NEW ORLEANS - Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards ended his quest for the Democratic presidential nomination Wednesday, saying it was time to bow out "so that history can blaze its path."

Edwards, 54, had hoped to make history himself. He could not elbow past two better-financed and more famous candidates, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"We do not know who will take the final steps to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but what we do know is that our Democratic party will make history," Edwards said at a news conference in the Katrina-devastated Lower 9th Ward where he began his campaign in 2006. "We will be strong, we will be unified and with our convictions and a little backbone, we will take back the White House."

The departure of Edwards marks a low point in a remarkable political saga. In a little more than a decade, Edwards went from a successful but politically uninvolved Raleigh lawyer to a U.S. senator, a two-time presidential candidate, a vice presidential running mate and one of the most recognizable faces in American politics.

"It's pretty clear looking over past months that he did influence the Democratic message," said Democratic Rep. David Price of Chapel Hill. "He was the first out of the box with a strong universal health care proposal. And the focus on the economy and what the economy's doing to people, and the very poorest people especially. I think he pushed the others on the question of the war and how decisive a reversal-of-war policy the Democrats should stand for."

Despite influencing the debate, Edwards could not get as much traction as he did in his first presidential run, when he finished a surprising second in Iowa over several more established political figures before being selected to be on the national ticket as the vice presidential nominee.

"The simple explanation is he was up against two superstar candidates," said Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian at American University.

Edwards did not endorse either of his rivals Wednesday but said he obtained a pledge from both to focus on his signature issue of poverty.

Edwards campaign officials said they couldn't break the media's focus on Clinton and Obama.

"There was a split screen," said David "Mudcat" Saunders, a Democratic consultant who worked for Edwards. "On one side was Barack Obama and the other side was Hillary Clinton. The national media wanted an 'American Idol' campaign. It was a superstar mentality. If we were going to nominate a superstar, why not go ahead and nominate Bruce Springsteen?"

Edwards' strategy was to do well in the first four states and emerge as an alternative to Clinton. But Edwards, overshadowed by Obama, lost the contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and, last Saturday, in his native South Carolina.

The most damaging loss was in Iowa, where Edwards spent much time and money in an attempt to land an early win. Edwards never recovered from that loss, according to Tad Devine, the chief political consultant to Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign.

Reversal after family meeting

Edwards had vowed to soldier on to the Democratic convention in August, hoping that voters would get buyer's remorse with Clinton or Obama, or that he could play the role of kingmaker. But Edwards had a change of heart over the last several days.

After South Carolina, Edwards returned home to Orange County, where he had a family conference with his wife, Elizabeth, his closest adviser. The Edwardses announced last spring that Elizabeth's breast cancer had returned and that it was incurable but that they would continue with the campaign.

"Love for Elizabeth had a lot to do with it," said Saunders, who noted he was speaking for himself and not the campaign. "I think he wanted to be with his family."

As late as 11 am. on Tuesday, the Edwards campaign sent out an e-mail message to its finance team setting up a conference call for Wednesday. But later Tuesday, Edwards called Obama and Clinton suggesting that he was about to leave the race.

Some Edwards supporters privately had worried that a marathon insurgent campaign for delegates would marginalize him as a spokesman for issues in which he believes -- turning him into a figure of ridicule like former California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Edwards also had to realize that his delegate-hunt strategy would become more difficult, as voters increasingly saw the Democratic campaign as a two-person race.

"Ultimately, I think that is why Edwards got out," said Peter Francia, a political science professor at East Carolina University. "It makes little sense to stay in a race when you can't win delegates."

No endorsement -- yet

Attention is now likely to focus on whether Edwards makes an endorsement.

"He has to make a decision before February 5th," Francia said. "If somebody scores a knockout punch, then an endorsement is not going to mean anything. The opportunity for him to have the biggest impact is between now and February 5th."

Edwards has been closer to Obama, with both articulating the need for sweeping change in Washington.

"John and Elizabeth believe deeply in the two Americas -- that the two Americas can become one," Obama said during a speech in Colorado. "Their campaign has ended, but this cause lives on for all of us who believe that we can achieve one America."

Edwards has said Clinton represents old-style, insider Washington politics. But Edwards split the white vote in South Carolina with Clinton, so his exit could also benefit her.

Clinton, campaigning in Alabama, said she admired what Edwards did "to make sure that poverty was on the agenda here in America. He encouraged all of us in his passion and advocacy, and I hope he will continue that work because it is really important that we stay focused on what we're going to do to help people."

Edwards has 26 delegates that he's earned through primaries and caucuses, all of whom remain pledged to him until the convention. That's because Edwards didn't officially withdraw from the campaign -- he just suspended his candidacy. Campaign officials said they did that, though, for financial reasons.

Delegates wait for word

Under Democratic party rules, delegates are always free to vote for anyone they favor at the convention, but that doesn't mean they will do so without Edwards' blessing. Many may wait for a signal from him before turning elsewhere with their votes.

There is another level of delegates called superdelegates, who are elected officials and other party leaders. They are free agents and can support anyone they like, operating outside the primary and caucus system.

It didn't take long for the Obama and Clinton campaigns to move in on Edwards' superdelegates. U.S. Rep. Brad Miller's cell phone buzzed about 10 a.m. Wednesday with a call from a congressman who supports Obama, saying the Illinois senator would be interested in speaking with Miller next week.

Obama's and Clinton's campaigns also put in calls to Price -- and presumably to other Edwards supporters as well.

Both Triangle congressmen said they haven't made a decision on whom to back now that Edwards is out of the race.

After the announcement, Edwards walked a few yards to help nail siding onto a house in Musicians Village, a grid of new homes being built by Habitat for Humanity mostly for musicians displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Edwards made the construction work a family effort. Elizabeth Edwards helped measure and their son, Jack, slipped small pieces of water sealant paper behind the seams. Edwards did the hammering.

Peter Weidmann, a 38-year-old carpenter from Baltimore, was one of the volunteers working with the Edwardses. He appreciated that Edwards received pledges from Obama and Clinton to focus on poverty.

"He's a unifier," Weidmann said. "We're sorry he didn't make it all the way."