“Superdelegates” Decide Primaries in USA

Neither Obama nor Hillary is able to obtain a majority – US Democrats face a crucial test

WASHINGTON – Wyoming, Mississippi, Pennsylvania. The primary carousel among the U.S. Democrats keeps spinning, and as of now, a clear decision has not yet emerged. After 45 primaries and 28 million votes, the balance of power has barely moved: Obama, who won the caucus in Wyoming last Saturday and who, one day later, strictly refused to run as Hillary Clinton’s vice-presidential candidate, is still leading with about 120 delegates. However, it is unlikely that either of the candidates will be able to capture the 2,025 delegates that are necessary to secure the presidential nomination before the convention. The primaries will end on June 7, 2008.

The situation is aggravated by the very complex primary system that, as insiders recently called it, “causes grown men to cry over it”. In the Republican Party, John McCain is certain to be the presidential candidate, since he won the most support state-wide and thus allocates all the delegates. Meanwhile, the number of Democratic delegates who get to attend the national convention is proportional to the candidate’s share of the primary vote. Therefore, party officials project that even after the next big primary – the Pennsylvania primary election on April 22nd with a total of 187 delegates -, everything will remain unclear.

Out of these 187 Pennsylvania delegates, 158 are pledged delegates who are bound to follow the results of the ballot and vote for either Clinton or Obama during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, while the remaining 29 “superdelegates” are free to support any candidate for the nomination.

Since the overall 796 “superdelegates” could possibly hold the balance in awarding the nomination, both Democratic candidates are currently in a competitive race for these superdelegates, who are members of Congress, party officials, governors, and former officeholders. Therefore, Bill Clinton and Al Gore are “superdelegates” as well.

Wooing endorsements

The arguments among the Democratic candidates couldn’t be more different: Obama’s campaign calls on the “superdelegates” to vote for the candidate that has won the most pledged delegates – which will probably be Obama. The Clintons, on the other side, ask that the “superdelegates” support the candidate who has a higher chance of defeating John McCain, and who won the primaries in big states such as Ohio, California, and New York – which would be Hillary Clinton.