"He’s Staying in Campaign, Edwards Tells Supporters"

NY Times:

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Reminding voters that less than one week ago he took second in the Iowa caucuses, John Edwards said Tuesday night that he would continue his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, despite his distant third-place showing in the New Hampshire primary.

Speaking to supporters gathered in an old textile mill here, Mr. Edwards repeated his determination to stay in the race.

“Last week I congratulated Senator Obama when he finished first and I finished second in Iowa — one race down,” Mr. Edwards said. “Tonight, I congratulate Senator Clinton and Senator Obama. Two races down; 48 states left to go.”

Elizabeth Edwards, introducing her husband, sounded disappointed but tried to project an upbeat tone. “This day, we have taken steps,” Mrs. Edwards said. “Not as big of steps as we wanted.”

Mr. Edwards has set his sights on the Jan. 26 Democratic primary in South Carolina, the state where he was born and where he won the primary in 2004. On Wednesday morning, he plans to fly to Liberty, S.C., for two days of campaigning, starting with a noon rally at Clemson University and continuing on to Charleston.

Advisers to the campaign said Mrs. Clinton’s victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday proved that Mr. Obama was vulnerable.

“We’re not going anywhere,” said Joe Trippi, an senior adviser to Mr. Edwards. “We’re going to have three candidates who are rolling it through all 50 states.”

Many of Mr. Edwards’s supporters, hopeful that he could win states in the South, said they believed he should stay in and compete there.

“No way should he get out of the race,” said Tony Giunta, a retired auto worker, shaking his head for emphasis. “Once he hits the South, the tables are turned. I think he’ll take all the Southern states.”