Now it's Official: Edwards to run for president

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., became yesterday the third candidate to enter the 2008 presidential race - but not without a false start.

Edwards' campaign accidentally launched his presidential-campaign Web site a day early, pre-empting an orchestrated announcement planned for today in New Orleans.

The Web site was quickly taken down. But the news of Edwards' candidacy, which his campaign confirmed to the Winston-Salem Journal last night, was out.

Despite the online snafu, Edwards' run is no surprise.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and was chosen by the eventual nominee, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., as his vice presidential running mate.

Almost from the moment that the Kerry-Edwards campaign conceded the election to President Bush in November 2004, Edwards appeared to be gearing up for another run in 2008.

He has spent the last two years raising money, visiting key states that have early primaries and running his "One America Committee," which supports Democratic candidates and advocates for such causes as raising the minimum wage.

James Romoser
Winston-Salem Journal

What's the big deal about John Edwards? He was an insignificant senator and he was an insignificant vice-presidential nominee. It sounds like he wants to be president from the state of Louisiana.