Edwards: I can campaign any place in America.

This was posted in the Iowa Independent yesterday:

Speaking in Carroll, Edwards made the observation after saying there are "three of us who are most likely to be the Democratic nominee."

"It's not just a question of who you like," Edwards said. "It's not just a question of whose vision you are impressed with. It's also a question of who is most likely to win the general election. It's a pretty simple thing. Who will be a stronger candidate in the general election here in the State of Iowa? Who can go to other parts of the country when we have swing candidates running for the Congress and the Senate? Is the candidate going to have to say, 'Don't come here. Down come here and campaign with me. I can't win if you campaign with me.'"

He added later, "I think it's just a reality that I can campaign anyplace in America."

That strikes me as a majorly bad comment to make.  He's effectively saying that the other candidates are bad simply because they are a white woman and a black man respectively.  I really hope he gets called on this, and hard.  That comment really makes him sound like a Republican.  What the hell is he doing making a comment that could in one fell swoop make him look both racist and sexist?  Is he really that desperate?  Not cute at all.

FWIW, I have my own reasons for not supporting Hillary (such as her inability to take a solid leadership role on much of anything anymore and her frequent flip-flopping on issues of importance to me), and have some minor complaints about Obama too, but Edwards' comments are truly beyond the pale.

UPDATE:

Some are saying there may be an alternate explanation for this comment.  If anyone from the campaign wishes to offer it, I'll gladly update the diary.  I personally don't see any other way than the above to read it.  I strongly doubt he himself is racist or sexist, but it certainly smacks of tying to appeal to people who are (like Dean's confederate bumper sticker gaffe four years ago).