Obama’s Superdelegate Gains Top Clinton’s

By Anastacia Mott Austin

One might argue that Barack Obama has had a difficult couple of weeks since his defeat at the Pennsylvania primary.

Not only did he lose that race by a bigger margin that he’d hoped, but the Jeremiah Wright controversy has continued to dog him as the inflammatory pastor not only refuses to fade into the background, but has consciously courted the limelight.

And while some polls show Clinton gaining ground in the upcoming primaries in North Carolina and Indiana (and others do not), things aren’t as bad for Obama as you might think.

During that same time period, Obama has received the pledged support of 15 of those all-important superdelegates, while Clinton has gotten 10. The gap between the two candidates’ tally of superdelegates is closing, with Hillary Clinton holding 268 to Obama’s 248. (The exact superdelegate count is approximate, as almost every major media outlet cites slightly different numbers.)

This week, one superdelegate even switched allegiance from Clinton to Obama. Former Democratic National Committee chairman Joe Andrew changed his pledge from Clinton to Obama because, he said, the dragged out nomination race is hurting the party and making the eventual candidate weaker against John McCain. Said Andrew to reporters, "John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives."

Andrew, an Indiana superdelegate, had pledged his initial support to Clinton in November, and in fact had been a long time Clinton supporter. But Andrew also pointed out that he feels Obama is running a more "principled" campaign, something he admires.

"He has shown such mettle under fire," said Andrew, including that part of his decision to switch his allegiance had to do with how Obama has been handling the Jeremiah Wright issue, and also the proposed gas-tax vacation backed by both Clinton and McCain, which Obama opposes.

Andrew says he is calling all of the superdelegates he knows and urging them to band together in support behind Obama, saying, "a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists John McCain."

Andrew is one of a group of superdelegates and other voters who have realized that the nomination is virtually impossible for Clinton to gain at this point, as she would need the support of almost all the remaining superdelegates, plus landslide victories in all remaining primaries. Not gonna happen, says Andrew, adding, "This has got to stop."

Two other recent superdelegate additions to the Obama camp are also significant. Congressman Baron Hill of Indiana pledged his support to Obama this week, citing, as did Andrew, his handling of the Jeremiah Wright issue.

Also important was the pledging of California congresswoman Lois Capps. Capps’ allegiance to Obama is significant because of her deep, long-standing ties to the Clintons. The Clintons were integral fundraisers for Capps’ husband Walter Capps, and for Lois when she ran for her husband’s seat after he died of a heart attack. Bill Clinton delivered the eulogy at Walter’s service.

And while Capps remains supportive of Hillary Clinton, she says she felt compelled to pledge her vote to Barack Obama, saying that his "proven judgment, his hopeful vision for America, and his unmatched ability to motivate millions of Americans eager for change" is what clinched the decision for her.

When asked what the Clinton campaign thought of the recent defections to Obama, Clinton representative Phil Singer said, "We support that Democratic process and think that every American should be able to weigh in and support the candidate of his or her choosing."

One wonders how long this sentiment will hold water for Clinton supporters, as the inevitable conclusion draws near.

As usual, we must simply wait and see until after the next primary.

Or the one after that. Or the one after that….