Saturday, January 26th, 2008...3:03 pm
What Next?
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The talk is that after the South Carolina primary, John Edwards will not drop out. Instead, it is expected that he will release his endorsers from their obligations.
Locally, Edwards biggest booster is Raúl Grijalva. Should Grijalva be “released,” it is expected that he will endorse Barack Obama. Being able to use Grijalva’s considerable grass roots resources, even this close to the primary, will be a big boost for Obama.
16 Comments
January 26th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I just watched Obama’s speech to his supporters in South Carolina. It was much more than a victory speech; it was an inspirational call to action for anyone weary of the politics of divisiveness and fear. It stood in stark contrast to some of the ruthless and calculating behavior we have seen on the part of the Clintons over the past two weeks.
My wife and I have already voted for Obama. I hope that every Democrat in Arizona who cares about the direction of our party and our nation will do the same or turn out on February 5th. After listening to Obama tonight and after watching the Clintons tired act since Nevada, I am convinced that we face one of those monumental decisions as Democrats and Americans that will shape our future and that of our children.
January 26th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
A little analysis (but I echo in ways that I can’t even say, what Rex just said).
I just saw Hillary’s speech and was dumbfounded. Know that I am speaking now completely and uttterly as analyst Kral and nothing more. My wife, who supports Hillary agreed.
What on earth was that rally? She is in Tennessee, speaking on a college campus, with a double row of people in back of her, most African-American, introduced by an African-American woman, speaking about the next generation and to college students…and in Tennessee, where Obama very likely could win.
I don’t get it….but I think it is also telling. We both agreed that she should have been at a big rally in LA, with Mayor Villaragosa beside her, rallying for super Tuesday. She should be with her strengths…right now…showing it. Instead, it looked transparent, boring, and actually rather pathetic. The message was clearly to attempt in some desperate sort of way to say that she can can compete with Obama in his biggest area of voter strength to this point.
It tells me that they are VERY worried or she would have been in Texas, California, New York, or Illinois.
I was truly stunned. And the speech, unremarkable…at best.
I honestly was a bit scared to post this because I had just heard the best speech I have personally witnessed on TV out of Obama. I should have been saying what Rex did above. But I was so stunned, I had to post this and ask if any saw what I did???
January 26th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Rex and Kral,
Ditto.
YES WE CAN!!
If the Democrats can nominate Obama over Clinton, we will win the White House.
January 27th, 2008 at 6:21 am
Obama’s post-South Carolina speech was his best of this campaign. It, along with the crowd enthusiasm, reminded me of a similar speech by a winning Democratic candidate nearly 40 years ago in Los Angeles on a victory evening that ended very, very sadly. I realized last month that John Edwards, my first choice, wasn’t going to win — and that Obama was sending a message that’s truly a cut above the others. I’ve already voted for him. My nephew worked for Bill Clinton when he was attorney general in Arkansas, and I’ve been a supporter since then — until it came to an end this month. Finally, however, I’ll support the Democratic nominee even if Obama doesn’t win the prize. I just think our chances would be far better if he is.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Steve makes an excellent point in his next to last sentence above that we all need to affirm. The stakes in this election are simply too high for there to be anything but total unity amongst Democrats in November. The GOP has many more seats to defend in the Senate and we will likely retain our majority there and in the House. Thus, election of a Republican to the White House would mean more rancor, gridlock and delay of progress and reform. I will unequivocally support the Democratic nominee with the hope that a Washington controlled by our party can actually do substantive work on behalf of all the people.
The Clintons and their surrogates are making Democratic unity much more difficult with their statements and tactics against Obama, some of which have had an unseemly and desperate quality. It is no surprise that many prominent members of our party, some of them Hillary supporters, are telling the Clintons to back off or tone it down. Both the Clintons are giving the impression that this election is more about them and Hillary’s “right” to succession than it is about the nation’s well-being. Obama has shown he is much better suited to unify the party, attract support from independents and disaffected Republicans and then build coalitions for change as president.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Rex,
Excellent comments. I think you have said it all in a much calmer and eloquent manner than I ever could.
There is much in the Billary, Inc. campaign strategy that reminds us of the Clintons that we have forgotten after seven years of the oppressive neo-conservative regime of Bush/Cheney. Bill Clinton really started to look good in hindsight.
However, Bill the charmer has turned into the biggest ass of the campaign, easily surpassing the size 14 on the backend of Hillary. The only logical explanation for Bill’s atrocious behavior is that Billary underestimated the Obama threat and they were totally unprepared. They are making it up as they go and they know they have to shut down Obama’s superior oratory skills. They started by just ridiculing his message of change and his political experience but to stay in the media they have to keep ramping up the attack. Knowing they would lose South Carolina, they now think they can use that to link Obama to Jesse Jackson and show that he really is just a “black” candidate.
Bill has obviously been tasked with exterminating the Obama threat, because Hillary is still trying to present herself as a human being with feelings of sensitivity and compassion.
So, it seems that it is Bill’s job to put Obama in his place and minimize the threat to Hillary. Billary, Inc. understands that they can fight dirty and get away with it, for the most part. Once they are the president, who is going to hold them accountable?from Hillary.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Make that “hold them accountable?” (end of sentence)
January 27th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I totally agree with Rex. We picked up our Obama yard sign/bumper stickers today and donated to Obama’s campaign today.
January 27th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I had no less than three guests at the resort where I work start a conversation about how amazing, inspiring, etc. Obama’s speech was last night. Mind you, this was around 4am this morning, so to be bringing up politics at that hour of the day these guys (and one lady) must have been pretty moved! It’s worth noting that these were not political operatives– they were in town for a medical convention. In my mind, that just goes to show you what a huge impact Obama’s message of change is already having on this country. To schlep out of bed before dawn and still be talking about a speech you saw the night before, with some random hotel employee, you’ve got to be pretty moved.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Lauren,
My point exactly in my post above.
When Obama won Iowa, the Clintonistas understood that they had to shut him up as fast as possible. He’s just too good with words, and sure enough, people started comparing his oratory skills to those of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Then the Clintons got ugly, using Bill as the front man. They have had some degree of success by forcing Obama to defend himself which is not the stuff that great speeches are made of. But what choice did he have, really? If he doesn’t take on Billary, Inc. then who will he take on? It is a very effective tactical manuever from Billary, Inc. and very dirty.
However, Obama is back on track with his message and Hillary can’t compete with his oratory skills. After all, what is her message? “It is my turn, I waited three decades putting up with Bill’s philandering and that JOB IS MINE. I paid my DUES.” That’s all I get from her only she calls it 35 years of experience.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Ted, I don’t follow the “it is expected…” logic.
Why would Edwards continue to spend time and money on his campaign, but release pledged delegates before the convention? Seems counter-intuitive to me. Who would actually believe that? And who would actually think that anyone as savvy as the bloggers would fall for it?
January 28th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Not talking about the delegates…I’m talking about endorsers.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I don’t get why you are saying that Edwards is “releasing endorsements.” He has clearly stated that he will be in this race until the convention.
I also don’t understand why you people are so moved by Obama either. Sure, his speeches must sound good, but the fact that he is going to “inspire change” does not tell me anything about what he is going to do for this country as president. I know lots of people that support him, but they can’t seem to list details of his proposed policies.
As far as Hillary Clinton is concerned, she is too divisive to win the election because there are so many people who will try to bring her campaign down in flames later on if she wins. And the fact that she has “35 years of experience” doesn’t indicate anything to me either. What did she do during those 35 years? Corporate lawyer and First Lady does not count for me.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
That doesn’t even make any sense. He isn’t releasing any endorsers while he is still in the campaign. And I would hope endorsers and superdelegates do what they believe is right and not what they are told.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:46 am
He said it because he works for Grijalva’s campaign and Grijalva told him, because Edwards told him he was dropping out today.
January 30th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Now the question is who Edwards will endorse.
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