The ongoing effort to make New Orleans whole featured prominently in former Senator John Edwards' announcement to drop out of the Democratic presidential primary on Wednesday.

"It's fitting and appropriate that he ends his campaign here,” said Anne Milling, founder of Women of the Storm. “It's sad, but again he's spotlighting new orleans and the devastation and the challenges we face.”

Milling said the city needs the attention coming from both the Edwards announcement and President Bush's decision for New Orleans to host a North American leaders’ summit in April.

“I think this is a real boost psychologically for the city of New Orleans and economically, as we said. I'm just thrilled they're doing this," Milling said.

Speaking to Eyewitness News, Edwards said he could think of no better place to help shine the national spotlight.

"I think New Orleans represents—in so many ways—both what's wrong and what's possible," he said.

Despite his decision to drop out of the presidential race, Edwards said he intends to keep New Orleans in the spotlight, as much as he can.

This comes just a few months after a bipartisan committee said New Orleans would not host a presidential debate, because the city was not ready. Dr. Edward Blakely, the city’s Recovery Director, said that assumption was simply not true.

“It shows we could have held the presidential debates here. We're holding the NBA All-Star Game, three championship football games – no incidents. This is a great city," Blakely said.

According to Blakely, the upcoming international summit involving the U.S., Canada and Mexico could provide a huge boost for the Port of New Orleans, because part of the summit will deal with international trade and the economy.

Clancy DuBos, Eyewitness News political analyst, said 2008 could be shaping up to be a major year for focus on the city, with the potential for more presidential candidates to visit and international events like the summit, Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.

“In some ways, it gives the world a chance to take our pulse and it even gives ourselves a chance to take our pulse, as a city, as a community,” DuBos said.

But with Edwards out of the race, one question lingers: will any of the remaining presidential candidates choose to make New Orleans their cause?