John Edwards Endorses Obama

Breaking Now: Politisite has learned that Senator John Edwards will Endorse Barack Obama tonight at 6:30 pm in Grand Rapids Michigan. Edwards will ask his delegates to support Obama. Edwards suspended his campaign thus his delegates are still valid. This is a major blow to the Clinton Camp following her big win in West Virginia

See the speech here, Edwards endorses Obama Thanks to NowPublic Editor Cynthia Yoo for providing the link.

Within Moments of the Edwards Endorsement emails from the Obama Campaign asking for contributions began filling email boxes all over the net.

Join Sen. John Edwards in supporting this campaign

At a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Senator John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama’s candidacy for president.

Senator Edwards ran a strong, principled campaign for president, focusing on universal health care, bringing our troops home from Iraq, and eliminating poverty in America. And he ran in a way that reflected a conviction that we need to fundamentally change politics.

Like our campaign, Senator Edwards’ campaign never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.

Welcome John Edwards to this campaign with an outpouring of the kind of grassroots support that is bringing our political process back to the people.

Source: donate.barackobama.com via politisite

“The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters of America have made their choice, and so have I.”

Talking about poverty: “I’m proud to say today that Barack Obama stands with me in this cause.”

Also adds: “When this nomination battle is over — and it will be over soon — brothers and sisters, we must come together as Democrats…”

Starts off by saying a few kind words about Clinton.

Source: thepage.time.com via politisite

So, did Edwards slip up and say “him” when talking to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” last week about who he voted for in North Carolina’s primary? Watch video here Politisite, while a transplant northerner to South Carolina, can translate for you…. “I just voted for em” Sorry folks “em” is not gender specific so he did NOT give away his vote until tonight.

Update 6:53 pm EDT – “America Has made it’s choice and so have I”. Edwards Has thrown his support to Senator Obama.

Update 6:39 pm EDT – Obama on stage and is fired up to be in Michigan, Brings out John Edwards

Update 6:29 pm EDT – Edwards will release 19 delegates

This is one of those endorsements that really matters,” said Stephanie Cutter, an unaligned Democratic strategist who worked on Senator John Kerry‘s 2004 presidential campaign. “It’s another sign that the primary race is coming to an end.”

Source: bloomberg.com via politisite

Update 6:15 pm EDT – No sign of Obama music at the venue

Update: 5:49 pm EDT – To a crowd that appears to be over 10 thousand, with a backdrop of the large, “Change we can believe in” sign. The crowd has just completed the Pledge and is doing some house keeping and basic announcements of the procedure. We expect since Obama is in Michigan he will say something about how to seat the delegates in the DNCC.

They are doing the cell phone routine where they ask everyone to call someone and ask them to text: Obama 62262 and in the field MI. This is to give them your telephone to get into their database and say that you will get someone to register.

The Caucus New York Times Blog

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina who bowed out of the presidential race in January, is expected to endorse Senator Barack Obama at a rally being held here tonight.

Officials announced the news shortly after Mr. Obama landed here late this afternoon. The campaign has timed the announcement to coincide with the start of the major evening newscasts, which would have otherwise focused on Senator Hillary Clinton’s landslide victory in West Virginia, which raised new questions about Mr. Obama’s strength with white working class voters.

Source: thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com via politisite

Associated Press-

WASHINGTON (AP) ― John Edwards is endorsing Barack Obama. Edwards withdrew from the race for the Democratic nomination Jan. 30, after amassing 56 national convention delegates. Eighteen of those have been pledged to him, according to CBS News, allowing the former candidate’s campaign to have a say in how they will vote.

Source: kdka.com via politisite

Political Radar: Edwards To Endorse Obama

ABC News’ Kate Snow, Raelyn Johnson, Sunlen Miller, and Rick Klein Report: 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.

The Obama campaign confirms Edwards will endorse Obama at a campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan Wednesday. The event was originally scheduled to start at 7pmET, but was moved up to 6:20pmET, presumably to have the announcement make the evening news.

Source: blogs.abcnews.com via politisite

Barack Obama’s campaign is touting a “major endorsement” of his candidacy tonight — and the endorser is former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Mr. Edwards will join Sen. Obama at his Grand Rapids, Mich., rally where he will announce his endorsement.

Mr. Edwards, who dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination in January, placed second in the Iowa caucuses and was a favorite of the party’s liberal wing.

Source: online.wsj.com via politisite

Reuters

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 14 (Reuters) – Former Democratic U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama’s White House bid on Wednesday, a campaign spokeswoman said, giving a big boost to the Illinois senator in his effort to rally the party around his candidacy.

Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee, dropped out of the Democratic race in January and was heavily courted by both Obama and rival Hillary Clinton in the past few months. He will make the endorsement at a Grand Rapids rally.

Source: reuters.com via politisite

The Obama campaign has announced a “major national endorsement” for a rally tonight at 7pm in Michigan. Who caught it first. Politisite gives the break to Time. Without saying a word Time’s Mark Halperin is has a photo of Edwards at his Web site, and the text, “Ready to choose? Ready to hope?”

Terry McAuliffe responds: “We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over.”