Wednesday, January 30, 2008

On Our Way

I'll have more to say on the stupendously good news out of Florida last night, and where things go -- later -- work and other matters allowing. For the first time since 2005, I feel like there's a good chance that the Democrats are not going to just walk into the White House come next 20 January.
It appears certain now that Rudy Giuliani will endorse McCain today. Rudy out. . .the trick now is to keep Huckabee in for at least another week. . .

4 comments:

Candidly Caroline said...

I was a little surprised to see Edwards drop out so soon. I thought he'd hang in there for a while.

El Jefe Maximo said...

I suspect that Hillary Clinton might wish he had stayed in, because Edwards's withdrawal consolidates Obama as the only alternative to a return of the Clintons, much as Huckabee now operates to prevent Romney being a viable alternative to McCain.

I thought his populist message possibly drove the Democratic campaign a little bit to the left, particularly in Obama's case. There were two problems with it (1) it's not 1930, and so many of the voters that Edwards was targeting either vote Republican, because of social issues and dislike of the bi-coastal elite that runs the Democratic party; and (2) there was a problem with the messenger -- it's hard to be a rich and obviously very well-heeled trial lawyer and pull off a populist message. It would have helped had Edwards put on a little weight and been a little less of a pretty boy.

I think Obama succeeded so well in getting the media to buy his agent of change persona that it kind of denied Edwards the publicity fuel he needed to ignite.

I'll be curious to see if he winds up endorsing Obama...I suspect a lot rides on what shakes out next Tuesday.

Candidly Caroline said...

It's interesting, though. Of the (formerly) three Democratic candidates, Edwards is the one I would most trust, as a person.

El Jefe Maximo said...

Oddly enough, CC, of those three, I agree with you, as far as trust goes, although I profoundly dislike populism, and fear his politics more than that of the other two. But trust is different.