9 more superdelegates endorse Obama
The endorsements appear to put Barack Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton in the crucial count as both candidates focus on the contest in Oregon.
Sen. Barack Obama appeared to eclipse Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the crucial race for Democratic superdelegates today as the campaigns turned their sights on Oregon, where balloting by mail is already underway.
Obama picked up at least nine new superdelegates by midday -- including one Clinton defector -- while Clinton added one new backer. The flow of delegates to Obama led ABC News and the New York Times to declare Obama in the lead among superdelegates. The Associated Press, whose tally is used by the Los Angeles Times, still gave a slight advantage to Clinton -- with Obama closing quickly.
The new Obama endorsements include Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.), an early African American supporter of Clinton. He jumped ship this morning, telling the Newark Star-Ledger that he had backed Clinton when he thought Obama's campaign was "just a trial balloon."
Previously uncommitted superdelegates now backing Obama include two California members of the Democratic National Committee: Ed Espinoza of Long Beach and Vernon Watkins of Rancho Cucamonga.
Espinoza urged uncommitted superdelegates to make their declaration by May 26.
"This needs to be over and done with by Memorial Day," Espinoza said.
Evidencing the kind of behind-the-scenes lobbying underway, Espinoza said he backed Obama in part at the urging of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, for whose presidential campaign he had worked before Richardson dropped out.
New York Sen. Clinton picked up one superdelegate today: Rep. Christopher Carney, a Democrat who represents a district in northeast Pennsylvania that gave Clinton a 2-1 margin when she won the April 22 primary there.
Meanwhile, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who ended his presidential bid earlier and has yet to endorse, joined the pundits and said today he thought Obama would be the nominee.
"It's very difficult to make the math work" for Clinton, Edwards said on NBC's "Today" show, but deflected a question about whom he supports. "I voted and I'm going to keep that between me and the polling booth right now."
The Clinton campaign sought to shore up her candidacy by releasing a statement by 16 congressional superdelegates from swing states urging fellow Democrats in the House to support her -- and taking her win in Pennsylvania as a cue.
