Trippi: Edwards Didn’t Want To Be Veep
One of the most interesting claims in Obama adviser David Plouffe’s new book about Campaign 2008 is that John Edwards’ team offered him a secret deal before the South Carolina primary: Edwards would drop out if he were made the Veep candidate.
But in several emails to me, senior Edwards adviser Joe Trippi said he had no knowledge of any such conversation and offered a seemingly different version of what Edwards wanted, saying he prefered the Attorney General slot.
Plouffe’s assertion is a big deal because the Edwards camp’s alleged efforts to get him on the ticket could have had disastrous consequences for Dems during the fall campaign, had his now-well-known affair become public.
Plouffe writes that a senior Edwards adviser approached him just before South Carolina and suggested that Obama might not even win that state, arguing that the best way to stop Hillary was for Edwards to drop out and join forces with Obama.
“It’s clear unless the race is shaken up, Hillary is going to win,” ran the Edwards adviser’s pitch, according to Plouffe. “They should announce they are joining forces and will run as a ticket. Edwards can vouch for Obama with blue-collar and Southern whites and is running on a change message.”
But Trippi said Edwards was more interested in the Attorney General job than in being Veep.
“Edwards was pretty clear to me that VP didn’t appeal to him and that he was more interested and thought he could do more as AG,” Trippi emailed.
Trippi also said he thought Obama would win South Carolina and go on to victory, arguing that he thought “it was clear that Obama was going to crush everyone in South Carolina and then run a series of victories.”
Plouffe isn’t completely clear on whether Edwards himself was behind the alleged offer of a deal. So it’s always possible that another top Edwards adviser — Jonathan Prince, for instance — made some kind of suggestion along these lines.
But Trippi is suggesting he doesn’t recall any such chatter inside the campaign. So perhaps the nightmare scenario — in which Edwards would have been made Veep, only to blow up the Dem ticket when his affair came out — was never even remotely a possibility.
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Update: I’ve now spoken to the Edwards adviser who had this conversation with Plouffe, and he confirms that Plouffe’s account is entirely accurate.
Update II: Just to clarify, Trippi wasn’t directly contesting Plouffe’s assertion, just saying he didn’t have any direct knowledge of it and that he had heard no such chatter inside the campaign. I should have been a bit clearer on this point, and I’ve edited the above to clarify.
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The re-emergence of Joe Trippi is not a good thing for Democrats.
I don’t think it ever was a possibility – Obama doesn’t seem to have any affinity for Edwards – never did, really.
If was a serious possibility then I’m madder than ever at John Edwards – the damn fool.
This is better for the topic below but that thread has run its course……. but anyway, look deeper at the Marist Poll on the Terror Trials being in NYC…
We see who is opposed to the trials being in NY:
http://maristpoll.marist.edu/wp-content/misc/nycpolls/c091116/Terror%20Trial%20in%20NYC_Good%20or%20Bad%20Idea.htm
Bottom line:
Old, white Republicans are cowards.
Edwards would not have cleared the vetting process, so it was always a non-starter. Time to close the book on that empty suit, weasel.
“:Time to close the book on that empty suit, weasel.”
Word.
I really would love to never hear another word from or about John and Elizabeth Edwards.
Another nontroversy. Nothing to see here. Move along people.
Ethan – I’m shocked. You’re right – a majority of those opposing the federal trials are white. A majority of African Americans are in favor.
That’s counter-intuitive. African Americans are so used to getting a raw deal in court I’m surprised they still have faith in the justice system. And rich white people don’t.
Yup and Latinos are THE most supportive. Very interesting, right?
The entire controversy is — yet again — all about older white Republicans.
HCR, terror trials, immigration. On which other issues are the Neoconfederates targeting this demographic? I think at this point we can say that targeting old white people for fearmongering tactics is the GOP’s ENTIRE STRATEGY.
I’d REALLY LIKE SOME FOLLOW UP ON THAT. That’s the angle I’d be pursuing if I were a journalist.
“Yup and Latinos are THE most supportive. Very interesting, right? ”
It really is. The Ancien Regime is very nervous these days.
Good.
It does seem old white Republicans are fearful of the trials.
I wonder why that is.
Maybe Greg can find out for us why white Republicans, by a large majority, fear having trials in New York. They are even more fearful than Latino’s by 14% points which is substantial.
What is it they fear? Is this some psychological phenomenon?
Reallllllly good special report on hate speech, fearmongering, and conspiracy theories by the Anti-Defamation League:
http://www.adl.org/special_reports/rage-grows-in-America/
“Maybe Greg can find out for us why white Republicans, by a large majority, fear having trials in New York. They are even more fearful than Latino’s by 14% points which is substantial.”
SECOND!
Hey Bilgepump, sbj, qb, do either of you know why white Republicans would rather cut and run when it comes to trying terrorists in our courts?
Those are very interesting numbers. My only hesitation is that it’s NYC only. Would be more interesting if it were national. Thoughts?
mike – do you really want Greg parsing polls ?
omg yer right amk! Lol Greg, look over there ===>
Ethan – that is a good article; the only thing I question is the author’s assertion that the Tea Baggers were mainstream.
If they are, then the country is doomed, because the Tea Baggers are pig ignorant.
I know why White Republicans are the ones who are afraid of holding the trial, and Blacks and Latinos are not.
It is very simple.
White Republicans are the ones who listen mostly to Right Wing Fear Mongers on radio and TV. They have internalized the fear, that they have been subjected to for the past eight years.
They are now afraid of their own shadows.
mikefromArlington – LOL!
It’s time for lunch, Greg – no?
Liam – bin laden seems to have achieved his goal – make amurika go nutz.
“My only hesitation is that it’s NYC only. Would be more interesting if it were national. Thoughts?”
I agree with Liam. I bet if you took these demographics and matched them up with Faux Propaganda, it’d be exact.
BUT……. Imho, this is STILL VERY MUCH WORTH/NEEDS FOLLOW-UP.
We need to make the empirical connection and then report the he-doublehockeysticks out of it.
“bin laden seems to have achieved his goal – make amurika go nutz.”
Hate to say it, but I got that by 9-12-01.
@Amk,
He achieved his goal once Bush picked up that bullhorn at the 9/11 site, to amplify the terroists’ message, and he never stopped doing so there after.
Real leaders, reassure a nation, in times of crisis, he did the exact opposite.
“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself” FDR
“All I have got is fear, to make you cling to me.” George W. Bush
edit:
terrorists’ message….
Damn hand-me-down fingers failed me once again. That is what happens when you are the youngest of a very large poor family, that could not afford new fingers for me.
Liam – “We need a Pearl Harbor.” GBush on his desire to be a War President.
Here’s my post on those Marist numbers:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/poll-in-new-york-opposition-to-terror-trial-is-old-white-and-republican/
Greg, I just have one question. Why is Joe Trippi still defending his boss?
Chris, that’s a good question. What is the point? That train is derailed for good. Maybe he is actually defending himself.. .
I agree with everything that was posted in this article, I