Superdelegate Watch

Hillary Clinton pledged today to fight on despite yesterday's disappointing primary results; she “refused … to withdraw,” the AP reports, despite tough questioning at a news conference. Clinton said she wasn’t going anywhere “until there’s a nominee,” even if it means waiting for Democratic National Committee bodies (the first meets May 30) to rule on outlaw Florida and Michigan delegates. More »

Top Hillary Clinton backer and former Democratic nominee George McGovern is switching his endorsement to Barack Obama—and urging Hillary to step aside, the AP reports. McGovern said it was now all but impossible for Clinton to prevail; the party’s choice in 1972, he said he would call Bill to relay the news. More »

On the flight home from his North Carolina victory last night, Barack Obama’s top adviser signaled that the next phase of the race has begun: “I don’t think we are going to spend our time solely in primary states.” Confirming a reporter’s interpretation that the candidate would be moving on to general-election territory, he added, “We are not going to take anything for granted. But we are also going to spend time addressing broader issues.” More »

Undeclared Democratic superdelegates who are also members of Congress are under especially great pressure, reports the LA Times: The popularity of their chosen candidate could affect their re-election chances. In swing districts, "somebody unpopular at the top of the ticket can actually cost you votes," says a political science professor. More »

Two of five Hillary Clinton superdelegates who spoke at a California state event said they’d consider switching to Barack Obama if the frontrunner holds his lead through the next month. While not earth-shattering, the development should be wrenching for Clinton, the Los Angeles Times say, as it showcases concerns about drawing out the primary fight too long. More »

The Indianapolis Star endorsed Hillary Clinton today, saying that even though Barack Obama “offers an attractive vision for the way things could be,” the former first lady “offers a clear-eyed view of the way things are.” Four days ahead of Indiana' primary, the state's largest newspaper praised Obama but worried that his “inexperience in high office is a liability.” It was more impressed with Clinton’s “remarkable” depth of knowledge. More »

With three endorsements yesterday, Barack Obama has caught up to Hillary Clinton among Congress' superdelegates; in a race Clinton once dominated, the Democrats have each been endorsed by 97. In a positive sign for Obama, many of his recent converts have come from Republican-leaning constituencies—though swing-staters say they're no longer sure Obama would be a less divisive general-election candidate than Clinton. More »

Joe Andrew, a superdelegate and the Democratic Party chair during Bill Clinton's presidency, has switched his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, reports the AP. Andrew had endorsed Hillary on the day she announced her candidacy, but in a lengthy letter to other superdelegates he says they must rally behind Obama to "heal the rift in our party." More »

Most of the 80 unpledged Dem superdelegates in Congress have privately chosen a candidate, and one of Barack Obama’s key Senate surrogates claims most have swung his way, Politico reports. It’s “a matter of timing,” Missouri's Claire McCaskill said. “They would like someone else to act for them before they talk about it in the cold light of day.” More »

Barack Obama's angry break with his former pastor marks a dramatic change in tone for the Democratic hopeful—and the party's superdelegates are paying close attention, the New York Times reports. Obama's forceful handling of the furor has impressed many but the revival of thorny racial issues ahead of next week's primaries is causing some to fret. More »

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley will back Hillary Clinton before next week's key primary, sources tell CNN. The move may give her a boost in a state where she last lagged Barack Obama by double digits. As a superdelegate, Easely also adds one to Clinton's delegate tally—but Obama added one today too with the endorsement of New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman. More »

Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Howard Dean plan to coordinate demands that uncommitted Democratic superdelegates endorse a candidate—and well before August's convention. Senate Majority Leader Reid said yesterday that “this matter will be over no later than July 1,” Congressional Quarterly reports. House Speaker Pelosi added that the party's nominee needs to start the general-election battle before August. More »

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry endorsed Barack Obama yesterday, saying the Illinois senator was the only one who could “transcend partisan games.” Henry is the third Oklahoma superdelegate to back Obama, the Tulsa World reports, bucking the results of the state’s Feb. 5 primary—which Hillary Clinton won 54-31%. Clinton has just one Oklahoma superdelegate, while six remain uncommitted. More »

As more longtime Clintonites succumb to Obamania and Hillary Clinton's superdelegate lead gradually diminishes, the former first couple is left to sift their friendships into past and present. But while the Clinton camp sees shifts toward Barack Obama as acts of betrayal, others consider them comeuppance for the Clintons' habit of collecting political allies and taking them for granted, reports the New York Times . More »

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama face off in Pennsylvania next Tuesday not only for 158 pledged delegates, but also for seven undeclared superdelegates, many of whom are awaiting the outcome of the primary. Fourteen Pennsylvania superdelegates have sided with Clinton and five with Obama, the Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice reports. The others may be waiting for state or district results before showing their cards. More »

Indiana is poised to become a major battleground in the Democratic presidential race, but Indiana’s Democratic House representatives look like they’re ducking the firefight. Four of the five are in their first terms, seemingly unwilling to risk angering party brass or alienating voters. Indiana’s contest looks incredibly close, Politico reports, and no one can discern which horse is winning. More »

Media can't settle on a superdelegate count these days because many of the mucky-mucks refuse to name a candidate, Politico reports. Current figures all have Clinton leading Obama—and she needs the votes badly—but media estimates vary from 256-225 to 221-209. “This is an art rather than a science," the New York Times ’ political editor said. More »

Continued sniping with Hillary Clinton is hurting Barack Obama's chances of winning the White House, and "she ought to withdraw and she ought to be backing Senator Obama," Sen. Pat Leahy told Vermont Public Radio in an interview aired today. The harsh assessment coincided with a suggestion from another influential Vermonter, DNC chairman Howard Dean, that the superdelegates make their plans public by July 1. More »

If the Democratic nomination isn’t wrapped up before August's convention, the party might have a third choice: the one they crowned in 2000. If Barack Obama is too bloodied and Hillary Clinton too divisive, Joe Klein writes in Time , a superdelegate coup could yield an Al Gore-Obama ticket on the spot. Of course, the party would have to be “monumentally desperate.” More »

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey will endorse Barack Obama today, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, in what could be big break for the presidential hopeful who's been trailing Hillary Clinton in polls there. Not only can Casey help Obama with Keystone State Democrats, says Politico’s Ben Smith, but his endorsement could signal a superdelegate surge to Obama. Casey had vowed to stay neutral until after the April 22 primary. More »