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Clinton Camp on Edwards Endorsement: 'It's Not Great News'

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May 14, 2008 5:38 PM

ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: "It's not great news," said a senior Clinton advisor of the news that former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., will break his neutrality and endorse Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Michigan Wednesday night.

"Well, I don't think it's good news, but there's a lot of news in this business and we move forward and move past it," the Clinton advisor said.

Asked what effect the Edwards endorsement might have: "We don't know. We'll see. We'll see how much of it is transferable," referring to Edwards' popularity with white working class voters.

Clinton advisor Terry McAuliffe also addressed the endorsement during a quick media availability Wednesday evening outside of the Senator's house.

"I can't speak for why people endorse," said McAuliffe, adding, "the voters in West Virginia say it's not over."

Coming off the heels of a 41-point landslide win in West Virginia, the Clinton camp had hoped to build some momentum, pledging to continue the campaign through the remaining primaries over the next three weeks.

"We're going on to Kentucky and Oregon and the rest of the contests and then we'll see what happens with Michigan and Florida and by June 4th we'll have a clearer idea about where everyone stands," Clinton said in the interview with ABC News' Charlie Gibson Wednesday.

Clinton also met Wednesday with six uncommitted superdelegates at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee offices in Washington and her campaign hosted a meeting with about 45 or 50 financial supporters to make her case to them and ask them to continue raising money.

Wednesday night Clinton will host a party at her tony Washington residence for top donors.

The Clinton camp continues to make the case that superdelegates are concerned about Obama's loss in West Virginia and other swing states.

"All I can say is, I don't want to overdramatize it, but starting with Ohio the remaining superdelegates started really focusing on the 270 electoral vote issue and how do we best assemble that and it's made a marked impression," the senior Clinton advisor told ABC News.

But then in a moment of candor the advisor conceded, "I'm not sure it's gonna be enough."

May 14, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (208)

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Edwards is yet another opportunist in the same old loser club, latte-left tradition as McGovern, Mondale, Kennedy, Dukakis, and Kerry. Nothing new here.

Posted by: Emily | May 14, 2008 5:47:57 PM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

The humor...

If he were to endorse Clinton... this would be the turning of the Tide...lol

wow

Posted by: Vanessa | May 14, 2008 5:53:39 PM

Lets not forget Edwards carries 19 delegates and his own SD vote

Posted by: Vanessa | May 14, 2008 5:55:32 PM

CHANGE is upon America!!!!!!!!

The BEST is yet to come!!!!!!!!

Posted by: JohnS | May 14, 2008 5:56:50 PM

Edwards is part of the Kerry-Edwards train wreck. I still remember how he treated Hillary in the debates. I wouldn't vote for him if he was the nominee and Obama wasn't. He's old news and who cares anyway. He had 1% of supporters when he dropped out. The media wants you to believe that he could bring in some constituencies of Hillary's to Obama. Very few of his supporters went to Hillary anyway. The majority went to Obama. Hillary still has half the electorate even without Edwards supporters. I'm still angry about the last election 4 years ago. My vote was wasted for the last time.

Posted by: Lois, California | May 14, 2008 5:57:19 PM

Uh, Emily, wasn't John Edwards Mr. Working Class Champion before it was fashionable? He announced his candidacy in New Orleans' 9th Ward and went to work on a Habitat for Humanity house immediately after dropping out.

Edwards message will be, I think, clear: it's time to support the nominee.

Posted by: Jake | May 14, 2008 5:57:22 PM

I don't care if Franklin Delano Roosevelt is resurrected just so he can endorse obama.
Edwards lost his campaign AGAIN because people saw that he is just another phony politician trying to fool the voters - now they will see that obama is just like Edwards - no substance.
obama is just pandering to the Michigan voters - trying to make up when he told the media - MICHIGAN IS NOT IMPORTANT TO MY CAMPAIGN - eating your words obama?

Posted by: Lou | May 14, 2008 5:57:47 PM

It's not surprising that he endorsed Obama based on what he said in a debate last October:

"Will she be the person who brings about the change in this country? I believe in Santa Claus. I believe in the Tooth Fairy. But I don’t think that’s gonna happen. I really don’t. And I think that if people want the status quo, Senator Clinton’s your candidate. That’s what I believe.”

Posted by: Cindy | May 14, 2008 5:59:37 PM

The Edwards endorsement says very loud and clear that he is with the position of unity, and against the politics of division, racism and separation. Thanks in advance to a guy I supported in 2004.

Posted by: kravitz | May 14, 2008 5:59:49 PM

I'm glad to see someone has come to their senses. Edwards is no dum dum he can read the writing on the wall. Mrs. Clinton had better put her ego aside and work to ensure a democratic victory this fall.

Posted by: JBS | May 14, 2008 5:59:56 PM

Thats great news... I have always liked Edwards. Actually, I hope to see him as the running mate.

Posted by: Niky | May 14, 2008 6:00:23 PM

Hillary, run as an independent. The far left turned its back on Lieberman. But, you can win the middle and leave the extremes to Obama and McCain. True change. Go for the Gold

Posted by: William | May 14, 2008 6:02:28 PM

Whirlwind 24 hours.

Last night, a Democrat won in Mississippi.
(Many senior Democrats have said a Democrat could not win in the south).

Republicans have been panicking all day long. They are pointing fingers at each other and realize they are in big trouble for letting Bush run America into disaster.

Today, Edwards endorses Obama.

Wow!!!

Posted by: Debbie | May 14, 2008 6:03:14 PM

Actually Vanessa, Edwards isn't a superdelegate.

It's still good news though.

Posted by: Brandon | May 14, 2008 6:03:42 PM

Edwards as a running mate??? That's funny.. he couldn't even deliver his own state of North Carolina in 2004. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!

Posted by: Ann | May 14, 2008 6:05:31 PM

You gotta give it to Obama; Slowing constricting Clinton with superdelegates into conceding.

She picked up 20 delegates in WV, but Obama has gotten 30 superdelegates over a week.

Even Clinton has to know, she's starting to look like a hamster running on the circular wheel full speed but going nowhere.

Posted by: Common Sense | May 14, 2008 6:05:42 PM

Yay: Edwards is refusing to be a "New Hill-Billy," pandering to the ignorant by their willingness to "obliterate" Iran and making false promises to eliminate the gas tax!

Posted by: Susie | May 14, 2008 6:06:22 PM

I knew this was coming. Of course it is big news! How can the CLinton adviser dismiss this endorsement. This will help Obama win over those on the fence and will help him win more blue collar votes. He has a huge lead in Oregon. What will Hillary say-that those white voters don't count?That Oregon is not an important state?

Posted by: Maria Hopgood | May 14, 2008 6:06:44 PM

It doesn't matter, this soon to be former Democrat wouldn't vote for Obama if the Easter bunny endorsed him. The party has been hijacked and I'm out after a lifetime of being a Democrat. If not Hillary, then it's McCain for me.

Posted by: kitty | May 14, 2008 6:07:26 PM

I sill remember Edwards was the campaign dog for Obama during the debates. The loser usually likes to unite another one to fight with the opponent rather than fighting singly.

I think the campaign gets to personal.

I think those high profile Obama backers's psychology is like this:

they will feel disgraced if a woman wins, and reaches the goal they can never reach, so they would rather to endorse a weaker one.

Very simple, and pitiful reason behind.

They should be responsible for the country's history. They should feel guilty that, their choice is not to put the country first, but is to put their own grace first.

Posted by: golfgirlusa | May 14, 2008 6:07:32 PM

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