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Edwards Would Not Accept Possible VP Nod

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April 03, 2008 4:17 PM

ABC News' Raelyn Johnson Reports: For the first time since ending his presidential bid, former Senator John Edwards says he will not accept a vice presidential nod on the Democratic ticket in 2008.

Edwards appeared today at the CITA Wireless Convention in Las Vegas, where he was asked if he would accept a VP position, to which he responded no.

But, it wasn’t the first time Edwards was questioned on the matter. During an uphill battle in his second campaign for the presidency, Edwards was often asked if he would consider a vice presidential position, after failing to win a state in the early nominating process. Edwards consistently contended that he was only running for president.

Just last month in an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” Edwards said, "I want to serve my country in whatever way I can. Whether it's in government or out of government, I don't know which it is," when asked if he would work in either a Clinton or an Obama administration.

In 2004, Edwards ran on the Democratic ticket as a vice president to  Sen. John Kerry.  Former aides to Edwards contended that the former Senator’s views toward being a VP in this election were in part shaped by his experience with Kerry, who has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. One aide flatly told ABC News, Edwards has, “had been there done that.”

While his comments today end speculation about sharing a ticket —the more pressing question remains unanswered.  Who will Edwards endorse, should he decide to?

Again today, he declined to answer questions on where he stood in the endorsement process.

April 3, 2008 in Clinton, Hillary | Permalink | User Comments (37)

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Not true that Republicans will not vote Obama because he is black.

Nothing to do with race.

Republicans will vote Colin Powell or Secretary Rice in a heartbeat and they are both Black ..

It is NOT the color ...

Posted by: ReThink | Apr 4, 2008 1:39:14 AM

Rethink: It could only work as Clinton/McCain as she has more knowledge of the economy. But that will never happen.

Posted by: Geneva | Apr 4, 2008 3:07:46 AM

John Edwards' wife had not been re-diagnosed with cancer when he announced his candidacy for the President of the US. It was found after he was in the race. He and Elizabeth jointly decided to continue the race. I think that an individual should be able to correct a mis-statement of fact that a previous commenter has put on this board. Perhaps I should have known better. The media made certain that John Edwards was not covered as other candidates were. You also have made it crystal clear that you favor Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton.

Posted by: savethemiddleclass | Apr 4, 2008 8:00:56 AM

The time has long come when the intelligence of America can accept a woman or a person of color. A more fitting comparison would be either a black man vs a white man or a black woman vs a white woman. in this instance, it's not that she is a woman that makes it impossible to back her. It's that she is not genuine.

Posted by: DAVIDPAGZZZ | Apr 4, 2008 8:16:02 AM

Personally I was sorry to see John Edwards out of the race for '08. He is young, vibrant and has a connection with the majority of the American people. Wish there was some way he was back in the race.

Posted by: dixiecharms | Apr 4, 2008 8:32:52 AM

I wish he would step up. I really respect him. I voted for Edwards twice. I really think he would make a great VP with Obama. That would be the dream team. They think the same. So Edward or someone who knows him please tell him the American People still needs him, we need him to be on our side.

Posted by: becky | Apr 4, 2008 9:50:44 AM

I dont trust Obama or the Oprah horse he rode in on. He has the pied piper effect on everyone, and I am not following. If Hillary is not our democrate canidate, this democrate will vote republican. I do wish that Edwards would just come out and say whom he will support.

Posted by: exdemo | Apr 4, 2008 11:12:56 AM

Sherr is all wet here. John Edwards would be the BEST VP, and many people hope that Obama would ask Edwards to be VP. Maybe he's keeping his hand close to his chest before saying anything. Insinuating that he's waiting for a VP spot makes him look opportunistic. I believe he knows what he's doing and I do hope he is the VP for Obama. He should not sully his character by associating with Hillary. She is not a shoe-in for the nomination and I doubt that he'd want to run with her even if she asked him.

Posted by: Mitsy | Apr 4, 2008 11:34:45 AM

I just love everyone who keeps saying Hillary is SO experieinced. Have you read ANYTHING about Whitewater? The Clintons are bad news!!! They know how to lie to get where they need to be. Typical political rhetoric...They scare me...

Posted by: cindy | Apr 4, 2008 12:02:33 PM

Cindy, what exactly have you "read" about Whitewater that a $50 million dollar investigation couldn't find? That's right - our country spent $50 million dollars trying to dig up dirt on the Clintons and the only thing Ken Starr found was a blow job that Bill lied about. I don't support Hillary Clinton, but there isn't anything at all to the "Whiterwater Scandal", including the death of Vince Foster. People kill themselves all the time...you should try it.

Posted by: bob | Apr 4, 2008 12:55:24 PM

Bob, I agree with you totally. We have wasted enough time and certainly enough money regarding Whitewater. Bill got a bj, so what, the only people that should really care about that is Hillary and Chelsea. Was it right, obviously not but it was personal. Enough already!

Posted by: Pauline | Apr 4, 2008 1:29:15 PM

John Edwards would make the best Secretary of Poverty in the President Hillary Clinton cabinet..a post which she today said she would establish if elected.

Posted by: MPWDC | Apr 4, 2008 10:13:38 PM

Sadly, I have to agree that I will be one Democrat voting for McCain should Obama win the Democratic primary. Particularly as my vote was thrown away by the Democratic party as I am a Floridian. I'm a little disgusted that the Democratic party allowed the Republican-controlled Florida leaders who voted to move our primary up to discount the vote of a state that will be so influential in the actual election.

And as MPWDC said, while you don't have to agree with everything your pastor says, the fact that you choose to stay in a church where the pastor spouts such racist drivel says a lot about the kind of voter you're pandering to. And I don't choose to support a politician who feels the need to appear as one of that kind of constituency. If those are the voters he's courting, Obama's underlying views are definitely not all about uniting us all as one big happy family.

Whatever you can say about the Clintons, Bill had the ability to move in both the national and the global arenas as a force of conciliation and cooperation, and I believe Hillary shares that with him, though she's had less opportunity to work on a global level. Actions speak louder than words, and I'll go with Hillary's actions as a senator versus Obama's constant prating about change while he subtly sends the message that he, too, believes in black persecution and the evil America by supporting a pastor such as Wright. Of course, if he advocated for personal responsibility and called his pastor on his comments, he'd be called a traitor to his race and a lot of blacks wouldn't vote for him. I might though, since I'd respect him a lot more.

Posted by: Heathervye | Apr 5, 2008 1:41:41 PM

Good for you and right thinking, Edwards.

You dont want to be Obama's VP, and Al Gore surely doesn't need a Cabinet position from Obama ...

And if Hillary is not the nominee, Hillary doesn't want to be VP for Obama either.

You are all much better off on your own ... All your credentials outshine Obama's ...

Posted by: GoodThinking | Apr 5, 2008 2:48:52 PM

Edwards for Clinton's poverty secretary???????
Sure, he earned less millions than the Clintons; though his coiffeur is much much richer than the Clintons'.

All of them are shameless millionaires with populist speeches, they would surey succeed together.

Posted by: Mark Webb | Apr 5, 2008 4:45:43 PM

I still think Edwards would be a great Attorney General

Posted by: Russell | Apr 6, 2008 12:04:21 AM

Question: Can Edwards, a Democrat, endorse a Republican? Or, better yet, an Independent?

Posted by: Mary | Apr 9, 2008 7:36:39 PM

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