If the contest was between Obama and Edwards what would have happened?

[Lincoln Republican]

Let's just say that early in the campaign for the Democratic nomination, that Hillary Clinton gets sidelined by the voters, and the race develops into a heated contest between Barack Obama and John Edwards.

How would this contest have turned out?

[Lief 🗽]

That would have been a very, very interesting contest. Before Iowa, I was hoping that Edwards would win Iowa and Obama would win NH, pushing Clinton out, and resulting in an Edwards-Obama race, as, while I was a big Edwards supporter, I thought Obama was awesome as well. I'll write up a long post later maybe, but I think that Obama would end up winning, as Edwards' eventual coalition would be, while very similar to Clinton's, a bit smaller (fewer women and Hispanics).

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

One thing that is clear is that there would be far less negativity without Clinton in the race.

[Boris]

I wonder how tempted the Edwards campaign would have been to engage in subtle racism to win over voters...

[Verily]

No female vote for the opposition to Obama and Edwards collapses pretty quickly. He doesn't bring in anything else. He also would have stood no chance at CA (where Clinton might have ended up in second on early votes).

[JSojourner]

I might have torn my hair out.  Because I like Edwards' message best of all the candidates.  I'm a leftie after all.  But I've never felt comfortable with Edwards, the man.  I adore his wife and kids.  But personally, he leaves me cold.  So what to do -- back the guy whose message I embrace a thousand percent but who I don't trust?  Or back the guy whose message I am more or less "okay" with but who I like and trust?  Not sure what I would've done.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Edwards wins.