Obama Gains in Party's Top Ranks: Superdelegate warnings unfounded

[DeepModem Mom]

WSJ: Obama Gains in Party's Top Ranks
Candidate Wrests Lead From Clinton In Superdelegates
By JACKIE CALMES
May 12, 2008; Page A4

Barack Obama's new edge in endorsements from Democratic leaders not only signals the party's establishment is solidifying behind him, but also could allay concerns among party liberals and his supporters that these superdelegates might throw the presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton.

Several commitments over the weekend gave Sen. Obama 276 superdelegates, by his campaign's count. For the first time, that put him in the lead over Sen. Clinton among the governors, lawmakers and party officers who are free to vote for the nomination of anyone they choose at the Democratic convention in late August. Sen. Clinton has 274.5 superdelegates, her campaign says. Delegates from U.S. territories have half-votes.

Sen. Obama is within 155 of the total 2,025 delegates needed for the nomination. Fewer than 500 of them remain up for grabs. That includes about 250 uncommitted superdelegates and 217 pledged delegates yet to be won in the final six primaries through June 3, starting Tuesday with West Virginia.

For months, as Sen. Obama has led in the pledged delegates won in about four dozen primaries and caucuses, liberal bloggers and groups including MoveOn.org have mobilized readers and members with warnings that superdelegates might well "overturn the will of the voters," as some put it, to nominate Sen. Clinton. Sen. Obama and his backers on occasion stoked those fears.

Yet all the while, the evidence suggested uncommitted superdelegates were in fact following the election returns -- and tilting toward the Illinois senator. Pledged delegates account for about 80% of the convention votes. Because the two Democratic rivals have split pledged delegates so closely, neither can get a nominating majority with the few of them remaining, so the superdelegates will effectively decide the nominee....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121055228857183921.html