Edwards could be far more than a spoiler if none of the 3 candidates can get a majority of delegates prior to the convention. If the nomination goes to the convention floor, anything can happen. If a couple of ballots fail to produce a winner, there is the possibility that all the pledged delegates could be released from their obligations. In that scenario, Edwards could win the nomination especially if he finishes the primary season strong. I realize it's highly unlikely that that would happen, but I see nothing wrong with Edwards continuing the fight as long as he has the money to compete.Originally Posted by Harlan Huckleby
I never admire any spoiler. Edwards is a little worse than most because not only is he fuzzying-up the will of the people on the central decision of the campaign (Clinton vrs Obama), he is seeking to later leverage his thin slice of the pie to play the system.
And it's not being done honestly. He is pretending that he still trying to win the Presidency, and some supporters believe him. Even an observor as keen as Postal Joe just argued that Edwards has a slight chance to win because few delegates have been allocated at this point. Well, on closer inspection this is nonsense: to actually win the presidency, Edwards would have to win first place in several February 5 primaries. Edwards doesn't have a realistic shot to win a single state. South Carolina was his strongest state and he was creamed.
By the way, I disagree that South Carolina was Edwards' strongest state. It was in 2004, but not in 2008. Black voters are a huge part of the Democratic vote in South Carolina, and it is virtually impossible for him to compete for the black vote against Clinton and Obama. In 2004, he was running against Kerry and Dean. He has a better chance in states with a smaller black population, especially those that have been badly hurt by losses of jobs overseas.
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