Now is the time for Dean to drop out and endorse Edwards

[ringmastery]

If these latest exit polls from Wisconsin are correct, it might make Super Tuesday a lot more competitive and be the only feasible way to stop Kerry.

KERRY 42%, EDWARDS 31%, DEAN 15%...

[Goldberg]

1. Agreed.

He needs to stick with his word earlier this month and drop-out like he promised.

It's sad, I know, but he needs to keep to his word.

[krkaufman]

36. SOURCE/LINK for exit poll numbers?!? n/t

[MercutioATC]

69. Again, If you can show me the quote where he said he'd "drop out"

or "leave the race", I'll listen. He said no such thing. He said that Wisconsin was a make-or-break contest and that the campaign would be "over" with a poor shopwing there. Those are statements of the condition of the campaign as related to certain variables. They are NOT statements of action.

[BL_Zebub]

2. Dean's not dropping out. Get over it.

Perhaps Edwards should drop out?

At least then there would be one major candidate who's not DLC.

[AP]

8. Dean was DLC when he was governor (you have to be elected official

to be a member).

And just as the DLC doesn't seem to like former member Howard Dean, they don't like current member John Edwards at all.

Dan Schorr said on NPR they don't like him because he's always been anti-NAFTA (which Dean can't claim as the reason the DLC doesn't like him).

Curiously, Dean was invited to present at the DLC summer convention, but Edwards wasn't.

Hmmm.

[bahrbearian]

12. Dean gave the Dems new hope, Kerry & Edwards will take it away.

[asjr]

33. I don't believe Edwards and Kerry

will take it away, but the media has already chosen our nominee. I have heard too many people who have been "man on the street" interviewed who say they will vote Kerry because he can beat Shrub. Hells Bells all of them can beat Shrub so why don't they vote for whomever they want. This is what has pulled Dean down although I feel he is the better candidate. The media rigged the vote. And in Nov. BBV will have rigged the vote.

[NV1962]

3. Heeeere birdie birdie...

[tishaLA]

47. Priceless!

I seriously laughed out loud

[Renew Deal]

4. That would be so cool.

It would flip the race on it's head.

[janx]

5. It's 1:30 p.m. in Wisconsin right now.

Dean should drop out?

[lancdem]

16. I think it's 3:30 p.m. in Wisconsin

:)

[krkaufman]

35. No, it's 3:56pm.

n/t

[Anwen]

6. Now is the time for people to stop reading Drudge.

:eyes:

[lancdem]

13. I agree

Mid-afternoon exit polls are usually off by a decent margin. They were in N.H.

[gWbush is Mabus]

7. Kerry sucks but Edwards is WORSE

I would never vote for Edwards.

[AP]

9. Kerry is a Democrat but Edwards is a BETTER Democrat

I would vote for Edwards over Kerry.

[Exgeneral]

30. I think we all agree wealthy lawyers

make the best democrats

[AP]

32. Who doesn't agree that someone who started with nothing and got everything

they ever got in the world from their own labor, and not from inheritting it, or marrying it, or from insider trading (skimming off the top of ill-gotten corporate gains) probably understands the democrat project pretty well?

[dweller]

34. absolutely!!

You are talking about Kucinich, right?

dp

[AP]

37. Kucinich is certainly entitled to being honored for that precise reason.

And I do honor him for that reason.

[KittyWampus]

39. Edwards Did NOT START WITH NOTHING. That Is A Myth

his father owned a Textile Mill Consulting Firm.

He was definately at LEAST middle class.

[Cuban_Liberal]

41. Proof?

That's not generally accepted as being true, AFAIK.

Edit: Punctuation.

[Cuban_Liberal]

42. *crickets* n/t

[Cuban_Liberal]

66. "still, nothing but crickets" n/t

[AP]

43. Maybe it was a Rumor Mill Consulting Firm?

I wonder why Helms didn't try this one.

[Cuban_Liberal]

44. Most likely because he would have been laughed out of NC.

Ya think? :P

[JohnLocke]

49. ??

[Cuban_Liberal]

50. You too, huh?

First I've ever heard that allegation, and I thought I'd heard them ALL. :shrug:

"John Edwards was born in Seneca, South Carolina and raised in Robbins, North Carolina, a small town in the Piedmont. There John learned the values of hard work and perseverance from his father, Wallace, who worked in the textile mills for 36 years, and from his mother, Bobbie, who ran a shop and worked at the post office. Working alongside his father at the mill, John developed his strong belief that all Americans deserve an equal opportunity to succeed and be heard...."

http://www.johnedwards2004.com/john_edwards.asp

[JohnLocke]

53. Yep. Some just are desperate.

[RetroLounge]

56. Son of a Mill Worker

Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:
Son of a Mill Worker :eyes:

[Cuban_Liberal]

58. And the basis for skepticism would be....

.... what, factually speaking?

[roguevalley]

67. Vote for him then. Just don't be angry if not too many others do. Some of

us can't stand him. Nothing personal. We just don't.

[Cuban_Liberal]

10. BAD strategy!

As much as I would love to have Dr. Dean's endorsement, I think the demographics of his voters don't neccessarily match up with the demos of Sen. Edwards'. I'm not sure that this would benefit Sen. Edwards much, and would possibly just add to the ranks of the Kerry supporters.

With BOTH in the race, we maximize the 'not Kerry' vote.

[janx]

11. What is the source of those numbers? Could you provide

a link, please?

[lancdem]

15. Drudge

[candy331]

22. For the life of me I can't conceive why anyone would want an endorsement

from a dead man. Mmmmm I guess he must be still alive after all eh! Peddle your wares elsewhere we are not buying, perhaps you will return when you have something to offer of value and even then we just may not buy.. Please keep in mind that Dean has only one vote but his supporters have many.

[spooky3]

14. I cannot agree with this, as an Edwards supporter.

No one should drop out until he wants to do so.

[NV1962]

17. 100% agreed

Thanks for posting that.

[Cuban_Liberal]

20. I agree, too.

Let Dr. Dean decide when the time is right. this 'drop out now' stuff is getting on my last nerve.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

18. that would be hypocritical

in the extreme

[stickdog]

19. Yes. The media wrote this story in advance. Now we each much do our

part to make it come true!

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WilliamPitt]

23. Question

A lot of people attacked Kucinich for 'getting into bed with Edwards, who voted for the war' in Iowa. If Dean does as you say and endorses Edwards, wouldn't he be guilty of the same thing?

[anti-NAFTA]

26. Edwards is the most anti-NAFTA of the big candidates.

Kucinich has nothing to apologize for and neither would Dean.

I hope Dean endorses Edwards.

[flpoljunkie]

38. Is that why Edwards voted for the China trade deal in 2000?

Both Kerry and Dean, who supported NAFTA, agree that all these trade deals must be reviewed--mended, not ended, as Clinton would say.

[anti-NAFTA]

59. He isn't Dennis Kucinich.

But he's a hell of a lot better than Kerry.

[anti-NAFTA]

60. He isn't Dennis Kucinich.

But he's a hell of a lot better than Kerry.

[AP]

28. It was always a mistake to pretend that the transfer of wealth to the..

...wealthy was a more important issue than the IWR vote.

Dean can set the record straight on that issue by endorsing Edwards.

However, I believe that endorsements are horse trading, and Edwards doesn't have anything to trade. That's why he'd make a great president, but it's also why he isn't going to be able to get the endorsements of people who endorse for any reason other than, "this guy comes from the same place I do."

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. I disagree.

Dean should stay in this race until the convention!

[Lefta Dissenter]

25. He'll drop out

when he's good and ready! In the meantime, there are a lot of people in Wisconsin who have yet to vote (including my hubby - one more vote for Wes!).

Why is everyone in such a damned HURRY to get this over with??? Let the guy run his race!

[Casablanca]

27. No. Frigging. Way. Dean and Kucinich should stay in. nt

[Exgeneral]

29. I don't get it with Edwards

talk about a force-feeding!

Dean is in second place, but should drop out?

[AP]

31. Edwards has 50% more pledged delegates and has won over 100% more votes

than Dean so far. If he gets many more votes than Dean today in Wisconsin, then he's clearly in second place.

[LittleDannySlowhorse]

40. I can't guarantee that if Dean dropped out he would endorse Edwards

My crystal ball tells me that if Dean drops out, he won't endorse anyone until we have a nominee, and then he'll do it.

My crystal ball also tells me that if Dean drops out, a lot of his support will go to Kerry, just because some people will want to get behind the presumptive nominee, some will go to Edwards, some to Kucinich, and some will just stay home.

My primary isn't until Super Tuesday, so I'm hoping I will still have the chance to vote for Dean. If he drops out before then, I don't know what I'll do, to be honest.

[genius]

45. I don't like Dean but it's ridiculous to call for people to drop out.

That's the Republican way. We need to support all the Democrats. I don't like Dean because I've seen his record in Vermont and I don't like the way he campaigns. But he is adding an extra anti-Bush voice to the crowd and we need all the anti-Bush voices we can get.

By the way, I like Edwards a lot. He's my second favorite.

[Snivi Yllom]

46. Kerry, Edwards

what's the difference....both IWR voters and both insiders.

[elsiesummers]

48. I wish Kerry would drop out and endorse Edwards or Dean.

I know it's not going to happen, but after Kerry's mush mouthed answers in the Wisconsin debate, this Democrat can dream.

Barring that unlikely outcome - I wish Edwards and Dean would team up some how - and Dean endorsing Edwards would be the most realistic winning scenario.

But, I mean no disrespect to Dean supporters - I just think the media has turned so hard against him (and they aren't doing much better by Edwards - who I just saw a CNN commentator claim is "not a viable candidate") - that Dean has been permanently sabotaged.

BTW, if there was a guarantee that Kerry would never go mealy mouthed again, I wouldn't have a problem with him as a candidate. Unfortunately, he's doing that too careful blurring of the edges, just like Gore, and it just sucks to stand by and watch a Democrat screw it up that way.

[mlawson]

51. This post is not likely to bring Dean supporters over to our side.

Please, this sort of post only causes resentment, and will not convert anyone. How would we Edwards people feel if it were phrased in the opposite way???

Bad, bad psychology, this post.

[Cuban_Liberal]

52. Absolutely!

I don't want to bludgeon or badger ANYONE into supporting Sen. Edwards.

[PatGund]

54. No kidding

A lot of Edwards supporters did this on the Clark threads as well. Which was a great way to guarantee that the only way I'd ever support Edwards was if he was the nominee - and then I'd be hold my nose closed and my gorge down while doing it.

ABB, but dammit, Edwards supporters are starting to act like a bloody flock of vultures.

[Cuban_Liberal]

55. In fairness, MOST of us don't.

We have a few tactless jerks who troll for supporters, but the majority of us don't. I want willing supporters, not ones badgered, bludgeoned and dragged kicking and screaming to the campaign. :)

[PatGund]

62. (nods)

I said "a lot", not all. Maybe a better description would have been "the majority that I ran across". Which is not ment to tar all of Edwards supporters with that brush.

But in all honesty, I have to say those people did a massively good job in turning me off of Edwards. It's going to take a lot for me to overcome that reaction. People like you do a good job at showing that other side of JE's supporters - hopefully others than follow your lead.

[Cuban_Liberal]

63. I hope they will.

We all need to be more sensitive. You know whereof I speak when I say it's not easy supporting someone who isn't the front-runner. :huh::hi:

[roguevalley]

68. I agree. I wouldn't support Edwards unless there wasn't any other

choice. I have had it UP TO HERE with the Edwards people
that are blaring that we all must worship him, he's the
only AUTHENTIC person in the race, everyone else should
just drop out and WORSHIP HIM.

Sort of that song and dance. I have grown to loathe Edwards.

On edit: Its the same couple, not the many. But a few
bleating their horn makes it bad for the many. If you love
Edwards, fine. Just don't make it at my expense.

[slinkerwink]

57. Dean will make his own decisions.....

not based upon what the media or what the party leaders want.

[Cuban_Liberal]

61. It's a matter of respect.

That's exactly how the decision should be made, and it's the disrespect inherent in all these 'drop out now and endorse X' or 'drop out now and do Y' threads that's getting on my last nerve.

Good luck to Dr. Dean today, slinkertwink!

:)

[Lex]

64. Howard Fineman on MSNBC just said

that Dean will drop out and endorse Edwards because Dean "can't stand the ground that Kerry walks on."

WTF? Did anybody else see that?

[andym]

65. They all should stay in, especially Dean

They all should stay in. The ongoing media attention keeps the spotlight on Democratic attacks against Bush. Dean is the best at attacking *, why should he quit.

Also, the candidates have not been completely vetted. That process needs time.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

70. Kerry? Edwards? What's the dif? Both are IWR hawks.

Why should Dean endorse either of them?

[incapsulated]

71. I rather have Kerry than Edwards and you've been calling..

for others to drop out for far too long, imo.