Dem leaders "talked privately" to unpledged cong. superdelegates, "urging them to announce decisions" pre-6/3. Even so, "few of the party insiders were ready to pledge their allegiance" to either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) "cited his state's 5/20 primary as the reason to remain uncommitted. DeFazio: "We haven't had a relevant primary since 1984, and I want to see a big turnout."
While most said they'd wait, "many offered hints that they're inching toward Obama," including some "who've said they support Clinton."
Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) "appears to be moving toward Obama." Obama carried all 14 counties in Spratt's CD. Spratt "huddled" w/ Clinton 5/7 but "remained uncommitted" (Lightman, McClatchy, 5/7).
Editorial Writers Need Closure Too
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "The only way" for Dems to "avoid more bruising" is "for superdelegates to end their silence and declare fore the candidate with the numbers on his side" (5/8).
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: While Dems had once urged superdelegates to "wait until" the DNC to commit, "it makes little sense to wait that long now." Obama, "who has earned the title of presumptive nominee, should be their choice"
Not Telling. O.K. Maybe Just a Hint
In WI, "none of the five remaining undecided" superdelegates moved to pick either Clinton or Obama (AP, 5/8)
KY's eight superdelegates "are holding firm in their positions," including one of Clinton's "staunchest KY supporters" Terry McBrayer. DNCer/Clinton superdelegate Moretta Bosley "said she doesn't plan to change unless Obama wins" in KY on 5/20 (Alessi, Lexington Herald-Leader, 5/8).
MO state Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D) saying she's "getting close" to making an endorsement. Nadal: "I'm talking to other superdelegates through the state and in other parts of the country. This isn't a game. It's for real" (Mannies, St. Louis Post Dispatch, 5/7).
And, in WA, "uncommitted superdelegates are staying quiet about which presidential candidate they'll support - for now." WA Dem vice chair Eileen Macoll: "I think over the next 48 hrs. I'll be talking to the other uncommitted delegates in the state to see where the mood is...It may be time us to to make that choice as a Washington delegation" (Shannon/Sullivan, Tacoma News Tribune, 5/8).
Meanwhile, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), said "he'll decide shortly after" 6/3. Courtney: "A process that concludes in June is one that's OK as far as the party being able to recover and heal" (Miga, AP, 5/8).
And, Sen. Sherrod Brown tells the Cincinnati Enquirer that he "will probably not endorse until the primary's [sic] are over." More Brown: "I'd still like to see them run together, but I think that's looking less and less likely" (5/7).
Rep. Jim Matheson(D-UT) says "neither of the campaigns have been knocking at my door." One potential reason: Matheson "isn't ready to say he'll be at" the DNC in 8/08. Matheson skipped the DNC in '04, which cost UT a delegate vote." Matheson: "I will certainly go if I need to be there" (Struglinski/Roche, Deseret News, 5/8).
As vice chair of the DNC, Little Rock, AR mayor Lottie Schackelford "is bound by the party's charter not to sway" to either Clinton or Obama. But, "that doesn't stop people from calling and telling her what she 'needs to do." She's also the only uncommitted superdelegate in AR. All the others are w/ Clinton (Daniels, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 5/8).
Not A Cheap Date
The Denver Post reports that CA DNC member and superdelegate Steven Ybarra "wants a promise" from either DEM WH '08er to spend $20M "to register Mexican-American voters and get them to the polls" (5/8).
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