Once again via Dave Pigeon, who seems to be getting there a step before me (hardly a surprise; he’s thinner) - John Edwards is endorsing Barack Obama:

Edwards, who received a thunderous ovation when Obama introduced him to a crowd of several thousand, said, “brothers and sisters, we must come together as Democrats” to defeat McCain. “We are here tonight because the Democratic voters have made their choice, and so have I.”

He said Obama “stands with me” in a fight to cut poverty in half within 10 years.

Edwards also praised Clinton, saying “we are a stronger party” because of her involvement, and “we’re going to have a stronger nominee in the fall because of her work.”

He said Clinton is a “woman who is made of steel. She is a leader in this country not because of her husband but because of what she has done.”

Well, and that’s both appropriate and correct. Hillary has incurred a lot of ire, I think, via her refusal to give up the ghost; but if in fact the nominee is Obama, even if she’s not on the ticket she will, I think, be true to her word; back the nominee, and the party.

But it seems pretty clear - as it has - that Obama is the nominee. Edwards’ endorsement is key; it’s been a prized thing all along. He did it with class, deference to both sides. And this is obviously going to be a factor in terms of superdelegates; their defection will accelerate, I suspect. It is time, they’ll agree, for the party to unite around Obama. I suspect even Hillary will acknowledge that long before we get to June.