WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Former Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Sunday that he thinks Barack Obama will be the party's presidential nominee and that Hillary Rodham Clinton must be careful not to damage the party's prospects in November as she continues her campaign.

"I know how hard it is to get up and go out there every day, speak to the media, speak to crowds, when people are urging you to get out of the race. I mean, it's a very hard place to be in. But she's shown a lot of strength about that," said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who exited the race in January.

"But I think the one thing that she has to be careful about ... going forward, is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall," he said in a taped interview broadcast on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Clinton says she's staying in the race despite losing to Obama by a wide margin in North Carolina and barely winning in Indiana, which helped cement his status as the front-runner. She touts her overall electability in a general election and, pointing to demographics, recently told USA Today in an interview:

"There was just an AP article posted that found how Senator Obama's support among working - hardworking Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how the, you know, whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

Some accused Clinton of reintroducing race into the campaign. Edwards seemed to give her a pass.

"She's in a very tough, very competitive race that's been going on a long, long time. And you know, she didn't probably - I'm sure she feels like she didn't choose her words very well there," he said.

"What I think is, at the end of the day, when this is over - and I think it is likely, certainly, at this point, that Senator Obama will be the nominee - that the Democrats will unite. We'll all be behind our nominee. And we'll be out there campaigning our hearts out," Edwards said.

David Axelrod, Obama's chief campaign strategist, disputed Clinton's assertion.

Axelrod said Obama and Clinton split Indiana voters who make $50,000 a year or less, and that Obama performed better among non-college-educated voters there. He said the same was true in North Carolina. Both states voted last week.

"The words weren't well chosen, but the thesis was wrong," Axelrod said on "Fox News Sunday.

Edwards, meanwhile, said he "might" still endorse a candidate, but "I don't think it's a big deal, to be honest with you."

Comments from Examiner Readers

10:33 PM MST on Sun., May. 11, 2008 re: "Edwards: Clinton didn't choose words well on race"

johnn said:
clinton did not choose her words well because that is how politicians like her and martin omalley really feel,white folks have a tendency to express how they really feel about blacks when they are drinking or angry,thats when you find out if your white friends are friends or undercover racist...its a fact ask anyone black,no one white will admit it..look at some of the commentatiors on hannady,o,relley factor,tucker look at how angry they are at obama for beating hillary,you can hear it in there voice,see it in there look, they hate obama just because he is a black man who wants what they have been getting all there lives

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6:32 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 31, 2008 re: "Edwards Exits Presidential Race"

avid reader said:
He would be a good running mate for Mrs. Clinton.

52 agree | 44 disagree
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3:32 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards Exits Presidential Race"

Examiner Reader said:
Why would someone on "a small farmer's income" have 6 kids? Some reproductive responsibility would go a long way there and for others who can't responsibly afford to raise a large number of children. And what's wrong with working ones' way through college, even as a "truck driver"? Hard work and a good work ethic are as valuable as a college education. Personal responsibility goes a long, long way toward lifting people out of low income situations and into rewarding careers. Whining for handouts and endless entitlement programs has never brought success and prosperity to anyone. One look at Detroit and New Orleans should illustrate the net result of government dependance and low expectations. There are generations of families in those and other areas who have been conditioned to the "welfare" lifestyle. Bashing those who have worked hard and succeeded won't change that mindset. Democrats promise more of the same.

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1:15 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards Suspends Presidential Campaign"

class subconscious said:
The reader at 2:53 said that he is playing the "class card". I agree that he was being very divisive as to class, but no candidate except him has had the honesty to speak directly to class differences in the United States. The life of the MBA framing, dolce and gabbana wearing, saab driving class really has little idea what it is like to raise 6 kids on a small farmer's income or work your way through college as a truck driver. There really are millions of Americans who will never own their own car much less their own condo at the beach. Hopefully, one of the two who are left will stop addressing the "middle class" as if those are the only people that matter.

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11:54 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards Suspends Presidential Campaign"

Examiner Reader said:
Clinton or Obama? The lesser evil? I'm moving to Canada if either goes to the White House. Obama is running on a platform of 'change' but reality is he has a voting record that is nearly identical to Clinton. Both keep promising all these great things to everyone, universal health care etc. But who's going to pay for it? Answers, all the working class people who can't afford it now.

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11:16 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Mike said:
Now Edwards is free again to do what he really loves. Suing HMOs, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and any corporation he happens to be driving past while chasing an ambulance. He can do more damage this way than as President.

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10:14 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Examiner Reader said:
with his money,he had to be crazy to want to be pres of this country. id move to canada and tell everyone to go to hell.

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9:30 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Examiner Reader said:
Has anyone considered that the reason why so many people are without health coverage is because sharks like Edwards have shaken companies down through lawsuits? So, now these companies can't afford to provide benefits to their employees because they've had to pay off the 'victims' and the lawyers?

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8:17 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "John Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Examiner Reader said:
Now John can go home to a cardboard box....oyeah he isn't poor. He is one of those greedy corporations. Good bye and hopefully he doesn't start campaining tomorrow for his next presidential race.

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7:29 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "John Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Examiner Reader said:
Draft Joe Lieberman!!!!

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7:10 AM MST on Wed., Jan. 30, 2008 re: "John Edwards to Quit Presidential Race"

Joe said:
Now, if only Hillary and Obama would drop out.

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12:40 PM MST on Mon., Dec. 17, 2007 re: "Edwards Offers Middle-Class Pitch"

Larry said:
So what is his solution? He's going to take their money away in higher taxes. What a unique idea, too bad it doesn't work. So John, when you take more of their money, will they hire more people or fire people? Taking money from people is not leading, we need brighter people running. Stand down John, you aren't qualified.

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2:53 PM MST on Sun., Dec. 16, 2007 re: "Edwards Offers Middle-Class Pitch"

Examiner Reader said:
This man is really strange. To make the corporations the enemy of the people of the US is playing the class card. Most corporations do try to do the best they can, not all, they all can do better. But to lump them ALL as an enemy is wrong. He seems to hate everyone but the guy in the mirror. Edwards is one of the wealthy he talks about, has he released any tax returns? Not just recent ones, but the older ones, before he started his political life. They could be telling. His home is 28,000 plus square feet. Please Mr. Edwards stop being such a hypocrite

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12:57 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "Edwards Says His Message Is Clear"

J.A.G said:
Issues, Please Issues! I will vote for the one who sticks to the issues and not bashing other canadates. Who cares what the others do? Just tell me what you would do as president.

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8:34 AM MST on Sun., Oct. 28, 2007 re: "Edwards: 2-Year Ban on New Drug Ads"

examiner critic said:
Fact: This is how some Kaiser doctors get updated. Since Kaiser has centralized buying, very few know of the latest drugs unless they are one from Kaiser's contracted suppliers.

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1:03 AM MST on Wed., Oct. 10, 2007 re: "Edwards Courts Oregon Union Members"

Examiner Reader said:
John Edwards is the rare presidential candidate in U.S. history - advocating for the working poor and middle class. Very rare - and we've been waiting for him 40 years. John Edwards will be a great President!

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