Edwards forced out to allow "history to blaze its path"

[raincity_calling]

Here is why I am certain Edwards was forced out.

There are indicators in his speech that make me believe that he was pressured to drop out.

First, the words he stumbled over were something about him stepping out so that "history can blaze its path." Then there were words about "the Democratic Party will make history" and "we will be unified."

I don't think it is coincidence that the very next day there was a professional looking video on U-Tube that presents the Democrats’ historic election – a black man and woman.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

If you watched the CNN California debate, the intro to the debate was all about this "historic moment" for the Democratic Party, the first time we will "see an African American and a woman vying for the Democratic nomination...A moment in American history we have not seen before...a race of historic possibilities."

In the debate, Clinton uses the words, "unified Democratic Party."

Edwards' speech was not his speech; it included phrases that the Party is using to frame this election.

He was pressured to step out - I only hope he, and we, get something meaningful in return.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Oh PLEASE! NOBODY forces Edwards to do anything! He's plenty stronger than we are....

Nobody else had the cojones to speak out against corporations the way he did. Forced out? PUHLEEZ! Give me a break! Do you know any plaintiff trial attorneys? They don't get there by being as malleable as melting butter. He's a TOUGH MAN!

[cgrindley]

3. Stronger than we are? Bullshit.

He's just a man like any other. Just about everyone on this board has the cojones to speak out against politicians and corporations. But I agree with you. He wasn't forced out. He quit because he realized he couldn't win.

I am pretty sick and tired of the John Edwards hero worship. He's no better than you or me.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. Yes, he quit. He has nothing to hide, and he wants the Dems in the White House

And yes, he's plenty strong. Nobody who speaks that publicly about things no one else dares mention, is a weakling.

[cgrindley]

9. Everyone here wants a Dem in the Whitehouse... this is DU

but really... many many people speak publicly about all sorts of things that Edwards mentions. Most of those people are not trained lawyers and former senators. I'm really not that impressed that he says things. I've known many people who said things. Matter of fact, in a previous life, I was a speech writer for a variety of British Columbian politicians. I wrote material for the Finance Minister, for the Solicitor General, even a little bit for the Premier. It's not really a big deal. Political speech isn't that frightening. It's not that hard to get your voice heard as long as you're not an utter loon.

No. I take that back.

Code Pink get their voices heard all the time. As do PETA. As do the Repukes.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. You're right. :-) nt

[2rth2pwr]

4. delete

[bobbolink]

10. rrriiiiiiiiinnnnggggggg....

Time to cut the snark, so you can hear your wakeup call, Sarah.

[patrice]

12. How can History be Pre-Determined without Repeating what WAS, not a Change . . . . .!!!!!!!@#&!!++3#

:crazy:

[patrice]

20. He's in control of his life. Not dancing to the commands of others.

And not told what he can and can't say.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

24. I agree. He's one tough guy. I like him a lot for that. nt

[saltpoint]

2. So or not so, I'm not sure myself, but I'm wondering how this actually

would happen...

Does Howard Dean pound on the door at midnight with a pack of burly-looking dudes with ball bats to persuade a candidate to withdrawal?

Or is it done privately, secretly, among representatives of still-active campaigns and DLC reps?

Or what.

The arithmetic was not in John Edwards' favor but it was a campaign that spoke for an extraordinarily high percentage of Americans who otherwise would not have been heard from. The media were complicit most of the time and complacent the rest of the time because in part, they don't want to cover a candidate who includes people who can't afford the products and services of advertising interests. They're fueled by corporate advertising money and if the subject veers public focus away from the products and services of those corporations paying for that advertising time, then coverage of that candidate winds up in the cutting room.

[patrice]

16. Please see my post downthread, #12. nt

[saltpoint]

17. Hi, patrice. I read it but -- I'm sorry here -- I don't understand what's

being covered.

[patrice]

23. "Edwards pressured to step out of the race. What will we get in exchange?"

That depends upon what we do, which for me is stick to Edwards's and our ISSUES, because that's why we support him in the first place.

Issues, issues, issues, issues . . . . . . !

I REALLY want Election Reform = Count the Vote Holidays for every election. Paper Ballots counted in public - - Funny how many times I run into Gatekeepers when I bring that issue up . . . .

[2rth2pwr]

5. CNN and their producers were in on it? nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

8. How so? nt

[2rth2pwr]

14. Raincity implies that they were

Part of the "evidence" from raincity that this was all a planned coup was this-

"If you watched the CNN California debate, the intro to the debate was all about this "historic moment" for the Democratic Party, the first time we will "see an African American and a woman vying for the Democratic nomination...A moment in American history we have not seen before...a race of historic possibilities."

[Sarah Ibarruri]

21. Well, that's not a coup. That's a fact. I am not threatened by anyone saying that it's a momentous

occasion for a woman and a black man to be running for office. What really pisses me off is the mass media constantly narrowing down the candidates as corporations see fit. That pisses me off. I think Edwards had the most left wing campaign of all of them (save Kucinich, who was crucified from day 1 by the MSM), and corporations are threatened by anyone that exposes corporate corruption, so if anyone was guilty of this thing going bad for Edwards, it was corporations.

But Edwards is a tough, tough, tough guy. I think recently someone posted something online about his personal experiences with him when Edwards handling a case. He was amazing. He barely took depositions, he barely planned anything, he just got out there and with his photographic memory and brilliance, did the trial. He's tough as nails, brilliant and nobody tells him what to do. I love that about him.

[MasonJar]

7. I think that the above is the reason that Edwards could not get traction

this time, even though his message was the most imperative. That and the fact that the MSM refused to countenance his many assets with appropriate coverage.

[patrice]

11. Pre-Determined =/= History. History is the way things Were. I thought this was about Change. nt

[Shine]

13. I'm convinced something fishy went down, but we'll never know for sure exactly what happened.

we can speculate til the cows come home about the reasons: lack of money, some sort of back-room deal, blackmail, threats to his family, whatever....in the end, I don't think we'll EVER know. Sad.

The DAY before he dropped out, I got an email from his campaign saying he was coming to San Jose and I was planning to go. I was totally stoked to hear him in person. Now I won't get to. :cry:

He'd been talking about "fighting til the end", going all the way to the convention, blah, blah, blah...and then overnite he's done.


:wtf:

I don't know what the hell happened....but my sense is it was dirty.

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. It was dirty and it was orchestrated and it was deliberate.

[K Gardner]

18. I do agree. And his silence since is deafening, his absence from our lives palpable.

[raincity_calling]

22. His decision appears to have been made quickly

Late Tues evening (10:00 EST) his campaign staff was making plans for him to come to Washington state.

I know we will never know the real explanation. But I am sure he was pressured by someone.

In WA, caucus attendees can still vote for, and be a delegate for, Edwards.