Edwards drops out of presidential race

Former Sen. John Edwards is dropping out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, CNN has learned.

Edwards has told top advisers about his decision. It is expected he will announce it at a speech in New Orleans, Louisiana, at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Edwards had amassed 26 delegates in the race for the Democratic nomination.

New Orleans is the same city in which Edwards declared his run to be the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee.

Edwards' campaign Web site said he was to deliver an address on poverty and work on a Habitat for Humanity project in New Orleans on Wednesday.

Edwards has trailed former first lady Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the early primaries, including a third-place finish in Tuesday's Florida primary, with 14 percent of the votes. He also came in third in key races in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

An Edwards aide said that he does not plan to endorse either Clinton or Obama, at this time, but he may do so in the future.

Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.

Commenting on his New Orleans trip on Tuesday, Edwards said the city symbolized why he chose to run for president.

"It's a living, breathing example of the heart of my message, what I'm talking about," Edwards said. "I mean it's the failure of government to be there when people need it. It's a perfect indication of the conditions of poverty that exist in America."

In a reaction to President Bush's State of the Union address Monday, Edwards said, "The truth is that Washington is out of touch with what's happening across the country. Between now and January of 2009, Democrats must stand up to this president, stand up for what's right, so he does not continue to forget about the middle class in this country."

One Edwards aide said he is not dropping out of the race due to his wife's health. Elizabeth Edwards announced last year that her breast cancer had returned.

Edwards was John Kerry's running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2004.

Ambulance chasing baby whisperer...IOW, a pathetic piece of [censored].

And with that this diehard democrat is voting for John McCain. If he's not the republican nominee I'm voting for a 3rd party. The democrats are officialy the most retarded politcal party in the history of the world. Run Edwards and you win in a landslide, now moderate democrats like myself are going to vote republican.

I believe the Dem nominee still wins.

If anyone cares about their economy and fixing the mess the country is currently in, the dems better win. No one wanted Edwards tho.

Economy is the entire reason I vote democrat but there is no way I can find it in my heart to go in there and vote for Clinton or Obama. Before I came to college I was a diehard democrat, everyday I'm up here I become more and more conservative. I'm just getting tired of being told how to believe/think shoved down my throat. Liberals views on Christianity are riduclous as well, and the homosexuality issue is getting overblown. I personally could care less what two people do, straight, bisexual,and homosexual do when they are home but I don't want to see any of them getting all up in each others grill in public. I really think the minority in this country for the most part is getting an evergrowing voice (which intended as a good thing) as grown at such a disportionate rate that it's getting out of hand. You don't see me getting all up in arms over the lack of whites in certain fields. If minorities are left out of anything sports, government, etc they cry and get special treatment. The minority hiring rule in the NFL is a joke, that would be the same as telling every NBA team they need to have one White American on each team. I'm off my soap box now.

Folks voting for a certain 3rd party candidate is part of the reason we are in the shape we are in right now cuz it took votes away that could have kept Bush out of office the first go around. You don't have to identify with either party or their beliefs to vote what is in your individual best interest.

What if that 3rd party is in your individual best interest?

Women`s rights activist are going to vote for Hilary, Most African Americans are going to vote for Obama, whether they agree with their views or not. Democrats are going to bash every Republican president that is in office as as well as the other way around. This will always go on, this political forum will light up with whining no matter the state of America.

I just want someone who is even considering voting for Hilary Clinton to please justify themselves, without using the "She ran America when Bill was in office" BS.

IMO, it's in a person's best interest to not throw away their vote on a candidate that has no chance to win..but instead to vote for the person who has a realistic chance that best serves your individual interest..and if that doesn't make a difference, vote for who is best for the country as a whole.