TIMELINE: Dole wins 1996 - 2020

[dudeabides]

January 10, 2008 - After disappointment in New Hampshire, Dean shifts strategy from delegate rich states to Michigan

LANSING, MI - With reductions in fundraising and a disappointing second place showing in New Hampshire, Democratic Presidential Candidate Howard Dean shifted strategy. His plan was to win New Hampshire, then go to delegate rich states in hopes of becoming the front-runner by Super Tuesday. But, with fewer resources than pre-Iowa, Dean's campaign left six delegate-rich states and instead began focusing on the Michigan Primary. Dean went to Michigan where he promoted his economic agenda while attacking opponent Joe Lieberman as "Jeb Bush lite" on foreign policy and tax cuts.

January 12, 2008 - Poll: Dean slides, Edwards surges

Joe Lieberman 30%
Hillary Clinton 28%
John Edwards 26%
Howard Dean 12%
Steny Hoyer 2%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
Other 1%

January 15, 2008 - Source: Bush campaign fearful of Lieberman, believes Edwards is the weakest, not afraid of Hillary Clinton with internal poll
MIAMI BEACH, FL - A source close to President Bush's re-election campaign said that the President's campaign team had an internal poll showing Democrat Joe Lieberman would be the toughest opponent for the President in 2008. "They did a poll showing Bush leads all the Democrats - but by varying margins. The President handily beats Howard Dean by seventeen percentage points, and John Edwards doesn't do much better - he trails the President by fifteen points. Despite this, President Bush's team believes Edwards is the least formidable given his liberal record and the fact he's running to the far left, though they are still confident they can beat Howard Dean and will talk about Iraq as the reason voters shouldn't vote for him. While considered more formidable, Hillary Clinton still doesn't perform well against the President - she trails the President by seven points. The Bush campaign is most afraid of Joe Lieberman, while the President leads the other Democrats by between eight and ten points with independent voters, Bush and Lieberman are tied with independents - though Bush still wins overall by two percentage points. The fear they have is that Lieberman has voted with the President on foreign policy and tax cuts, meaning they'd have to shift strategy away from running on those issues - considered the President's strongest - to one which focuses more on health care and social issues, the areas where Lieberman and the President are the most different. Given the President's socially conservative views, this could alienate some younger voters and independents who like the President otherwise. So, it seems President Bush wants to run against John Edwards and fears Lieberman the most, though the campaign also is happy the President's approval ratings remain around 70% - and that number is even higher in three swing states; Ohio, Colorado, and Pennsylvania" the source said.

January 16, 2008 - Lieberman: Jeb Bush fears me

HILLSBOROUGH, MI - Democratic Presidential Hopeful Joe Lieberman brought up the issue of electability on the campaign trail following a republican source stating that the Bush white house feared a Lieberman candidacy the most. "I can beat Jeb Bush for three reasons. The first, I have more foreign policy experience and while this President deserves credit for doing the right thing in Iraq, let's remember he listened to me. The second reason is I am better prepared to lead on budgetary issues - Jeb Bush has seen increased federal revenues, though not reduced deficits - the deficit last year was $300 billion, $297 billion higher than the year he took office. Third of all, my health care plan will help cover Americans without the government taking over medicine, Jeb Bush has no health care plan" Lieberman said. 

January 16, 2008 - John Edwards wins Michigan, Hoyer ends presidential bid and endorses Edwards for President

John Edwards 31%
Joe Lieberman 29%
Hillary Clinton 24%
Howard Dean 12%
Steny Hoyer 2%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
Other 1%

January 18, 2008 - Howard Dean exits presidential race, endorses John Edwards for President

LAS VEGAS, NV - Former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean exited the 2008 presidential race and endorsed fellow candidate John Edwards at a press conference in Nevada. "John Edwards will end the war in Iraq as soon as possible and he'll fight to make sure every American has quality health insurance. Those who supported me for President did so because of these two issues as well as other important issues to our country, and I can assure my supporters that John Edwards will be a fighter for ordinary Americans" Dean stated.

January 20, 2008 - Poll: Edwards surges to tie for second

Joe Lieberman 33%
Hillary Clinton 31%
John Edwards 31%
Dennis Kucinich 4%
Other 1%

January 25, 2008 - John Edwards wins South Carolina Primary

John Edwards 34%
Hillary Clinton 32%
Joe Lieberman 30%
Dennis Kucinich 3%
Other 1%

January 27, 2008 - Lieberman: Edwards can't win, too liberal for most Democrats

BOCA RATON, FL - Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Lieberman warned Democratic Primary voters that John Edwards was "unelectable." "The fact is, in the course of a year, he's flip-flopped on Iraq five times, he's proposed a health care plan which will cost taxpayers $1.4 trillion in a decade, and he's proposing a $900 billion tax increase not just on the wealthy, but on 70% of American businesses - there's no way he can win" Lieberman said of Edwards.

February 2, 2008 - Lieberman wins Florida as Edwards win Nevada, Kucinich ends presidential bid


Florida
Joe Lieberman 40%
Hillary Clinton 38%
John Edwards 20%
Dennis Kucinich 1%
Other 1%

Nevada
John Edwards 61%
Hillary Clinton 20%
Joe Lieberman 15%
Dennis Kucinich 4%
Other 1%

February 9, 2008 - Edwards, Clinton, Lieberman accept Super Tuesday Victories


States won by Joe Lieberman
Georgia
Colorado
Maine
Connecticut
New Jersey
Ohio

States won by Hillary Clinton
Arkansas
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Idaho
Montana
Wyoming

States won by John Edwards
Massachusetts
Delaware
Alaska
North Dakota
Missouri
Minnesota
West Virginia
Utah

February 14, 2008 - John Edwards wins Wisconsin, Washington, Kansas, and Nebraska


Wisconsin
John Edwards 55%
Hillary Clinton 30%
Joe Lieberman 14%
Other 1%

Washington
John Edwards 42%
Hillary Clinton 29%
Joe Lieberman 18%
Other 1%

Kansas
John Edwards 50%
Hillary Clinton 32%
Joe Lieberman 17%
Other 1%

Nebraska
John Edwards 60%
Hillary Clinton 21%
Joe Lieberman 18%
Other 1%
 
February 17, 2008 - Lieberman ends presidential bid

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Joe Lieberman, once the front-runner for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, ended his 2008 campaign after losses in Wisconsin, Washington, Kansas, and Nebraska.

February 21, 2008 - Edwards wins Texas Democratic Presidential Primary

John Edwards 59%
Hillary Clinton 40%
Other 1%

[dudeabides]

February 25, 2008 - Clinton ends Presidential bid


John Edwards Secures Democratic Presidential Nomination

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Former U.S. Senator John Edwards secured the 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination following Hillary Clinton's withdrawal from the presidential race. "As President of the United States, I vow to you that by the end of my presidency, every American who lacks health insurance today will have it - we'll make health care universal in America by asking the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. I also vow to you that my agenda will empower the poor and the middle class, not the special interests in Washington" Edwards told supporters.

March 2, 2008 - Poll: Bush well ahead of Edwards, has 70% approval rating


Bush Approval
Approve: 70%
Disapprove: 20%

Presidential Election
Jeb Bush 53%
John Edwards 34%

June 29, 2008 - Edwards taps Dean as running-mate

DOVER, NH - Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee John Edwards tapped Former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean as his running-mate in the 2008 election, calling Dean "the experienced leader we need as Vice President."

July 18, 2008 - Woman comes forward, says she had 2 year affair with Edwards from 2003-2005
RALEIGH, NC - A woman came forward and told reporters she engaged in an affair with presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee John Edwards from June 2003 until October 2005.

Edward's denies affair

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee John Edwards denied having an extramarital affair for over two years.

July 21, 2008 - Audio tapes released showing Edwards had affair
RALEIGH, NC - Through her attorney, the woman who claimed she had a two year affair with Former U.S. Senator John Edwards released audio proving her story.



July 23, 2008 - Edwards allegations of illegal campaign contributions surfaces

CLEVELAND, OH - An aide from the 2004 presidential campaign of John Edwards stated he had knowledge Edwards had money illegally funneled to him from a non-profit organization in Peru in the amount of over $1.2 million.

July 29, 2008 - John Edwards announces withdrawal from presidential race following personal, legal scandals

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee John Edwards acknowledged that allegations of an extra-marital affair and illegal campaign contributions were true. Edwards apologized to his family and the nation, stating that "I ask for forgiveness for the pain I have caused." Edwards then suspended his 2008 presidential campaign.

August 1, 2008 - Democratic National Committee announces open convention, but Edwards delegates will be released to Dean, making Howard Dean Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee

WASHINGTON, DC - At a press conference in Washington, D.C., the Democratic National Committee announced that Howard Dean would receive the delegates who voted for John Edwards in the Democratic Presidential Primary, but that the party's national convention would be open.

[badgate]

Should be interesting to see who challenges Dean from the floor of the convention.