WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, touted as a possible Democratic presidential hopeful in 2008, announced Thursday that he has has decided against seeking the White House. In a statement to supporters, Warner, 52, said, "I want to have a real
life."

"While the chance may never come again, I shouldn't move forward unless I'm willing to put everything else in my life on the back burner," he said. Warner had been considered an alternative to a potential Democratic presidential bid by New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. But a Democratic source close to Warner told CNN that the former governor "wasn't up for the personal commitment of running."

And a veteran Democratic operative who was advising him said Warner is "an all-or-nothing guy, and over the past month or so, has just come to the decision no."

The operative said Warner had planned to make a decision after the November midterm elections or in early 2007. But since the decision came earlier, he said, Warner did not want to ask backers to commit money or political support to a race he won't run.

"He had as good a year as anyone exploring -- good demand for him on the stump, the money was fine," the adviser said. "By any objective yardstick, he was doing just fine positioning himself." But he added, "He just didn't burn for it, and decided not to do it."

http://www.forwardtogetherpac.com/

-- CNN's Chief National Correspondent John King, Congressional
Correspondent Dana Bash and Political Editor Mark Preston contributed
to this report.