Obama Starts Off The Day With Superdelegates

Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly endorsed Obama this morning, moving Barack's gap to the nomination 149 delegates. The press release is below.

UPDATE: New Orlean Mayor Ray Nagin, another superdelegate, has also endorsed Obama (statement below). Also, the Washington Post reports that one of Clinton's pledged delegates from Maryland has announced that he will support Obama at the convention.

UPDATE: Former DNC Chair (and Colorado governor) Roy Romer makes three.

UPDATE: Anita Bonds, the chairwoman of D.C.'s Democratic party came out, rather unexpectedly, for Obama late last night.

CHICAGO, IL -- Today, Indiana Congressman Joe Donnelly endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing his commitment to working families and building a real coalition for change:

"Today, I am pleased to announce my support for Barack Obama. At a time when too many Americans have lost faith in their government, Senator Obama can move us beyond the politics of stalemate and gridlock that has kept us from meeting the monumental challenges of our time: our dependence on foreign oil, a health care gap that leaves tens of millions uninsured, the steady deterioration of our manufacturing base, and an economy that is not working for working people.

The Democratic Party's strength comes from its core commitment to the American Dream and from a coalition that is ideologically, economically, geographically and ethnically diverse. Barack Obama will stand with working families while building that coalition so that we can change this country, and that's why he's the best choice for America."

Barack Obama said, "I am honored to have the support of Congressman Joe Donnelly. Joe has brought an independent, principled, and pragmatic voice to Washington that is more focused on getting results for Hoosier families than scoring political points. As President, I look forward to working with Congressman Donnelly to build bipartisan majorities to create jobs, make health care more affordable and accessible, and to give our veterans the care and support that they have earned."
Donnelly is the 282nd superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama, who is 149 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Comments

[DanOregon]

I really had to laugh last week when Hillary responded to McGovern's call for her to bail out by saying well, "we're getting superdelegates too. We got Heath Schuler today." Heath Schuler!!!! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.....

I just wish Clinton supporters really understood what people are seeing and hearing when they make comments that some states (the ones Clinton wins) are important, and Obama's aren't. Clinton's superdels matter, Obama's don't.

This apparent allergy to reality hasn't done her campaign any favors. It might keep the faithful in line, but it won't get her votes she hasn't gotten yet.

[EyeWantOneNation]

Every super delegate is important...especially at this stage of the race !!!

My Congressman here in Texas is someone NO ONE has ever heard of...but his vote certainly counts as a super delegate !!!

I emailed him today, and urged him to publicaly support Obama...I suggest you all do the same...

Any of you have Democrats as Govenors, Senators, Reps in Congress....email and call, and urge them to support NOW....

Why can't WE THE PEOPLE put the push on, and get 150 endorsements TODAY ????

[JackND]

I think many of the unpledged supers already have decided, but are being released in spurts.

If 150 came out for Obama at once, it would humiliating for Hillary. Obama doesn't humiliate people.

[Caolas]

The truth is that, without her pre-Iowa super delegate lead, she never would have been considered the front runner, and she would have been forced out of the race long ago (as Obama would have if Clinton had managed to pull of Obama's February).

[JiminNC]

How many delegates are at stake in WV?

[silvertongue]

28.........WHOOPEE-DE-DAMN-DOO!

[Freedomscap]

28

[TeriMcCarthy]

28

[JackND]

And even if Obama loses 70-30, he'll still get 9 of them to Clinton's 19.

[CocteausTwin]

Lest we forget , Obama got 54 delegates to Clinton's 29 in Virginia.

http://www.barackobama.com/resultscenter/index.php

[BWonka]

Not enough to help Hillary overcome her deficit.

[BillyT]

Hillary will get 10 more there than Obama, at best....

Obama got 19 superdelegates LAST WEEK.

Put it in perspective, Wolfson, Singer, McAuliffe, and Clintons....

You ain't gonna win.

[doneflyin]

The Hillary people were hard at it this morning on the TeeVee. Man are they are bitter, pissy lot!
There was some blond woman on Andre Mitchell's show who responded to the to the Roy Romer endorsement of Obama with comments, I'm paraphrasing here:

"His endorsement really doesn't matter much. He hasn't been a very important person in the Democrat party the last 2 years so it won't make that much difference."


Bitter, party of one! Doin' all they can to keep the divisiveness going.

[4wehttam]

I think everyone in her campaign is so pissed that a novice like Obama came along and beat her at her own game. They positively can't stand it and of course they are going to be bitter. Have they shown the least inclination to play nice in the past couple of months????............................That would be a big fat NO.

[cmeans29]

The blond woman, Hillary Rosen.

[WFV]

This is so great. I hope he gets a couple more before the day ends.

Who knows - he may get more Superdelegates today than Hillary gets from West Virginia. Now, that would be fun, wouldn't it?

[Sparklez]

i think he now has the same amount in this past last and this week that are at stake in WV

So he surely made up for that

[ApolloniaCreed]

GIVE BACK THE PLEDGED DELEGATE! Can you do that? If so, that would be my suggestion. Last thing we need is to give HRC a reason to try to hunt for PD's to poach. Nip that in the bud.

[CocteausTwin]

Sorry but I somewhat refuse to give a click to the Washington Post. Was it truly a pledged delegate or a pledged super delegate?

[EyeWantOneNation]

He was a pledged delegate...but not selected by the voters. He was selected by the Party, and the Clinton campaign.

It seems we are now being made aware of another "group" of delegates, important to the nomination !!! Not a voted - in - pledged - delegate; not a chosen - at - caucus delegate; not a "super delegate"...but one that can still choose for himself !!!

hmmmmm...What next ???

[CocteausTwin]

If this is true I smell a rat! He should politley say he will not accept any switching of delegates (until the convention? Isn't that what normally at a convention?)

[cmeans29]

HRC , Feb 08, "Pledged Delegates are not pledged." It's true.

[EyeWantOneNation]

Pledged delegates by the vote ARE pledged !! They are selected via the percentage of votes the candidate received in their area...

Delegates chosen by the party, the candidate or the supers are free to vote for whomever they choose !!!

[on2them]

Oh, I suppose the SD should as well? No, this is the time for conviction for the party's nominee. No more tiptoeing around HC, this is serious business and no one's feelings can be taken into account anymore.

[ObamaFarmer]

The vitriolic contempt that has been hurled at Obama and his supporters by the Clinton campaign has certainly hurt his candidacy. But it was not enough to sink his campaign. When all is said and done, he will have won the most delegates, and therefore the right to run as the Democratic candidate for president.

If we Obama supporters are angry at Clinton, it is because our candidate has played by the rules, tried to stay above bitter politics, and is poised to win - and yet it seems like Ms. Clinton and her supporters want to steal this away from him.

Nobody likes to lose. I get that. Especially when you've run as competitive a campaign as Clinton has.

But when the time comes, and it is clear that you have been beaten, you should be gracious and bow out.

Hillary will have another chance in the future. Also, there will be other female candidates, and I have no doubt there will soon be a female president. But not in 2008. This year, Obama is the choice of the majority of Democrats. Say what you want about 'electability', what matters is he was chosen, and it is now time to support him in the fight against John McCain and his four-more-years of the Bush Administration.

[kcam44]

Well said, but I have the feeling that Hillary supporters will continue to bash Obama. They are really angry.

[McPander]

This will be like a death in the family. It will take them some time, but fortunately we have some time.
I know they have the right motives and want nothing more than a better future for us all, but its time to move on and whip us some McPander Bear BU%#!

[StillIRise]

I agree that Hillary's supporters are very angry, but it's a misplaced anger. Someone had to lose the nomination, and Hillary literally lost it on her own. No one has taken it from her. It was the incompetence of her own campaign, her own missteps and mis-speaks and mis-remembrances, her own choice to use race to divide the electorate thereby alienating the most loyal faction of the Party, her own mismanagement of her campaign funds, her own willingness to exploit the attacks against Senator Obama, and on ... and on ... and on! But it was all her own doing! To now be angry with Senator Obama for winning, or with the Obama supporters for their enthusiasm, or with the Democratic Party for the rules they established eons ago, is beyond my comprehension. And then to take their anger out on the Party and ultimately on the country itself is beyond belief! Hopefully, they will heal, and we as a Party will unite to defeat the Republicans in the fall. But if they don't, then that will become something they will have to live with.

[Peteyman]

Boy, most of her supporters really tick me off, and remind me of why I support Obama. I looked at the numbers from the exit polls, 50% of IN would NOT vote Obama, and I asked, why? Then this morning I read in The Oregonian a comment that read "Here's one Hillary supporter who will not vote for Obama. She was thrown under the bus."

Would someone care to explain THIS one?

[McPander]

The democratic party has been under the Clinton Machine for 16 years. Once she drops this she is history and so is he. Bill will have to call Jimmy Carter to get attention.
I would recommend he move his office, I don't think Harlem is going to welcome his return.
They can always move to WV. There are a bunch of "Hard Working Americans, White Americans" there.

[on2them]

they seem to be very at home there...yet, the WV people have more class.

[frankky]

Wait until Hillary wins by big margins in W.Virginia all the news outlets are going to headline
"She's back", "Momentum has shifted to Hillary", "She still has a chance", and Hillary supporters
will believe it. Suckers! They don't understand that news outlets are in the business of selling not
of telling the truth, and the truth is she's toast, gone with the wind.

[on2them]

This time, I don't think they will...this time it is more a cou de saignant...spelled incorrectly but interpreted to mean a gift from the winner.

[CinciKid]

Mr. Farmer, that was the most eloquent explanation for HRC's exit that I have read on-line to date.
It seems like years since this campain started and at the very beginning I decided that I didn't care about the sex or race of any candidate, I just wanted significant change in the country.

At first, I was behind Edwards, I never intended to vote for HRC. For some reason, people have a short memory when it comes to the Clinton years. Yes, from a financial standpoint, it had its high points, but overall, millions were wasted because of both Clintons' lies. They had their eight years, she ran for the Presidency, came close, but she lost.

Let's move on and concentrate on what is important - making our country better for all of its inhabitants.

[rain39]

Obamafarmer, I fully support your post! The time has come for we the people speak respectfully and let Hillary take her winners run around the track because she did win. She fought a hell of a campaign, was tough and erased the strange idea in lots of people's minds that women can't cut it! Thanks, Hillary. We wish you a long and fruitful career as a high profile advocate of your values where you don't have to watch what you say because of having to make nice with everyone. You have some great ideas, let's hear you riding the big waves like Senator Kennedy in the Senate with your ideas. Stand up and kick some butt!

Bill, repair where repairs need to be made and continue your good works. You worked steadfastly for Hillary and paid your debt. Now go forth with a clean soul, live a good life and do good. Live the life you want without deceit. If you want a singles life, go for it! The same for you, Hillary. You are both free at last to listen to your heartstrings and shout from the rooftops with a minimum of political capital to worry about.

[CocteausTwin]

Drip,drip, drip, drip. It certainly sounds like the sound of the coming torrent of super delegates.

Not only that the man seems to be comfortable with a game of pool (not that I makes me feel like that makes him anymore working class, its just a game I enjoy myself and shows forethought and adaptation.)

[meltingpot101]

Why did the entire Swoosie1 segment disappear?? Her post gone......all those replies gone

[McPander]

Like I said earlier, The Trolls had to cut back on their hours online due to financial constraints.

[PrObama29]

What ever happend to AnninCA? She/he/it was a violent hill supporter, but hasn't been around lately?

[VcKrc]

Are you talking about her post where she says there in no way in heck she is voting for Obama? I was about to see how that conversation was going.

(BTW, Im off to see Arianna at a book signing, I'll tell her you all said , "Hi!")

[longislandlol]

Great news...

[nibblybits]

I'm a heavy duty Obama supporter, but I'm not down with the pledged delegate who switched from Clinton to Obama. I think that's utter bs; it's not his decision to make. He represents the votes of thousands of people who made the time to make it down to polls and cast their votes. Now he's taking it upon himself to switch? No.

I didn't like it back when when Hillary threatened to poach pledged delegates from Obama. And I don't like it that this guy is switching the other way. It's not his call to make. He was assigned to represent Hillary based on the public's votes and he should stay that way. Same with the Obama pledged delegates.

[donballz]

I agree. Its not good for Democracy. And it bolsters Clinton's claim that this is something we should be doing. I say down with delegates, down with the electoral college. Let's make it about the popular vote and have a true Democracy.

[luvthelaw]

I tend to agree. I am also an Obama supporter and I didn't like it when Hillary started saying "pledged" delegates could vote for anybody, even tho she was technically correct. The pledged delegates should vote for the person they were elected to support, at least for the first vote. If it goes to a second ballot, they are all free to vote for anybody. I suppose by the time the convention comes around, it probably won't matter but if she is still contesting the nomination by then, he should vote for her.

[lily31]

I am also concerned that a pledged delegate switched from the candidate he was elected to support to Obama. While I am a long, hard and fast Obama supported, I think pledged delegates should honor their commitment ....... while I understand that there is some language in the rules that permits switching, it seems this is not the time to claim that possibility.

Obama is a "play by the rules" candidate and one who values integrity. It's what attracts many of us to his candidacy after 8 long years of Rovian "anything goes" approach to politics. A pledged delegate should have the personal integrity to honor those for whom they speak, even if their personal opinion has changed.

[ladyv]

He was elected to support Obama, actually. Switching to Obama brought him in line with his state, Maryland.

[SURRYMARK]

I tend to agree, but I know the chances of seeing these sentiments (from Nibblybits and others) on the Clinton site are what? Zero? .00Zero?

In one way, it's why Republicans beat liberals/progressives - because they have no restraints, and voters have been willing to go along. On the other hand, it may be why Obama is ahead - because people do respond to his restraints. I don't think that's just the "educated" crowd. I think them "hard workers" have a lot of sense, and will show it.

[silvertongue]

The pledged delegate in question is Jack Johnson from Maryland. Barack DID win his state's primary on Super Tuesday. So, he is going with the people in his state by switching to Barack Obama.

[nibblybits]

He won the state, but not all of the pledged delegates. He got his share based on the percentage he won. She won her share. These pledged delegates each represent thousands of people who have voted. They should stick with the person they are are supposed to vote for. It's not his right to change his mind.

[Yatata]

If you are an Obama supporter, the most effective thing you can do for the campaign and the future of the country rather than donating money is to take part in the historic voter registration drives - and bring the whole family. Here's why:

http://progressillinois.com/2008/05/11/features/obama-over-the-top

[KillTheMessenger]

Four a day keeps Hillary at bay.

Sorry. It's awful, it's offensive and I couldn't help myself.

[ItsAllGood4u]

Can I say Amen!

[BWonka]

I like the sentiment!

[on2them]

oh stop being sorry and celebrate in the fact that you helped liberate our country to be finally freed from old politics that has us in a choke hold! Be proud of yourself!

[durdysouth]

It's unfortunate that Swoozie1 cannot seem to accept the fact that Senator Clinton, ran a terrible campaign and lost. Mark Penn who is not very bright thought the democratic process was winner take all. So the clinton camp only concentrated on the "BIG" states. A big mistake on her part. She has continuously commented about "if the democratic election process was like the republican process, that she would have the nomination already. You can't compete in a process and change the rules as you go. There are many Swoozie's out there, but hopefully they will come to the reality that the goal for us is to defeat John McCain in November.

[lisakaz2]

I hear dat. "If" "If" "If"...What happened to playing the hand that is dealt? You'd like HRC was at some big disadvantage, as if they didn't know any better. How is that possible? Bill Clinton won using the SAME process -- twice. What, Obama had sooooo much more knowledge/experience?

They were outclassed and outplayed and got no one but themselves to blame but they'd prefer excuses as if they were somehow victims of unfairness. Did Ickes help make the rules?

[nellie]

This is getting really exciting!

[kee]

I'm very happy to get all of these endorsements. It's about unity and getting to the magic number of 2024 and soon! I hope Obama gets a flood of superdelegates Wednesday, to negate any so-called momentum Clinton gets out of West Virginia. It's time to unite this party, and Nagin is welcome in the Obama family. So are Republicans! We are a diverse group! No drama!

Wankaee Hil