John Edwards jumps down off the fence.
Former Sen. John Edwards is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy Wednesday evening, in a dramatic attempt by the Obama campaign to answer concerns regarding Obama's appeal to working-class voters, several senior Democratic sources tell ABC News.Clinton's West Virginia primary news cycle lasted all of about 90 minutes. Today's big presidential campaign momentum stories have been all about Obama. First the NARAL endorsement, now this.
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Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, have remained studiously neutral since the Edwards campaign came to a close Jan. 30. Edwards on Sunday called Obama "the likely nominee," but made clear that his statement reflected a judgment about the state of the race, not necessarily a personal preference.
The possibility of an Edwards endorsement has been the subject of intense speculation for months; only former vice president Al Gore's endorsement was more coveted by Obama and Clinton. Edwards and his wife had publicly praised Clinton's healthcare plan, but Edwards' anti-corporate message seemed a better fit for Obama's outsider campaign.
A source close to the Clinton campaign said the Edwards camp gave the Clinton folks a heads up.
"Clearly it's upsetting" the source tells ABC. "He brings the workers" to Obama.
Obama knows how to play this game, I'll give him that.
Tell me again who's the smarter choice for November.
