no one has ever explained to me how Edwards helps Obama more than Rendell in PA or more than Webb in VA??

the pollsters either called Edwards' relatives across the country to poll them or there are some people who are not part of Obama's base that really like him.

exhibit A  , getting 7% in VA months after dropping out

When Edwards came onstage to endorse Obama, they looked terrific as a team.  It reminded me of Clinton/Gore in '92.  Two young men, full of energy, who appear to be ready to take on anything the world brings.  Unbeatable IMO.

Well, that probably ends that speculation...  John!     John!  When you are courting, never look too desperate, or too easy!  You'll never land the job!

What did he do for Kerry?

Edwards could add some much needed progressive fight to the ticket.

Obama's record in public office is more liberal than Edwards', who supported some of the most odius aspects of Bush's agenda.

And putting anyone on his ticket who voted with McBush to invade Iraq would undermine Obama's position that his judgment is better for having opposed it.

He might as well just say NEVER MIND on the Iraq issue.

Edwards should be Attorney General. The Republican lobbyists will go into overdrive trying to derail that nomination. The insurance industry would blow a gasket.

And I am looking forward to that.

but hasn't he always polled better than he ran?

do the numbers show that Edwards would help Obama immensely--much more so than anyone else--he's the strongest progressive that Obama is considering (except for perhaps Jack Reed).

That's supposed to mean something in the progressive blogosphere.

If this happens I'll be quite overjoyed.

Obama-Edwards '08:  Toward one America.  Yes, we can!

I think Edwards is a great choice.  He's someone who can appeal to white, rural, working class people while still appealing to the party's liberal base.  He compounds Obama's strength of youth and vitality.  He balances the ticket geographically and helps in a couple of swing states, not the least of which is his home state of North Carolina.

Edwards made some pretty angular statement about Wall Street and corporate American during his campaign -- which is why supported him.

I think Edwards would be a boon to the ticket, but I'm wondering if Obama -- now stuck with a bad case of general electionitis -- might worry that Edwards on the ticket would freak out the same Wall Street that he is trying to appease.

What CNN didn't report was the other comment in the discussion.   Paraphrased here.

JRE on FISA: would not vote for it.  
Obama is anticipated to do so.  

Interviewer: so does this mean you're not that interested in the VP position.

JRE: I think what I think, doesn't matter if I differ from Obama.

Personally, I don't think he is interested.

Two fairly young pols who ran as outsiders challenging the establishment.  Edwards has the ability to reach bubba while Obama has the ability to reach people craving unity and healing.

Edwards has relatively little baggage, and it got vetted during the primaries.  

The only real drawback, ironically, is the fact that he was on the ticket in 2004.

I'd take a bullet for Johnny Reid.

When I saw them on stage together for Edward's endorsement, I thought "this is it."

While I thought that Hillary and Barack looked good on stage together, too, but like TarHeel said above about the black / white balance, a real culmination of the "I have a dream" speech.

I think the "reinforcement" argument is the strongest argument for a VP choice, (coincidently which is why McCain should pick some one from his generation like Bob Dole or Moses) and Edwards reinforces Obama well.

Plus, alot of my friends used to work for JRE for president, and I could probably get a job out of this

A lot of people have pointed out that Edwards polls so well simply because he's already well-known to the American public, as opposed to other potential picks. On the other hand, you have to wonder if any other VP such as Sebelius or Biden would even have time to introduce themselves, in the space of a few months, in way that Edwards has already done. The fact that he was already the VP nominee, as well as having run for pres a couple times, is probably the source of his polling strength, not a reason to dismiss him.

Just now on Talk of the Nation.

She says he is being polite, but he's really not seeking the office and Obama is not likely to pick John.

OK--let's move on.

Weren't Paul's numbers over at Open Left just an amalgamation of Edwards' polling in certain states and Obama's?  In other words, no one actually got a direct reaction concerning how Edwards would impact people's choices - - right?  An honest question.    

Edwards does nothing for me as the VP nominee.  It's as simple as been there, done that.  His performance in 2004 was pitiful.  I admire the hell out of his career accomplishments, but he just doesn't cut it for me as VP material.