More backers flock to Obama
He closed the superdelegate gap by gaining nine more, including one who had backed Clinton. A union also endorsed him.
WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama all but erased Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's once-imposing lead among national convention superdelegates yesterday and won fresh labor backing as elements of the Democratic Party began coalescing around the Illinois senator for the fall campaign.
Obama picked up the backing of nine superdelegates, including Rep. Donald Payne of New Jersey, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who had been a Clinton supporter.
Rep. Christopher Carney of Pennsylvania headed in the opposite direction, announcing his endorsement of Clinton yesterday. Clinton also gained the support of Rep. Ciro Rodriguez of Texas.
Voters in Carney's 10th District, near Scranton, voted for Clinton by a 2-1 ratio in the April 22 primary.
"I will respect their decision," Carney said. He was elected narrowly in 2006, defeating a scandal-scarred Republican.
A key union, the American Federation of Government Employees, announced its support of Obama. The union claims about 600,000 members who work in the federal and Washington, D.C., governments.
Obama, who won a convincing victory in the North Carolina primary and lost Indiana narrowly Tuesday, has been steadily gaining strength since.
"I'm gratified that we've got some superdelegates who are coming our way," Obama told reporters in Woodburn, Ore., "and I think we've got a strong case to make that I will be a nominee that can pull the party together and take on John McCain.
"Our focus has always been on the pledged delegates and just getting the American people to vote for us, and we think that ultimately that should be the strongest measure of who's the nominee."
The developments left Clinton with 272.5 superdelegates to 271 for Obama, according to the Associated Press. Little more than four months ago, on the eve of the primary season, she held a lead of 169-63.
The New York Times' tally showed Obama ahead in the superdelegate count, 266-263, based on telephone polls as well as public endorsements. ABC News also showed Obama leading.
Superdelegates are party leaders who attend the convention as delegates by virtue of their positions and are not selected in primaries or caucuses.
In an interview with National Public Radio, former candidate John Edwards said Clinton had made a compelling case for her candidacy, but "I think it's very hard for her now to make a compelling case for the math. I mean, I think that's the reality of what she's faced with. She knows that.. . . It's just very hard to see how the math works."
In addition to Payne, Reps. Peter DeFazio of Oregon and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, two members of the Democratic National Committee from California, and a party official in South Carolina announced they were supporting Obama. Superdelegates from New Mexico and Virginia also joined the migration.
So did John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees and also a superdelegate.
"Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Sen. Obama's campaign," he said in a statement.
"The election is over. Everybody knows that," said Vernon Watkins, one of the two Californians. "Obama has won."
Payne said that "after careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs." He said in a statement that Clinton was a good friend and that he still held her in high regard.
Payne is one of at least 10 superdelegates who have switched allegiances from Clinton to Obama. None has publicly switched the other way.
In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads with 1,859.5 delegates to 1,697 for Clinton, according to the AP count, meaning Obama is just 165.5 delegates short of the 2,025 delegates needed to win.
Clinton has shown no signs of quitting. She is heavily favored to win Tuesday's primary in West Virginia and is in the midst of a two-day swing through several other states.