January 30th, 2008
10:40 AM ET
15 years ago
Edwards ends presidential bid, calls rivals
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2008/images/01/30/art.edwards.ap.jpg caption=" Edwards is getting out of the White House race."] (CNN) - Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards is dropping out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, CNN has learned.
The former senator has told top advisors about his decision. It is expected he will announce it at a speech in New Orleans, Louisiana, at 1p.m. Wednesday.
Edwards has trailed former first lady Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the early primaries.
- CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, John King, and Jessica Yellin
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I'm not shocked by this....I heard he's hurting for money and has no where near the funds to compete on a national scale on Super Tuesday....the real question is..who will get his votes...since he won't endorse Clinton or Obama...who will his voters side with..my vote goes for Obama seeing as him and Obama basicly had the same message...
God bless, Sen. Edwards. You had my vote but now it is clear I have to switch over to Obama. Come on Edwards supprters, join me in throwing your weight behind Obama, a champion of organized labor!
Obama/Edwards 08
This will help Hillary in the Debate Thursday.....:)
By the way CNN, nice of you to call Obama a senator and Hillary a former first lady.....SHE HAPPENS TO BE SEVEN YEAR SENATOR........
Yep, this was inevitable. He was never going to beat Obama or Clinton. Still I'll miss him on the campaign trail and in the debates. His departure from the race will secure the nomination for either Clinton or Obama sooner rather than later as his votes will likely go to one or the other.
Good Bless you John and Elizabeth. Thanks for pushing all the candidates to talk about issues that matter to all of us. Since she represents not only real change, but also has the means to bring change, I hope you endorse Senator Clinton.
I hope he endorses Obama before the end of the week. Only with his help can Obama overcome the Clinton juggernaut. He needs Edwards to win. I wonder what Obama will offer him...perhaps AG or VP?
Obama/Edwards '08!!
If that is true, I am sorry. He would have made a good president , but it was not in the cards. I wish them well.
Please! No endorsement...let the chips fall where they may...
Too bad it went this way. Before Obama changed his mind and decided to jump in, Edwards had a good shot at dethroning Hillary. Now the Dems have the choice of two potentially unelectable candidates. I guess many Dems have forgotten or are too young to know the recent history of Blue state presidential contendors (Mondale, Dukakis...Kerry). Maybe Romney will sneak in and Hil and Obama will have a shot since he's big city too!!
Obama/Edwards '08!
I posted a comment that was very disappointed that Edwards pulled out and asked if being reduced to 2 candidates this early on is a way to have debate, democracy, and get all issues put on the table. You did not post my comment, although you posted all of these comments favorable to his decision to pull out. Is this democracy and unbiased news coverage?
Personally I feel Obama seems to be the best pick for president, but, and I don't know if anyone else feels this way, it seems as if the media is steering the election of the president the way they want it to turn out. The whole time John Edwards has been depicted as losing even though he is not far behind, Obama is continually being shown as the forerunner, even when he isn't. If people watching the news don't think their candidate has a chance they vote for their favorite politician in the lead. There was an article about how the Republican race is down to 2 people, which isn't true at all, and I feel if that if McCain wins the nomination, diehard conservetives won't vote for him or the democratic president, thereby sealing the way for either the first female or non-white president (he is actually bi-racial which many in the media forget, maybe the United States still has the one-percent rule in place) ever to be elected. Which would defintinly be the most interesting possibility for the news.
John Edwards, if you read this PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! endorse
Obama. He could really use your delegates.
I was hoping that Obama, and Edwards would be on the same ticket.
Guess not now.
Now on t.v. the pundits are asking "where will the white Male votes go?"
Edwards is a great person, and was my choice for president. Now I will
VOTE FOR SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON ON FEBRUARY 5TH.
Hopefully no Edwards fans will vote obama.
I hope his voters now vote for Obama...it always seemed like they were voting against Hillary.
I believe he will endorse Obama. Why? Think about this:
– If we wanted to hurt Obama's chances of winning the primary, he would have stayed in to split the vote.
– By withdrawing before Super Tuesday, he is, in essence, putting those who have said that they DEFINITELY won't vote for Hillary on Obama's team.
Smart man...
Edwards, thank you for everything. I hope you are picked to be vice president to Obama. OBAMA/EDWARDS 08
In Navada, Didn't Edwards people choose Hillary as their 2nd choice?
The BIGGEST Loosers?
CNN MSNBC and FOX
I bet they are scrambling to get an interview...but now he can tell them...Why should I...you chose to ignore me, bash Senator Clinton and all that to Showcase Senator Obama.
What's the old saying???
Never Burn Your Bridges!!!!!
LNAO
I think this was a good decision, i will his presence in the race though.
Now, is the time to vote for Senator Barack Obama. Thank you, Senator Edwards.
If Edwards was to endorse Obama, I wonder if Clinton's supporters (such as NOW) would throw a tantrum like they did after SC and Sen. Kennedy's endorsement.
Edwards, although he SHOULD endorse Obama if he meant even 10% of what he said about CHANGE but he is out for his own career interests. He is holding his endorsment for WHOEVER is in the lead so he can be VP. VP is just a Half step from President and that is what he wants.
It is sad day in America when we allow the media to select our presidential candidate. I say this because by focusing strictly on Clinton and Obama they ignored the candidate most interested and best suited to truly get this nation back on track.
As for others riding the Clinton and Obama wave, did you ever stop and think about the general election and truly consider who the best candiudate would be from an electability perspective to go up against the Republican candidate?