Elizabeth Edwards: not backing Hillary
- added May 19, 2008
- 6 responses
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- ajwashington
- added this
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Elizabeth Edwards on Sunday rejected speculation that she might endorse New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
“If you listened to what I said and not to what pundits said I was thinking, you would know that I was never inclined to endorse,” Edwards wrote in an e-mail to Politico Sunday afternoon.
Speculation about whether she might back Clinton spiked when Edwards did not appear Wednesday with her husband, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, during his endorsement of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is winning the support of an increasing number of party leaders and superdelegates as he appears poised to edge out Clinton for the nomination.
Elizabeth Edwards told Politico that she was “as usual, a sounding board for my husband, but, also as usual, his decision was ultimately his own, which is as it should be. I never encouraged him to support a particular candidate, only to follow his heart.”
John Edwards emphasized poverty and health care themes during his own bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. After he dropped out of the race in January, both Obama and Clinton aggressively courted his endorsement.
Edwards’ support could boost Obama’s credibility with the blue-collar white voters who have flocked to Clinton. Likewise, Elizabeth Edwards’ endorsement could have helped Clinton with her husband’s supporters but also with voters who are most concerned about health care issues and with netroots activists, among whom she is popular.
Edwards has expressed support for Clinton’s health care plan – but she stressed in her e-mail to Politico that her support was limited to Clinton’s plan, not her campaign.
“If I say I like chocolate ice cream better than strawberry, it doesn't mean either (1) that I like chocolate or strawberry as much as vanilla or (2) that I dislike strawberry. I say what I mean. Hillary's health care plan is closer to what I want to see than Barack's,” she wrote. “As a spouse, it is not surprising that I have a very small change purse of political capital and I have repeatedly said that I was going to use my capital, such as it is, for the issues about which I care and not on an endorsement.”
“If you listened to what I said and not to what pundits said I was thinking, you would know that I was never inclined to endorse,” Edwards wrote in an e-mail to Politico Sunday afternoon.
Speculation about whether she might back Clinton spiked when Edwards did not appear Wednesday with her husband, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, during his endorsement of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is winning the support of an increasing number of party leaders and superdelegates as he appears poised to edge out Clinton for the nomination.
Elizabeth Edwards told Politico that she was “as usual, a sounding board for my husband, but, also as usual, his decision was ultimately his own, which is as it should be. I never encouraged him to support a particular candidate, only to follow his heart.”
John Edwards emphasized poverty and health care themes during his own bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. After he dropped out of the race in January, both Obama and Clinton aggressively courted his endorsement.
Edwards’ support could boost Obama’s credibility with the blue-collar white voters who have flocked to Clinton. Likewise, Elizabeth Edwards’ endorsement could have helped Clinton with her husband’s supporters but also with voters who are most concerned about health care issues and with netroots activists, among whom she is popular.
Edwards has expressed support for Clinton’s health care plan – but she stressed in her e-mail to Politico that her support was limited to Clinton’s plan, not her campaign.
“If I say I like chocolate ice cream better than strawberry, it doesn't mean either (1) that I like chocolate or strawberry as much as vanilla or (2) that I dislike strawberry. I say what I mean. Hillary's health care plan is closer to what I want to see than Barack's,” she wrote. “As a spouse, it is not surprising that I have a very small change purse of political capital and I have repeatedly said that I was going to use my capital, such as it is, for the issues about which I care and not on an endorsement.”
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- ajwashington
- 3 months ago
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Well said Elizabeth. I expected she would make her position clear and that's exactly what she did. Those posters here who suggested that she was somehow being muzzled didn't give her enough credit.
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Sounds like she isn't backing either. And I know how she feels. It's the same MO you see on Internet sites too. If you think Clinton's healthcare plan is better, you must be a supporter... if you criticize Obama's plans in anyway, you must be a supporter... if you believe all votes should be counted in Michigan and Florida, you must be a supporter... and it is said to you with accusatory fingers outstretched as you are condemned for being a heretic. It's ridiculous.
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- JanforGore
- 3 months ago
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Hey Jan, dont forget....if you ask questions about Obama your a Hillary supporter too. Oh yeah, and a hater......
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I don't care who anyone supports individually. Jan, needu, Elizabeth Edwards...makes no difference to me. I was just pointing out that several people were making assumptions after John Edwards endorsed Obama. Assumptions and allegations that they were both being controled by the DNC. I think that was demeaning to the Edwards', who have shown that they make up their own minds. I think this confirms that. Both in the fact that Elizabeth didn't endorse Clinton and she didn't choose to endorse Obama like her husband. She and John aren't joined at the hip and that is a good thing.
Just as questioning any candidate is a good thing no matter where it comes from.
But on the other hand, bashing and hating is just that. And there is plenty of that on this site regardless of who the candidate is. If you don't like being labeled a hater, consider occasionally saying something positive. It's really as simple as that. Or just go on hating and maybe try being less thin skinned. Either way. -
It would be hard to imagine anyone being more thin skinned than the Obama supporters on this site.
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I'm sure that's true in some cases and not in others. People are people after all. I'd love it everybody was a little less thin skinned and maybe a little less negative. But that's just me. At the end of the day you can only be responsible for yourself.
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