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Edwards To Endorse Obama
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ShareMay 14, 2008 5:04 PM
ABC News' Kate Snow, Raelyn Johnson, Sunlen Miller, and Rick Klein Report: Former Sen. John Edwards is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy Wednesday evening, in a dramatic attempt by the Obama campaign to answer concerns regarding Obama's appeal to working-class voters, several senior Democratic sources tell ABC News.
The Obama campaign confirms Edwards will endorse Obama at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan Wednesday. The event was originally scheduled to start at 7pmET, but was moved up to 6:20pmET, presumably to have the announcement make the evening news.
Edwards, who ran for president on a platform of eradicating poverty, plans to appear alongside Obama for the announcement. The event comes one day after Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton defeated Obama by 41 points in the West Virginia primary, and Edwards' endorsement will give Obama a key establishment stamp of approval as he attempts to close out the nominating process.
Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, have remained studiously neutral since the Edwards campaign came to a close Jan. 30. Edwards on Sunday called Obama "the likely nominee," but made clear that his statement reflected a judgment about the state of the race, not necessarily a personal preference.
The possibility of an Edwards endorsement has been the subject of intense speculation for months; only former vice president Al Gore's endorsement was more coveted by Obama and Clinton. Edwards and his wife had publicly praised Clinton's healthcare plan, but Edwards' anti-corporate message seemed a better fit for Obama's outsider campaign.
Campaign Chairman Terry McAuliffe responded to the endorsement this evening both during a quick press availability outside of the Senator's residence, and in a paper statement.
“We respect John Edwards," McAuliffe said, "but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over.”
A source close to the Clinton campaign said the Edwards camp gave the Clinton folks a heads up.
"Clearly it's upsetting," the source tells ABC. "He brings the workers" to Obama.
"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. It's not great news," a Clinton senior advisor said.
Asked what effect the Edwards endorsement might have, he said: "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.
"We would've preferred it," to be our endorsement the advisor said. That's not a secret.
Clinton met today with six uncommitted superdelegates at the DCCC offices on Capitol Hill.
This advisor said the Clinton campaign believes superdelegates are concerned about Obama's loss in West Virginia last night and other swing states.
"No question -- that started with Ohio and increased with Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia," he said. "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."
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., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (542)
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Well, there goes any chance I'd ever consider voting for Edwards again.
Posted by: Tom in MA | May 14, 2008 5:09:30 PM
That's a neat and tidy little endorsement, nicely timed to take the sting off of last night!
Posted by: FilmMD | May 14, 2008 5:11:07 PM
I think the superdelegates turned over voters's will. The blue-collar voters didn't want Obama, why Edwards wants to bring them to Obama???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Posted by: golfgirlusa | May 14, 2008 5:12:18 PM
That's the way to take a stand... wait until you know for sure which way the wind is blowing, then jump right in!
Posted by: Tom in MA | May 14, 2008 5:12:47 PM
This is truly a disappointment. Edwards was very respectable, but now he's lost any chance of running for president.
Hillary '08
Posted by: Jonath | May 14, 2008 5:13:22 PM
John Edwards is slime. How dare he endorse the person who did not take any special interest money--the very platform on which John Edwards ran. What a joke. Ah, I'm just kidding. Trying to do some advance dirty work for the Clinton crowd who are about to throw mud at him.
Posted by: SE se | May 14, 2008 5:13:55 PM
im sorry people of hillary land, im sure everyone will wait till june 3rd before pulling the plug on your little fantasy.
Especially after Oregon....poor hillary, oregon is going to be a tough pill to swallow
Posted by: bhrandon | May 14, 2008 5:14:45 PM
Nice looking team. Obama/Edwards '08
Posted by: Midnight 2 | May 14, 2008 5:15:04 PM
Well, what do you expect? Edwards is the next Vice President,!! Blue collar people...welcome on board!!
Posted by: dave desmond | May 14, 2008 5:15:35 PM
Was there really any doubt about this endorsement. Let's heal and move one.
Posted by: Marc in San Jose | May 14, 2008 5:15:50 PM
a little too late, but still made for the right person
Posted by: Dave | May 14, 2008 5:16:19 PM
most of his supporters went to Obama after he left, of course if he was going to choose this was the logical one.
Posted by: Goon | May 14, 2008 5:16:31 PM
Golfgirl - get a grip... The superdelegates are supporting the will of the people, of the majority, rather than overturning the demographic that you seem to deem most important.
Posted by: stevez515 | May 14, 2008 5:16:39 PM
Funny, everytime Obama loses a major race, they trot out some big SD. The fix is in, folks.
Posted by: A reader in Georgia | May 14, 2008 5:16:54 PM
It's ABOUT time
Posted by: Vanessa | May 14, 2008 5:17:23 PM
So I wonder when Gore's going to come out and endorse.
Posted by: lisa | May 14, 2008 5:17:27 PM
What a surprise....one elitist endorses another.
Posted by: LLADNARC | May 14, 2008 5:17:40 PM
Again a brilliant and respectable politician supports Obama.Tell the Clintons the market is over!
Posted by: Ben | May 14, 2008 5:19:09 PM
Edward cannot give the blue collar working class to Obama. Edward is another politician that want to turn down the will of people. Nobody cannot help Obama to bring back the working class except Hillary.
Posted by: Laura | May 14, 2008 5:19:17 PM
"Nice-looking team," you bet. I've been waiting for that working-class hero to endorse Obama, and perhaps join the ticket. Go Edwards.
The faces of the future.
Hillary is yesterday's "news."
Posted by: gee-willikers | May 14, 2008 5:19:35 PM
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