Edwards "genuinely torn" [View All]

[jackson_dem]

This is a good article about what Edwards must be considering right now when trying to choose who to endorse. This isn't as clear cut as the blogosphere world likes to think it is, with Hillary widely viewed as an evil caricature. On health care and trade, two big issues for him, he is closer to Hillary. On poverty and lobbyists he is closer to Obama.

-snip-

That Edwards is agonizing over the endorsement should be worrisome to Obama. Edwards, the scourge of special interests, should be easy pickings for the change candidate in the Democratic race, given all Edwards has said in criticism about Clinton over months of campaigning. But outward appearances suggest he is genuinely torn. An endorsement of Clinton would be a blow to Obama.

-snip-

That debate was most notable for the nasty Clinton-Obama wrangling. But once past the fireworks of the first 45 minutes between the two front-runners, Edwards stepped in aggressively to challenge Obama. He questioned Obama on his many "present" votes in the Illinois Senate and drew sharp differences over Edwards's health care plan, which unlike Clinton's and Edwards's does not constitute universal coverage.

-snip-

He has clear differences with Obama on health care, which they have debated for months, and which may enter into his endorsement considerations. He has asked for and gotten a commitment from both Clinton and Obama to make eradicating poverty a central part of their agenda, but will be trying to decide which of his rivals is likely to deliver as president.

Beyond that, Edwards will be judging the two candidates on their readiness to be president -- based on his assessment of their toughness, their leadership skills, their capacity to get things done in office.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/11/the_john_edwards_primary_1.html?hpid=topnews