Obama presses for superdelegate support as Clinton vows to keep fighting

Friday 09th May, 06:05 AM JST

WASHINGTON —

Barack Obama, on the cusp of securing the Democratic presidential nomination, sought Thursday to win over U.S. lawmakers who could help seal his victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Clinton meanwhile urged her supporters to ignore the political pundits who have declared her candidacy over.

Obama made an impromptu appearance in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. It marked his latest effort to woo Congressional superdelegates after his resounding win in North Carolina’s primary, and a narrower than expected loss in Indiana, on Tuesday, pushed him within striking distance of the party’s White House nod.

The roughly 800 superdelegates—officials and lawmakers who are not bound by state contest results—are expected to cast the deciding votes in a race where neither candidate will be able to clinch the nomination based on the delegates yet to be awarded. So far, about 270 are uncommitted, with both candidates vying for their allegiance.

The first-term senator was surrounded by well-wishers calling him “Mr President” and reaching out to pat him on the back. But the 46-year-old, whose historic and protracted race with Clinton has riveted and frustrated Americans, was quick to note that he faced a formidable adversary, and was taking nothing for granted.

Clinton has redoubled her efforts to curtail her rival’s renewed momentum as her once-powerful candidacy stumbles amid financial woes and defections by supporters.

She has focused her sights on West Virginia, which votes next Tuesday, while also appealing for new funds, lending herself $6.4 million and vowing to remain in the race until the last nomination race is held in June.

At a rally in West Virginia—a state she is favored to win—Clinton described the situation as “deja vu all over again.” She said she had faced similar pressure to withdraw before going on to win New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.

“I’m running to be president of all 50 states,” Clinton said Thursday to cheers. “I think we ought to keep this going so the people of West Virginia’s voices are heard.”

The latest contests have left Obama just 178.5 delegates shy of the 2,025 needed to win the nomination. With just six contests remaining, it is essentially impossible for either candidate to secure the necessary number, making superdelegate support crucial.

Clinton’s top advisers have been hard-pressed to describe a realistic path for their candidate to win the nomination after the twin primaries Tuesday night.

The option they have repeatedly voiced is seating the delegates from Florida and Michigan, two states that were stripped of their combined 366 delegates for violating Democratic Party rules by holding their contests early.

The former first lady won both contests, although none of the candidates campaigned in either state and Clinton’s was the only name on the ballot in Michigan. Democratic officials, meanwhile, have struggled to find a way to seat those delegates, fearing that not doing so would alienate millions of voters.

On Thursday, Florida Democrats said they were talking with Obama and Clinton’s campaigns about recognizing all, or part, of the state’s delegates, and they could agree on a plan this month. That announcement comes after Democrats in Michigan said they had come up with their own plan that would give Clinton 69 delegates and 59 to Obama.

But Clinton’s campaign said Thursday it opposed the plan and would not support any proposal giving Clinton less than the number of delegates she earned by winning the primary.

While party officials grapple with that problem, Obama capitalized on his latest strong showing to try to craft a general election strategy for a possible November showdown against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

That comes after his campaign struggled for weeks to overcome controversy stemming from his former pastor remarks and perceptions that the Illinois senator was an elitist.

Obama on Wednesday picked up four more superdelegates, including one who switched sides. In another blow to Clinton, Former Sen George McGovern, a longtime Clinton backer and a 1972 presidential nominee, also defected to Obama’s camp and called on Clinton to step aside. Other top Democrats hinted at the same during a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

On Thursday he picked up two more superdelegates. David Bonior, a former Michigan congressman who managed former presidential candidate John Edwards’ campaign, endorsed Obama for the Democratic president. Rep Brad Miller of North Carolina also said Thursday he is endorsing Obama.

Clinton, who picked up two superdelegates as well, met with superdelegates in Congress on Wednesday in an effort to woo the undecided and keep her own supporters on board. But few had many words of encouragement.

The protracted nomination battle has polarized Democratic voters, raising fears that it could harm party unity and cost Democrats their best shot at reclaiming the White House after almost eight years of Republican leadership.

But Clinton’s campaign manager, Terry McAuliffe, again downplayed fears of disunity, saying on NBC“s “Today Show” Thursday morning that after June, Clinton would campaign for Obama if she lost the nomination, and that Obama would do the same for her.

9 Comments

SushiSake3 at 08:18 AM JST - 9th May

"Barack Obama, on the cusp of securing the Democratic presidential nomination and bashing the heck out of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, sought Thursday to win over U.S. lawmakers who could help seal his victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton."

I actually agree with the above sentence.
Sarge at 10:47 AM JST - 9th May

"Obama presses for superdelegate support"

I'll bet he is.
SushiSake3 at 11:00 AM JST - 9th May

Sarge, Obama is only 7 Superdelegates behind Clinton - he gained 2 more yesterday.
skipthesong at 02:22 PM JST - 9th May

Hillary needs to give up. She is really hurting Obama.
Sarge at 05:01 PM JST - 9th May

Obama needs to give up. He's really hurting Hillary.
Everton2 at 11:38 PM JST - 9th May

The thing Bush and Hillery has in common is that they both do not have an exit strategy.
change at 12:41 AM JST - 10th May

Everton, thats a Hillarious joke. Thanks
WhiteHawk at 01:53 AM JST - 10th May

Everton2, niether does Obama. Oh, he says he does, but even his own advisors say it's nothing more than a campaign promise with no real plan behind it, and would be impossible to keep.
Bgood41 at 12:42 PM JST - 10th May

The march and drum beats of nowhere. I do not believe in the "band aid" policy of the two.