John Edwards gave no endorsement in his withdrawal speech today, but did offer much talk of change and imminent transformation that seemed at least a tad more Obamaesque than Clintonian, if one may venture such a guess. It is, after all, a guessing game until word comes from Edwards himself, but my guess for the moment (which hopefully is more than just wishful thinking) is that the winds are blowing in favor of Obama. One looking for hints of which direction Edwards might go would have heard little talk of "experience" or "practical solutions" as one hears from the Clinton campaign. Instead, Edwards declared that "America's moment of transformation is upon us," echoing Obama's frequent declaration that "the time for change has come." Edwards also repeatedly referred both to his campaign to the ongoing Democratic campaign as a "movement for change," again echoing Obama far more than Clinton. Like Obama, Edwards has run a populist, anti-establishment, and often openly anti-Hillary campaign, and for him to suddenly join Clinton would look to many like a sell-out. Clinton supporters will disagree, of course, but I also think that a shift in Obama's favor may be taking place not only in the public campaign but also behind the scenes in the Democratic Party. The Clintons have turned many against them in recent weeks both through the shady tactics they are seen to have used and by Bill Clinton's excessive role in his wife's campaign. Hillary Clinton's latest efforts to use the issue of the status of Florida's and Michigan's convention delegates to her advantage, likewise, could not be making the Democratic National Committee very happy. Meanwhile, support for Obama has grown not only at the grassroots level but also among the Democratic establishment, as his recent endorsements attest. For the final word, we'll just have to wait and see; but with Super Tuesday only days away, I doubt we'll be waiting long: this campaign is going into hyperdrive.
Mark C. Eades
http://www.mceades.com
