Elizabeth Edwards Not Backing Hillary: "I Was Never Inclined To Endorse"

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.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[mickyx65it]

Elizabeth is a liar. She now says "I Was Never Inclined To Endorse". That is typical misguiding phrasing. What is it supposed to mean? The fact is that she was pretty much inclined to endorse Hillary right after Edwards gave up. And the reason was her position on Health Care. Now she is acting like Hillary, pretending nobody know or remembers. Well, I for one remember, and it is easy to google on for that matter.

[Countess]

I am very glad to hear this because I have tremendous respect for Elizabeth Edwards and I would be horrified if she in any way condoned the gutter campaign of Hillary Clinton. I believe Elizabeth Edwards would have been a far superior candidate than Hillary Clinton and I could not imagine her ever indulging in racial and religious smears or embracing neocon foreign policy as Hillary Clinton has done.

[scorpioleidy]

Call Obama for America at 866-675-2008 and let them know you do not want Hillary Huckabee on the Obama ticket.

[Sparklez]

Poor lady

Someone is always trying to lie on her. When folks said she would endorse Clinton because she liked her healthcare plan, i thought it was silly because she had said that she wouldnt endorse anyone

[ebanks84]

Plus Hillary's healthcare plan was originally Edward's healthcare plan and nobody even indicates that.

[kellygrrrl]

plus, NONE of them are health CARE plans
they are all health COVERAGE plans.

a great many of us are not so comfortable with the MANDATE.

how exactly is this little MANDATE going to be enforced and used AGAINST poor folks.

[punkingale]

Her husband, John, also said he wouldn't endorse,but he did.

[sufi66]

Don't care what a wife of a former presidential candidate has to say. There's too much at stake here, like the future of the Supreme Court to care about fatuous political games.

[marymansour]

Elizabeth Edwards is one of those rare political wives that caught the heart of Americans - and it wasn't just the cancer. I think if Obama puts Edwards on the ticket, Elizabeth will be an added advantage.

[abigail1]

I wish she didn't have cancer and Obama could put Elizabeth Edwards on the ticket.

[kellygrrrl]

Elizabeth Edwards is a whole lot more than just a WIFE

she is a great lady and a great voice and she happens to have the ear of a lot of Americans.

so unlike my opinion (or yours) HERS actually is relevant.

[Swift2]

Well, take a look at the political press for a minute. There were, apparently, rumors. So some reporter asks, "Are they true." Why does the Drudge-like Politico get any notice in the Huffington Post? Because of the headline, of course. "Edwards not endorsing Clinton, as the rumors had it." The story is, of course, that she's not endorsing any candidate. Not the Obama guy, either. She is interested in health care. Obama's plan does not satisfy her. But she's not going to play the endorsement game, coming down on one side or another. When Obama becomes president, I would imagine that Elizabeth Edwards will lobby Obama for a stronger health plan. The Edwards plan more closely resembles the Hillary plan, rather than the gutless Obama plan. (Sorry.) But no endorsement for Obama, either. Notice: this is the way adults play politics. Focus on issues, not personalities.

[PAposter]

...but you had to get a dig in, with "gutless Obama plan", surely you could have found a better way to express that. Similarly, why point out that she did not endorse Obama, anyone who read the article, understands that. This is the type of unnecessary rhetoric that makes it difficult for Democrats supporting opposing teams to come together. Stop playing into the Republicans hands.

Democrats Unite. It's Time.

[abigail1]

I completely agree with you (except the "gutless Obama plan" part) and appreciate Elizabeth Edwards focus on the issue that matters most to her, not which candidate she prefers.

She is a class act.

I really appreciate that you said "when Obama becomes president" even though you seem to have favored Clinton. And I too look forward to Elizabeth Edwards lobbying efforts, as the Edwards health care plan was the best of the three.

[Marrigan]

I've never been able to warm up to either one of the Edwards, but even more so with Elizabeth. Before I get slammed, let me say that all of us use our instincts to evaluate people. When it comes to politics, our instincts are often subdued by a candidate's words or their surrogates' spin. And as most of us are fully aware of, personality is not equivalent to intelligence. There's just "something" about Elizabeth that seems unauthentic to me, as if as soon as she walks away and is in a private setting, gaskets blow. She also has an air of elitism that seems so inconsistent with her, and her husband's, political messages. Two examples:
In the 2004 campaign, the Kerrys and Edwards made an appearance near my home. They bravely endured the experience of having lunch at a Burger King, altho both Elizabeth and Teresa were (it was reported) queasy and uncomfortable. After hob-nobbing with the unwashed masses, they retreated to a private yacht where a 5 course gourmet luncheon was prepared by a local upscale restaurant.
Second example: I'm no class warfare warrior and harbor no animosity towards people who earn their wealth, but it seems to me that if you're a politician running on a populist message and railing against "two Americas", building an ostentatious 20,000 sq. ft. home isn't the way to get your message across.
Right now, I think Elizabeth Edwards is one angry lady.

[rzan]

I kind of know what you mean. I didn't feel good about her when she was on a talk show telling us all how to behave in grocery stores to the clerks, that we should all notice their names, etc. There was something really elitist and condescending about the whole thing, as if she knew how to be considerate, and the rest of us didn't. It really bugged me at the time. But I think she is right not to endorse. She is not a superdelegate, and she has not held office.

[PAposter]

I really don't care how wealthy candidates and their supporters are, or how big their homes are. Let's not pretend we all don't want more, and work hard everyday to get it. To that end, I found Michele and Barack Obama to be very personable, and approachable. Neither of them made me feel like they didn't have time for me, and Lord knows they get mobbed everywhere. I have heard stories about the Clintons, but have never been to any of their rallies, so I won't speak about them. As for the Edwards and other surrogates, they are peripheral in my mind, I have to do all I can to elect a Democratic President, so that's what I am focused on, and if it is not my candidate, I will have to put my trust in other Democrats that supported to other side on my behalf.

Democrats Unite. It's Time.

[marymansour]

I'm not a defender of Edwards or his wife, however, I think her anger may be the fact that she probably ingested boocoodles of hormones in order to have another set of babies. Her son was also killed in an auto accident and she ended up with cancer probably as a result of the hormone boost.

All of these guys that run for office have to be pretty wealthy or they can't even attempt to run a pricey presidential race - which is a shame. Abraham Lincoln could never have run in today's USA. To put it in a nutshell, middle income and poor folks can't run for president. I think you have to look at the fact that John Edwards and Barack Obama are both clean on taking money from lobbyists. And I do want to see Obama with a winning ticket this Fall.

[goofy2]

Frankly, I was attracted to Edwards because of the courage to raise poverty and the deepening ecomonic divide when It was neither popular nor politically advantageous. He started this emphasis prior to 2004, and has dedicated himself to it. Regarding his wealth and affluent lifestyle, I would assert that each of us has his own way to address issues important to us. Some may choose a personal lifestyle that matches one's cause, some contribute in other ways. It is not necessary to take a vow of poverty to fight poverty. Poor people generally welcome help from any who are willing.

[punkingale]

The Edwards house is 28,000 square feet and it isn't even pretty.

[partyofone]

Hillary lost the nomination weeks ago. Why does the media insist on keeping the narcisistic Clintons in the spotlight. Enough of the Clintons and their mean, dishonest, divisive politics. They are the past. Move on.

[ksjohnso]

I was just talking with my mom and we both agreed that we like Elizabeth Edwards very much. My mom even said that she would make a great president, because "she knows her stuff." I hope she is doing well. Too bad Edwards could not be the president...but hopefully a vice-president perhaps.

Say what you will about the Democrats, they pick some brillant wives (Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Edwards, Thersa Heinz Kerry, and even Hillary Clinton). None of this Stepford Wives stuff that Republicans like to pull--Laura Bush and Cindy McCain (Huck's wife too just looked like she was along for the ride).

Ok I am ready for the flack...

[Rendon76]

I agree with you and I think it's an indication that Republicans, like Yuppies of the 80's tend to like their women servile and submissive. I truly believe this is just simply a trait of a Republican. They like their women dumb and their guns big. Shoot me.

[gonavy]

Yah! Because everyone knows that a pretty woman can't be smart!

[marymansour]

And with John McCain Bush, we have the definitive Barbie - uh let's call her Middle Age Barbie - complete with the 60's mayonnaise head blond flip. Cindy McCain looks like a geriatric, well preserved cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys.

[pupbayer]

Bright, classy lady. AND she can hold a thought unlike her husband. They both said they wouldn't endorse but obviously he got promised something. I applaud her for being her own person. She is an example and inspiratioin to all women.

[pithymaxim]

No one does anything for nothing. Doesn't mean it's dishonourable. It's human nature.

[MissT]

Who do you think was going to be the "Poverty Czar" if Hillary got the nomination?

[rzan]

I just can't get over how great Elizabeth looks.

[springsm]

Yes, I agree. She is a "springy" woman with those bright eyes and that smile. I hope that she is really faring okay with this cancer regime. She has lost weight and I also hope that is because she wanted to. I really lIke this woman. She is smart and gutsy.

[Hotshortie]

Obama supporter here, who absolutely loves Elizabeth Edwards. She was one of the main forces why I also admired Edwards. They are a great couple, a great team. I saw Elizabeth speak here in Iowa at the Figge and she was spectacular. We Obama supporters are also trying to raise money for their causes to show support for their fight against poverty. I thank both John & Elizabeth for holding on to their values and views and not to be bought off by big government or lobbying interests.
I can't wait for all of us to come together and win back the White House and get America back on track and I truely believe United, we can save America and the World!!!

[pithymaxim]

This is a diplomatic response by Mrs. Edwards. It is an unspoken endorsement of Hillary Clinton. It is public knowledge that they voted for different candidates in the primary. She is not even neutral about Obama. She couldn't stomach even appearing at the endorsement. And from Hillary's Thursday response, in which she called Mrs. Edwards her "friend," it is clear that she gave Hillary her private endorsement. She remains vocal about her preference for the Clinton health care plan. She chooses not to be vocal about her barely concealed distaste for Obama. At this point it is a politically expedient move on her part; if she believes Obama will lose the general election, she's playing bad cop now to keep channels open with the Clintons for any future undertakings.

[jukesgrrl]

And you know this ... how??

[pithymaxim]

conjecture

[lotuslike]

Good GRACIOUS but you are inventive! Wow...

[mawrm]

Folks are forgetting who Mrs. Elizabeth Edwards is - she's the wife of John Edwards, nothing more, nothing less. You all weren't going crazy wondering who the wives of all the other candidates were going to endorse, why the undue attention on Mrs. Edwards? She, like the other wives, is not inclined to endorse. Period. As she herself intones, stop trying to read more into the situation and think you can read her mind. You make a completely groundless assertion that "She couldn't stomach even appearing at the endorsement" - based on what? Sure, she might love Hillary, prefer her Health Care Plan, etc. - no candidate is a one-size fits all. But that doesn't necessarily mean she was whole-hog for Clinton to the point that she'd never support Obama. If she voted for Clinton in the primary, that's her choice and it is to respected. You state "At this point it is a politically expedient move on her part"... since when did Mrs. Edwards become a politician?

Your comment reminds me of folks who watch series TV and come up with all sorts of elaborate discussions about what the characters are thinking, nevermind the fact that the characters are scripted.

[pithymaxim]

By voluntarily injecting herself into the political bloodstream, she acquires "undue attention". As far as your scripted comment, of course all these public figures are focus group tested and scripted.

[bikerdude]

What a strange comment. In addition to being Mrs. Edwards, she's also a cancer survivor, a mom, a lawyer and a very, very bright, caring and ethical person. I would feel privileged to have a friend like her.

[presto]

And it seems to bother no one that they are getting inside someone's head and inventing entire scenarios. It is very bizarre.

Wonder who Mike Gravel's wife is endorsing?

[Fotios]

Aside from talking about his healthcare plan, how has Elizabeth Edwards shown any distaste for Obama? I believe she voted for Hillary, but I'm not sure if she actually dislikes Obama. Most of these public figures don't get as heated about these things as some of their supporters do.

[elcojonu]

' Distaste ' is a heavy word ?
Why would she have a ' distaste ' for Barack ?
What has he done to her ?
How do you know about her ' distaste ' for him ?; Did she call you to tell you personally ?
Words matter; they must be chosen carefully.


VIVA BARACK

[punkingale]

It was reported by the MSM that when Obama went to North Carolina to ask for John Edwards' support, he and Elizabeth got into an argument. They never reported what it was about, but I would guess health care.

[queotic]

Elizabeth Edwards has been unfairly criticized in the media and on the web because she did not endorse Barack Obama. I think that she is owed an apology. She is not a politician and whether or not she agrees with her husband shouldn't be a concern as it is a private matter between the two of them. What matters is John Edwards' stance on the issues (and how his voting record reflects it) and why his endorsement is important to the Obama campaign.

[Fotios]

Who has criticized Elizabeth Edwards for not endosing Obama? Name somebody and I will help you ask for an apology... unless this is just another straw-man argument.

[nomobull]

it is

[SifSkade]

Is she a superdelegate? I like and admire Elizabeth Edwards, but if she's not a super, I don't really care whom she's endorsing or not endorsing.

[amanda85]

Her husband isn't a superdelegate either, and yet you can't deny his endorsement means something...

[BluesDogLefty]

John Edwards is not a super either. Here is a list of supers:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/apache.3cdn.net/c2ce7258d3edb3031f_1bm6bnhlx.pdf

[pupbayer]

Thanks, BluesDogLefty, for posting this site. I hadn't seen this. Interesting.

[presto]

Why would she be a superdelegate?