Super Delegates Start Moving to Obama

Over the past thirty days, Obama has won significantly more endorsements from super delegates than Hillary Clinton. According to Democratic Convention Watch, on January 13th, Clinton led Obama 183 to 74 among super delegates. Currently, according to Democratic Convention Watch, Clinton leads Obama 224 to 132 among super delegates. If these numbers are accurate, it would mean that over the past thirty days Obama has received the endorsement of 58 super delegates, while Clinton has received the endorsement of 41. At this point, the only reason Clinton leads among super delegates is because of endorsements that took place before any voting or caucusing began this cycle.

Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s non-voting representative in Congress, provided one of the better explanations for this trend in her endorsement of Barack Obama today:

I had expected to announce my endorsement much closer to the general election, as I always have done in the past. However this year's primary has raised new issues. As a super delegate, I decided I had to speak up now to separate myself from the idea that is afoot for the first time that super delegates, especially those who have not announced their choice, could or should decide our nominee under some circumstances. The notion that a candidate who has not earned delegates could become the Democratic nominee for president is at odds with the democratic principles of our party reforms. Super delegates were never intended to allow the return of smoked-filled room, behind the scenes selection of our candidate. I have carried a banner for a democracy of the District of Columbia too long to depart from principles of democracy within my own party.