Superdelegates shift to Obama

WASHINGTON — The Democratic superdelegates are starting to follow the voters — straight to Sen. Barack Obama.

In the past two weeks, more than two dozen have climbed aboard his presidential campaign, according to an Associated Press survey. At the same time, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's are beginning to jump ship, abandoning her for Obama or deciding they now are undecided.

The result: He has narrowed her once-commanding lead among these "superdelegates," Democratic office holders and party officials who automatically attend the national convention and can vote for whomever they choose.

As Obama has reeled off 11 consecutive victories, some superdelegates are having second — or third — thoughts about their public commitments.

Take John Perez, a Californian who first endorsed John Edwards and then backed Clinton. Now, he said, he is undecided.

"Given where the race is at right now," Perez said, "I think it's very important for us to play a role around bringing the party together around the candidate that people have chosen, as opposed to advocating for our own choice."

Clinton still leads among superdelegates — 241-181, according to the AP survey. But her total is down two in the past two weeks, while Obama's share is up 25. At least three Clinton superdelegates have switched to Obama, including Rep. David Scott of Georgia, who changed his endorsement after Obama won 80 percent of the primary vote in Scott's district. At least two other Clinton backers have switched to undecided.

David Cicilline, the mayor of Providence, R.I., also indicated this week that his support for Clinton might be wavering after — he contended — members of her campaign urged him to cave in to the demands of a local firefighters union ahead of her weekend appearance there. The firefighters, in a long-running contract dispute with Cicilline, have said they would disrupt any Clinton event attended by the mayor. A Clinton spokeswoman said the campaign never would interfere in the mayor's city decisions.

Obama has won 27 of 39 nominating contests, giving him a significant lead in pledged delegates, 1,181 to 1,025.5. His overall lead is 1,362 to 1,266.5. Clinton's half-delegate came from the global primary sponsored by the Democrats Abroad.