WASHINGTON, 31 January 2008 — In a stunning decision yesterday, John Edwards dropped out of the Democratic White House race transforming it into a straight fight between bitter rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
On the Republican side, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was also expected to quit in favor of endorsing long-time pal John McCain after failing to make an impact with his campaign.
Edwards’ decision to abandon his second quest for the presidency after a slew of poor performances, leaves the field clear for Clinton and Obama to battle it out for the party’s nomination.
“Yes, I can confirm that,” said Edwards’ campaign spokeswoman Colleen Murray, when asked about reports that the multimillionaire was pulling out of the race to stand in November’s presidential elections.
Murray said Edwards, who had stood as the champion of the middle classes, would announce his exit from the race in New Orleans, the flood-ravaged city where he formally launched his campaign in late 2006.
Despite coming a respectable second to Obama in the very first vote in Iowa early this month, Edwards, 54, whose wife Elizabeth has incurable cancer, has failed to shine since, limping in third in all the other primaries so far.
He even admitted to getting his “butt kicked” in Nevada, where Hillary, 60, triumphed adding to her victories in New Hampshire and Michigan.
A hefty defeat in Florida late Tuesday proved to be the final blow for Edwards.
