John Edwards Endorses Obama

(CBS/AP)  Democrat John Edwards endorsed former rival Barack Obama on Wednesday, a move designed to help solidify support for the party's likely presidential nominee even as Hillary Rodham Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

Edwards made a surprise appearance with Obama in Grand Rapids, Mich., as the Illinois senator campaigns in a critical general election battleground state.

The endorsement came a day after Clinton defeated Obama by more than 2-to-1 in the West Virginia primary. The loss highlighted Obama's challenge in winning over the "Hillary Democrats" - white, working-class voters who also supported Edwards in significant numbers before he exited the race in late January.

"This is a major blow to Hillary Clinton's hopes of winning over the vast majority of superdelegates she would need to stake a claim on the nomination," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "In the wake of her 40-point win in West Virginia, Clinton has made a direct appeal to party leaders to at least stop and consider their choice. Having a big name still on the sidelines so quickly ignore that plea is a sign it's having little impact."

Edwards, who received a thunderous ovation when Obama introduced him to a crowd of several thousand, said, "brothers and sisters, we must come together as Democrats" to defeat McCain. "We are here tonight because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I."

He said Obama "stands with me" in a fight to cut poverty in half within 10 years.

Edwards also praised Clinton, saying "we are a stronger party" because of her involvement, and "we're going to have a stronger nominee in the fall because of her work."

He said Clinton is a "woman who is made of steel. She is a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done."

Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe said in a statement, "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and the 2004 vice presidential nominee, finished second to Obama in the Iowa caucus in early January before coming in third in the following three contests. He dropped out in New Orleans, the location a reminder of his attention to poverty.

Both Obama and Clinton immediately asked Edwards for his endorsement, but he stayed mum for more than four months. His endorsement would have carried far more clout if he had made it in February, when the Obama-Clinton outcome was very much in doubt.

A person close to Edwards, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he wanted to get involved now to begin unifying the party. Obama also signed on to Edwards' anti-poverty initiative, which he launched Tuesday with the goal of reducing poverty in the United States by half within 10 years.

When he made his decision, Edwards didn't even tell many of his former top advisers because he wanted to inform Clinton personally, said the person close to him. Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, who has said she thinks Clinton has the superior health care plan, did not travel with him to Michigan and is not part of the endorsement.

David "Mudcat" Saunders, a chief adviser for Edwards on rural affairs during his presidential campaign, said the endorsement should take some sting out of Obama's resounding loss in West Virginia.

"For Barack Obama, I think he ought to kiss Johnny Edwards on the lips to kill this 41-point loss," Saunders said.

Edwards waged a scrappy underdog campaign for the Democratic nomination, always outshone by the historic nature of Obama possibly being the first black nominee and Clinton the first woman. He continued to campaign after the family disclosed that Elizabeth's breast cancer had returned.

Obama has 1,883 delegates and Clinton has 1,711 delegates, according to the latest tally by CBS News. Edwards is not a superdelegate.

Edwards has 19 pledged delegates won in three states: Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Most of the those delegates have already been selected, meaning they are technically free to support whomever they choose at the party's national convention, regardless of Edwards' endorsement.

[sjc_1]

I think Edwards wanted the issues that are important to him addressed and Obama said that he would. The "Two Americas" and poverty are some of those issues. We will see if that happens.

[ranger1948]

This just lowers my opinion of edwards even more.

[bestillandno]

Posted by John_Lai at 05:57 PM : May 15, 2008


No, no, no, you''ve got it all wrong! There are 59 states, he still has 2 left to go. And Edwards thinks he''s got a shot at VP, but he also thinks that the rest of us are too stupid to remember how much he blasted Obama''s policies when he was in the debates himself. At least he looks a little like Sam Neil. I looooove Sam.

[Lai K W]

The thing is BO can not win the nomination and he is not qualified from his 57 states, Afghanistan gaffe, his audacity of Rev Wright and his bittergate . Edwards rushes in and gang tackle Hillary.
Edwards can''t wait and let people vote. Edwards can''t afford to let people''s voices heard.

In his stupid speech, he blinks his eyes so frequent that he knows that from now on he is just a crooked politician.
Hillary has been fighting for the middle class, working class and the poor. BO get his support from elites, college kids and affluent. Now he is trying to turn off voters from Hillary, the fighter for the poor.
Can Edwards save the days for BO?
Americans believe in democracy, for the people, of the people and by the people. We hold the principle self-evident. Ain''t no filthy politician going to change this.
You either vote for an all American, that is Hillary or the filthy politician, that is BO & Edwards company. Tell me your choice?

[taddles-2009]

"VP Edwards? I think Edwards is a snake....wonder which of the ''''two Americas'''' he spoke about is he living in these days?

Posted by LibH8er at 03:04 PM : May 15, 2008"


Go away Republiscum, you''re leaving a ring in the gene pool.

[myshiba]

Jim Webb is too smart to hook up with an incompetent like Obama.

[samthetvcat]

---"Hillary Clinton is woman enough, but the misogynist, sexist Democratic hierarchy is striving more than ever to shut her up"---
Posted by phillysage

The only thing worse than mis-use of the gender card to try and gain political advantage is when men mis-use the gender card to try and gain political. Or maybe you identify more with women, I don''t know (?)

Anyway, I''m waiting to see how the race unfolds . . . does Hillary have the leverage to force her way onto the ticket as VP? I think Edwards joining forces with Barack takes away her biggest bargaining chip, and if he''s able to single-handedly turn the rural working-class voters towards Barack in Kentucky and in the head to head polls then really he''s earned the spot if he wants it, don''t you think?

If another gap becomes a problem like the senior vote, then maybe they''ll need to bring another high-profile person into the fold and then decide who gets to be on the ticket (?)

[dchu76]

I wouldnt want John edwards to be Barack Obama''s vp. He would do well in some cabinet position. I want Obamas vp to be an attack dog, someone fiesty. I want Jim Webb.

[libh8er]

VP Edwards? I think Edwards is a snake....wonder which of the ''two Americas'' he spoke about is he living in these days?

[starleo146]

I hope it''''s not Edwards as VP. Jim Webb is a better choice.

Posted by mydogdylan6 at 01:47 PM : May 15, 200

Boy do I agree with that, what a super smart senator Webb is, the only reason Edwards waited this long, he wanted to see who was ahead, and he can give them what they want, and they can give him what he wants. Can you guess?Anyone