Edwards Endorses Obama, Calls for 'Bold Leadership'
Former Democratic Nomination Rival Offers Praise for Clinton, Support to Obama
Edwards may be seen as a high profile validator for Obama with those voters.
His wife, Elizabeth, has yet to endorse any candidate. Edwards insiders said she is not part of her husband's announcement.
"I would not endeavor to try to speak for Elizabeth Edwards, having not spoken to her," said Kornblau, "But she has been fairly clear since Sen. Edwards dropped out that she's not going to endorse until the party has decided on a nominee. So she stayed true to her word today and Sen. Edwards was out there supporting Sen. Obama. "
Elizabeth, in the past, has said she would not necessarily feel obliged to support the same candidate her husband chose to support. She's been on the record endorsing Clinton's health care plan over that of Obama's.
Clinton Camp Brushes Off Endorsement
Clinton advisors publicly dismissed Edwards' endorsement Wednesday.
"We respect John Edwards, but as the voters of West Virginia showed last night, this thing is far from over," said Clinton campaign chair Terry McAuliffe.
A source close to the Clinton campaign said the Edwards camp gave the Clinton folks a heads up, reports ABC News' Kate Snow.
"Well, I don't think it's good news, but there's a lot of news in this business and we move forward and move past it. It's not great news," a Clinton senior advisor told ABC News.
Asked what effect the Edwards endorsement might have, the advisor said, "We don't know. We'll see. We'll see how much of it is transferable," referring to Edwards' popularity with white working-class voters.
"We would've preferred it [to be our endorsement]," the advisor said. "That's not a secret."
Clinton met Wednesday with six uncommitted superdelegates at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee offices in Washington.
This advisor said the Clinton campaign believes superdelegates are concerned about Obama's loss in West Virginia last night and other swing states.
"No question -- that started with Ohio and increased with Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia," he said. "All I can say is, I don't want to overdramatize it, but starting with Ohio, the remaining superdelegates started really focusing on the 270 electoral vote issue, and how do we best assemble that, and it's made a marked impression."
But then, in a moment of candor, the advisor conceded, "I'm not sure it's gonna be enough."
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