Clinton, meanwhile, won the endorsement of Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.), a leader of the House's "Blue Dog" coalition of conservative Democrats.
But many superdelegates preferred their place on the fence, content to watch as the race plays out. "I feel no compulsion whatsoever to cast my vote until the convention, but I may make a determination following the primaries," said Nancy Worley, vice chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Party.
Larry Gates, the Kansas state chairman, said he too was content to wait, knowing any decision he makes is bound to tick off somebody. "I like them both," he said of Clinton and Obama. "Always have."
Others confessed to lingering concerns about both candidates.
"I'm not buying the Clinton argument that Sen. Obama is unelectable, but I certainly intend to continue to watch his performance to make my own determination of just how strong a candidate he will be," said R. Keith Roark, chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party.
Roark is among those who are less than pleased that Clinton might carry her fight to the convention, suggesting that superdelegates will have all the information they need to make a decision soon after June 3.
"Certainly Obama has his weaknesses, and I am concerned about them, but on the other hand I'm not much impressed that she's ipso facto 'electable' and he is not," Roark said. "I'm watching both of them."
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janet.hook@latimes.com
mark.barabak@latimes.com
james.hohmann@latimes.com
Hook and Hohmann reported from Washington and Barabak from San Francisco. Times staff writer Cathleen Decker contributed to this report.
