In an interview with People Magazine, John and Elizabeth Edwards made clear that they would not endorse either Obama or Clinton.
Bottom line: the couple said they will not endorse either remaining candidate, saving their political capital for their own causes – his, fighting poverty; hers, fighting for universal health care.
People: John & Elizabeth Edwards: What We Like (and Dislike) About Clinton & Obama
More, after the fold.
Elizabeth Edwards likes Clinton's universal health care plan, but does not like the "lobbyist money."
She likes that Obama "has motivated so many young people to be involved," but does not like "his health care plan or his advertising on health care, which I think is misleading."
People: John & Elizabeth Edwards: What We Like (and Dislike) About Clinton & Obama
John Edwards "think[s] [Clinton's] tenacity shows a real strength that's inside her," but does not like that there is "still a lot of the old politics."
On Obama, John Edwards likes that he " really does want to bring about serious change and a different way of doing things." He also "think[s] it's a great symbolic thing to have an African-American who could be president." But with Obama, "[s]ometimes I want to see more substance under the rhetoric."
People: John & Elizabeth Edwards: What We Like (and Dislike) About Clinton & Obama
Elizabeth adds that it's also a "great symbolic thing about a woman," a proposition with which John Edwards agreed.
People: John & Elizabeth Edwards: What We Like (and Dislike) About Clinton & Obama
Like many people, they see strengths and weaknesses in both candidates. So do I.
John Edwards in his withdrawal speech articulated what matters most to me:
And we do this -- we do this for each other in America. We don't turn away from a neighbor in their time of need. Because every one of us knows that what -- but for the grace of God, there goes us. The American people have never stopped doing this, even when their government walked away, and walked away it has from hardworking people, and, yes, from the poor, those who live in poverty in this country.
For decades, we stopped focusing on those struggles. They didn't register in political polls, they didn't get us votes and so we stopped talking about it. I don't know how it started. I don't know when our party began to turn away from the cause of working people, from the fathers who were working three jobs literally just to pay the rent, mothers sending their kids to bed wrapped up in their clothes and in coats because they couldn't afford to pay for heat.
We know that our brothers and sisters have been bullied into believing that they can't organize and can't put a union in the workplace. Well, in this campaign, we didn't turn our heads. We looked them square in the eye and we said, "We see you, we hear you, and we are with you. And we will never forget you." And I have a feeling that if the leaders of our great Democratic Party continue to hear the voices of working people, a proud progressive will occupy the White House.
Remarks Of John Edwards In New Orleans
The Democratic Party must not turn away from the cause of working people anymore, no matter who is nominated.