GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) _ A person close to John Edwards says the former presidential hopeful endorsed Barack Obama in an effort
to unify Democrats.

Edwards made the endorsement Wednesday at a rousing campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The carefully timed plug steals the
thunder from Hillary Clinton the day after she trounced Obama in
West Virginia.

Edwards, who received a thunderous ovation when Obama introduced
him to the crowd of several thousand, said party unity is needed to
defeat John McCain. Edwards told the jubilant Obama supporters
``the Democratic voters have made their choice and so have I.''

In a further bid for party unity, Edwards saluted Clinton, saying she's ``a woman who is made of steel'' and ``we are a stronger party'' because of her work.

A Clinton campaign spokesman says the race remains ``far from
over.''

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)