John Edwards to endorse Obama in White House race

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan (Reuters) - Former Democratic U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama's White House bid on Wednesday, a campaign spokeswoman said, giving a big boost to the Illinois senator in his effort to rally the party around his candidacy.

Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee, dropped out of the Democratic race in January and was heavily courted by both Obama and rival Hillary Clinton in the past few months. He will make the endorsement at a Grand Rapids rally.

(To read more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at http:/blogs.reuters.com/trail08/ )