to Peter Paul the day he began spending more than $1 million for her Senate campaign, the false statements she made through Howard Wolfson to the Washington Post denying working with Paul or receiving any contributions from him, the sworn Declaration she made under oath where she refused to deny any of Paul’s allegations, the role her White House aide Kelly Craighead played in coordinating Paul’s expenditures and befirending Paul’s Japanese business partner during a White House visit and many other unanswered questions of illegal conduct.

The illegalities detailed in Paul’s civil complaint and FEC complaint caused Hillary’s finance director to be criminally indicted and tried in 2005 by the Department of Justice Office of Public Integrity (the same group that prosecuted Scooter Libby) for hiding the cost of a fundraiser paid for by Paul. Paul’s FEC allegations forced Hillary’s campaign to admit to the FEC in October, 2005, that it violated FEC reporting requirements by hiding more than $700,000 received from Paul that Hillary personally said she never received.

Hillary’s sworn deposition is expected to reveal numerous illegalities directed by Hillary, with Bill’s help, to win and keep her Senate seat and avoid being accountable to the law. The judge’s sua sponte decision to delay Hillary’s deposition until after the presidential election denies the public’s right to know what a presidential candidate and a former president have done to undermine the Rule of Law and the Constitution by corrupting the Department of Justice Office of Public Integrity and its very Chief, Noel Hillman, federal judge A Howard Matz appointed by Bill Clinton (who deceived the jury in the criminal trial of Hillary’s finance director by telling the jury that Hillary was not involved in any way) and the FEC itself which aided and abetted Hillary filing a fourth false FEC report in January, 2006 that omitted any reference to the $1.2 million contribution the FBI and DOJ swore Paul made.

The Department of Justice prosecutor in the May, 2005 criminal case stated that $1.2 million was personally contributed by Paul at the request of Bill Clinton as part of an employment deal for Clinton’s post White House rainmaking services and was confirmed by FBI Special Agent David Smith as explained by Dept of Justice Prosecutor Dan Schwaber (pages 55,57,72) during the criminal trial of Hillary’s finance director David Rosen in May 2005.
Hillary’s treasurer was later forced to admit filing the false FEC reports to hide more than $700,000 paid by Paul, and fined $35,000 (the only fine imposed on Hillary’s campaign) yet Hillary has never answered one question to the media or the courts about these charges!

In fact, Hillary’s sworn Declaration in response to Paul’s sworn allegations constituted a legal admission to Paul’s charges becauseHillary refused to deny any of the allegations!
Strangely, Hillary admitted to the Washington Post in August 2000 knowing that the fundraising event Paul produced and paid for in August, 2000 cost more than $1 million- yet Rosen was indicted on three counts of hiding this fact from Hillary’s campaign causing 3 false FEC reports to be filed!

The cover-up of the original felony violations of the federal election law committed by Hillary and Bill Clinton (they solicited and coordinated Paul’s $1 million plus contribution as a quid pro quo for Clinton’s post White House employment) have resulted in a corruption of every branch of the government by the Clinton’s- all in plain view of the public and with the collusion of the media and the government. Watergate seems insignificant in the breadth of its public corruption in comparison with what has become the mother of all coverups orchestrated by Hillary Clinton.

[Wolf]

Read this....this is a preview of what will be to come if Obama gets in :-(.....we must do everything to stop him. Go to hillaryclinton.com and help the campaign by making calls from your homes, contribute if you can - just do something ok?

This is from newsmax as of yesterday:

The United States Senate may vote any day on the stealth imposition of what could amount to an $845 BILLION United Nations style global tax on American citizens?

It's called the Global Poverty Act (S.2433), and it is being sponsored by none other than SENATOR BARACK OBAMA.

According to some conservative sources, this disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000.00 -- on welfare to third-world countries.

WHAT ABOUT OUR COUNTRY???? OUR POOR ???? He has no plans regarding the gas prices or repossessions but he can spend his time doing what????

Write your Senators and tell them you are against this!!!!!!!!!!! And the urge anyone you know in Indiana or North Carolina to vote for Clinton. Obama would ruin our country more if he is in office by these types of policies!

[Joe Dempsey]

My wife and I have been John Edwards supporters since he ran against John Kerry in 2004. I was saddened when the American people in this 2008 Demcratic campaign have not gotten John Edwards message. But, I am even more saddened that John Edwards has in my opionion let us all down by not getting behind a candidate and help put this ridiculous bantering aside and get on with meeting the republican party head on for the November General Election. We can not afford to let another republican take over the White House. I followed John Edwards until the last minute and then knew I had to make a choice and chose Barack Obama because to me he embodies more of what John Edwards is about then Hillary could ever be. After all John Edwards has said repeatedly that she is a Washington insider. We desparately need to give a fresh voice a chance to guide and embrace the people's wishes and not their's and special interest.

[Anne]

Joe, I would so agree with you but Senator Obama is part of the insiders...and with a choice...he is too liberal for me. His 'universal' healthcare program leaves out millions and is not universal, his beliefs and conviction supporting Reverend Wright to begin with to only flip-flop later was seriously disappointing and for me - questioned his judgment or ability to make a tough decision, to above reference sponsored bill will put our economy further into a recession, and he is unelectable against John McCain (in my opinion).

He was successful in disenfranchising Michigan and Florida votes from this nomination process so his chances of carrying those States is slim to none, that is over 2 million votes - and he/his supporters have successfully offended near 1/3 of Clinton supporters to the point where they will not support Obama, that is another 5 million votes - and of course, when he used his experience in Indonesia representing he was more experienced than Clinton or McCain, well he was 10 years old. There is alot of amo for the swiftboats but I am afraid that the Republicans will only have to use a canoe. Reverend Wright and Senator Obama's choice to remain affiliated until it was not politically expedient is very troublesome.

I will vote for a Democrat whom I feel can and will beat McCain in November - the goal is the White House - not just the nomination. For that I will vote for Senator Clinton - we know her baggage, her history and actually all of her plans.

If Senator Clinton has an issue with one of Senator Obama's comments or plan, she claims it is wrong - how come - and with an alternative plan. If Senator Obama has an issue with one of Senator Clintons comments or plans, he says it's bad, calls it names - but with no alternative plan. Anyone can say something is bad, but unless there is an alternative provided - well then to me, it is just words.

We need far more than words!!!! We need action and I feel Senator Clinton will get more done for the working class and Americans as a whole than Senator Obama will. Senator Clinton will start to bring the troops home within 60 days...she has a plan - she has support in the Senate - Senator Obama's advisor has now changed their plan to 12-24 months before starting to bring troops home.

[obama]

Some funky racist created website against Obama. Losers! American people will not buy that BS.

Obama is far more better politician who has judgement and capacity to lead this country On the other side, Hillary, just a liar, untrustworthy, divisive and negativity.

People, line up behind Obama for the betterment of this country and people. Obama is once-in-a-lifetime politician. Follow behind the honestness, integrity, judgement and intelluctuality of a candidate not JUST some manufacured distractions.

[David Beckwith]

In one-on-one match-ups, only three of the major Democrats were shown to match or beat John McCain -- Edwards, Clinton and Obama...with Edwards beating him the most soundly.
If Democrats are going to win, the final team should be a combination of Obama, Clinton and Edwards.
Not or.
Perhaps Edwards could be promised VPotus, AG, a secretary position, or even encouraged to take the number one slot.
Al Gore should also be folded into the final edifice if the tidal wave is to really be massive.

Gore/Edwards/Obama/Hillary '08!
"The Earth and the World Demand It"

[Kathy Callan]

John Edward led his party all the way this campaign cycle. Because of Edwards, the candidates are talking about core Democratic issues like universal health care, strengthening the middle class, ending poverty, standing up for workers' rights, getting out of Iraq, and ending global warming...Even the Wall Street Journal acknowledged Edwards' leadership on the issues.

Unfortunately, the corporate media chose to focus the overhwhelming majority of its time on only five of the 18 candidates early on in the game: Obama, Clinton, McCain, Giuliani, and Romney.

http://www.journalism.org/node/8187

The corporate media are now, in effect, the kingmakers in our country. They did not want to highlight a populist trial attorney who spent his career fighting corporate abuse.

We need media reform and public financing for all candidates....Let's let the voters decide the race, not the media and big money.

[NCDem Amy]

Obama also commended the couple for spotlighting poverty in America, saying the Edwardses "really set the tone for this presidential race with their courage, with their ideas, with their passion and commitment to working people and to making sure that we focus our attention on not just the haves, not even the have-littles and want-mores, but have-nots.''

Yes, they did. Obama's right.

And, Elizabeth's work for universal healthcare will continue to drive the issue. It's no surpise that she's out there speaking the truth about McCain's disastrous healthcare plan.

[jim beam]

Two Obama supporters were actually arrested at a Hillary Clinton rally in Jacksonville NC for being disruptive, cursing at law enforcement, and trying to disrupt the rally!!! http://www.dontvoteobama.net
http://www.jdnews.com/news/rally_56235___article.html/student_northside.html