"We're no different than anyone else, we have one vote," Kitty Asberry notes about her status as a superdelegate. "But to hold back now lacks character - to not step up and stand out now, rather than wait until the convention, does not show leadership."
There are eight superdelegates for the state of Oklahoma with six of them undeclared. Mrs. Asberry is firmly supporting Barrack Obama while fellow superdelegate Betty McElderry is supporting Hillary Clinton. Oklahoma County, the largest in the state, voted for Obama and Mrs. Asberry feels she represents the wishes of her county even though the majority of primary votes in the state went to Clinton.
While refraining from naming names, Mrs. Asberry, 49, laughs while she confirms that she has had "lots and lots" of calls from people trying to dissuade and/or confirm her vote. "Sen. Obama represents what the American people are changing into; a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society. The U.S. is no longer a predominantly white, or predominantly male, country. He (Obama) is representative of the growth that this country is making." On the question of experience Mrs. Asberry feels the senator from Illinois is, "Wise enough to surround himself with advisors for things that he may not be well-versed in."
Prior to being elected to the position of Oklahoma Democratic Party Vice-Chair in May of last year; Mrs. Asberry, married with a daughter and step daughter; served for five years as the chair of the Oklahoma County Democrats. She is a native of Oklahoma City and has served as vice-chair for the state affirmative action and has served in other party positions as well.
Her mother and father were not active in politics so she and her sister, Marsha Jefferson, Mayor of Spencer, OK, are family trailblazers. She did follow her parents in union activism however. For 28 years, Mrs. Asberry was the United Auto Workers representative for the Oklahoma Truck Assembly Plant which closed two years ago.
Mrs. Asberry graduated from the University of Phoenix, Oklahoma City campus, but began active participation in Democratic politics before that, in 1976. She has continued to rise in party position and has become the first Black American (her preferred term) to hold an upper management position in Oklahoma in either party. Some of the issues that drive her are health care, education and safe working environments.
This piece was produced as part of OffTheBus's Superdelegate Investigation. Click here to read more superdelegate profiles.