7 Edwards delegates back Obama

COLUMBIA — Seven South Carolina delegates once committed to former presidential candidate John Edwards are now endorsing Sen. Barack Obama.

The former North Carolina senator won eight delegates with a distant third-place finish in South Carolina's primary in January and decided to leave the race.

On Friday, Marilyn Hemingway and Christine Bond confirmed they've joined five other delegates supporting Obama.

"What I hope comes out of it is unity for the Democratic Party and unity for the country as it goes on beyond November," said John Moylan, former chairman of Edwards' campaign here. "It's time for all of us to come together."

Robert Groce, a delegate from Summerville, said Thursday that he thinks it was "a moral obligation" to vote for Edwards' choice. Delegate Daniel Boan of Camden told The Associated Press he would vote for and support Obama and echoed delegate Lauren Bilton of Columbia, another new Obama backer, when she said she'd like to see Edwards in an Obama administration. Mike Evatt, of Seneca, said he trusts Edwards' judgment and will now back Obama.

Moylan said other commitments for Obama include Susan Smith of Pawleys Island, who told the AP in an e-mail Wednesday that she would follow Moylan's wishes as a delegate.

The remaining delegate, Tim Moore of Barnwell, said he is not yet ready to commit to anyone other than Edwards.

The delegate support comes after Edwards publicly endorsed Obama this week. The Illinois senator is considered the front-runner in the Democratic race for president, ahead of rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.