John Edwards, please run against Liddy Dole for the Senate

I thought that I would most likely be writing this diary a week from today, but the announcement that Edwards has withdrawn moves up the timeline.

I'm one of the last remaining Kossacks to continue to vote "No Freakin' Clue" in the DailyKos straw polls. I've been evenly split between Obama and Edwards for most of the campaign, with Hillary only a tiny fraction behind for my vote.

John Edwards has now withdrawn, but that there's no reason why his ideals need to die with him. If John wants to bring change and progressive ideals to Washington, he absolutely can still do so. He can run against Elizabeth Dole for the U.S. Senate from North Carolina.

There is still time. As I read this, primary candidate filing in North Carolina opens on February 11, and the deadline for filing is February 29. In other words, Edwards supporters in North Carolina would have a full month to get him on the ballot - a lifetime, in political circles.

Our most viable candidates are Jim Neal, an investment banker from Chapel Hill; and Kay Hagan, an attorney from Greensboro. I live in North Carolina, have begun to research these candidates, and would be proud to have either of them as my representative. But there is absolutely no question that if John Edwards enters the race, this Senate race would immediately become one of the highest profile in the country and a tier one pickup opportunity.

I can understand if Edwards wants to play his political cards differently - if he positions himself for VP on an Obama ticket, or if he has an eye towards a cabinet position. And I can also absolutely understand if he wants to focus on Elizabeth and his family. Maybe it was worth it to him to run for President, but maybe now isn't the time for a Senate bid.

But John Edwards is 54 years old. He has plenty of political life yet, and could still easily serve an additional two, three, even four terms as a Senator. Over the past four years, he has become a champion for progressive voices in Democratic politics. In our ongoing efforts to recruit better Democrats to Washington, it would be a beautiful thing to have him representing us, in whatever capacity, in Washington, DC.

•  Great idea! n/t

  by astoundedstill on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:23:39 AM PDT

  •  I've been waiting for this thought...

    We REALLY need him in that spot...

    by turnnoblindeye on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:27:05 AM PDT

•  Tips...

  ...for the idea that today is not the end for John Edwards, but that today brings the hope of a new beginning.

  by betterdonkeys on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:23:46 AM PDT

  •  I'm Tipping This Because

    I DO believe he would do well back in the senate... but like a poster below, I think he has an administration position in his future where he can do more.

    by TooFolkGR on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:25:45 AM PDT

•  John Edwards for AG

  Sorry, but I'd rather have him here then in the Senate... and if Obama is the nominee, Edwards is the top choice for the position

  by sharris0512 on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:24:33 AM PDT

  •  Edwards would be great as AG, but

    that kind of position, while valuable, is limited. I would trust Edwards more than most to go in and clean up the mess Bush has made of the Justice Department, and to use the power of the position to protect the American people.  What a night and day difference it would be.  Certainly, a valuable and honorable contribution.

    Still, it's not a position in which Edwards could speak for and advance his broad agenda. As AG, you don't speak out on poverty or energy policy or climate change or trade policy.  YOu need to be largely above the political fray.

    A Senate seat is a position from which Edwards could promote his agenda and continue to shape the political dialog within the Democratic party.  That would be the best thing he could do for his party and his country, I think.  And if he wants to run for President again, the Senate is a good base from which to do it.

    However, this may be happening too soon. He may need time, both for his family and to rebuild his base of support in North Carolina after being focused for so long on the national stage.

    And he may have ideas about his future that are different from yours or mine...

    But I would so love to see him back in the Senate.

    by Fiona West on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:13:06 AM PDT

•  Please don't

  Edwards can do far more good as Attorney General, or some private non-profit foundation.

  Edwards being a DEM Senator in NC was a rarity. He is the only one in the past 20+ years. Currently there are 2 GOP Sen representing NC.

  Edwards would likely not win, thus damaging his reputation and making his work of ending poverty more challenging, as the media would dub him a "3 time loser".

  by sd4david on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:26:53 AM PDT

  •  NC Dems

    It's not accurate to say that Edwards was the only Democratic senator from North Carolina in 20+ years, because there was also Terry Sanford, who'd served from November 1986 to January 1993.

    by The Maven on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:38:46 AM PDT

    •  I can't find the data

      I had before, but you are probably correct. I found a webpage which listed Senators from 1960 on for NC, and they were almost all Republicans. And the history of voting for a DEM President is rare, I think Jimmy Carter, and maybe BillClinton.

      The point I make is STATEWIDE, it's not a DEM Friendly state for national office.

      And even that does not invalidate the points I was making.

      by sd4david on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:41:23 AM PDT

•  this is a decent idea. although

  there are other political offices that Edwards could help us on. As well as other non-political positions. He could very well follow the model of Al Gore.

  No matter what he does, I hope he stays involved.

  I think he probably wants some time with his family first...

  by danthrax on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:29:13 AM PDT

•  It's "Liddy", not "Libby"

  It'd be lovely to see Liddy go down, and I think it's likely to happen regardless.

  by sardonyx on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:36:26 AM PDT

•  There is no way NC voters are

  going down that road again.  I know too many who voted for him before who feel he abandoned them.

  by illinifan17 on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:38:28 AM PDT

•  Edwards for AG

  I am an Edwards supporter in California who will now vote for Obama.  I can't imagine a tougher, smarter choice for Attorney General than John Edwards.  I don't believe he would be offered, nor would he take, the role of VP again.  We need John's fight and his fairness in the Justice Dept.

  by smell the coffee on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:43:15 AM PDT

•  Libby...

  related to Liddy?

  by frankzappatista on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:43:43 AM PDT

•  that would be great

  but he'd probably lose....People are pretty mad at him for being in office for one term and then ditching it to run for President. I don't see it happening.

  by Buffalo Girl on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 08:56:54 AM PDT

•  Been there. Done that

  by Paleo on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:05:46 AM PDT

•  If he thinks he has a shot he should go for it

  I'm sure he's drained from the campaign, and NC is a pretty conservative state. But he'd have eight months to campaign and that's a long time. And I know that those of us who supported him for president would send him money.

  Of course that would preclude consideration as VP or AG, so maybe he should wait to see how SuperTuesday turns out

  Seems worth a shot to me, depending on his sense of the lay of the political landscape.

  by PaulLoeb on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:13:11 AM PDT

•  Although I had been thinking AG

  I know for sure that both Clinton and Obama will choice AGs who will fight hard for good ideals, what I don't know for sure is that we'll take the Senate seat in North Carolina.  I think that there is no question where Edwards should go, another guaranteed Senate seat and another step towards a filibuster proof majority is far more necessary than an AG that will be better than the rest.  Who's gonna start the Draft Edwards movement?

  by jlwolff on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 09:59:30 AM PDT

•  Edwards would be excellent as vp candidate;

  he would strengthen either Dem ticket in the South and especially among white working class people generally, a key demographic that the Republicans have managed to partly peel away from the Democratic party.

  However, I don't think he's likely to be interested; there is too little scope to be outspoken for his own agenda.

  by Fiona West on Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 10:22:03 AM PDT