Former Senator John Edwards takes major step towards running for U.S. president

December 5, 2006 Former North Carolina Senator and Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate John Edwards took a major step in declaring candidacy for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election by naming former congressman David Bonior his campaign manager. David Bonior has close ties with labor organizations, something Edwards can relate to because he represented many labor unions during his career as a lawyer.

Bonior represented Detroit's northern suburbs for 26 years in the House, rising to be the No. 2 Democrat before stepping down in 2002 for an unsuccessful campaign for Michigan governor.

Since leaving Congress, Bonior has been a professor of labor studies at Detroit's Wayne State University and chairman of American Rights at Work, which promotes employees' rights to unionize.

Bonior is currently the chair of American Rights at Work.