Undecided superdelegates don't feel bound by primaries

WASHINGTON - Many of the Democratic superdelegates who are still undecided say the most important factor in their decision is simple â?? they just want a winner in November.

Problem is, after nearly four months of primaries and caucuses in 46 states, territories and the District of Columbia, they still aren't sure who that is, don't seem be in any hurry to make up their minds and aren't interested in any artificial process that might force them to choose between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Most of the more than 100 undecided superdelegates who discussed their decision-making with The Associated Press in the past two weeks agreed that the primaries and caucuses do matter â?? whether it's who has the most national delegates or the candidate who won their state or congressional district. But few said the primaries will be the biggest factor in their decision.

"I think it's really important that we keep our eye on the prize, and the prize is the win in November," said Gail Rasmussen, an undecided superdelegate from Oregon.

That's good news for Clinton, who cannot catch Obama in delegates won in the few remaining primaries and caucuses.

Obama has been arguing for months that the superdelegates would be overturning the will of the voters if they don't nominate the candidate who has won the most pledged delegates. He has a 164-delegate lead in that category. Clinton, meanwhile, has argued that superdelegates should exercise independent judgment.

Many of the undecided superdelegates say they don't want to be perceived as elite insiders, cutting backroom deals to select a nominee. But that doesn't mean they're ready to forfeit their status.

"The way the system is set up, the superdelegates are able to weigh in because we are the most experienced people in the party," said Blake Johnson, an undecided superdelegate from Alaska. "We are the ones who have been part of the party the longest and keep it running on a day-to-day basis."

There will be nearly 800 superdelegates at the party's national convention in Denver this summer. They are the party and elected officials who automatically attend the convention and are free to support whomever they choose. They are in high demand now that neither Clinton nor Obama can clinch the nomination without them.

Clinton leads in superdelegate endorsements, 258-232, according to the latest tally by the AP. However, Obama has been eating away at her lead for much of the past two months, picking up 84 percent of the superdelegate endorsements since Super Tuesday.

About 250 superdelegates have told the AP they are undecided or uncommitted. About 60 more will be selected at state party conventions and meetings this spring.
Undecided superdelegates don't feel bound by primaries - Yahoo! News

For a party that claims to be the uniters the country they sure are divided. Nice to see that the Superdelegates feel that they know more than the voters too!

Once they get done with their civil war I think we all know what the outcome will be.....:thumbsup:

Have a good one!:s4:

If mccain's elected, god bless and r.i.p. the upcoming generation of young Americans...It's so sad how this country is coerced due to corporate interest...Oil, pharmaceuticals, tobacco...This isn't how America should be ran..

I wish I would've lived in a time where the constitution actually meant something...There may not have been electricity but I'll bet there was freedom

Including Florida and Michigan, Clinton now has a lead in the popular vote. Which way do the Superdelegates turn? Go with Obama and lose a large portion of the Clinton backers or go with Clinton and hope to hell theres not a race war within the DNC. As I recall, this same party had a BIG bitch when Gore had more of the popular vote than Bush. So will they hold to their own standards?

Nice system where insiders decide "because we are the most experienced people in the party". Alienating Florida, Michigan and half of the rest of the Dems in the country.

McCain and the GOP will welcome all that are "bitter".:D

Have a good one!:s4: