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John Edwards Takes Heat After Hedging on Support for the Democratic '08 Nominee

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

John Edwards on Tuesday said he makes no bones about whether he will support the Democratic nominee for president in 2008 because it's going to be him.

Edwards expressed his confidence after being asked to clarify reports that he would not say whether he'd back front-runner Hillary Clinton if she wins the nominating contest.

"I fully expect to support the Democratic nominee, and I fully expect to be the Democratic nominee," Edwards said at a campaign stop in Lebanon, N.H. He would not elaborate, when asked again, what he would do if Clinton wins.

Edwards took heat from Democratic candidate Chris Dodd Tuesday after the New York Times reported in a blog that Edwards twice refused to say whether he would endorse Clinton if she wins the nomination. Other Democratic candidates did not hesitate to say they would.

"I am surprised at just how angry John has become," Dodd said. "This is not the same John Edwards I once knew. Of course, we should all come together to support the nominee. I wonder which of the Republicans John prefers to Hillary?"

Click here to read the New York Times blog.

Edwards, who has aggressively gone after Clinton both in debates and on the campaign stump, had no response to Dodd's comments.

Asked about Edwards' equivocation Tuesday, Clinton spokesman Isaac Baker said, "Hillary Clinton has spent her entire adult life supporting Democrats running for office and isn't about to change that now...We fully expect that Hillary will be the nominee, but if she isn't, of course she will support the Democratic nominee."

In the other party's race, Republican candidate Mitt Romney said he'd gladly support whomever his party chooses.

"The five or six at the top of the polls I would be happy to support ... and so I anticipate supporting our nominee. I would be happy to support Mayor Giuliani and Senator McCain and Senator Thompson and Governor Huckabee and Congressman Tancredo and others. So I will support our nominee," Romney said.

FOX News' Serafin Gomez, Aaron Bruns and Shushannah Walshe contributed to this report.

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Republican Presidential Nomination

RCP Average: McCain +30.4%

  • McCain
  • 56.7%  
  • Huckabee
  • 26.3%  
  • Paul
  • 6.5%  

Democratic Presidential Nomination

RCP Average: Obama +12.2%

  • Obama
  • 52.8%  
  • Clinton
  • 40.6%  

President Bush Job Approval

RCP Average: Spread -37.2%

  • Approve
  • 29.3%  
  • Disapprove
  • 66.5%  

Congressional Job Approval

RCP Average: Spread -55.0%

  • Approve
  • 18.5%  
  • Disapprove
  • 73.5%  

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