Many Barack Obama supporters feel John Edwards' endorsement of their candidate is the final nail in the coffin of Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidential nomination.
"Thank God! We've all been waiting for this," writes Nick on the New York Times election blog. "Please bow out, Mrs Clinton, and let the party get ready for the general election."
Obama supporters hope Edwards' endorsement will win over the white working-class voters who have until now favoured Clinton in the primaries.
"Mr Edwards could potentially help Mr Obama with that group," writes another poster on the NYT. "A Southerner, he had directed his candidacy at the same white and working class voters Mr Obama is trying to woo."
GK, on the same blog, agrees that Edwards' endorsement is "truly a gift" and will give Obama "more success connecting with the white working class folks".
There is speculation about what Edwards might receive in return for his support. The Nation observes that political commentators thought Obama and Edwards "looked right together".
Jill Zuckman, the Chicago Tribune's political writer, told the magazine: "They looked fantastic together. They looked like a ticket."
But many blog posters think it might be odd for an unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate to take another shot at the office.
Robbie, at the New York Times, writes: "Some might look at it as strange for Edwards to be the VP candidate twice in a row. I wonder if that has ever happened before, after losing as a VP candidate."
Others think Edwards is more suited to the post of attorney general. "I personally think he could go a long way as our Attorney General in restoring Americans' lost civil liberties," writes another NYT blog poster.
But Obama supporters are not unequivocally welcoming of Edwards' backing, questioning why it has taken him so long to come off the fence.
"It's about time; no it's actually too late," says one. "He should have campaigned for him in W.Va, PA, etc. And he should have said something on the order of 'I'm John Edwards, and I'm white, and I support Obama'."
Andrew Romano, in Newsweek, agrees, saying Edwards has left it too late to make a difference. He writes:
If the former North Carolina senator had taken a real risk and sided with the Illinois senator back when someone not named "Barack Obama" had even the remotest chance of clinching the nomination - say, before Super Tuesday, or Ohio, or even Indiana - he might have helped his blue-collar base overcome its suspicions, vote for his chosen candidate and bring this interminable battle to an end.
Clinton supporters are unsurprisingly dismissive of Edwards' impact. Several point out that as vice-presidential candidate to John Kerry he was unable to deliver his own state for the Democrats.
Charles B Tiffany writes:
Wonderful news!!! At last America's first and foremost TV ad lawyer has bravely stood up and endorsed a man who has already been proclaimed victor. He couldn't deliver his own state for the doleful Kerry, yet his endorsement is trumpeted like the last Judgment.
