Oh, well. Since President McCain has already been unofficially inaugurated, I will be voting for Edwards on March 4th as a matter of principle. Rarely in the past has the most electable democrat also been the most progressive and most substantive, and were it not for the media blackout Edwards would be the frontrunner. I have cut most ties with the corporate media, cancelling magazine subscriptions and turning off network and cable news. My vote is a way not only to honor the most inspiring politican of my lifetime but also to raise my middle finger to CNN, NBC, and all the rest.

It is sad that so much attention was paid to the “First Black Candidate” and the “First Woman Candidate” that no one heard from the “First Class Candidate.”

I already voted for John Edwards and I’m proud of that vote. I hope that I can be proud of the vote I cast in November.

Edwards ran a very strong, passionate campaign and his supporters were also passionate about not only Edwards but the issues he spoke about. For some, they need a few days, maybe even until Tuesday before they make the switch from John to another candidate. For others, they may be like Chris Prevatt who will choose to go down with the ship and vote for Edwards. It’s a principled decision and one that should be respected, not attacked.

I suspect a majority of California Edwards supporters (but not necesarily Edwards supporters in other states) would shift to Obama rather than Clinton.

If the Obama folks want to encourage that movement they should adopt the style of Bill Spaulding, a local Obama comandante. As you can see in the thread above, Bill is respectful, courteous and his praise for Edwards appears genuine rather then contrived, notwithstanding the fact that he realizes that his approach will encourage Edwards supporters who read his comment to think favorably of Obama (those who read his comment most likely are aware of his prior posts supporting Obama). The shift from Edwards to Obama (or for some, to Clinton) needs to come naturally rather then through argumentation. The Spaulding method will bear more fruit for Barack then anything I can think of. Except perhaps for a new Obama Girl video.

I was going to vote for Edwards. However, since he has withdrawn and I want my action to affect this election, I will vote for someone else.

“OK, principled one-
If you want your vote to affect the number of delegates each candidates receives, you will vote for one of them who is still in the race.
If not, feel free to vote for Duncan Hunter, Dennis Kucinich, or Mickey Mouse.”

Sorry, but I strongly disagree!

A presidential primary is about allowing the voters to select the candidate they want to represent the party in the quest for the Presidency of the United States of America. That IS the principle and purpose of the primary process.

The primary process is about picking the candidate that we as individuals agree with most. It is not about picking between the lesser of two bad choices, or even the best of two good choices that have been selected for us by the media.

We decide, we pick who we want. So long as the candidate I agree with the most is on the ballot, I will vote my conscience and vote for them. If someone else gets the nomination because I chose the one I liked best, so be it. That simply means that the majority of people chose someone else. If a candidate cannot win outright on their own merits, I do not see the purpose in throwing my vote to them because I like the other top choice less. If no one has the majority delegates before the convention, then the delegates have to make the selection at the convention.

My vote is not for sale to the lowest bidder or the lowest common denominator. Voting for the candidate of my choice, be that Kucinich, Edwards, Biden, Richardson, Dodd, Gravel, Clinton, or Obama, is not a wasted vote. It is my vote, and that is the principle and purpose of an election.

I love John & Elizabeth. Barack and Michelle work for me. It is time to move forward and stop looking back.