ABC's The Note- Dean leads Superdelegate Commitment

[Rose Siding]

Howard Dean 90
John Kerry 59
Dick Gephardt 48
Wesley Clark 24
Joe Lieberman 20
John Edwards 16
Carol Moseley Braun 4
Al Sharpton 3
Dennis Kucinich 2

While there have been previous canvasses of congressional endorsements and one or two of DNC members — both of which make up a portion of the superdelegates — this ABC News exclusive is the first time any news organization has compiled an overall tally of the current delegate race — made up of commitments from the party activists and leaders, local elected officials, current Democratic governors and members of Congress, and former presidents, vice presidents, congressional leaders, and DNC chairs.

All are, under party rules, automatic, unelected, and voting delegates to the convention in Boston this summer.

These delegates can choose whomever they wish for the nomination, and can change their minds and public positions on whom they support as often as they wish before the summer.

Given the categories which comprise this group, support in the superdelegate community is one sign of support within the Democratic establishment for Dean's candidacy. This might surprise some observers, and alarm his rivals, since Dean has waged a rhetorical war against the party and its leaders, many of whom dread the prospect of his nomination.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/TheNote/TheNote.html

[goobergunch]

1. 90 for Dean!?

Impressive - I have 61, but I suppose I don't have all of them.

/me goes and rechecks his data

[Rose Siding]

2. The link explains the data colletion

and it looks fairly solid.

snip>
The ABC News Political Unit contacted all of the superdelegates to inquire about their presidential preferences.

Superdelegates who reported to us that they are firmly committed to a candidate and whose support the campaign is aware of, were added to that candidate's tally.

In addition we checked and included all explicit public announcements of support made by any superdelegate.

We have also spoke to the delegate trackers in each campaign to determine if our count is similar to their count.
end snip>

[BootinUp]

3. Looks pretty split to me

Sure Dean is in the lead, we know that. The story as I see it, is the high numbers for other candidates. Seems there is still a lot of resistance to Dean.

[Rose Siding]

5. Not surprising to you that he leads with these "insiders"?

Not at all? It is logical that the Congress types would have support from that element, but the "resistance" you mention looks rather ethereal with these numbers.

[BootinUp]

6. It has become clear

in the last month (December) that Dean has gotten some inside support, of course the Gore endorsement is the most visible thing. Nothing new here.

The resistance is to determining the nominee too quick, before voters have had their say, and before Dean has survived the process without taking on too many torpedo hits.

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. No surprise to me

Dean flat out earned many of those votes, and a lot of others fell in line after Gore backed Dean. That part is important to factor in. Some National Democrats, who have been allied with Gore, jumped when they did because Gore did. I know for a fact that that was the case in NJ. There was an early bandwagon thing going on there. It hasn't stalled by any means, but it did not create an unstoppable force either, which I think had been Gore's original intent announcing his support when he did.

[Rose Siding]

9. Harkin's rumored endorsement will be big news, whoever it is

He should pull some weight with this crowd.

[JNelson6563]

7. 90!! wow!!

zowie Howie!! :yourock:

Julie

[DoveTurnedHawk]

8. Good for Dean!

To put a silver lining on this for Clark, however, I really think he has the opportunity to cast himself as the true "outsider" now, at this critical time in the race.

DTH