John Edwards Scandal: March Mystery of Edwards’ Non-Endorsement Revisited

Love Child Scandal a Factor?

“…the Edwards’ non-endorsement [of Barack Obama] is one of the mysteries of the campaign since Edwards dropped out.”
–Blake Fleetwood, Huffington Post: “What is Edwards Holding Out For? on March 29, 2008

Blake Fleetwood’s Foresighted Question

In March, there was some speculation on why John Edwards had not endorsed either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination. After Obama and Edwards had spent much of the early primary season ganging up on Clinton, why hadn’t Edwards come out and endorsed his one-time ally?

“…the Edwards’ non-endorsement [of Barack Obama] is one of the mysteries of the campaign since Edwards dropped out.”
–Blake Fleetwood, Huffington Post: “What is Edwards Holding Out For?

ALSO at DBKP: Click on banner for over 60 DBKP stories & videos on the John Edwards scandal.

Fleetwood cites the following, from a New York magazine article by John Heilemann.

In the days after John Edwards’s withdrawal from the Democratic race, the political world expected his endorsement of Barack Obama would be forthcoming tout de suite. The neo-populist and the hopemonger had spent months tag-teaming Hillary Clinton, pillorying her as a creature of the status quo, not a champion of the kind of “big change” they both deem essential.

So appalled was Edwards at Clinton’s gaudy corporatism—her defense of the role of lobbyists, her suckling at the teats of the pharmaceutical and defense industries—that he’d essentially called her corrupt. And then, not least, there were the sentiments of his wife. “Elizabeth hasn’t always been crazy about Mrs. Clinton” is how an Edwards insider puts it; a less delicate member of HRC’s circle says, “Elizabeth hates her guts.”

But now two months have passed since Edwards dropped out—tempus fugit!—and still no endorsement. Why?
–John Heilemann, NY Magazine: Who’ll stop the pain?

Heilemann goes onto quote an unnamed source who says the reason is “Obama blew it”.

…According to a Democratic strategist unaligned with any campaign but with knowledge of the situation gleaned from all three camps, the answer is simple: Obama blew it.

Ironically, “unnamed sources” cited by the National Enquirer was an excuse some in the MSM have used for not assigning credibility–and coverage–to the Edwards scandal. The guess here is: depends upon who’s using them.

Might not this late-March “Mystery of the Edwards Non-endorsement of Obama” be better understood, in light of what is known today about Edwards, Rielle Hunter and their love child?

A few days ago, the ‘teaser’ for DBKP’s article “John Edwards Scandal: Did Hillary Use Scandal to Force Edwards Out of the Race?” read:

Back in January, John Edwards exited the Democrat primary race–but his withdrawal was announced by Hillary Clinton. We revisit the phone call between Edwards and Clinton the night before the announcement. Does Hillary Clinton read the National Enquirer?

The article posed a few questions. Such as, “Did Hillary Clinton know what the major news organizations knew back in December, but didn’t report on: namely, that John Edwards had a problem–a “love child” problem?” And, “Did she “suggest” that Edwards get out of the race–which surprised some observers–or she would start asking some questions of her own?”

In January, DBKP’s LBG had found the fact that Edwards’ departure was first announced by Hillary Clinton interesting. ["Hillary Clinton Announces Edwards’ Exit, Was it the Right Price?"]:

All sappiness regarding Edwards aside, the more interesting story was tagged onto the end of Hillary Clinton’s “announcement” during an interview this morning with King5 News in Seattle.

Despite the fact that Edwards had not made a formal or informal announcement that he was dropping out of the presidential race, Hillary told the King5 News Team that Edwards had called her on the phone to tell her that he was dropping out.

LBG further wondered what deals had been discussed in the phone conversation between Clinton and Edwards in night before Hillary’s–and later in the day, Edwards’s–announcement.

We wondered what was behind the scenes with Hillary and Edwards little telephone talk and whether Edwards knew Hillary would be announcing his departure from the race.

We also wondered if any deals had been made, if Edwards was given any promises of future positions within the Hillary cabinet, perhaps even the V-P slot.

We were surprised to hear of Edwards’ impending departure as Edwards had said he was going to stick to his campaign all the way, even if he failed to score in next week’s Super Tuesday, that he intended to ride his campaign bus to the doors of the Democrat’s convention held in Denver in late August.

Might not that phone conversation hold a possible answer to Fleetwood’s mystery? Might Edwards have promised Clinton not to endorse either candidate until the nomination was settled?

With most of the Democrat establishment lining up behind Obama, Edwards’ endorsement of the junior senator from Illinois was reported on May 14, 2008–when Clinton’s campaign was characterized at that point, as a “long-shot”

Democrat John Edwards endorsed former rival Barack Obama on Wednesday, a move designed to help solidify support for the party’s likely presidential nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.
–Huffinton Post: John Edwards Endorses Obama… GOP Prospects “Worst Since Watergate”

ABC News’ Political Radar described the Clinton camp’s reaction to Edwards’ endorsement as “upsetting”.

A source close to the Clinton campaign said the Edwards camp gave the Clinton folks a head’s up.

“Clearly it’s upsetting” the source tells ABC. “He brings the workers” to Obama.
–ABC News: Edwards To Endorse Obama

According to a tally by the AP at the time, Barack Obama had a total of 1,887 delegates–just 139 delegates short of the 2,026 he needed for the nomination, while Hillary Clinton’s delegate total was 1,718.

Edwards, trial lawyer that he is, could have convincingly argued, at that point, that the issue was settled.

Clinton suspended her campaign–but did not release her delegates–less than three weeks later on June 4.

Fleetwood asked his prescient question on March 29, 2008. In the same article, he made another statement.

“I, and many others who longed for a progressive candidate, miss his [Edwards'] brand of truth telling terribly.”

In this last confession, Blake Fleetwood’s prescience appears to have deserted him.

by Mondoreb
images: wikipedia

Tags: affair, Barack Obama, Blake Fleetwood, cover-up, Hillary Clinton, Huffington Post, John Edwards, love child, national enquirer, non-endorsement, rielle hunter, scandal