Lord knows I am an Edwards fan. His southern boot-straps biography and his ability to give a voice to the seemingly continuous screwing over that a lot of decent people get just because they have to live on the margins are both reasons why he is a great candidate. But, the writing is on the 30-foot wall of flaming letters and it is time for him to go.
Sure, he may end up being viable in Nevada’s caucuses (as goofy and as litigious as they are shaping up to be) but he probably won’t win outright and, even if he does, he won’t win South Carolina, otherwise known as the state next door to his own. And with that, out of money and with the party leadership probably pressuring him to get out, I predict that John Edwards will say good bye.
What will be interesting is where the Edwards voters go and where, if anywhere, he tells them to go. I personally hope that he will enthusiastically endorse Barack Obama. The idea of a white southern politician who grew up in the segregated south endorsing a black man for president has definite appeal and would reflect well on how far we have come as a country.
Although, realistically Edwards will probably hold off on endorsing anyone to ensure himself some political capital with the eventual nominee.
Finally, I doubt that either Hillary or Obama will consider Edwards as a viable V.P. candidate due to him not being able to deliver a single southern state for John Kerry and his less-than-impressive debate performance against Dick Cheney in 2004. However, after 8 years of corrupt and inept leadership at the Justice Department, “Attorney General John Edwards” has a very nice ring to it.
