[Nehkara]

John Edwards Quitting Presidential Race

Story Highlights
-NEW: Sen. Barack Obama praises former Sen. John Edwards
-Edwards set to announce decision Wednesday, sources say
-Edwards has trailed Sens. Hillary Clinton, Obama in early primaries
-Edwards won't give immediate endorsement to Clinton or Obama, sources say

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

A top Edwards aide said the former senator contacted Obama and Clinton on Tuesday, telling them he was considering dropping out of the race and asking them to make poverty a top issue of their campaigns and -- if either reaches the White House -- a central part of their administration.

Both candidates agreed, the aide said.

Reacting to the expected announcement, Obama praised Edwards.

"At a time when our politics is too focused on who's up and who's down, he made a nation focus again on who matters -- the New Orleans child without a home, the West Virginia miner without a job, the families who live in that other America that is not seen or heard or talked about by our leaders in Washington," Obama said Wednesday.

With the Kennedy endorsement and the Jimmy Carter pseudoendorsement I was kind of hoping Edwards would endorse Obama as well but I guess he is staying neutral for now. Perhaps trying to set himself up as a running mate for whomever wins the nomination?