John Edwards Endorses Barack Obama for President

Big news from Grand Rapids, Michigan... John Edwards has endorsed Barack Obama for President.

(GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.) - Just when Hillary Clinton supporters started to see light breaking through the clouds, Barack Obama produces the ultimate trump card: John Edwards.

Obama says he is deeply honored by the support. In referring to Edwards, Obama said, "He is a true leader who dedicated his career to improving the lives of ordinary Americans. 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."

It was something starting to weigh on Barack Obama supporters; no doubt Edwards' 19 pledged delegates will come in handy and remove all doubt about who the Democratic contender for President is going to be. He could have gone either way and John Edwards opted for change.

No word yet on whether he will also assume the role of Vice President, it seems to early to tell.

Obama says the way Edwards ran his campaign was also important. "He ran in a way that reflected our shared conviction that we need to fundamentally change politics. Like our campaign, John's campaign never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs."

Apparently Hillary Clinton still refuses to releiquish her longshot candidacy. The news today received a thunderous ovation, according to reports.

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mimi362 May 20, 2008 7:38 pm (Pacific time)

Who really cares who Edwards supports -him and his $400.00 hair cut.

Update May 17, 2008 9:26 am (Pacific time)

I did find it interesting to do a historical review on the presidential voting patterns of West Virginians and also different states as well as their demographic voting patterns. These are democrat party voters in WV, so if as per exit polls 69% of whites voted for Clinton, does that make them racial idenity voters? If so, then how about other racial and religious groups, do they also vote in a similar pattern? Are we talking about racist or religious bigotry trumping voting for the best candidate?

Henry Ruark May 16, 2008 12:45 pm (Pacific time)

Updt et al: Your history technically correct, but Broder tells the real reasons why: Kennedy had money and army of workers, to offset natural antipathy of some voter groups. Same situation today, we all know revolving 'round racism as political weapon and denial retreat for some "Woefully Deprived" even yet, in 21st Century. NOT necessarily their fault, I hasten to add: We ALL carry responsibility since we build this society ourselves, and thus must assume not only responsibilities but any hope for remediation, when we do find something needint that sometimes drastic action.

Update May 16, 2008 11:15 am (Pacific time)

In 1960 Catholic JFK defeated Humprey in the primary and won the state in the general getting West Virginia's electoral votes.

Henry Ruark May 16, 2008 9:02 am (Pacific time)

To all: W. Va. as special-case set forth neatly, nicely in Broder column today in major dailies. He reminds us of situation vs Kennedies 48 years ago, in state "chronically poor", "former KuKluxKlan redoubt, many of its voters suspicious of Catholics" and with heavy mineworker population dominted by "white/male/uninformed". Thus "unrepresentative"; see mine 5/14:7:44 to Crat.

Henry Ruark May 16, 2008 7:30 am (Pacific time)

Karen: Your last words, for those in any dpubt, are coded password for whites-only understandings. You may wish to explore one or several of the linkse in my recent Op Ed setting racism in its 21st Century context. Best wishes for your rapid recovery.

Karen May 16, 2008 6:16 am (Pacific time)

Mr. Edwards, I backed you as a candiate and now I'm glad you're out of it. If you can back Obama, I would have hated to see what you done to "our" country. Shame on you for this one. Parkersburg, WV (the state that knows)

Henry Ruark May 15, 2008 1:09 pm (Pacific time)

Lurker et al: One can imagine almost any impact/effect/affect for any action, imaginable any time. But reality and real life demand rational, reasonable assessing via results --yet to be seen in both of these situations, but surely the very action itself indicates that some solid reasons exist for their existence. Surely possible to imagine you are far out on limb, too !

Lurker May 15, 2008 12:01 pm (Pacific time)

I imagine this endorsement along with the recent Californai Supreme Court ruling may not have the desired effects some people may want.

Henry Ruark May 15, 2008 8:53 am (Pacific time)

NATION has been "telling it like it really is" ever since the Civil War. Here's its view of Edwards' endorsement of Obama: "AlterNet Obama-Backing Edwards Elbows Aside Clinton By John Nichols, The Nation Posted on May 15, 2008, Printed on May 15, 2008 http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/www.thenation.com/85459/ It was a weary and wistful Hillary Clinton who sat down with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and other network anchors for extended interviews in the middle of the day Wednesday. She knew that, no matter what she said, and how well she said it, it would not be enough. Like the coronation march that her 2008 campaign was supposed to be, her latest gambit would be trumped by Barack Obama's juggernaut. Yes, she had just been handed a face-saving landslide win by West Virginia Democrats, beating Obama by more than 2-1 in an honest-to-goodness swing state. But Clinton did not seem to be fighting very hard on a day when her senior campaign adviser, Harold Ickes, was disptached to Capitol Hill to reassure congressional supporter that the former frontrunner would remain in the race through June 3. Clinton used her precious spotlight time to defend Obama as a friend of Israel, describe his supporters as people who thought he would be the best president and promised to "work my heart out for whoever our nominee is." Sound familiar ? You read the Edwards action here first yesterday. NOW, in Oregon, once again we can prove prescient national leadership, in our vote on the 20th, cinching the obvious people's choice.

Henry Ruark May 15, 2008 7:30 am (Pacific time)

To all: Note third straight GOP loss of key Congressional seats, in Mississippi, with Travis Childers now long-gone in what was supposedly solid GOPland. Party gurus now see that growing list as proof Obama can win in questioned areas, and seek to have all others still running distance their run from Bush II. NYT lead story, but their new setup prevents "see with own eyes" excerpt, demands the whole piece appear, too long here. Go to NYT website to "see with own eyes" GOP-side fear of Obamam "people power", now just beginning to surface.

Henry Ruark May 15, 2008 7:05 am (Pacific time)

Mike: Learned "hard way" some ostensible corpses breathing through straw, knife poised, ready to strike even from depth of river. Old neocon trick (then Daley-oriented) learned in Chicago--on South Side, too -- which may be one reason I trust Obama --if he can emerge from that cauldron as engaging and provably charismatic a leader as now is highly obvious to most, he's got something not seen for decades in our nation and demanded-NOW for our survival and return to rebuilding a true democracy.

Mike May 14, 2008 6:25 pm (Pacific time)

Sounds like Jefferson has finally seen the light. I guess you wait by the river long enough you see all of them float by eventually.

Julie May 14, 2008 11:29 pm (Pacific time)

I love it! This is what we've been waiting for, now Hillary has to throw it in. She needs to join em, and make us even stronger. We are ONE.

SMS May 14, 2008 8:29 pm (Pacific time)

It's over. Let's get on with solving the country's problems. Obama 08

Henry Clay Ruark May 14, 2008 7:44 pm (Pacific time)

Crat et al: W.Va.is special-case not true representation of nation, as you would know if ever there more than one day. Re "train wreck", had you not noticed ? It already has occurred: check economy, army and navy and air force and national guard, subprime mortgage mess, threatening full collapse of Wall Street via ONE MORE giant-bubble, ongoing healthcare emergency, IRAQ/AFGANSTAN blood-bath, overwhelming national debt, loss of friends around the world... cars, tracks, station and roundhouse ALL smashed !! People-power will remedy it, for sure, already massing and menacing those in political denial due to psychotic symptoms, as demonstrated in --you guessed !!--W. Va.

KYJurisDoctor May 14, 2008 7:11 pm (Pacific time)

Someone PLEASE ... ... tell BILLARY Clinton to STOP agonizing us with her NONSENSICAL campaign!

crat3 May 14, 2008 6:19 pm (Pacific time)

ONE LOSER ENDORSING ANOTHER LOSER. Edwards is trumped by PEOPLE POWER. The West Virginia resounding defeat of Obama was an expression of PEOPLE POWER that proclaimed Sen. Clinton is the Democratic presidential nominee. The PEOPLE POWER of Sen Clinton's victory trounced the pro-Obama biased media. Superdelegates who are endorsing Obama daily in an end run around the Democratic nomination process to swipe the nomination for Obama should ponder seriously the PEOPLE POWER that buttresses Sen. Clinton. Edwards. Obama and his superdelegates are taking the Democratic Party down the path of a train wreck in November.

Jefferson May 14, 2008 6:14 pm (Pacific time)

Over the last several months I have made comments here that are, quite frankly, very stupid and not the signature of a thinking man. I am helplessly bound to be right wing because I was picked on as a child and it just always seemed to be the only option for me. I would have been a hippy in the 60's but everyone laughed me and teased me for being too close to my mother. Anyway, I don't think any man can be too close to his mother, but it was not an option for me. Because of my feelings of anxiety and to be honest, self loathing, I lash out and I fail to make sense a lot of the time, but now that I am using medical marijuana I am just starting to see the error of my ways. I know that Obama is not anything but promise and hope for this country, and now that I am a little stoned I can tone down my anxiety and turn down the Rush Limbaugh and no matter what, I am immensely happier as a person. So I owe you guys a round of thanks I think, because I fought and fought your point of view and am now beginning to understand what an idiot I have been, using names like Retired Contractor, Jefferson, and many more. Just take my old arguments and know that I was really bitter and stupid.

Ted May 14, 2008 5:49 pm (Pacific time)

Real pofile in courage by Edwards. It seems that Obama with his momentum should be winning all the states or at least coming close. The 41% West Virginia blowout and the fact that he is conceding Kentucky next week leads me to believe that he has a house of cards on a foundation of loose sand for the general election.

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