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Robert Novak is saying that Barack Obama has had discussions with John Edwards about Edwards being the Attorney General in an Obama Administration.
"Illinois Democrats close to Sen. Barack Obama are quietly passing the word that John Edwards will be named attorney general in an Obama administration," according to Robert Novak.Novak isn't the most popular reporter amongst Democrats, but I think Edwards as Attorney General is an excellent idea. Taking on the corporate interests that control Washington DC has been the theme of Edwards' campaign. As Attorney General, Edwards would have the ability to investigate and hold accountable corporations that have abused the system.
The appointment of Edwards "would please not only the union leaders supporting him for president but organized labor in general. The unions relish the prospect of an unequivocal labor partisan as the nation's top legal officer."
"In public debates, Obama and Edwards often seem to bond together in alliance against front-running Sen. Hillary Clinton. While running a poor third, Edwards could collect a substantial bag of delegates under the Democratic Party's proportional representation. Edwards then could try to turn his delegates over to Obama in the still unlikely event of a deadlocked Democratic National Convention."
Obama could name Edwards as his choice for Attorney General before the general election and Edwards could campaign on the need to restore the Constitution when it comes to domestic spying, torture, and Habeas Corpus and against corruption in government.
5 comments:
Oh geez, Edwards for AG is almost as bad as Hillary for Prez...Put the two together and its the end for our grand experiment.
There is no talk of having Edwards as AG in a Hillary administration. Stop dreaming.
Obama is not going to appoint Edwards to anything before the election. The media hate Edwards.
I doubt that Obama would make Edwards AG after the election--he probably has buddies from Harvard Law School who would want that job--but he might put Edwards in a different cabinet position.
Obviously, Hillary would never appoint Edwards to anything.
To clarify, I think it's very possible that people close to Obama are dangling this possibility in front of Edwards. I just don't think it would happen.
Couple of problems with Edwards as AG.
1) Edwards'ego. Behind the scenes stories from the 2004 race paint a picture of a John Edwards who just refuses to play second fiddle to anyone. One story goes that during the 2004 campaign when he was running as VP he and his staff still wore his "Edwards for President" pins.
2) The duties of the AG just don't mesh with Edwards' priorities. On day to day level the modern AG is far more involved in national security matters then social policy. Unless the entire focus of the DoJ is radically overhauled it doesn't do what Edwards would want it to. HUD Secretary would be closer to Edwards' interests but it isn't as prestigous (see #1 above).
3) There are better qualified AG candidates, then an ex-plantiff's attorney. Would Obama really want to spend poltical capital on defending a nomination that would be painted as purely political?
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