Bow out, Edwards

Ok, I said I would not get involved. But truth be told, my sympathies, Kucinich aside, were with John Edwards in this presidential race. In terms of policy, they still are. Read this powerful letter by Martin Luther King's oldest son, King, and you can see why. Edwards is the candidate who is most clearly fighting economic injustice in this race. He is the one standing up for the proverbial 'man on the street'. Edwards also clearly opposes nuclear power and the coal industry, in marked contrast to Obama and Hillary. His greenery has rightly earned him the backing of Friends of the Earth US. Still, its time to cut your losses, John. I was impressed with your speech in Iowa. I have not been impressed with your speeches since. Coming third in your home state, South Carolina - which you won in 2004 - should make you think twice about keeping going. Ever since New Hampshire, you have insisted, that you will stay in the race until the Convention to ensure those without a voice are heard. That sounds principled. But really, it is defeatist. You have chosen to retreat to your core (left-wing) base. You are no longer fighting to win over the hearts and minds of the majority of Americans. You are no longer fighting to win the majority needed to finally end economic apartheid in the US. - Of course, standing up for a clearly defined constituency is great if you are a pressure group. But you are not in the race to run Public Citizen, John. You are in the race to be President of the United States! As it is now clear that you will not win that race, please quit. Cut a deal with Obama, who is now the best bet for an 'anti-establishment' candidate to reach the White House. Offer Obama your support in return for some clear commitments on economic justice and the environment (these do not have to be public at this stage ...). Get Obama to drop his support for the 'coal to liquids' lunacy, for example. Get him to commit to (part of) your health care plan. Whatever you do, do not help Hillary win by default. Politics is about the art of the possible. Ensuring Obama is elected in 2008 with (what in the US counts as) a credible progressive agenda is now the only possible result worth seeking. Me thinks, anyway.
P.S. Image from unitedagainsthillary