Edwards campaign manager backs Obama

John Edwards is still stubbornly neutral in the Democratic race. But his former national campaign chairman is endorsing Barack Obama today after his sweeping victory in North Carolina.

David Bonior is also a former congressman from Michigan, a key swing state in the fall.

"John Edwards ran a campaign focused on fulfilling a promise to America’s working families that they could once again trust their leaders to put them first. As I look at the presidential race as it stands today, I see one candidate who has proven he can bring the kind of change to Washington that will mean more jobs, better pay for American workers, and health care for every single American. That candidate is Barack Obama," Bonior said in a statement issued by the Obama campaign.

"Tuesday was a critical moment in this race. Because Barack Obama continues to run a positive campaign that focuses on the issues that matter to ordinary Americans, he has won a commanding lead in this race, and I believe he can and will defeat John McCain in November. Now is the time to unite behind Barack Obama so we can end business-as-usual in Washington and fulfill our moral obligation to America’s hardworking families."