Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Case for Edwards as Obama's Running Mate

By Taegan Goddard | May 14, 2008 10:26 AM

Ever since John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race in late January, pundits have wondered (in this order): Who will he endorse for president? When will he make an endorsement? Why hasn't he made an endorsement?

Interestingly, by not choosing between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton in their tough primary battle, Edwards stands as a potential healer of the Democratic party. And by remaining neutral in the race, he's also best positioned to be Sen. Barack Obama's running mate.

Here's the case for picking Edwards:

1. He's already been tested on the national stage and not likely to cause a distracting scandal.
2. He appeals to the same working class white voters that back Clinton.
3. He favors Obama's new brand of politics.
4. He could put North Carolina and possibly other Southern states in play.
5. Clinton would probably support him. With more than 1,700 delegates in Clinton's pocket, Obama needs to at least get her tacit approval if he wants to have a unified party.

Categories: 2008 Presidential Election

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