Obama Picks Up Super-Delegates

The Barack Obama campaign claims they are 10 delegates away from clinching the nomination. TPM Election Central has a tally of recent super-delegates that just pledged their votes for Obama.

• Former President Jimmy Carter, who had dropped hints for quite a while that he was for Obama, and officially confirmed the news with the Associated Press.

• South Carolina Congressman John Spratt.

• DNC member Ralph Dawson, from Hillary Clinton's home state of New York.

• Massachusetts DNC member Deb Kozikowski.

• Massachusetts Congressman John Olver.

• DNC member Joyce Beatty of Ohio.

• DNC member Jennifer Dechant of Maine.

• DNC member Maria Chappelle-Nadal of Missouri.

• State party vice chair Carnelia Fondren of Mississippi.

• DNC member John Perez of California.

• Six Michigan super-dels, who each count as half a vote: Detroit Mayor and DNC member Kwame Kilpatrick, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, and DNC members Debbie Dingell, Rick Wiener and Joyce Lalonde, and state party vice chair Tina Abbott.

• Florida DNC member Diane Glasser, who counts as half a vote.

• DNC member Kamil Hasan of California, who has switched from Clinton.

• DNC member Ben Johnson of the District of Columbia, who has switched from Clinton.

• Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California, who is defecting from Hillary Clinton.

• Delaware DNC members Harriet Windsor and Rhett Ruggerio, and state party chair John Daniello. Ruggerio has switched from Clinton.

• Congressman Dennis Moore of Kansas.

• Maryland DNC member Bel Leong-Hong.

Hillary Clinton picked up 3.5 super-delegates today.

This race was over long ago. Hillary is finally realizing the truth and desperately talking herself up as Obama's VP. Hillary ran a race-baiting campaign. Bill Clinton insinuated that Obama only won South Carolina because he is black. Members of the Clinton campaign spreaded the lie that Obama is a Muslim. Hillary declared John McCain more fit to serve than Obama.

Nancy Pelosi: I think the Clinton administration has fairly ruled that out, by claiming that Senator McCain would be a better Commander in Chief than Obama.

I think the Clintons screwed themselves, too.

Super Delegates Scorecard

Politico has a rundown of super delegates that have committed to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The New York Senator is leading 268.5 to 259. 219.5 delegates are uncommitted. Don't you just love how Democracy is settled by political insiders. Boss Tweed would be so proud.

Pelosi Pushing Super-Delegates to Decide

I getting tired of the Democratic primary. It is good to see that Nancy Pelosi is attempting to end this before the convention.

Nevertheless, some party leaders are quietly planning to try to end the clash, said people familiar with the matter. After the primaries end in June, these influential Democrats -- led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- plan to push the last uncommitted party leaders to endorse a candidate, in hopes of preventing a fight at the August presidential convention, party insiders say.

These "superdelegates" -- governors, members of Congress and others who can vote for any candidate at the convention -- would likely tip the balance to Sen. Obama, who holds a sizable and likely insurmountable delegate lead. Sen. Clinton is hoping that a win in Pennsylvania, where she is favored, would lift her campaign and give party officials pause about Sen. Obama as the nominee.

How much more time do the super-delegates need to decide which candidate they prefer? These delegates are posturing for political favors. It is fairly obvious that Hillary Clinton will not be the nominee. These super-delegates are so scared and such panderers that they refuse to come to a decision that might piss off either candidate.

My hope is that this election will end the practice of super-delegates. It subverts the will of voters and is part of the backroom peddling of the old Democratic Party days. There is no good reason Bill Nelson and Ed Rendell should have such powerful votes.

Another annoying note: the media have elevated super-delegates to what the undecided voters in 2000. A group of voters that hold sway and have nothing interesting to say to the media about the candidates.

Compare and Contrast Latest Hillary and Obama Campaign Videos

The Barack Obama video presnt optimism. The Hillary Clinton video tells voters the apocalypse will come if we don't vote for Hillary.





Political campaigns go negative when faced with the possibility of defeat. Super-delegates are defecting from Hillary and announcing their support for Obama. Hillary has less delegates, votes and her fundraising is lagging. Hillary's insistence on remaining in the race borders on delusional.

Kathy Castor Endorses Barack Obama

Super delegate Kathy Castor has endorsed Barack Obama.

"Barack Obama is the right person at the right time to lead our great nation as President in the challenging days ahead. Americaneeds Barack Obama to unite and inspire us to improve our country’s economic stability, health care and national security. Everywhere I go people are energized by the Obama campaign because it embodies our hope for change. I ran for Congress in 2006 to fight for a new direction for our country. Senator Obama offers the most determined and coherent plan for a new direction and change and I am proud to endorse him for President of the United States"

"Obama now leads nationally in the number of pledged delegates, in the popular vote, and the number of states won. It is time for our party to coalesce around Barack Obama’s nomination for President.”

Obama is going to be the nominee. I question his understanding of economic policy, but I'm starting to get excited. Obama will be the first black man nominated for President and has the potential to deliver a huge victory in November. Obama has momentum and McCain has a base that hates him. It's like Clinton vs Dole with open Congressional seats in red districts. This is awesome.

Crazy Delegate Estimates

The media is having problems following the delegate count in the close Hillary/ Obama race. 2,025 delegates are needed for the nomination.

Washington Post

Clinton - 777
Obama - 756

CBS News

Clinton - 1,075
Obama - 10,14

CNN

Clinton - 1,033
Obama - 937

Wall Street Journal

Clinton - 845
Obama - 765

ABC News

Clinton - 1,071
Obama - 994

MSNBC

Obama - 861
Clinton - 855

We at Pushing Rope use the magic 8 ball to scientifically formulate the complex delegate situation. Readers may think that is our disingenuous way of refusing to admit we don't have a clue what is going on. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pushing Rope is the only news site to correct tell you that both Hillary and Obama have somewhere between 1 and 2,025 delegates. We have provided readers with an accurate delegate count. Unlike other news services.

Pushing Rope: news estimates you can trust.

Florida Super Delegates

Florida Politics posted a list of the Florida super delegates. I wish Democrats would get rid of Super Delegates. Barack Obama has expressed concerns that the Super Delegates will not nominate him.

"If this contest comes down to superdelegates, we are going to be able to say we have more pledged delegates, which means the Democratic voters have spoken. Those superdelegates, those party insiders would have to think long and hard how they would approach the nomination," he said.

"The argument we would be making to superdelegates is, if we come into the convention with more pledged delegates then i think we can make a very strong argument that our constituencies have spoken and I think that's going to be pretty improtant when it comes to the general election," he says.

Her is the list of Florida's Super Delegates


Uncommitted Superdelegates

U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, Boca Raton
U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, Palm Beach Gardens
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Tampa
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, Monticello
Mitch Ceasar, Plantation
Diane Glasser, Tamarac
Karen Thurman, Tallahassee
Jon Ausman, Tallahassee
Andy Tobias, Tallahassee
Janee Murphy Tampa
Rudy Parker, Perry
Terrie Brady, Jacksonville

Hillary Clinton supporters

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, Miami
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, Miramar
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Weston
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, Jacksonville
Raul Martinez, Hialeah
Chuck Mohlke, Naples

"
Barack Obama supporters

U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler
State Rep. Joyce Cusack, DeLand
Allan Katz, Tallahassee