UNITED STATES -- A former rival backs Barack Obama.
"The reason, the reason I am here tonight is because the Democrats have voted in America and so have I," Edwards said.
John Edwards ran against the Illinois Senator and Hillary Clinton before dropping out in January. His campaign's spotlight on the struggling working class could prove critical to Obama, whose often lackluster support, especially among whites, has Democrats worried he'll falter against John McCain in the general election.
"There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America and not two and that man is Barack Obama," said Edwards.
"I am grateful for his support, but more importantly I want to thank John for everything that he has already done to make us one America. Thank you John," said Obama.
Senator Barack Obama gets a huge boost in his campaign as former presidential hopeful John Edwards throws his support behind the front runner. Josh Robin tells us what this means for Obama's momentum and Hillary Clinton's fate.
For Clinton's faltering campaign, it was another big blow. After trouncing Obama in West Virginia on Tuesday, she hoped to persuade superdelegates she had the mettle and the support in swing states to overturn the choice of pledged delegates. And Edwards' endorsement was also timed to overshadow a string of interviews Clinton had scheduled for the evening news.
Edwards praised her, but her campaign chairman released a terse statement: "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."
Where Edwards and Obama go now was unknown. Also unknown is how Edwards' wife feels about her husband's choice. She was not at the endorsement. Mrs. Edwards had supported Clinton's universal health care proposal.