I noticed this morning that John Edwards had cancelled some events scheduled in Feb. 5 states today, and would instead travel to New Orleans to deliver a speech. “Hmm,” I thought, “that seems odd.”
Apparently, there was a logical explanation for the scheduling change: the AP is reporting that John Edwards is ending his presidential campaign today.
Democrat John Edwards is exiting the presidential race Wednesday, ending a scrappy underdog bid in which he steered his rivals toward progressive ideals while grappling with family hardship that roused voters’ sympathies but never diverted his campaign, The Associated Press has learned.
The two-time White House candidate notified a close circle of senior advisers that he planned to make the announcement at a 1 p.m. EST event in New Orleans that had been billed as a speech on poverty, according to two of his advisers. The decision came after Edwards lost the four states to hold nominating contests so far to rivals who stole the spotlight from the beginning — Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.
The former North Carolina senator will not immediately endorse either candidate in what is now a two-person race for the Democratic nomination, said one adviser, who spoke on a condition of anonymity in advance of the announcement.
If Edwards hoped to throw the political world a curveball, he succeeded; I don’t think anyone saw this coming. On the contrary, the Edwards campaign gave every indication that the former senator wasn’t going anywhere. Just a few days ago, top Edwards aides, including Joe Trippi and David Bonior, conceded that Edwards was a long-shot for the Democratic nomination, but the campaign had a clear strategy going forward, including a slow-but-steady collection of delegates and a convention strategy in which anything could happen.
But that was yesterday. Today, Edwards is exiting stage left.
At this point, it’s hard to say what drove Edwards to end his campaign. He was clearly short on funding, and it’s possible he just didn’t have the resources to compete well enough to win delegates. Some of the reports this morning indicate that Edwards sees the race as a Clinton-Obama contest, and simply didn’t want to be the third wheel anymore.
There will be plenty of analysis in the coming days about Edwards’ contributions to the presidential race, but at this point, I think there are two broader angles to consider.
First, Edwards exits with his head held high, knowing that he ran a strong, uphill campaign, which drove the Democratic message more than a lot of people realize. I’m reminded of this recent piece from Chris Hayes.
No matter who wins the Democratic nomination, the fact remains that the Edwards campaign has set the domestic policy agenda for the entire field. He was the first with a bold universal healthcare plan, the first with an ambitious climate change proposal that called for cap-and-trade, and the leader on reforming predatory lending practices and raising the minimum wage to a level where it regains its lost purchasing power….Ultimately, though, the Edwards campaign has been both a campaign and a cause, with the latter outperforming the former. Few remember that the signature economic policy of Bill Clinton’s presidency, balancing the budget, originated as a plank in the platform of his primary rival Paul Tsongas. If the next Democratic President manages to pass universal healthcare or a carbon cap-and-trade, we’ll owe the Edwards campaign a significant debt.
Agreed. Edwards did what Kucinich wanted to do but couldn’t — he moved the Democratic field to the left, leaving the progressive agenda stronger than it probably would have been without him.
Second, of course, is what Edwards’ departure does to the race. It’s an open question, which will draw plenty of scrutiny soon — either Edwards’ exit helps Clinton, because the white vote will no longer be split, or it helps Obama, because the “change” vote will no longer be split.
While that’s hashed out, hat’s off to John Edwards for a job well done. I suspect he’ll stay engaged in public life, and we’ll all be better off for it.