Edwards overshadowed by rivals

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- With a woman and an African American hogging the limelight for the Democratic presidential nod, John Edwards has been left shadows, it was reported.

The former North Carolina senator is running against Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama.

"Who could have imagined 20 years ago, 15 years ago, the white guy in the race would be the afterthought?" presidential historian Robert Dallek was quoted by The Washington Post as saying.

Edwards, the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee four years ago, finished third Saturday in his native state of South Carolina.

"He is a terrific candidate, the most gifted athlete on the field, but there's just not room," said one Edwards aide. "It's been very difficult to overcome the celebrity of the other two."

Nobody since President Richard Nixon on a national ticket has lost and come back to win, the Post reported.

"Once you lose, the image is of the loser," Dallek said. "With the media today, it's so difficult to overcome that now, especially at a time like this, when there is a real thirst for a departure from the recent past."