Dems Move to End Clinton Campaign

The Democratic party's three top leaders wasted no time in calling on all outstanding superdelegates this morning to make up their minds by Friday. Only a few hours after Barack Obama laid claim to the Democratic presidential nomination, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Howard Dean issued a carefully worded statement that pushes for closure but does not push superdelegates toward Obama, observes the LA Times.

The move by the House speaker, Senate majority leader, and party chair keeps Obama's hands clean as the leadership tries to end Clinton's now-hopeless quest for the nomination. In the statement, the Democratic troika make no mention of Obama's victory, saying only that the party must "stand united" to begin "reversing the eight years of failed Bush/McCain policies that have weakened our country." (More Hillary Clinton stories.)