More Thoughts On Edwards' Endorsement

Here are some follow up thoughts to Wednesday's post about John Edwards endorsement of Barack Obama...

courtesy abcnews.com

-Something interesting I noted in an email from Obama's campaign:

John ran a strong, principled campaign for president, focusing on a number of important issues where we share common ground -- universal health care, bringing our troops home from Iraq, and eliminating poverty in America.

The last time I checked, Obama's plan was not one that included universal health care.  Though I guess that depends on your definition of it.  Hillary Clinton is the one who made the point of mandated the care.  Barack Obama has made a point of assuring affordable health care without mandating it.  To me that's not universal care.

So I am not sure where that email statement really means.

-Edwards now adds another big voice in the chorus on new Obama supporters. RealClearPolitics has Obama in the lead with 290 Super delegates to Clinton's 273.  His overall lead, according to the site, is 170 delegates.

-There is already an "Edwards effect" helping Obama.  The Steelworkers Union, which had endorsed Edwards, has now backed Obama.

-Another Super Delegate from Indiana is endorsing Obama today.  That was state Clinton narrowly won the first week of May.

-Michael Dukakis, the 1988 nominee who lost to George HW Bush, isn't endorsing Obama but says he's well prepared to handle the GOP in the Fall.

-Again, all of this falls in line with what I wrote Wednesday.  Any momentum that Clinton might have swung from a big win in West Virginia is gone.  The talk is all Obama.

That idea is further reinforced by Scott Falmlen, a North Carolina political consultant, who emailed me today with the following:

While the timing of the Edwards endorsement may seem odd, I think it will still be very helpful to Obama.  He needed something to stop the conversation about Clinton's big win in WV...and the Edwards endorsement certainly did that to a large degree.

Obama will use the Edwards endorsement and the continuing movement of undecided super delegates to foster the reality that his nomination really is going to happen and now it's just a matter of waiting for the final contests to be finished...and the DNC Rules and Bylaws Cmte to enact a FL and MI solution on May 31.

I'd asked Falmlen his thoughts on the endorsement.  His firm does a lot of work with the DNC.  He was kind enough to respond.

-Now we just wait to hear from Al Gore.  Who if anyone will he endorse? 

Thanks for reading.  TA

Comments

[louis]

This the the kind of "CHANGE" Obama brings. I guess he will give us his definition Of Change as the campaign goes along....Taking Hillary's Ideas to try and sway her supporters...Will not work with this Hillary guy! As far as endorsements...sure they get the media's attention, but do voter's not have a mind of their own!

[debi]

Peferct timing, at least for Obama. And I bet Al Gore will also get on teh bandwagon.

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