This is the worst possible outcome for the Edwards camp. A second in New Hampshire would have given them needed momentum. A Clinton second would have at least blunted her chances, and allowed them to continue with their "two candidates of change" argument. But this simply intensifies the coverage of the Democratic primary as a two-person race. It wrecks their most recent campaign strategy -- to become the "changier" alternative to frontrunner Obama -- and further squeezes them out of the media coverage. Additionally, they really didn't overperform their polls. They didn't underperform, either, but there's nothing much to report on their showing. They came in a solid third, but everyone will want to talk about the two vying for first, and until Edwards' message actually pushes him into that category in some state or another, it's hard for him to argue that his message is the most resonant.
