I hate it when reality tests my ability to absorb disappointment.

[saltpoint]

The news reports this morning suggest such a test is now taking place.

Ugh.

[AndyA]

1. I can't even begin to say how disappointed I am.

And now we get to choose between Hillary and Barack.

Hillary is all about corporations, lobbyists, and government as usual.

Barack is a hypocrite, a bigot, and most likely a crook.

Some choice, huh?

The corporate media has selected our next pResident for us. Again. And the American people are stupid enough to believe we're going to see real change. What bullshit.

"Mrs. Kennedy, the top on the limousine is going to be down on this beautiful day in Dallas. You'll enjoy the sunshine. Would you like red roses or yellow roses for your ride?"

:(

[smokey nj]

2. Now our choice will be like having to choose between pink eye and a yeast infection.

[MzNov]

34. LOL smokey nj.

I'm glad you changed your ailments. Those other two were scaring me. :rofl:


:cry: :cry:

[smokey nj]

37. Some good news! Skid's heart ultrasound was fine. The cardiologist

said there are no signs of heart diseas, his heart murmur is a flow murmur and it shouldn't cause any problems.

:hug:s to my favorite CA fuzzies!!!

[MzNov]

38. That's wonderful news smokey!!!! YaaaaY Skid !!!

We love you!!!

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[smokey nj]

40. I was kinda scared. I woke up to the awful news about John Edwards

and was concerned it was an omen.

[MzNov]

42. Well the Skid man proved you wrong!

John is not going away! I'm voting for whoever picks him to be in his/her administration! I think that would be an absolutely unbeatable ticket!!!

Oh aren't I optimistic today. No. :cry:

JE FOR VP !!!

:bounce:

[smokey nj]

44. John's still going to be on the ballot here on Tuesday, so he'll still get my vote.

Come November, I guess I'll have to get some Visine or Monistat.

[MzNov]

45. are they diseases?

I don't know if he'll be on the ballot in CA. I think I'll do the same thing.

[smokey nj]

46. They're treatments.

Visine is eye drops.

[MzNov]

50. I know. just kidding.

[saltpoint]

67. AndyA, a part of us wants to wail over the disappointment, but

my guess is that you're as sturdy and resilient as the best of them.

I join you in that deep disappointment, but don't be surprised if I praise your sturdiness in the coming weeks.

We need a white-hot collective will to defeat as many Pukes as possible in November. It won't all be on our exact terms, true. But if the GOP holds the Oval Office, the world outcome will be so much darker and bleaker than if we win it.

[saracat]

3. I have NO choice.I am done with it all.

[Ninga]

4. Let's huddle together little one.....I share your thought, and it is going to take me

a very long time to get up off the ground.

Damn it.....damn it......damn it !!!

[saracat]

8. Well. if he throws hias support to Obama, I will have another politician I

can no longer have faith in. I hope he endorses no one. I hope they eat one another alive.I honestly no longer care who wins. I called a friend of mine and she just annonnced that because of this she will for the first time vote GOP.

[MzNov]

41. Please Please Please Please, don't let her/him do that.

We can have JE as Vice Pres. maybe, and then he can slide into the President spot from there!!

Does your friend want let's say INSANE mcCAIN in the White House after all this time and horror we've been thru?

We must not let people get discouraged. We have a major setback with JE leaving the race, but he'll still be around, somewhere! Is romney or McCain really better than HRC or Obama????? War with Iran, more RW bullshit, more Bush cronies....

We don't want that.

:cry:

[Silver Gaia]

49. I hear you, sara.

What you describe is EXACTLY what I fear. I know it will be the case with some in my family. :( I had convinced them to go with Edwards, but they will not default to Hillary or Obama. They will choose McCain.

I am also discouraged and feel set adrift. All the backstabbing has not endeared me to either of our two choices now. I will hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils, I suppose. Like usual. My husband, however, may not. He said he is thinking of registering as an Independent now as a protest because he is so disillusioned.

[MzNov]

36. We are progressives. We don't give up.

Tomorrow we come back fighting.

:hi: :hug:

[spooky3]

5. It's a sad day, but I greatly appreciate being able to come to DU

and share information over the months, see kindred souls, and have a

:grouphug:

[Ninga]

6. You dear OC, are in shock. I recognize it.

[saltpoint]

7. The nomination race lost an awfully good man this morning.

Hi, Ninga.

What a bummer.

[smokey nj]

9. The best man. The two who are left offer only more of the same.

[1corona4u]

10. So much for democracy....

Between the star power, and the media shilling, no one but Hillary and Obama had a chance. But they are pushing us towards Obama.... I still think that if Obama would have held to his word and not run this year, we would have had a good race with Hillary, John and Joe.

Condolences to the Edwards supporters. I really thought John would hang in there until the end.....disapointed that he didn't.

[saltpoint]

11. 1corona4u, thank you for your post. Many of us here felt bad for the

Biden group when Joe dropped out and your support for us now with this morning's news is appreciated.

Thank you.

[1corona4u]

15. Yeah, it just plain sucks...

We are being force-fed a candidate....that was clear months ago. I really hope something, someone, takes the media to task for what they have done to this country.

[PatSeg]

48. I remember you were one of the first

to come to our group and offer your condolences when Biden dropped out. Obviously we can empathize with your feelings today.

As an Edward's supporter said at GDP, "its the message not the messenger" and Edwards brought an important message to the campaign that will not die.

[saltpoint]

55. Pat, there you go being intelligent and compassionate all in one stroke,

as usual.

Thank you for that.

[PatSeg]

65. Thanks OC

When it comes to Democrats I try to be "intelligent and compassionate" (not always successful), but with republicans I tend to be "intelligent and ruthless".....well maybe not intelligent, more like pissed off and ruthless.

[saltpoint]

69. "Intelligent and ruthless" with Republicans?

Works for me!

[saracat]

20. Thank you, and I agree. Biden should have been heard too!

[murbley40]

12. My heart knows how you feel and hurts for you.

Our country has become so influenced by celebrity and money,it is just hard to understand.
As a Biden supporter I feel your pain.

I hope Elizabeth is okay.:hug:

[asdjrocky]

13. What do I do now?

[1corona4u]

14. Do what I did...

vote for him anyway....he'll still be on the ballot. :-)

[murbley40]

16. I'm still voting for Biden,

You can still vote for Edwards in your state primary, he will still be on the ballot.

Our nominee may be pre-selected, but I will still vote for my choice.

Vote your choice,show them they can't choose for you.

[1corona4u]

17. God for you Murbley.

It felt so good to vote for who I really wanted. Hillary didn't need my vote. Obama didn't/doesn't need my vote.

[saltpoint]

18. Rocky, if you keep up with the heightened citizenship you and others have

shown in this nomination race -- and I'm talking about the Bayh and Warner people who were as dedicated as we were to Edwards, and the Biden, Dodd, Kucinich, Richardson, etc. people who loved their guy too -- then,

THEN,

everyone around you and people you never will ever meet are better off for it.

You've made an investment in the process and in doing that, you affirm what is good about all of us.

Some years down the line it's my thought that you will look back on your expeditions to Iowa and Nevada and you will not regret that commitment and that hard work and that heightened citizenship one damn bit.

We're deeply disappointed this morning. But we're going to have a rich and satisfying longer-term trek.

[asdjrocky]

23. Thanks OC-

Your words touched me, like they often do. Here's my dilemma, who do I fight? John Edwards was my corner man. He told me which foot to step off of, how to hold, how to push off. He pointed out he weakness of my opponent.

Now, I feel like I'm taking a walk, with my gloves still on.

[saltpoint]

53. Edwards is a damned good, an inspiring figure, and a true leader.

So are you.

[saracat]

21. Rocky, I love you.Keep up the good fight!

[asdjrocky]

24. Thanks Sara, I feel more than a little lost right now.

[iris5426]

32. I think we are all feeling lost right now...

We will live to fight another day, just not today. Today is for mourning the loss of such a great candidate. But we can all still fight for the things that John was fighting for, those causes are still there even if he isn't running. I am so depressed thats about all the wisdom I can muster right now. OC said it well, as he seems to have a knack for doing...hang in there Rocky we will all be ok.

:grouphug:

[waiting for hope]

19. I'm writing him in for the GE

Damnit, I'm getting too fucking old to play more games here - Edwards was our best hope for a better future. I'm going to rant:

FUCK the MSM

and

SCREW the DLC. And to those who have drank the Kool-Aid - you deserve every fricking thing coming to you.

Sorry OC, couldn't help it, my heart is breaking.

[saracat]

22. Me too!

[Ninga]

26. This makes me sick. I am sick for the jobs gone and the people who have died because

of no health care.

I am tired too. We need to become grey panthers, and take to the streets.

[frogmarch]

25. Stunning disappointment

My thanks go to all here who worked so hard on his behalf.

[saltpoint]

63. You've characterized it well, but the body of your post, frogmarch,

reminds me of the times you stood to defend John Edwards and his supporters on these boards.

Not a few times. But many, many times.

Thank you for that.

[Greylyn58]

27. My heart feels like it is breaking

I had such high hopes for what this man could accomplish in Washington, but the MSM have done everything they could to squash his message.

This nation is well and truly screwed. I have no interest in either of the other candidates, so I really don't know what I will do come November.

[saltpoint]

66. If that's how you feel, then it seems to me that means you're doing it

right, Greylyn58.

How bewilderingly empty it would feel to not have care, to not have invested deeply, to not have believed heart & soul in a good man with domestic proposals that would have elevated us all.

You. did. it. right.

Also I love your dog.

[Seabiscuit]

28. My wife and I just found out and we are to say the least in shock.

To drop out one day before the debates and less than a week before Super Tuesday. It doesn't make any sense. We have decided to write John Edwards in on the February 5th ballot in California.

[saltpoint]

58. IMO, Seabiscuit, that's a wholly understandable act.

The man has earned our votes.

[Lugnut]

29. I feel sick.

I now have no candidate.

[saltpoint]

74. Hi, Lugnut. Listen, you were right there on the front lines of this

and John had your heart and soul. No candidate can ask for more than that and no supporter/citizen can give more than that.

We didn't get our desired outcome in this nomination race.

But we know what we wanted and we stood up for it.

You and I wouldn't even have crossed paths had it not been for John and Elizabeth Edwards.

[Lugnut]

78. I know that.

I'm so grateful for having this wonderful group. I've run the gamut of emotions today and I am completely lost. I was born into the party and they have abandoned me. Time and time again I've been told to suck it up and vote with my party. I want somebody to tell me why I should.

I've never voted for a Republican in more than 40 years of faithfully going to the polls to cast my vote. My husband is at a point where he refuses to vote....period. I have no vaild argument to convince him otherwise. We have consistently voted with our party and we got it shoved up our noses. I am disgusted.

[onehandle]

30. To drop out before Super Tuesday tells me he will endorse someone.

Which MSM darling will it be?

[ClericJohnPreston]

31. Sorry

I can't join the Obama bandwagon, just yet. I have fought his cultist supporters every day in GDP.

I can't, in good faith, support somone with no qualifications and questionable sincerity. If Rezko pulls Obama down, then Hillary goes in uncontested. I want a brokered Convention that drafts Edwards or Gore.

Obama? Don't even get me started.

[MzNov]

39. If JE gets the VP spot,

we go with whoever chooses him! JE as VP!! YES. There would be a chance that he could be Pres. in 4 years, depending on how well or badly HRC or B.O. do.

IT'S NOT BUSH !!!


I'm trying to cheer myself up.

[caseycoon]

33. Disappointment is a mild word. John was all we had left. Now

we are stuck with Tweedledee & Tweedledum.
BUT WAIT!
Now that I have stopped crying & feeling like I was kicked in the belly I can see one thing that I can & must support.
Howard Dean's 50 state strategy.
It's all I have left to fight with.
I hope y'all will join me in STILL trying to help our country.

My first thought this morning was "I'm out of here" I clicked off the browser & cried. I wanted nothing more than to ignore politica for the rest of my life. That still sounds pretty good, but I can't stop now.
As JFK said many years ago, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." (and yes, I was around then too)

I don't know what else to say except my god this hurts & frightens me, and now I'm crying again.

[saltpoint]

64. A 50-state strategy for Democratic principles? I say Yes.

And I say yes 49 more times, plus the territories!~

[caseycoon]

79. ALRIGHT OC!

Back to the trenches!
:toast:

[MzNov]

35. Re-read our Fabulous Mark Morford's 29 reasons to be cheerful

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/25/DDT7UKNAN.DTL&hw=Morford&sn=003&sc=185

Anyone we elect will have to answer to us, and I kinda agree with T. Hartmann, we the people can actually influence our next elected President.

Or something. :-(

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/25/DDT7UKNAN.DTL&hw=Morford&sn=003&sc=185

[smokey nj]

47. I wish I felt the same way, but I just don't.

[MzNov]

51. We have to remember it's not about us. It's about the future of this democracy.

[smokey nj]

52. I know. I'm just not feeling real hopeful right now.

[Plucketeer]

43. Angry

<- NOT with this guy, but at this STUPID connection/machine/keyboard/whatever!!! I spent almost two hours carefully crafting a reply to this thread and in one non-apologetic blip - it was gone. :grr:

Thank You John Edwards & family. In spite of whatever groaning and fuming your exit evokes, I know it took courage even to avail yourselves to the rigors (and dangers) of running for office. Add to that having the very demons you brought to light doing a jam-up job of marginalizing you - and it must be very tough on you indeed. I know I'm not alone in loving you guys. I love you and all my friends here at DU.

[saltpoint]

54. Folks, I'll tell you what. If I feel real bad about this morning's news, I

feel awfully privileged to have encountered so many of you in this group of supporters of John Edwards.

I glance over the posts in this thread -- people posting here and many not here just now -- and I want every damn one of you as my immediate neighbors.

Start packin'!

[saracat]

56. Oh OC I would love to! but my hubby is a candiate! and I refuse to allow the bastids to derail him

[saltpoint]

57. LOL! Well, good luck to him. The offer's still good later on!

[asdjrocky]

59. Boone Co is right in the middle of Missouri-

I may get to shake the hand of one of my hero's yet. You look out OC, ol' Rocky's coming to ol' Miss!

[saltpoint]

60. In the heart of the heart of the country!

[pamela]

61. I feel worse now then I did earlier today.

I guess I was numb.

[saltpoint]

62. Hi, pamela. If you feel bad about John's withdrawal from the race, then

it tells you how great a candidate he really way to have earned your attention and respect and support.

It really is a 2-way energy transfer. And both of you did your parts as well as you humanly could.

[Bjornsdotter]

68. In 2004

....I voted for Dean in the primary even though it was a done deal for Kerry. In the GE I held my nose and kept telling myself I was really voting for Edwards as VP and not Kerry.

Next week I will still cast my vote for Edwards as the primary is the one chance I get to vote my heart and choice, not what the MSM and the states who have come before us have decided. I wonder how this would have shaken out if we all voted on the same day?

Out of our household Edwards will still receive 4 votes.

:hug:

[saltpoint]

71. He's earned our votes. I'm following your lead &casting mine for John Edwards

as well.

[Anywho6]

70. "Disappointment" doesn't even cover it

Just when you think you have someone to really believe in and capable of salvaging this screwed up country, they walk away and leave you hanging. I admit that I am bitter, but I'm entitled--I, like so many others, invested a lot in so many ways (some based on a promise that Edwards was going to stay in the race). I just don't give a rat's ass about anything at this moment. I used to love politics and now it's just one big frustrating cluster fuck.

This, too, shall pass...

[saltpoint]

72. Anywho6, you're in a roomful of people who really thought a lot of

the man and I think the admiration came from deep down in us for something deep down in John and Elizabeth.

I don't think any headline, good, bad, or indifferent, can remove that bedrock admiration and respect. I think it will be there always.

As disappointing as it certainly is for us and his other supporters across the country, it must be unbearably hard for him. They gave it all they could give it. No one could accuse those folks of laziness or cockiness -- they had their sleeves rolled up from the start and had an uphill climb ahead, and they got as far as to inspire quite a few millions of us.

It is a citizen's privilege to be inspired by public servants and it is the privilege of public servants to be borne away on the emotional support of their supporters.

We can stand proud on our roles, even as John and Elizabeth stood proud on theirs.

And we should regret nothing.

[Anywho6]

75. Very well said, Crusoe! I will take that to heart. Thanks... n/t

[Yael]

73. I wished I had wandered into this forum earlier today

I love you guys

:grouphug:

[asdjrocky]

76. You're here now-

With us Edwards Democrats. You're among people that really care.

[Yael]

77. Heya Rocky

I have been reading the threads for the last hour. I only wish I was here earlier to support. :(

:hug: