Sunday NY Times: Many Uncommitted Superdelegates Agree With Obama Decision Basis

[Pirate Smile]

Sunday NY Times: Many Uncommitted Superdelegates Agree With Obama Decision Basis

Paper of Record surveys the kingmakers/queenmakers and finds many lean towards going with the elected delegate leader.

Many also looking for Dean/Gore/Pelosi intervention and for a decision before the convention.

http://thepage.time.com/2008/03/15/sunday-ny-times-many-uncommitted-superdelegates-agree-with-obama-decision-basis/

For Democrats, Increased Fears of a Long Fight

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY
Published: March 16, 2008

WASHINGTON — Lacking a clear route to the selection of a Democratic presidential nominee, the party’s uncommitted superdelegates say they are growing increasingly concerned about the risks of a prolonged fight between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, and perplexed about how to resolve the conflict.
Interviews with dozens of undecided superdelegates — the elected officials and party leaders who could hold the balance of power for the nomination — found them uncertain about who, if anyone, would step in to fill a leadership vacuum and help guide the contest to a conclusion that would not weaken the Democratic ticket in the general election.

While many superdelegates said they intended to keep their options open as the race continued to play out over the next three months, the interviews suggested that the playing field was tilting slightly toward Mr. Obama in one potentially vital respect. Many of them said that in deciding whom to support, they would adopt what Mr. Obama’s campaign has advocated as the essential principle: reflecting the will of the voters.

-snip-
The interviews were conducted at a time of rising displays of animosity between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, with Mrs. Clinton repeatedly arguing that Mr. Obama did not have the foreign policy credentials to stand up to Senator John McCain of Arizona, the likely Republican nominee. Several superdelegates said they were concerned that this could hurt the Democratic Party in the fall elections and put pressure on some of them to endorse one of the candidates to bring the contest to a quicker conclusion.

“It would be nice to find a way to wrap it up,” said Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who has not committed to either candidate. “If the current trajectory of the debate continues, the divisions will make it more difficult for many of our candidates.”

-snip-
“If the votes of the superdelegates overturn what’s happened in the elections, it would be harmful to the Democratic Party,” Ms. Pelosi, Democrat of California, said in an interview to be broadcast Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
Members of Congress from states where Mrs. Clinton won or seems likely to win, including Mr. Brown in Ohio and Mr. Altmire in Pennsylvania, made a point of saying they would not feel bound by how their states voted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/us/politics/16delegates.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

There are concerns about down ballot races:

"And there were indications that Mrs. Clinton is facing some questions among the superdelegates about her electability and her potential effect on other Democratic candidates in November.

“A key question to me is how the candidates would affect the down-ballot races,” said Steven Achelpohl, the Democratic state chairman in Nebraska. “I think Obama would have a more positive impact on our other races out here in Nebraska.”'

[PDittie]

1. Here's hoping

the coming week brings some unification to the Democratic Party.

[Nitrogenica]

5. I'm with you there.

[Johnny__Motown]

6. I think it will happen after the last Puerto Rico votes, maybe about june 10th

SDs will need to start voicing their preference in a nominee by then.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. The Alternative Would Be A Catastrophe

Let's hope that The Clintons can be dragged offstage quickly.

[AZBlue]

3. Unfortunately that's what it's come to. They've completely lost my respect and support.

Sen. Clinton knows just as well as any of us that she should have dropped out a month ago.

[loveangelc]

4. The unpledged superdelegates are spineless.

Who is really undecided at this point? Endorse someone and get it out of the way!

the fact that they seem so spineless seems to point to the fact that they are too spineless to overturn the pledged delegates.

[NickMorgan]

9. haha

Nice argument, I like it. :)

[papau]

7. is will of the people delegates - or total vote including FL/Mich

will of the people is the phrase in the article

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. Yes, it's time to wrap it up. Someone tell Hillary to bow out gracefully.