WI: Obama/Edwards 2008

I know what you’re thinking. You read Edwards and immediately jumped to John Edwards and the sex scandal.

Well, you thought wrong.

This is about a different Edwards.

This is about Chet Edwards, a Texas Congressman from Waco, Texas. Barack Obama was considering Edwards and had him on his VP shortlist. Edwards even said he would accept the nomination if Obama offered it.

IOTL, this was all for nought as Obama chose Biden.

But what if Obama has chosen the Texan Edwards instead?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chet_Edwards
 
Chet Edwards would have run for President in 2016 and his moderate but still on the progressive side image would have made him a much better candidate then HRC.
Of course the primary campaign would have been brutal but I also think that Sen. Sanders would have not gotten too far off the ground as his real main appeal was that he was the "anti-Hillary" candidate that people coalesced around to.
 
Chet Edwards' defeat during the 2010 Midterms is butterflied.

Edwards would slightly improve Obama's performance in the South, though not enough to swing North Carolina in 2012. Republicans are probably a little more receptive towards Edwards than they were with OTL's Biden.

What do you think about Edwards in 2016
 
I think he still loses the nomination to Clinton still, as him and Bernie would split the anti-Clinton vote, handing her the nomination.
 
This would free up Joe Biden for Sec. of State which I think would be more fitting.

Is Chet Edwards experienced enough? Don’t forget Barack Obama had only been in national politics in 2005 as well, so maybe two relatively new politicians on a ticket gives John McCain the ability to show them as unprepared for the office.
 

manav95

Banned
This would free up Joe Biden for Sec. of State which I think would be more fitting.

Is Chet Edwards experienced enough? Don’t forget Barack Obama had only been in national politics in 2005 as well, so maybe two relatively new politicians on a ticket gives John McCain the ability to show them as unprepared for the office.

Yeah he would have had 25 years of experience as a state and House rep.
 
People don't vote for the VP (well, sometimes they vote against the VP, but VPs don't boost support in any meaningful sense)

Edwards would lose the 2016 nomination. Honestly, apart from keeping Biden in the Senate, I don't think much changes.
 
I think he still loses the nomination to Clinton still, as him and Bernie would split the anti-Clinton vote, handing her the nomination.

Bernie might not run if there is a viable alternative candidate to Clinton. I think the number one reason he did was he saw the "coronation" as an antithesis to democracy.
 
Bernie might not run if there is a viable alternative candidate to Clinton. I think the number one reason he did was he saw the "coronation" as an antithesis to democracy.

Bernie stays an agitator in the Senate, Edwards ekes our the nomination, and there’s probably a good chance Trump doesn’t see the light of day - a lot of Trump voters were anti-Hillary. Perhaps Cruz or Kasich gets the nomination for the GOP (Cruz seems likelier but since I’m from Ohio I would want to see Kasich have a shot.)
 
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