Can you say oops?

Clinton, Edwards talk of limiting debate

Democrats John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton consider themselves among the top presidential candidates.

They were caught by Fox News microphones discussing their desire to limit future joint appearances to exclude some lower rivals after a forum in Detroit Thursday.

Edwards says, “We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group.”

Clinton agrees, saying, “We’ve got to cut the number” and “they’re not serious.” She also says that she thought their campaigns had already tried to limit the debates and say, “We’ve gotta get back to it.”

It amazes me how they both still think they are the big dogs.  Hillary has a lot of momentum, but Edwards is likely going to be delegated to being someone’s possible VP pick.  He has no credibility and his elitism will never fly. 

But in Hillary’s case I hope she is afraid of Obama and the late entry, Al Gore.

Of course both claimed plausible deniability.

Both Edwards and Clinton were asked about the exchange Friday, and offered different explanations.

In New Hampshire, Clinton seemed to lay responsibility on Edwards.

“I think he has some ideas about what he’d like to do,” she said, adding she liked participating in the forums.

For his part, Edwards told reporters in Iowa that he wasn’t in favor of barring anyone from future gatherings. Rather, he said he wanted to see them separated into two groups of four each, chosen randomly.

“The result would be that we would have a much more serious discussion and people would actually be able to see what the differences are between us,” he said.

Nice.  Typical politician’s evasion:  “I didn’t say that…ok I did say something, but it wasn’t that...and even if I did, I didn’t means what you think I did.”

Kucinich was unimpressed.

An angry Dennis Kucinich lashed out at John Edwards on Friday, saying his Democratic rival showed “a consistent lack of integrity” by suggesting fewer candidates should participate in presidential forums and then trying to explain his remark to reporters.

“This is a serious matter and I’m calling him on it,” Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, said in a telephone interview Friday. “Whispering, trying to rig an election, then denying what’s going on and making excuses. It all reflects a consistent lack of integrity.”

Kucinich, who typically polls in the low single digits, clearly felt the slight was directed at him. All eight Democratic contenders took part in the program, including Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Mike Gravel and Kucinich.

Kucinich called Edwards’ explanation “disturbing” and said he planned to contact Edwards and Clinton immediately to demand an apology.

“I accept their offer to participate in a debate with just the two of them,” Kucinich said. “John should be happy with this, since he wants a small group.”

I am not too excited about it, and not at all outraged.

If anyone actually thinks there are not factions in both parties they are not paying attention.

And this is just another bit of infighting that is typical of politics.

But it is funny.

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