Edwards ends presidential campaign

The Democratic presidential contest will officially become a titantic clash between Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton with John Edwards' departure from the race today. From the Associated Press via Yahoo News:

"The two-time White House candidate notified a close circle of senior advisers that he planned to make the announcement at a 1 PM EST event in New Orleans that had been billed as a speech on poverty, according to two aides. The decision came after Edwards lost the four states to hold nominating contests so far to rivals who stole the spotlight from the beginning — Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama."

I am personally saddened by this news - I was hoping he would stay in through Super Tuesday. Now that there are only two candidates left in the running (not counting Mike Gravel) I will happily put my efforts behind the candidacy of Barack Obama. I hope that Senator Edwards will do the same.

UPDATE (Scott): While Andrew and myself are Obama supporters, the rest of our staff strongly supported John Edwards. I know that all of us admired his commitment to progressive ideals. His perspective and voice were refreshingly important and influential. As Jason wrote earlier this week:

He grew up in a household of modest means. He has that personal experience. He raised himself up from it to a place where, now, he is truly a free man, unencumbered by worries about whether he'll ever have problems affording first-rate health care, about where his next meal will come from, or whether he'll be able to pay his heating bills in the winter.

And, having gotten to such a place, what has he chosen to do?

Did he say "Great, I'm rich! Now, how do I become super-ultra-uber-filthy rich?" No. He chose to go into public life to continue fighting for regular folks like me. We have an almost unspeakable amount of respect for that.

While Edwards' campaign for the presidency is no over, we hope that he will not be exiting from public life. His vision is needed now more than ever.

We invite Edwards supporters to now join us in supporting Barack Obama. Between Obama and Clinton, Obama has shown the greater commitment to the disenfranchised, poor, and forgotten people in our country.

While Edwards has said he will not be endorsing anybody soon, we hope that he realizes that Obama is the candidate who will advance the causes he holds dear.

We also hope that Barack Obama recognizes Edwards' commitment to justice and equality with a position in his cabinet, should he win the nomination and the presidency. The Justice Department could certainly use his insight.