I was an Edwards supporter and was sending him donations up to the very day he withdrew,

[hisownpetard]

he withdrew from the race, based on his constant assurances that his candidacy would continue straight through
to the convention, no matter what.

When he withdrew, I was sorely disappointed, as were the rest of his supporters. I waited for some kind of explanation,
some sort of consoling words for those of us who believed in him and entrusted to him our hearts and hopes. I waited...

And waited, feeling something like a jilted lover whose significant other just disappeared without leaving a note.

If he had taken the emotional momentum that he created, while it was still hanging in the air with nowhere to go, and
directed us, his supporters, toward one candidate or the other, I'm sure most of us would have followed.

However, at this point, the umbilical cord is cut.
I've chosen my candidate, and Edwards' opinion no longer matters.

I wish him and Elizabeth all good things, but I have to admit - he let me down with a thud.

Men!

[TomInTib]

1. Men!

They'll do it every time.

You should know that by now.


But I also think it curious how he merely slithered away with barely a word said.

[hisownpetard]

6. Hahaha!

Yeah, his silence was/is very disappointing.

:hi:

[jeanruss]

2. the same

I , like you, also was supportive and shocked by his quitting. I do think he was coerced into quitting. I think it must have been quite a threat, to suspend so quickly, with really no realreason given. His demeanor during his speech was shaken. It shocks me that more voters aren't furious at the PRE-SELECTING of our candidates. When corporate media only gives a viable candidate 7% of the coverage, that is not fairplay and fairplay IS what America is about. Regardless who wins, they will be forced to enact the wishes of those who pre-selected them and the people will be thwarted again.

[Seabiscuit]

5. Unfortunately, fair play isn't what America is about any more.

The country we once thought of as our own is long gone.

[Seabiscuit]

3. In the same boat.

His sudden withdrawal in the midst of a very busy week came like a thunderbolt. It was totally inexplicable, and remains so to this date.

I hope some day Edwards tells us the truth about what happened to him. I fear some shady stuff went down behind the scenes. I hope Dr. Dean had nothing to do with it, but I'm beginning to suspect he did.

[saracat]

4. Many of us know, through campaign sources, that this was not voluntary. Many of us feel let down as

well but not by JRE but the party.

[AnneD]

7. ITA

I am still voting for Edwards in the Texas primary. The sting will be particulary sweet.

[hisownpetard]

13. Based on the fact that I didn't see Elizabeth campaigning with him after NH, I had a feeling (albeit

unsubstantiated) that maybe she lost hope when he got only 4% and decided she couldn't continue,
with so little reinforcement. When he didn't win SC, I think that was the last straw - not for John, but
perhaps for Elizabeth.

However, if it was not a personal decision between the two of them but, rather, a case of some political
shenanigans or someone twisting his arm behind his back, I wish it could be made public sooner rather than
later.

[balantz]

14. If they were powerful enough to twist John's arm like that,

they are powerful enough to keep a lid on it.

But one day the truth will bust out.

[hisownpetard]

15. That's true.

[unc70]

31. I think Elizabeth was home with a bad cold

I think she had a really bad cold and had come home to recoup that week. After SC, you barely saw any coverage of Edwards in the media, much less seeing Elizabeth, and its theme was "Edwards could not even compete in his home state of _South_ Carolina, only leading amoung white men." The emphasis on "South" in SC was not in contrast to his other home state of NC. It was again reinforcing the widely-held negative stereotypes about Southern white men (racist, sexist, ...) and projecting that on Edwards to make him seem regional and unappealing. Obama did some of this openly; a clear example was in the SC debate where he made one of his put-down "jokes", this one about the race being between a woman, an African American, and . . . "John".

Well before his campaign officially began, Obama has done and "effective" job using race to his advantage while claiming to be above such matters and smiling all the while. But at each stage, he and his campaign are quick to see racial overtones in any criticism made by others and the media are all to happy to promote that TP.

Many of the attacks on Edwards, particularly from Obama supporters, were particualarly viscious. One of the worst I saw was by Lawrence O'Donnell at the Huffington Post where he said that if Edwards did not quit the race, we would be remembered as just another Southern racist keeping the black man down.

For some reason, the DU and much of the net still have many still posting attacks on Edwards, most using the same attack points that originated with the Jesse Helms organization in NC ten years ago. Maybe these posters just have an addiction or maybe they still fear that Edwards has some power or ability that might be used against their candidate. How otherwise might one explain these efforts and these attack themes: Edwards is weak, embarassing himself, no longer relevant, betraying his supporters, proving again he is a phony, hypocrit, hair, house, ... ?

A great majority of these attacks are from posters claiming that they support Obama. Many of these posts are so hateful and over the top that I have begun to wonder if many of them might not actually be Obama supporters but "outside agitators", trying to sew dissent among various voting groups.

Whatever the origin or motive of the posters, the tone of discussions throught the net suddenly became nasty, uncivil, almost spam-like. This flood of posts reminded me of the early Scientology attacks on its critics, one of the earliest examples of trying to silence ones critics by creating so much noise in the form of disruptive posts that serious discussions about real issues and concerns are impossible.

[Reader Rabbit]

19. Could you elaborate on "not voluntary"?

For the curious? If it is appropriate for you to do so, I mean.

Thanks.

[rug]

8. A preview of hope, dashed.

[lame54]

9. I'm disappointed in his dropping out and am still waiting for an answer as to why but...

I am glad he hasn't endorsed either candidate - they will not carry his message no matter what they tell you

[elfin]

10. Same - I hope he does not endorse

BUT if he does -I hope he goes with Obama as the most populist presence remaining.

Edwards is a good guy -- BUT he wants and needs a platform -- if Hillary has promised him HUD for example and if Obama makes no promises -- it will be Hillary.

He will really listen to Elizabeth and take her counsel. She will want him to have a platform in place to keep him working at the things they most love before she leaves us all (if she must) and will counsel accordingly.

I speak from a widow's experience, having had a dear spouse doing his best to "set me up" for my painful future. He tried to disguise his actions, but I could tell what was going on and loved him even more for it.

I promise you - this is part of what is going on in the Edwards' household.

[balantz]

11. I hope we will know the truth about his sudden and uncharacteristic exit.

He must have been forced out to act so suddenly on the eve of the Hollywood debate, and super Tuesday a mere five days away. Shady dealings from the political machine, I say.

[hisownpetard]

16. Scary.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. I don't feel let down by John Edwards "personally" at all.

Someone somewhere convinced him or pressured him into believing that his continued presence in the race was an impediment in this "historic" election. Given that, I think it shows far more integrity for him to remain silent and NOT endorse. Obama and Hillary have plenty of endorsers, and Edwards voters are smart enough to make their own choice if they want to actively support someone or if they want to only commit to voting for our eventual nominee -- which is where I'm at.

As far as I know, he's the only one of the former candidates who is being pressured in this way to endorse after apparently being pressured to get out of the race. People should just leave him alone.

[iris5426]

17. Yes exactly!

You pretty much said everything I was going to...I vividly remember seeing Richardson interviewed by someone after he dropped out, giving reasons why he didn't want to endorse anyone...I don't remember people pestering the hell out of him.

Like you said, I don't feel let down by John personally, it's definitely more of a feeling of being let down by the machine that the Democratic Party appears to have become...it kind of scares me that now I can see some logic in Nader's statements in the past about how the 2 parties aren't really different from each other...I'm afraid that's becoming more and more true, and I think it has a lot to do with Edwards' being forced out of the race.

[Oskie]

20. Ah...Nader. It's true about the two parties being alike...but still GWB

got us into Iraq and I doubt Gore would've. In a better world Nader would have been prez.........and we wouldn't have to choose now between two sneaky promise anything corporatists: Obambi and HiLIARy.

[Johnny__Motown]

23. What makes you think Obama is a "corporatist"?

[saracat]

29. He sure got into bed with the Illinois lobbyists and he himself says

he "guarantees a "seat at the table " to healthcare and corporations". He said so in Iowa. That is why he also has a health care plan that leaves millions uninsured. he is a corporatist by his own admission. He states support for corporations all through his books.

[iris5426]

25. Totally, I completely supported Gore in 2000, and wasn't a huge fan of Nader

I'm just saying that with hindsight he was way more correct on a lot of things than I realized at the time...and I think I would prefer him to either of the remaining options today...

[Tatiana]

26. "... it shows far more integrity for him to remain silent and NOT endorse."

Totally agree with that statement and I wish people would just quit pressuring him.

[Stoic]

18. Well, obviously you should demand a refund.

If it's any consolation, Edwards did push the other candidates more towards a progressive position and was a positive influence in the debates. I think I got my $250 worth. Thanks, John Edwards.

[hisownpetard]

22. It wasn't about the money, of course, I do think his influence is evident in the talking points

of the two remaining candidates, but I wonder if it will continue once one of the them
is elected.

[Johnny__Motown]

21. I like Edwards and would have supported him if he had won Iowa.. but he had no chance once he lost

in Iowa

I'm sorry he kept you hanging on with his promise of "going to the convention".

He is keeping that promise. He has his... umm... 26?.... delegates and he will go to the convention with them.


If you had been a bit more realistic in your assessment of his viability you would not have been so surprised when he "suspended" his campaign.


I hope you won't support someone now based on their gender. That ... Men... comment gives me pause.

If you consider elect ability as well as things like taking money from Lobbyists you may be able to support someone who won't disappoint you.

[hisownpetard]

24. Yeah - I just added that "Men!" comment at the end because I thought it was funny.

I actually voted for Obama in our state's primary and will continue to support him.

[saracat]

30. Yeah, Obama "paying" out of state students $250 each and busing them in really

hurt the Edwards effort.

[K Gardner]

27. I think a lot of people feel as you do. I know I do. "too little, too late"

[hisownpetard]

28. Yes. (Love your sig line, by the way).