NEW YORK, March 3 (UPI) -- As freshman Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., prepares to withdraw from his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination, speculation about his future abounds.
Whether Democratic nominee-to-be Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts will actually consider Edwards as a running mate -- and whether Edwards would accept the offer -- is a matter to be settled at the Democratic National Convention in Boston this July.
Some media reports indicate that Edwards staff members say he would "not say no" to the position.
Nonetheless, like former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean earlier in the primary races, Edwards has left an indelible mark on the Democratic Party, and the party is stronger for it.
Though Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe called for the party to coalesce behind one candidate early in the process to avoid internal strife -- and the attendant high campaign costs -- it's clear that the competitiveness of the primary season has been a boon to the Democrats.
The Edwards surge since Iowa, continuing into South Carolina and other subsequent state contests, permitted national attention -- especially free media attention -- to concentrate on the Democrats, and President Bush's sagging poll numbers in part reflect this.
The fact that the political establishment wrote Edwards off early on in the season only added a compelling sense of drama to the story. And the press loves a good story.
New York City Council Member Bill de Blasio, who represents part of Brooklyn, was the first and one of the few elected officials in the city who supported the Edwards candidacy, getting on board last spring.
"When I sat down with him, I was amazed at his clarity and sharpness ... his ability to cut through things and get to the point. It was almost egoless," de Blasio said at a campaign event Tuesday night.
Ironically, de Blasio believes, it was the lucidity of Edwards' message and the "brilliance in its simplicity" that allowed Edwards to be so easily dismissed by political pundits.
The party's decision to condense the primary schedule in order to help determine a winner as soon as possible turned out to be a logistical challenge for the candidates.
The intense schedule forced them to prioritize the contests in terms of money and time spent in any given state, running the candidates ragged in the process, and helped to keep Kerry out front, despite Edwards' late surges.
The "huge and unexpected effect of the compressed primary schedule," coupled with the "really great campaign and momentum of John Kerry" worked in tandem to prevent Edwards from advancing, according to de Blasio.
"People wanted to get a nominee, the party really wanted unity," he said.
The Edwards party in New York Tuesday, with a crowd of about 75, was surprisingly cheerful in the face of an enormous defeat.
Kerry won in New York by a margin of 60 percent to 20 percent.
Most supporters seemed pleased with the positive nature of the campaign, and there was much conjecture within the crowd that Edwards agreed not to push on past Super Tuesday in exchange for the vice presidential nomination.
The only note of discord in the evening came when the giant television screen broadcasting CNN showed President Bush's image, which was met by a chorus of loud boos.
Most significantly, de Blasio said, "John Edwards has added some elements (for the Democrats) to win in November."
De Blasio credits Edwards for "helping create party unity beginning in Iowa ... keeping the party positive, (keeping the focus) on jobs and the economy and (for creating) a way to talk about such issues that was strong and accessible."
"Everyone has seen what John Edwards can do," de Blasio said. "He will definitely play a large role in the general election. ... He'll be a big presence."
With the political spotlight officially shifting toward November's general election, it appears McAuliffe will achieve his goal of a unified Democratic Party.
Predicted de Blasio, "Everyone in this room will support the nominee," and most importantly, "the party is entirely focused on beating George W. Bush."
