The sport of politics. The politics of sport.

Democrat John Edwards called it quits today, days after assuring voters he would stay in the presidential race until the Convention. With “convictions and a little backbone,” Democrats can take back the White House while making history by nominating the first woman or the first black presidential nominee, Edwards said.

The sunny and energetic Edwards, who took up fighting poverty and empowering the middle class as his rallying cry, never seemed to project the heft many of us associate with the role of president. I always thought of Edwards as a noble-minded guy, but I also thought that $400 haircut was a costly perception fumble from which he may never have recovered. What I mean is that his ability to appeal to men, especially Southern white traditionalists, may have been compromised by that story. Edwards is no lightweight, but to too many people he came across that way. Why? All I can say is that managing perceptions of oneself is an art, and that the little things matter in that equation.

I see Edwards endorsing Obama, not Clinton. The camaraderie between “the boys” on the debate stages they shared with their older female colleague was quite clear. Edwards won’t be asked to be anyone’s running mate and he wouldn’t accept if asked (been there, done that). It will be interesting to see whether he invests his energy, intellect and talents in a government role or carve out his own niche in the private or nonprofit sector. I’m guessing nonprofit; it’s philosophically where he’s at.

Yours Truly, A.F. Cook