Superdelegate storm likely to be short-lived

Tom Curry National affairs writer • Profile • E-mail

WASHINGTON - Here’s a news flash: superdelegates do change their minds.

On Thursday Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, a Democratic superdelegate, seemed to rescind his pledge to cast his vote at the convention for Sen. Hillary Clinton, switching instead to Sen. Barack Obama.

Democratic voters in his district supported Obama in the Feb. 5 primary, and, Lewis indicated to the New York Times that he would too.

But on Friday the Lewis situation became a muddle when his spokeswoman told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the New York Times account was not accurate.

All this came just months after an October appearance with Clinton when Lewis said, “Without reservation or any hesitation I am proud to endorse Hillary Clinton to be the next Democratic nominee….”

News of Lewis' possible reversal comes even as party critics warned that superdelegates would defy or override the will of primary and caucus voters.

Under rules in effect since 1984, governors, senators, House members and party activists who are members of the Democratic National Committee are entitled to a vote at the convention.

Free to choose
Dubbed “superdelegates,” they’re free to endorse whomever they want, to switch back and forth between contenders, or to wait until the convention to make their choices.

Delegates elected in primaries are pledged to cast their vote at the convention for a particular candidate, but party rules don't require them to do so. The party rules ask such delegates to “in good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”

While Lewis has been heard from, no word yet from the superdelegates who have endorsed Obama but whose states’ Democratic primaries were won by Clinton. Some examples: Sen. Edward Kennedy of Mass., Rep. Steve Rothman of New Jersey and Rep. Adam Schiff of California.

Superdelegates are not chosen by means of primaries or caucuses, but are delegates by virtue of the elected offices they hold.

On Friday Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe sent an e-mail to Obama supporters telling them that the campaign was “doing the work of reaching out to superdelegates and making sure as many as possible support Barack Obama.”

He urged Obama fans to “share your story” by writing or calling the superdelegates in their congressional district and state to lobby them.

Video Meet a superdelegate Feb. 11: Jason Rae is a Democratic superdelegate who is still in college. MSNBC Live with Dan Abrams

On Saturday, Clinton campaign strategist Harold Ickes told reporters, “Notwithstanding all the controversy ginned up by the Obama campaign” about the superdelegates, “both of these candidates are going to need them in order to nail down the nomination.”

Referring to primaries still to come in Wisconsin, Texas, and other states, he said, “There are 18 jurisdictions still to select delegates, with 1,075 delegates still be selected from those jurisdictions.”

“Neither candidate at the end of this process will have enough pledged delegates to clinch the nomination," he argued.

Ickes said the superdelegates who are governors, senators, and House members “are as much in touch and probably more in touch with what is going on politically and issue-wise than delegates who are basically recruited by presidential campaigns.”

Ickes' comments came after several days in which Moveon.org (which is backing Obama) and Democracy for America, founded by Howard Dean and now headed by his brother Jim, have raised a ruckus about the superdelegate system.

“Will party insiders overturn your vote?” asked Charles Chamberlain, the political director of Democracy for America.

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