The inexplicable Chet Edwards boomlet

posted at 1:30 pm on August 22, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Could Barack Obama be this desperate? Or are pundits getting tired of waiting for the text message? The latest short-lister to be rumored for the #2 spot on the ticket is Texas Rep. Chet Edwards, who not only is a virtual unknown, he’s about as far from Obama as is possible on the issues:

Three days before the party gathers in Denver to nominate Obama for the fall campaign, several officials said Rep. Chet Edwards, whose district includes President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, had made the list of finalists. Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana were also in the mix, as were Govs. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas — and unknown others Obama had managed to keep secret despite intense scrutiny. …

Edwards is a favorite of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who praised his ”extraordinary credentials” on ABC’s ”This Week” on Aug. 3 and said: ”I hope he will be the nominee.”

One Democratic official with knowledge of the conversation said Obama told Pelosi recently that she would be pleased with the choice. Other Democratic officials said he was on the short list. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss Obama’s selection process.

Edwards, chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, is a nine-term moderate Democrat representing the GOP-leaning Texas district. He is well-known in Texas but does not have a national profile.

Jim Geraghty imagines what the VP debate would sound like:

But the debate would consist almost entirely of the GOP vice-presidential candidate saying, “I agree with Chet’s old position, the one he had before he put his manhood in a blind trust and flip-flopped to agree with Obama’s liberal position.” Edwards would constantly be in the awkward position of defending positions he doesn’t agree with. Add that to the fact that 90+ percent of Americans know nothing about him, it’s a formula for disaster.

How far off is Edwards — the other Edwards — from Obama’s policies?

• Voted for the Iraq War
• Wants to drill off-shore
• Wants to drill in ANWR
• Opposes amnesty for illegal aliens
• Opposes CAFE standards
• Opposes gay marriage (which is actually not far from Obama’s own ambiguous position)

The heck with Obama.  Maybe John McCain may want to give Chet a call.

The mystery here is why Pelosi is pushing him, especially with the drilling positions Edwards has taken.  Of course, maybe Pelosi wants him out of the House when they return to vote on energy.

The only reason Obama would pick Edwards is to make himself look experienced.  Edwards has no national reach, no statewide constituency, and has no hope of carrying Texas for Obama.  This looks like one last head fake from Team Obama … or an act of sheer desperation.

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