Did Edwards get out too early?

[kentuck]

Granted, he was not very impressive up to this point. However, what did he have to lose by going thru the primaries on Feb 5th? He could have stayed home and watched sports and stayed on the ballot. I have a hunch he would have done better on Super Tuesday than any of the other primaries. I may be wrong but I think people were starting to look for a different option than the other two candidates? Although doubtful that he could have won any of the contests, he would have garnered a significant number of delegates.

Mike Huckabee was just on MSNBC and he said that he was not quitting and that they were going to have to beat him before he got out. He is in a similar position to Edwards in my opinion. I wish John had stayed until after next Tuesday. But, you know what they say, "wish in one hand and ....."

[L0oniX]

1. The corporations win. n/t

[reality based]

2. No, we need to settle this nomination soon. The fight has gotten too nasty.

It's going to take awhile for loyalists of the losing candidates to get it back together and focus on the task ahead for Democrats.

[redqueen]

6. It wasn't nasty because of Edwards. His staying in helped

by offering a candidate who wasn't engaging in the 'he said / she said' BS.

[reality based]

10. I am not saying that he was responsible for the nastiness. In fact he was able to tamp it down

with his "grownup" talk. I think, however, that his exit at this point will result in a quicker resolution of the fight. If in fact this entered into his thinking about the timing of his announcement, I salute him for it. He was not going to get the nomination, but the mutual, savage bloodletting that is currently taking place between the Clinton and Obama camps is detrimental to the Democratic Party's cause in November.

[frazzled]

3. He had his future viabiity to lose

Look, the reason Biden, Dodd, and others got out early was not only because they hadn't gotten enough support or money to continue: when you can't win, you want to cut your losses on looking like a "loser": all of them could go back to their Senate positions and reclaim their respective powers (or Richardson in his state position as governor). There is a certain point at which your reputation is damaged (viz., Rudy).

Edwards is in a unique position because he has no seat to return to. If he is looking for a cabinet position or to have some sort of voice on issues from the outside even, it was necessary to quit while he was "ahead." To remind people he'd had an influence on the debate in the race.

[redqueen]

7. They didn't come in second in IA,

nor did they drop just after announcing a major ad buy and pledge drive.

[frazzled]

12. 8 points behind in Iowa was a big loss

Edwards had to win Iowa to gain any kind of momentum. He had been lagging in (distant) third place in the other states and nationally all year. So "second place" (after 4 years and with only 1/4 of one percentage point separating him from the national and states front runner, Clinton) was not any kind of boost. He put all his eggs in that basket, and it didn't work out.

As for announcing a major ad buy and pledge drive ... it seems that was either a diversion or the last hurrah.

[redqueen]

13. He was Gored, pure and simple.

Did you see this?

The Press v. John Edwards
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4306897

[Tesha]

4. Yes, he got out too early. Weird, wasn't it? (NT)

[redqueen]

5. Yes. It should make one wonder why...

but many around here are studiously trying to avoid thinking very hard about that.

[kelligesq]

8. I think he's still in a position to broker the candidate - just may have decided now instead

of waiting to the convention

[kelligesq]

9. we can still give John Edwards the POWER

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4309698

[WilyWondr]

11. He didn't have much to lose, but

if he had given HRC another victory on Feb 5th by dividing the progressive vote between himself and Obama it would have been bad for progressives.....IMO.

[kentuck]

14. But he could have taken his delegates to the Convention?

But that would have created a divisive scene. You may be right?

[PresidentObama]

15. He should have stayed through Super Tuesday.

He was at/above 15% in at least 11 states.

He was campaigning in places like Missouri, Oklahoma, and North Dakota where he could pick some delegates.

And yeah, he had the ability to pick up many more delegates. Not that he would have won, he probably wouldn't of. But he would have given us, his supporters, voice. And been able to play king/queen maker if he would have stayed in.

I'm disappointed he dropped out, but it was his decision. And I respect it.