Is it possible some sort of deal has been brokered?, hear me out.

[sunonmars]

Edwards drops out mysteriously and won't endorse either.


What if Edwards really forced a deal for party unity between Clinton and Obama that whoever comes out on top in Super Tuesday will be the nominee and the person who doesnt will drop their bid in exchange for the VP slot.

The total change in direction of both of them tonight was weird, it was almost as if a deal had been struck.

[DJ13]

1. Edwards drops out mysteriously and won't endorse either.

I wouldnt be too sure about that......

[OzarkDem]

2. Something is afoot

I feel it deep in my old Dem bones.

[Skwmom]

13. Obama said that INTEGRITY was a requirement for VP

and his cabinet. In other words there will be NO joint ticket.

[OzarkDem]

21. Of course not, Edwards has too much

integrity to be on an Obama ticket.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. A lot worse things could happen.

[maddiejoan]

4. I think you're right

and I think Edwards is measuring drapes for the AG's office.

Depending on how Super Tuesday shakes out --we're gonna see Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton.

and I couldn't be happier if this is true.

[JDPriestly]

5. No. I think someone with a lot of clout "got to" Edwards.

He was not happy about leaving the race. He had promised to continue through February 5. Hillary looked like the cat who caught the canary and swallowed it whole. Edwards was forced out.

[CoffeeCat]

17. Joe Trippy didn't even know...

I find that really bizarre that Joe Trippy wasn't in on the decision.

Edwards didn't consult with his top campaign strategist, about his decision
to end this race???????

There's no way in hell that Edwards sat down alone with Elizabeth--and they decided
this all on their own. There were other forces at play.

I'm not saying that those forces are malevolent. It's possibly that a deal was brokered
between Obama, Clinton and Edwards and some other mucky-mucks in the Dem party.

Related to all of this---is how many establishment Dems seem to be standing up for Obama
and, in effect, giving him the edge over Clinton. Kennedy, Kerry and the big stalwarts
of our party, seem to be saying 'no' to the Clintons. Their actions almost seemed to
level the playing field between Obama and Clinton.

If you look at what happened in SC---there is NO DOUBT that Edwards staying in the race--hurt
Hillary and helped Obama. In upcoming Super Tuesday states in the South, Obama would get the African
American vote handily, and at least 25 percent of the white vote, plus a good chunk of the
female vote. Edwards did well in SC. He was gaining momentum, as his message resonated.
The rest of those votes were being divvied up by Edwards and Clinton! That is key.

These campaigns know that those big states are going to be VERY close. Obama is trending upward
and Clinton downward. It would have been Obama/Clinton in tight races in most of those states, but
with Obama winning Illinois and Clinton taking NY by wide margins. So...you've got a pretty even
race---except for those Southern SuTuesday states---and they would be SC dynamics all over again.
Obama would win it.

I think the argument could have been made to Edwards---that he wasn't going to win, but by being
in the race, he determined who the winner was...and could he live with that? Was that fair? Wouldn't
it be better if the top two duked it out and...let's let America decide.

That sounds like a likely scenario. Who brokered that...or was it brokered....it's anyone's guess.

Trippy also said on CNN today that he didn't know who Edwards would endorse. I find it very odd
that Edwards would leave the race without a serious plan for where his voters go. It's always
been about his supporters. HE's not doing this for himself. His supporters are tantamount, and
we're supposed to believe that he would abandon them, without a place for them to go--before Super
Tuesday??????

That's one of the most bizarre aspects of this entire thing. Again, it's almost as if someone
stepped in and decided that Hillary and Obama needed to duke it out alone--without outside
interference.

[JDPriestly]

18. I agree with you.

I did not agree with this conspiracy stuff before the debate. But, having seen and heard the debate and Hillary -- her voice, her smile, her relaxed manner. The fix is in. Something happened. Some deal or some extortion or some pressure. Why can't we be told the truth about what goes on?

[Zueda]

6. you smoke?

[iamjoy]

7. I Wouldn't Be Surprised

the timing of Edwards dropping out really is curious - why not at least go through Super Tuesday?

And all the pundits and bloggers trying to figure out who this helps more - Clinton or Obama and whether that was part of his motivation.

Well, I don't know who it helps more. It's possible some sort of deal was struck - although maybe not with the VP slot.

But, as an Edwards supporter, I like to think there was some sort of noble purpose to his dropping out when he did.

[BeatleBoot]

8. A Deal Brokered? In Politics? Why I Never...

[sunonmars]

9. The more i think about it, the more it makes sense

They seemed to cool about each other tonight, it was almost as if, they both knew they'd be fighting the GE but not sure in what position.

[aquart]

10. No.

They were both told that the first one who didn't play nice tonight loses the election.

That's the whole conspiracy.

[nutsnberries]

15. agree - nt

[Yossariant]

11. I agree that Edwards dropping out, when he did, is inexplicable but

do not agree that there will be a ticket with both Hillary and Barack.

[Skwmom]

12. That's what Clinton would like you to think. There will be no

joint ticket.

[KittyWampus]

14. #1. You're just repeating someone else post. #2. both had to display comity towards the other

Hillary had to be seen as her own person. And not come across as hard.

Obama had to show policy knowledge and strength.

[thereismore]

16. Exactly what I was thinking when I saw the good vibes between C&O tonight!

I still believe that a deal like this is possible. In that case, say adios to republican rule! A C/O or O/C ticket would be doubly historic, and one that will inspire people this years and for decades to come.

[K Gardner]

19. Yep.. I've thought this since the surprise "announcement", and even moreso after tonight.

[hughee99]

20. The feeling I got

was that the tone was different because they are now both fighting for the Edwards voters. I don't think they (Clinton and Obama) believe the best way to make their case is by taking shots at one another.

[Straight Shooter]

22. They cooled it to keep someone from shouting, "For gawd's sake, get a room!"

The tension between them was palpable. They both knew they had to cool the hostilities because it wasn't helping anyone.

[ecstatic]

23. If they had stood on stage fighting, the debate would have been a miserable

failure for our side. I'm glad somebody slapped them in check.