Idaho Examiner: Superdelegates facing the heat as it gets near to choosing between Clinton and Obama"Common Sense News"

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US Elections

Superdelegates facing the heat as it gets near to choosing between Clinton and Obama

Posted on: May 03, 2008

With Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton or Senator Barack Obama, neither of them having adequate pledged delegates to secure the nomination, its getting harder for the remaining 284 superdelegates to swing their support to either of the two Democrats who will face Senator John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee.

Out of 2,025 delegates, Obama has 1,736.5-1,602.5 delegates backing him up including superdelegates. But in superdelegates lead, Clinton is leading the race by 20 and is also constantly gaining the new voters. So far 516 superdelegates out of a total of 800 have showed their allegiance to both the candidates with Clinton leading Obama by 268-248.

Clinton is ahead in commitments from area superdelegates, but several delegates said they have yet to decide or consider the switching. Pressure is getting bigger on the 67 Democratic superdelegates from Maryland and Virginia to decide between Obama and Clinton in the most intense presidential nomination fight in a generation.

Sen. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as well as their official surrogates and rank-and-file supporters, are fighting for every superdelegate vote, launching aggressive campaigns across the region to sway the outcome at the convention in August in Denver.

The constituents are troubling the superdelegates from Virginia and Maryland in grocery stores, and some have been intimidating with retribution if they vote for one or the other.

Many superdelegates dread the personal phone calls from Obama or Clinton and their surrogates. Across the country similar scenes are playing out, but the efforts to influence superdelegates are particularly concentrated in the Washington region.

In the District, Mrs. Clinton is supported by 10 of the 24 superdelegates, who are long time Clinton loyalists whereas Obama is backed by many of the superdelegates with local ties.

Out of the 27 superdelegates in Maryland, nine are in support to Clinton, which includes Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, and of the 16 superdelegates in Virginia, six are in support to Clinton.

Her superdelegate support in Virginia includes Del. Lionell Spruill Sr. (D-Chesapeake), who, like McClellan, is African-American and unsure whether he will stick with Clinton.

The pressure being put on African-American superdelegates, who support Clinton. Thirteen stay publicly neutral in Maryland, as do six in Virginia, which includes Sen. James Webb and C. Richard Cranwell, state party chairman. Many of the region’s uncommitted superdelegates said they are in no rush to make up their minds.