John Edwards, the Democrat candidate who dropped out of the US presidential race early this year, has thrown his support behind former rival Barack Obama. The long-awaited endorsement helped blunt the impact of Hillary Clinton's landslide 41-point win over Obama in West Virginia on Tuesday, a result that barely put a dent in Obama's lead in the Democratic race. Edwards, the 2004 vice-presidential nominee, had been heavily courted by both Obama and rival Clinton in the past few months. Houston Chronicle: Edwards gives Obama boost among working-class whites. Boston Herald: Lauding ‘bold leadership,’ Edwards backs Barack.