ABC: Obama Now Takes The Lead in Superdelegates Too

[Stephanie]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/05/obama-now-takes.html

Obama Now Takes The Lead in Superdelegates Too
Share May 09, 2008 6:19 AM

ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: For the first time this campaign season, Barack Obama has surpassed Hillary Clinton's support among superdelegates, according to the ABC News delegate estimate.

Sen. Obama, D-Ill., picked up two superdelegates this morning giving him a new metric to tout in addition to his current commanding leads in pledged delegates, popular votes, states won, and money raised.

Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., switched his endorsement from Clinton to Obama and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., endorsed Obama. DeFazio was previously uncommitted.

With these endorsements, Obama has the support of 267 superdelegates and Clinton has 265 superdelegates.

Every news organization's superdelegate count is a little different because it is an imperfect science. Since October 2007, the Political Unit has continuously reached out to the nearly 800 superdelegates to determine their candidate preference. We also reach out regularly to the Obama and Clinton campaigns for their superdelegate lists and work to confirm any that they include on their lists.

Clinton’s advantage among superdelegates was once massive and has been dwindling steadily since Super Tuesday, when she was ahead by over 60 superdelegates.

[billyoc]

1. And that's that. Even Clinton's fearsome coalition of old white people and their parents

won't help her now. :rofl:

[Stephanie]

14. She's screwn.

When will she wake up and smell the coffee?

[billyoc]

15. At this point, not even an AARP endorsement of Obama will snap her out of her stupor. nt

[Apollo11]

2. Maybe now his supporters will quit whining about the role of the superdelegates.

I sure HOPE this CHANGE will come about! B-)

[scheming daemons]

8. Starting in '12, there should not be any superdelegates. Trust the voters....

The whole idea of superdelegates is an implicit admission by the DNC that "we don't quite trust the voters on this."


Trust the voters. If they screw up, they screw up. Live up to the name "Democratic Party".

[Stephanie]

11. I agree

It's really outrageous. For some reason this is the first election that I was even aware of this. It's elitist and undemocratic and we need to put an end to it.

[Poll_Blind]

3. Smoke em if ya got em....We're headed to Normandy next! n/t

PB

[democracy1st]

4. thanks stephanie

[Goodnevil]

5. Thank the gods

[Stephanie]

13. Good news!

:hi:

[JNelson6563]

6. Cool.

[snooper2]

7. BAM!

GOBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[grantcart]

9. DNC Gage Pres AFGE endorses Obama 3rd super delegate today

Obama wins endorsement of government employees union
By JESSE J. HOLLAND – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American Federation of Government Employees endorsed Barack Obama Friday, giving the Illinois senator fresh momentum toward capturing the Democratic nomination for president.

"Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign," AFGE President John Gage said.

Gage, a previously uncommitted superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention, said he is also personally endorsing Obama.

Obama, the Democratic front-runner, is vying with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the party's presidential nomination. His candidacy has been picking up momentum since Tuesday, when he handily won the North Carolina primary and held Clinton to a narrow victory in Indiana.

While calling Clinton a friend and saying she has worked hard for federal employees, Gage said some members of AFGE's board also think having Obama as the Democratic nominee would help the Democratic slate as a whole. Obama will do better in "bringing along some of the downticket races," Gage said.

AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

Gage also said it's time for Democrats to move beyond the primary and start concentrating on the November contest against certain Republican presidential nominee John McCain. "I think it's time we start really focusing in on McCain, who just has a terrible record when it comes to federal employees," Gage said.
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[grantcart]

10. fyi DemconWatch which uses more conservative guidelines still has Obama

behind by about 5 SDs

[Stephanie]

12. Hmm - Well in that case...

I will stick with ABC! :) The disparities may be moot by end of day anyway.

[Poll_Blind]

16. K&R! n/t

PB

[redqueen]

17. YES!

:D

[Roxy66]

18. MSNBC is saying there are still 8 delegates separating them

[Orsino]

19. But he's still behind in left-handed Saggitarius superdelegates who think Oswald acted alone...

...and isn't that what democracy is all about?