Obama, Edwards Should Swap Campaigns

Each is running the wrong race to beat Hillary, writer argues
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2007 6:55 PM CDT
Obama, Edwards Should Swap Campaigns
Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., talk on stage before the ABC News Democratic candidates debate, Sunday, Aug. 19, 2007, at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)   (Associated Press)

Hillary Clinton’s place at the head of the Democratic table becomes more assured by the day, and Barack Obama and John Edwards must exchange strategies for any chance at an upset, New Republic blogger Noam Scheiber argues. The two have it backward: Edwards’ best bet is to run as an electable candidate; Obama’s shot is to carve out an insurgency.

The white moderate Southerner is “the most obvious beneficiary of any buyer’s remorse” primary voters might develop about Clinton, and he needs to push his “reassuring, inspiring” side, not come off as “scary or angry.” And Obama should be the one attacking the frontrunner stridently: The “black guy…with an exotic name” won’t win on electability alone. (More John Edwards stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X