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I came across this interesting read on RealClearPolitics titled, "Could Someone Like John Edwards Have Saved the Democrats?" Most of their arguments tie in with the book “The Emerging Democratic Majority” by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira. The whole argument is that John Edwards or someone like Edwards could have formed a coalition of "minorities, professionals, working women and white working-class voters by championing a socially and fiscally liberal set of policies called 'progressive centrism'.” This coalition would have been made up of 75% minorities, 10% professionals, 20% working women, and around 50% white working-class. As we all know this coalition never happened.
Was this coalition even possible? If so how would US politics look today? What could have been accomplished during Edwards tenure and what would be different from Obama's? Who could have filled in for an Edwards like figure? Finally, what would be the Republican response to this new coalition, would they go down the same route of the tea party and obstruction, emphasize some form of libertarianism, or go back to "compassionate conservatism"?