Democrat presidential hopeful John Edwards has bowed out of the race for White House after his dismal performance in most of the nominating contests dominated by front-runners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
The ex-Senator and former vice presidential candidate announced the end of his campaign for the presidential polls at a rally on Wednesday in New Orleans, where he began it 13 months ago.
It was time to step aside 'so that history can blaze its path' in a campaign now left to Hillary and Obama, he said, adding, "With our convictions and a little backbone we will take back the White House in November" from the Republicans.
The 54-year-old did not endorse either Hillary or Obama.
Edwards said Clinton and Obama had both pledged that 'they will make ending poverty central to their campaign for the presidency.'
"This is the cause of my life and I now have their commitment to engage in this cause," Edwards, flanked by wife Elizabeth and three children, said.
With the campaigns of the two front-runners going full steam ahead of the 'Super Duper Tuesday' of February 5 where nearly two dozen states are in play to spell their choice for the Democrat presidential candidate, Edwards had to take a close look as to where his White House bid is heading.
In the first-voting state of Iowa, Edwards came second to Obama and secured third position in rest of the early nominating contests, including the South Carolina primary last week, a big blow in a state where he was born and had won in 2004 during his vice-presidential bid.
The former North Carolina Senator campaigned as a champion of the middle class. His political critics have been attacking him over his construction of a palatial house and his work for a hedge fund that advises only the super-rich.
Edwards, who started his campaign 13 months ago, offered several innovative ideas including a plan for universal health care in the country. He was also the first to call on the Congress to reduce funding for the Iraq war.
He suffered a setback on the family front last March when his wife Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. In a press conference, they had announced that the cancer that she thought she had beaten had returned, but they would continue Edwards' presidential campaign.
Edwards was on Al Gore's short list for vice president in 2000. He ran for President in 2004, and after he lost to John Kerry, the nominee picked him as a running mate.
