NYT: Obama Pulls Ahead of Clinton in Superdelegates

[DeepModem Mom]

Obama Pulls Ahead of Clinton in Superdelegates
By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
Published: May 10, 2008


(Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Barack Obama after a campaign event at Vernier Software & Technology in Beaverton, Ore.

Senator Barack Obama surged ahead of his rival, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the count of superdelegates on Friday, the first time since the outset of the race that Mrs. Clinton has lost the lead in one of her few remaining trump cards.

Mr. Obama racked up seven endorsements in the last 24 hours from superdelegates, the Democratic Party insiders who are granted autonomy to support whomever they wish at the convention in August. One, a New Jersey congressman, switched his allegiance away from Mrs. Clinton, allowing the Illinois senator to pull ahead of his opponent, according to the latest New York Times count.

The Times’s tally shows Mr. Obama with 266 superdelegates against 263 for Mrs. Clinton, based on telephone polls conducted with CBS News as well as public endorsements. A separate count by The Associated Press shows Mr. Obama running even with Mrs. Clinton. And a measure by ABC News showed the Illinois senator ahead as of this morning.

The superdelegate count was one of the few mathematical areas where Mrs. Clinton still maintained an advantage in the race. She trails her opponent in the popular vote and the total Democratic delegate count.

Superdelegates represent up to a fifth of the Democratic convention delegation, and have historically supported the front-runner at the convention. More than 250 superdelegates have yet to publicly announce their decisions....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/us/politics/09cnd-campaign.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin