Despite pressure, few decisions
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WASHINGTON -- The fight for the approximately 270 uncommitted Democratic Party superdelegates shifted into a higher gear Wednesday, but few of the party insiders were ready to pledge their allegiance to Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
Still, the pressure was on for the party leaders, activists and lawmakers who could decide the Democratic nomination to make up their minds and end the long and increasingly taxing race.
Party leaders talked privately throughout the day to unpledged members of Congress at the Capitol, urging them to announce decisions before the final primaries on June 3.
"If this goes beyond that," said Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., a party vice chairman, "it could lead to the perception that the superdelegates are wagging this dog" and make voters in Democratic primaries and caucuses less important.
Obama's lead
Obama forces thought they had fresh ammunition from Tuesday's primary results. The Illinois senator won North Carolina easily, and nearly beat Clinton in Indiana. Obama now has 1,846.5 convention delegates to Clinton's 1,696, with 2,025 needed to nominate. Those totals include the so-called superdelegates. Clinton claims 272 of them, Obama claims 259, and 265 are unpledged.
Obama got new support Wednesday from three: North Carolina party Chairman Jerry Meek, state Democratic National Committee member Jeanette Council and California DNC member Inola Henry.
Clinton won the backing of Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., after she beat Obama in his North Carolina district.
Most others said they'll wait, but many offered hints that they're inching toward Obama. So did some superdelegates who've said they support Clinton.
Clinton won less than 10 percent of the black vote in Indiana and North Carolina, while Obama did poorly among white working-class voters in both states.
There are six more primaries, beginning with West Virginia on May 13, with a total of 217 delegates at stake.
Hinting at a verdict
Some superdelegates hinted that they were close to deciding. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., appears to be moving toward Obama because, Spratt spokesman Chuck Fant said, "Obama's popularity in the 5th District cannot be ignored." Obama carried all 14 counties in Spratt's 5th District in the state's January primary.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., cited his state's May 20 primary as a reason to remain uncommitted. "We haven't had a relevant primary since 1984, and I want to see a big turnout," he said.
The superdelegates have no easy formula for making a decision.
Helen Knetzer of Wichita, Kan., president of the National Federation of Democratic Women, said she planned to wait "until the last primary is over. ... "I try to keep an open mind and am really trying to be alert because a lot of things are going to happen in the next month."
One of those developments could come May 31, when the party's rules and bylaws committee meets to decide how to deal with the disputed Florida and Michigan results.
Clinton won both January contests, but Obama kept his name off the Michigan ballot and neither candidate campaigned in Florida. Because the contests were held in violation of party rules, the DNC has refused to recognize the outcomes.
This report includes material from The Associated Press.
