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Obama Now Takes The Lead in Superdelegates Too

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May 09, 2008 6:19 AM

ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: For the first time this campaign season, Barack Obama has surpassed Hillary Clinton's support among superdelegates, according to the ABC News delegate estimate. 

Sen. Obama, D-Ill., picked up two superdelegates this morning giving him a new metric to tout in addition to his current commanding leads in pledged delegates, popular votes, states won, and money raised.

Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., switched his endorsement from Clinton to Obama and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., endorsed Obama. DeFazio was previously uncommitted.

With these endorsements, Obama has the support of 267 superdelegates and Clinton has 265 superdelegates.

Every news organization's superdelegate count is a little different because it is an imperfect science. Since October 2007, the Political Unit has continuously reached out to the nearly 800 superdelegates to determine their candidate preference. We also reach out regularly to the Obama and Clinton campaigns for their superdelegate lists and work to confirm any that they include on their lists.

Clinton’s advantage among superdelegates was once massive and has been dwindling steadily since Super Tuesday, when she was ahead by over 60 superdelegates.

Clinton’s institutional support from within the Democratic Party allowed her to build a commanding lead in superdelegates over Obama in the early part of this nomination battle.

Despite several rough weeks on the campaign trail, Obama has maintained momentum in picking up superdelegates. Obama has outpaced Clinton at every marker of this campaign since Super Tuesday -- after the controversial comments of Rev. Wright came out, after Clinton’s big win in Pennsylvania and after the Indiana and North Carolina primaries.

Below are the superdelegate tallies, as of this morning, from other news organizations:

ABC
OBAMA 267
CLINTON 265

CBS
CLINTON  271
OBAMA 261

CNN
CLINTON 268
OBAMA 258

NBC
CLINTON 274
OBAMA 260

AP
CLINTON 271.5
OBAMA 266

New York Times
CLINTON 263
OBAMA 258

Politico
CLINTON 268.5
OBAMA 260

Washington Post (uses AP statistics)
CLINTON 271
OBAMA 256

May 9, 2008 in Huckabee, Mike | Permalink | User Comments (328)

User Comments

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The supers, Obama supporters, and the media are out of touch with reality. Did you see Rove's electoral map last night? Did you hear Scarborough say Clinton is clearly the better candidate but Obama's terrible numbers will magically change in November???? How??? I guess you need to see it for yourself in November to believe it. Obama is going to be humiliated and all of you that ignore the fact that us Clinton supporters will not vote for Obama will look like fools.

Posted by: marc-tx | May 9, 2008 8:09:10 AM

Hillary be lucky if Obama gives her vice president. That way we can get the white votes too. Things is gonna change when we gets a black man in the whitehouse. Thank God the chickens is comin home to roost. Thank Pastor Wright for gettin Obama the education he needed to have the vision

To: Tonea --

I like your Democratic spirit! You said, "Hillary needs to get out of the way so we can have our turn." Let's see how successful that argument is when you ask Republican/McCain voters to get of the way for Obama.

"Chickens is comin home to roost" was originally what Malcolm X said when he expressed joy that JFK had been assassignated. It's not a quote that anyone should be repeating.


Posted by: C. Higman | May 9, 2008 8:10:10 AM

Regardless of how many delegates Obama picks up, he will fail to receive the vote of many Americans and he will not receive the votes of the majority of Hillary supporters. He is too liberal.

Posted by: So What | May 9, 2008 8:10:18 AM

I believe now is the time for any Democrat who has a brain, to leave the party and become Independent. There is no way Barack Obama can win in a general election. The DNC has picked a losing candidate again.

Posted by: Go Indie | May 9, 2008 8:13:08 AM

It is always good to be a "KING"! Am happy that the SD are recognising the reality. I do not understand why the Clintons are tending to turn to a blind eye.

The game is over!! It has been a long and very exhausted one and now we have reached the end of it.

Clintons, please do us a favor and depart gracefully!

Posted by: Peace | May 9, 2008 8:13:37 AM

Good point above dl

Obviously the Supadelegates are ELITISTS.

If only Hillary can secure the nomination she can clean house of all Elitists such as SupaDs and Mathmaticians and Economists and the other booklearned types who think they are better than the working man.

Posted by: The Commander Guy | May 9, 2008 8:17:47 AM

I want a Democrat to win.

Should Obama become that Democrat, I will be vigorously campaigning for him in the hot 100 plus degree Texas sun to get him elected.

However, it is not the wisest decision. He will be a MUCH HARDER SELL as I go knocking on doors to those leaning towards McCain.

Posted by: C. Higman | May 9, 2008 8:18:25 AM

I don't even know why one should vote if it's not going to count anyways......All the votes are not in yet so why don't they just wait to see what plays out...Does this scare them that Wv and Ky still to vote .....Obama acts like wv or Ky and the rest doesn't matter ....

Posted by: Patrica | May 9, 2008 8:21:26 AM

I am very strong Clinton supporter. She did wonderful job fighting like warrior till now.

But seems time has came, I strongly think every body who ever they supported, must unite behind Obama. I didn't liked this man initially. But after having second look at him, I don't see anything which stops me without to support him.

Fellow Clinton supports, it is time, we need to unite behind Obama to beat Republicans.

After all we are Democrats, we believe in democratic values…

Posted by: Rob | May 9, 2008 8:24:36 AM

C. Higman,

I do believe that the Clinton name has been tried and bloodied. But surely, you meant Bill.

As for practical Senatorial experience, Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama BOTH seved the same terms!! No more, no less.

While I do understand the sense of loss from an historical loss such as this, eventually, common sense will win out. People will vote with their heart, not their pride, in November.

Posted by: DAVID NH | May 9, 2008 8:26:57 AM

Like all the others Obama says what he has to to get the votes. You can't always tell things exactly how they are and get elected. What is important is that he do the right thing once he get elected. I believe he will get to the truth about 911 and stop using the army to oppress other people. Its way past time to stop all this traditional christian crap that encourages one group to oppress another. You don't gotta look no farther than police dapartments in the ig Apple or Philly to see recent examples of white abuse.

Posted by: Reggie | May 9, 2008 8:30:00 AM

Obama must not put Hillary in his ticket. That would be the worst decision. Needless is to say the kind of person HRC is. People should remember the scandals in the white house...like the scandal with her own brother...when he was accused of selling influence....
It is funny to hear the Clinton's team to say that Obama is an "elitist"...when she does not even know how to operate a coffee machine....
or when she said in a TV show "God bless the rich people"....incredible..
I think that Obama should get a fresh group of people that wants to go for a REAL CHANGE in Washington and not the old crap that Clintons and Bushs have been doing these last years. It's up to the people that voted for clinton to decide if they want to go along with the other DEMOCRAT choice...or if they want 4 more years of Bush thru McCain...
Personally, I think that some of them will think it better and they will go for Obama because, in the end, he is also a Democrat. But I am also clear that some others will go for Mc Cain or they will not vote -which is the same as giving their vote for Mc Cain- I just hope that they can live with their decision if Mc Cain wins in November, because the truth is, that such decision will not affect economically to Clinton or Obama, but the voters.

Obama - For a real change in Washington

Posted by: Mirko-FL | May 9, 2008 8:32:46 AM

To: Rob --

The Democratic party does NOT represent democratic values when it comes to electing a nominee.

Superdelegates are valued more than the average voter.

How is this democratic? It is not.

Posted by: C. Higman | May 9, 2008 8:33:01 AM

The joke is on all of you for taking this seriously.
The game is rigged - they are all corporate controlled puppets... and you are too dazed by the "show" to know the difference.
Go back to reality TV.

Posted by: anakin | May 9, 2008 8:34:03 AM

Who is going to be in charge of damage control. Most of these blogs are saying if it's not CLinton, dems will vote for Mccain or not at all. Superdelegates REALLY need to read these blogs. When we are faced with 4 more years of a Republican in the White HOuse, look to the superdelgates who put him there. Richardson went against the will of the people. And Obama saw nothing wrong with that, oooops, that was to his benefit.

Posted by: char19145 | May 9, 2008 8:34:58 AM

If the delegate count is that close, I can see why Hillary has not thrown in the towel. I suspect that if Obama is the nominee that McCain will win the Office of POTUS. Those in my circle of friends and family plan to vote for McCain if Obama is the nominee. It is definitely an exciting campaign and so very interesting.

Posted by: Longtree | May 9, 2008 8:35:54 AM

I keep hearing that Obama can't win. He's done such a great job beating the Clinton machine that I have no fears about the general election. John Kerry was a mistake, Obama is not.

Posted by: Richard | May 9, 2008 8:36:03 AM

There is no way i could ever bring myself to vote for Obama and what he stands for...NO WAY.....

Posted by: Patricia | May 9, 2008 8:36:47 AM

To Hillary supporters vowing to vote for McCain: Many more young men and women will die in Iraq, devasting their families (parents, wives, children, and other loved ones) because you choose to vent your anger in the voting booth? If you believe John McCain is the candidate that will lead this nation in the right direction, by all means, vote for him. But if you are simply voting for John McCain because your are angry that Obama is the nominee instead of Hillary, I hope our American soldiers that die appreciate the fact that they gave their lives to satisy your discontent.

Posted by: DMW | May 9, 2008 8:38:40 AM

Chelsea, I respectfully disagree with your observation that from this campaign it's obvious 'women are at the back of the bus.' I'd vote for the right woman just as easily as I'd vote for the right man. Hillary just isn't the right woman- she has too many negatives and is too divisive.

Posted by: Richard | May 9, 2008 8:39:49 AM

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