Edwards to pull out of Democratic race

5.00pm



ATLANTA - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards ended his bid for the White House on Tuesday, conceding the race to Senator John Kerry, but saying he had put issues like poverty and civil rights back on the agenda.

Edwards congratulated Kerry for his strong showing in Tuesday's primaries, and aides said the North Carolina senator would travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, to formally announce on Wednesday he was dropping out of the race.

Praising his supporters for helping to put issues like poverty, racial equality and civil rights into the presidential campaign, Edwards indicated his race had been run.

"We have been the 'little engine that could', and I am proud of what we have done together, you and I," Edwards told supporters in Atlanta, referring to the children's story.

"I thank all of you and everyone across America who has joined in this call to change America," he told supporters, some of whom were crying and hugging one another as word spread across the ballroom that Edwards would quit.

Supporters cheered and waved signs as the boyish-looking 50-year-old Edwards, accompanied by his wife, looked around the room and gave his trademark thumbs-up gesture.

"You know, it wasn't very long ago that the pundits and the pollsters were saying that come Super Tuesday there wouldn't even be anybody named John competing for the nomination," he said.

"Well the truth is John Kerry and John Edwards have both proven those pollsters wrong."

The first-term senator, whose lack of experience in Washington raised questions about his presidential credentials, had won only one primary -- in his birth state of South Carolina -- heading into Tuesday.

But energised after a strong second-place finish in Wisconsin two weeks ago, Edwards had hoped his message of change would resound with voters on Super Tuesday.

Kerry, the Massachusetts senator whose campaign was considered dead just months ago, revived his bid as the primaries began and piled up a string of impressive victories.

Edwards had hoped for strong finishes in several states on Tuesday to stay in the race. Instead, the former trial lawyer failed to score even a victory in Georgia, where he had hoped his Southern roots would help.

The son of a mill worker who was the first person in his family to go to college, Edwards sought to garner support from people by saying he truly understood them. He often said that unlike most politicians, including President George W Bush and Kerry, he knew what was happening in the "real world."

Edwards said his campaign across the country over the past few weeks had shown him that Americans want change.

"They believe the best is still in front of them and they know that George Bush has no idea what's going on in their lives, he's out of touch, he has no clue what's going on... and that's the reason, come November, he will be out of the White House."

Edwards attracted supporters in early contests by staying above the fray and refusing to criticise his Democratic opponents.

"Because the truth is, and all of you know it, our campaign has never been about the politics of cynicism, it has been about the politics of hope, it's about the politics of what's possible," Edwards said.

But though Democrats say they were attracted to his charismatic speaking style and his cheerful disposition, Edwards' lack of experience cost him support.

Edwards was due to make his announcement at 4pm on Wednesday at the Raleigh high school once attended by his daughter and son -- who died at 16 in a car crash.

- REUTERS