A person close to John Edwards says the former presidential hopeful endorsed Barack Obama in an effort to unify Democrats.

Edwards made the endorsement Wednesday at a rousing campaign event in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The carefully timed plug steals the thunder from Hillary Clinton the day after she trounced Obama in West Virginia.

Edwards, who received a thunderous ovation when Obama introduced him to the crowd of several thousand, said party unity is needed to defeat John McCain. Edwards told the jubilant Obama supporters "the Democratic voters have made their choice and so have I."

In a further bid for party unity, Edwards saluted Clinton, saying she's "a woman who is made of steel" and "we are a stronger party" because of her work.

A Clinton campaign spokesman says the race remains "far from over."