Edwards endorses Obama
(AP)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- White House hopeful Barack Obama won perhaps the most coveted endorsement left in the Democratic primary: former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.
"The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters of America have made their choice, and so have I," Edwards told the cheering crowd of 12,000 at the Van Andel Arena. "This is not going to be easy. This is going to be the fight of our lives."
The champion of blue-collar workers whose jobs are being shipped to Mexico, Edwards dropped out of the race months ago but remains so popular he got seven percent of Tuesday's vote in West Virginia.
These are the voters that exit polls show are shunning Obama in West Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio. If Edwards can bring them into Obama's column, it will help him not just close out the primary against Hillary Clinton, but also win in November against Republican John McCain.
Neither man said Wednesday how long ago Edwards decided to make the endorsement that will eclipse Clinton's 40-point rout of Obama in West Virginia on Tuesday.
Edwards was a surprise guest at the previously scheduled rally in Michigan, where Obama apologized for never having had the chance to campaign because the state moved up its primary and was disqualified from participating in the Democratic convention.
Many among the 12,000 fans said they did not even vote in the primary because Obama wasn't on the ticket.
"I think it's really good they came here to show Michigan they really care," said Lenore Orozco, 56.
Her 85-year-old father, John Stack, a tail-gunner in World War II, voted for McCain in the primary but said he will vote for Obama in November.
"This is the greatest thing I've seen in my life, all 85 years," Stack said.
Edwards spent a surprising amount of time praising Clinton, whose name drew some boos. Edwards said she has fought for one of his top issues: health care for all Americans. She has shown "strength and character" by staying in the race after her candidacy had been proclaimed dead, he said.
Obama pledged to make health care his fight too, as well as accepting Edwards' goal of cutting poverty in half within 10 years.
"The fight that John is waging will be a fight I carry into the White House for the next four years because that fight is not done," Obama said.
Clinton campaign manager Terry McAuliffe sent out a one-line response to the endorsement: "We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over."