A John Edwards supporter who is a delegate to the Iowa Democratic Party’s state convention received this letter from Edwards and posted it on a bloggers’ e-mail loop. She said the letter arrived on Barack Obama letterhead:
June 10, 2008
Dear State Convention Delegates and Alternates:
I want to thank you for all that you have done to support Elizabeth and me over the years. It has been an honor to have your support.
We are now at a critical time in this nominating process. And I know that Barack Obama is a good man who will stand up for what matters for the future of this country. I know he carries the same hope in his heart that you and I do. The hope to make this country better, to end 8 long years of division, and to build one America instead of two.
I am asking you today to join with me in publicly supporting Barack Obama. We need you in this cause and in this movement. I always said that our campaign was not about me — it was about a vision for true change in American and the strength to fight for it.
In their search for a candidate to fulfill this vision, the Democratic voters in America have made their choice — and so have I. Barack Obama is the leader we need, and it’s up to each one of us to make sure we elect him President. I hope that I can count on you to join me in this cause.
Again, many thanks for all your past and continued support.
Sincerely,
John Edwards
The Iowa Democratic Party’s state convention was to have been held today, but it was postponed because of the catastrophic flooding in many parts of the state. Party leaders have rescheduled the event for June 28 in Des Moines.
Edwards delegates were able to form viable groups at four of the five district conventions held in Iowa two months ago, but that was before Edwards endorsed Obama.
David Redlawsk, an Edwards supporter from Iowa City who is also a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, had previously said he would encourage Edwards delegates to stay together at the state convention. Redlawsk explained that although he will vote for Obama at the DNC in Denver, he wants to help get more Edwards supporters chosen as Iowa delegates to the convention.
2 Comments
Edwards has endorsed folks before
On their stationary. He did it in fundraising and showing support for Bob Casey’s 2006 Senate race in PA and it was on Casey’s stationary. However, it upset those who lived in NJ and wondered how Casey got their names. I think this same supporter wondered the same or if an Obama person got a Dem list and did it on her/his own.
I don’t think that was the case, for Casey. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Obama has a list of Edwards supporters.
benny Sat 14 Jun 6:24 PM
delegates
It isn’t any of my business what the Edwards delegates decide to do at the state convention. However, I’m going to suggest at the convention that the Hillary delegates stick with her for two reasons.
The first reason is that if we go over to the Obama group, I think they will elect delegates that have been with Obama from the beginning. Fourth district was the one where Edwards was not viable. Many of the Edwards delegates went over to the Obama group, a few came over to Clinton. Several Edwards delegates ran to go to the national convention in both groups, but none of them won. I know one thing that I was looking for when I decided to vote or not to vote for someone was if they had been a precinct captain for Clinton, or in some other way had demonstrated commitment to her. My sister-in-law who is a delegate for Obama said that they did the same thing when they were deciding to who to vote for. In the end it isn’t going to matter one way or another–Obama will get the nomination, and we will support him…but I want to feel that Hillary’s issues are represented at Denver. I would think that Edwards supporters would feel the same.
The second reason is purely practical. It takes forever to elect delegates. I think there were something like 10 women and six men running at the district in the Hillary group, and maybe twice that many in the Obama group. Each person got two minutes to speak, and then we voted. But each person had to get a majority to win…so we had to go through half a dozen rounds of voting eliminating people each time. Between each round we had to wait for the ballots to be counted. I believe that part of the convention took at least three hours and people were getting grupmpy. But at least the Clinton and Obama groups could vote in two different areas at the same time. If we are all in one big group it will take twice as long.
lorih Sat 14 Jun 11:01 PM