Edwards Throws Support to Obama

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Edwards Endorses Obama

Democrat John Edwards is endorsing former rival Barack Obama, fresh signs of the party establishment embracing the likely nominee even as Hillary Clinton refuses to give up her long-shot candidacy.

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In Macomb County, long associated with "Reagan Democrats" who left their party in the 1980s to vote for a Republican whose values they shared, Obama recalled McCain's widely reported comment in January that many Michigan manufacturing jobs are gone forever.

"He was right," Obama said. "We can't bring back every single job. But where he was wrong was in suggesting that there's nothing we can do to replace those jobs or create new ones. Where he was wrong was not offering policies and new solutions than what George Bush has been offering over the last 7 1/2 years. That's essentially giving up. That's not what this country is all about."

Obama, who is counting on increased support from labor unions, expressed solidarity Wednesday with striking workers at nearby American Axle and criticized the Bush administration as being anti-labor. Aides made sure that members of the Teamsters, United Food Workers and garment workers unions were on stage behind him.

Obama told reporters on his Chicago-bound campaign plane that Edwards can be "extremely helpful to us campaigning in every demographic," but he noted that he has particular credibility on "issues of poverty and the plight of working people."

"Hopefully his endorsement will help some of those supporters who haven't already joined my campaign take a look at my campaign," Obama said. "We'll take any help that he can give us."

Staff writers Dan Balz and Anne E. Kornblut in Washington contributed to this report.