Obama leads among Senate supers

Posted: Monday, March 31, 2008 10:29 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress, 2008, Clinton, Obama

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
With the endorsement by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for Obama, we decided to take a look at who each Democratic senator is backing. Obama, it turns out, leads Clinton, 14-12. Twenty senators are uncommitted. A couple of notes... excluded from the list is the Florida-Michigan contingent of senators: Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, who is backing Clinton; Carl Levin, of Michigan, who is uncommitted; and Bill Nelson, of Florida, who has endorsed Clinton. Also excluded are senators, who caucus with Democrats, but do not have a vote at convention: Bernie Sanders (I-VT-Uncommitted) and Joe Lieberman (I/D-CT-McCain). Lieberman was stripped of his superdelegate status when he endorsed McCain.

Here's the full list of the Senate superdelegate endorsements:
OBAMA (14)
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Kent Conrad
Christopher J. Dodd
Byron L. Dorgan
Richard J. Durbin
Tim Johnson
Edward M. Kennedy
John Kerry
Amy Klobuchar
Patrick J. Leahy
Claire McCaskill
Ben Nelson
Barack Obama
John D. Rockefeller

CLINTON (12)
Evan Bayh
Maria Cantwell
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Dianne Feinstein
Daniel Inouye
Blanche Lambert Lincoln
Robert Menendez
Barbara Mikulski
Patty Murray
Mark Pryor
Charles E. Schumer
Sheldon Whitehouse

Uncommitted (20)
Daniel Akaka
Max Baucus
Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Jeff Bingaman
Barbara Boxer
Sherrod Brown
Robert C. Byrd
Benjamin L. Cardin
Thomas Carper
Russell D. Feingold
Tom Harkin
Herb Kohl
Mary Landrieu
Frank R. Lautenberg
Jack Reed
Harry Reid
Ken Salazar
Jon Tester
Jim Webb
Ron Wyden

EMAIL THIS

Comments

So where is Al Gore on this list? Isn't HE a Superdelegate?

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:39 AM)

This has been true for awhile. Obama and Clinton have been very close on elected people (senators, reps, governors) and Clinton's lead has been with DNC and DPL people. And most of her lead was from BEFORE this primary season (when she was viewed as the inevitable candidate). This makes Obama's closing on the total superdelegate lead even more impressive. He has had such a hurdle to overcome.

Obama 08

Lisa, New Britain, CT CT for Obama (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:39 AM)

Congressmen and Senators have also started seeing into the Clinton lies and dishonesty.

MSNBC Questions Clinton's Truthiness, Says She Was Pro-NAFTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG00SWAqcvw&eurl

NAFTA and Hillary Clinton's credibility problem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFuA0z4kKD4

A Pattern Of Hillary Clinton "Misstatements"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixg4F-qnQvQ

Hillary Clinton Lies about Bosnia: Lies Lies Lies Yeah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8_odhuWfTk

banko (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:39 AM)

Wait a minute.

Shouldn't HRC be stripped of her candidatacy since HER endorsement of McSame?

NO MORE BUSH (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:45 AM)

I noticed Obama supports Obama and Clinton supports Clinton. Do candidates really get to act as superdelegates on their own behalf? If so, I didn't realize that.

I wonder if Bill Clinton has called Obama yet, trying to get him to switch his allegience.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:46 AM)

Could this article signal Hillary's next 'Bosnia'? It looks like she's been caught 'mis-speaking' about her role in supporting NAFTA. (from Jake Tapper, ABC's 'Political Punch' blog)

"Campaigning in Indiana on Friday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, claimed to have been a 16-year vocal opponent of NAFTA.

"I spoke out against it starting in 1992 -- the president made a different decision," Clinton said. "I think now with 14 years of experience under our belt, we can see that in some parts of our country there have been, perhaps, some economic advantages, but in other parts of our country, like where we are right here in northwest Indiana, it hasn't worked as it was promised, and therefore I think we need to renegotiate it."

Given that Clinton was the headline attraction at a pro-NAFTA meeting in November 1993 and was praising NAFTA in public throughout the 90s, the claim seemed interesting. When was she "speaking out" against it?

Clinton campaign communications director Howard Wolfson says that Clinton argued against supporting NAFTA internally on the 1992 campaign before then-Gov. Bill Clinton decided to support it.

Would you consider that to be "speaking out against it"?

Interesting, since this was such a crucial issue in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana...oh, and Michigan.

Suzanne (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:47 AM)

BACK IN FALL THE CLINTONS SIGNED A PLEDGE NOT TO HAVE THE DELEGATES OF MI AND FL SEATED BECAUSE THOSE STATES BROKE THE RULES. JAMES CARVILLE A CLINTON BACKER STATED NOT HAVING MI AND FL COUNT WAS LIKE PLAYING 36 MINUTES OF A GAME.HE IS RIGHT BUT THE CLINTONS AGREED TO ONLY PLAY FOR 36 MINUTES OF THIS GAME!

RENEA,PLYMOUTH,MI (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:49 AM)

In the last week, the polls have broken decidedly for Obama. Yesterday, the Gallup daily tracking had him up ten points, his highest margin yet for that poll.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html

obie, burtrum, mn (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:50 AM)

I would think that Webb, Cardin, Reid and Feingold would all go to Obama...

Obama supporter (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:54 AM)

I wonder what a poll of Republican senators would yield?

Leaving McCain out of the equation of course.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

the Pajama Pundit (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:56 AM)

Domenico & Chuck,
Interesting analysis. What would be equally interesting is to take a look at those cohorts of superdelegates in which Senator Clinton leads. I recall hearing at one point that her superdelegate lead was almost entirely attributable to non-elected members of the party establishment, many of whom served as elected or appointed officials in the 90s (in other words, people who owed the Clintons something). True? Not True? It'd be very enlightening.

Scott (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:59 AM)

Obama '08
Yes WE Can!!!

JohnnyU, WA State (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:04 AM)

The Washington Post, in their Obama-McCain article referenced below, list Russ Feingold as being an Obama supporter. Is this not accurate?

Mark S, NC (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:05 AM)

Aren't there 100 senators? Where are the rest?

100 - FL - MI - Clinton, Obama, Lieberman, Sanders = 92?

jg, NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:06 AM)

Wow . . . so those in their own party who know the 2 best and worked with them very day in the senate prefer Obama . . . interesting

It seems more and more that her support relies almost entirely with legacy loyalties to Bill

MSNBC - here's a stat that I'd really like to see . . . how many SDs have committed to each since the early days when everyone thought she was guaranteed to win the nomination???

John in Knoxville (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:07 AM)

Joe Lieberman hasn't been a superdelegate since he broke from the Democrats and was sworn in as an "independent democrat". His loss of super delegate status has nothing to do with his endorsements.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/02/everybody-wrong-on-lieberman.html

Jeremy, Seattle Washington (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:08 AM)

Aren't there 100 senators? Where are the rest?

100 - FL - MI - Clinton, Obama, Lieberman, Sanders = 92?

oops - sorry - forgot we weren't counting Republicans.

jg, NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:08 AM)

Chuck and Todd: my guy and I were wondering what % of the superdelegates are currently elected officials..
there was an interesting small piece in the LA Times on Sunday about contributions to superdelegates and thier endorsements..
Seems 82% will endorse a candidate if they contributed money to them
I noticed some senators from California in the uncommitted column, even though Senator Clinton won the state-I think they are on the fence until the really know which way the wind is blowing

Pam OC,CA (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:19 AM)

Diane Feinstein is totally WORTHLESS
She voted for the Iraq War
She voted for war with Iran (Kyl-Lieberman)
The Patriot Act
confirming Atty Gen Mukasey
confirming Roberts and Alito

Who needs Republicans, when you have THOS CLOWN ?
Is it any wonder she backs Crooked Billary ?

Sierra, SF (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:26 AM)

I am from Washington State and find it peculiar that our senators have endorsed Clinton when Obama overwhelmingly won our state. Ms. Klobuchar is a lot more in touch with her constituency than our senators are! (They chose Ms. Clinton in December-January time frame -- and we hope they will consider their votors, or we may re-consider them in the next election...

ginnymci, WA (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:29 AM)

Okay, thats the Senate, how about the House, and of course Bill since he is a SD. I'd like to see the expression on Hillary's face if he told her I'm endorsing Barack.

OBwan, IN (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:35 AM)

There are only 50 DEMOCRATIC senators....with Lieberman messing up the Dem advantage.
Republican senators are not superdelegates....geeez.

pittsburgh dem (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:38 AM)

I thought Feingold "as good as" endorsed Obama when stating he did vote for him and "probably would" also as super-D

Carthage (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:39 AM)

There are only 50 DEMOCRATIC senators....with Lieberman messing up the Dem advantage.
Republican senators are not superdelegates....geeez.

pittsburgh dem (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:40 AM)

“‘We cannot go forward until Florida and Michigan are taken care of, otherwise the eventual nominee will not have the legitimacy that I think will haunt us,’ said the senator from New York.

Key word in Senator Clinton's speech is "I". She apparently feels that she is the "Be All End All on political policies.

I am a Senior Citizen, female and I am a FLoridian. I voted in the Florida primary not for a presidential candidate but or Amendment 1, Property Tax Reform in FL.

All candidates agreed prior that FL and MI would be disenfranchised therefore a vote was moot.

If Hillary was leading she would not be talking about the legitimacy of the democratic candidate.

The more I hear from her and all her false claims on her foreign policy experience the less I respect her.

A woman who does not respect herself cannot be expected to respect others

Independent Voter, FL (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:45 AM)

Don't these Senators have a problem with O'Bama's MISPEAKING about Rev. Wright & Rezko donations? How about his records while in the Illinois Senate? Out of order or thrown away??? Sound like the kid that told the teacher "The dog ate my homework<" What is he hiding???

Jano,Clearwater,Fl (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:47 AM)

Yes there are 100 but believe it or not some of them are Republicans and they usually (always) dont get the roles of Democratic Super Delegate

Ron Boynton Beach, Fl. (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:48 AM)

So where is Al Gore on this list? Isn't HE a Superdelegate?

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 10:39 AM)

---------------------------------

Al Gore is not a US Senator.

He may also be busy hunting ManBearPig!

Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Eric - South Park, CO (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:49 AM)

The "Establishment"(HRC) thought they were going to win this thing way back before it even started.

Her cronies either "owe" her something, or she is bribing them (offering them something). HRC and her cronies (and yes, that IS what they are) never saw Obama coming.

Washington has worked this way for years, and HRC thought the American people were to stupid to see what has been going on, and to lazy to demand that it stops.

Guess she was WRONG!!

And James Carville's little "judas" remark exemplifies this.

Thank you Bill Richardson for showing us what was going on behind closed doors.

Exactly what we always knew.

Obama 08

Jessica (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:56 AM)

It's like watching a gentle snow fall. One Senator at a time, alighting ever so definitively, upon Barack's shoulder.

Pulling for Obama '08

donna , pgh., pa. (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:57 AM)

Lieberman is the ultimate Judas for endorsing McNasty, McWar, McOldtimer, Mc"where am I?"

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 11:59 AM)

Like everyone else I have been following the news regarding the Democratic party nomination for President and frankly all this Obamamania, Obamaphenonma or whatever it is called is a little bit scary and somewhat similar to scenes in The Manchurian
Candidate. How can an empty suit no matter how silver tongued manipulate so many? Perhaps the truth will out eventually. John Edwards and Al Gore are smart not to endorse anyone.....yet.

Cathy, New York, NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:02 PM)

Lieberman needs to be "kicked out" immediately from the Democrat's caucus. He is a major doofus!

Bud (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:02 PM)

it's realy sad when they need to put clintons name on the list to make it look better for her

Sag Harbor, NY (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:03 PM)

Did the people of FLORIDA AND MICHAGIN break the rules or the demo party leaders there because it sure looks like the people are the ones who pay thanks to OBAMMA and his fear of large states,the rules are the rules ,where the rules ok when the were for segregation or how about jim crow rules are they ment to be broken if the rule is unjust OBAMMA should know this but now to suit his political needs the RULES ARE RULES so see them flas and michaginnins in the general election when they can finaly vote for MACAIN that 28 % number of hilliary fans is going to grow the nastier the obammawannas are NICE JOB DEMOS way to run a counter canidate when you coulkd have won easily.

kenn (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:03 PM)

Obama '08

LMK C. WA (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:04 PM)

What if Barack and Hillary Clinton would trade their scores ?

Barack would have quit the race long time ago ! The media keeps Clinton alive for nor good reason but her last name.

If Barack would have fantasized about 'sniper fire' at this point of the race it would be over. But Mrs. Ready-at-3am gets a pass for this blatant lie.

The Clintons claim that Barack has it 'easy' because he is black and his middle name is 'Hussein' ... Clinton is the former first lady with her family's control over the party's treasure chest - so she has it much more difficult than Barack.

Please note, a 150+ delegate lead is SIGNIFICANT because of the proportional allocation !

Either way, she won't come out in the lead in any category. And her FL, MI scam about being for a revote after she was against it is a joke.

Her plan is to sink the Democrats in 2008 and come back in 2012 ... the plain truth.

Lynn (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:06 PM)

To all the Obama supporters:
Obama '08 "Yes, you can" bring down the country with your support for a man who's mentor's sermons are an abomination of America!
Your hate for Hillary and McCain--have filled you with ignorance and lack of patriotism!
I once admired Obama, but no way will I support him or anyone who continues to stand by a person who speaks of America in hateful terms. Wright incites black people to hate America and whites.
What do you think would be the response if Hillary or McCain sat in attendance at a KKK rally? Don't worry, they never would.
Obama is like Stephen King...great writers who can lead their readers or listeners to believe what they are conveying in a story or speech. But the difference is...Stephen King is true to himself and lists himself as a fiction writer. Obama is not true to himself...he lists himself as a man of the people...with a pastor who hates America, and a wife who has never been proud of America.
Go ahead...support him because you hate Hillary and McCain so much.

M. Cardenas (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:06 PM)

Aren't there 100 senators? Where are the rest?

100 - FL - MI - Clinton, Obama, Lieberman, Sanders = 92?

oops - sorry - forgot we weren't counting Republicans.
-----------------------------------------------------

The republican senators endorse Clinton. It's the only way they win in November under guarantee.

Lynn (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:07 PM)

Interesting that Biden is still uncommitted - he's a Clinton backer, I wonder why this delay.

John T. (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:09 PM)

How come no one is covering the politico story about Clinton's 9 million in debts. She's got no money & ripping off small businesses in order to compete with Obama.

A Charles, LA, CA (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:10 PM)

Feingold told the media that he voted for Obama in the Wisconsin primary and felt that he would most likely end up casting his superdelegate vote for him as well considering Obama's margin of victory in the Wisconsin primary. I would count him safely in Obama's column.

Jean, Murfreesboro, TN (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:11 PM)

I think who ever has the most votes, the most pledged delegates, and won the most states should be the democratic nominee.

Andrea Taylor

http://www.jobs-from-home.com

Andrea (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:13 PM)

Yes Al Gore is a Super delegate but looks like he has not endorsed any candidate yet ,and it looks like former President Jimmy Carter has not endorsed either candidate either.

Debra (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:13 PM)

I thought that Ben Nelson was a Hillary Clinton supporter!

But, I do think that it is great that a majority of the Senate Democrats that have committed to a candidate, has committed to Barack Obama. And, hopefully, he will get a lot of the ones that have yet to commit!

Mae Williams, Anderson, South Carolina (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 12:19 PM)

Obama has spent over 750,000 (by Feb '08) securing superdelegates. That it is still nearly a tie is amazing. Richardson assured the Clinton's he would remain neutral then turned around and endorsed Obama.
Which makes him a .... Help take back our party. VOTE Hillary '08.

JAZZ (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:17 PM)

Obama supporters, please take a good look at your candidate. He is a two year U.S. Senator, no experience. He defends a Rev. that hates America. Mrs. Obama has never been proud of America. Do you want her as first lady? Think!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he is not qualified to be President. So what if he gives a good speech. His Resume is lacking.

janice, stockton, ca (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:20 PM)

Thank you Senator Robert P.Casey and Senator Amy Klobuchar for your smart decisions respectively to
to show the Clinton's big donors that time is runing
out for Mrs Clinton to hang it up and perhaps go back to the Senate to continue her good work as New york's Jr Senator. Mrs Clinton is a good person and has fought for the poor and Children , but it's not her time to become an American President unfortunatly....Thank you Senator Obama for your good job and we love you

Michael, Newark NJ (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:34 PM)

I noticed a few people trying to bash Obama about Wright and question his patriotism.It's obvious that they dont have the intellegence to seperate fact from fiction.Obama never heard those particular statements, he was not there for those.Michelle has every right to say this is the first time in her adult life that she is really proud of America.I totally agree.I am proud of what america has been able to accomplish in my lifetime but this is the first in my adult life where i am "really" proud because i am witnessing the entire country become truly involved in the political process with such excitement and hope.I understand what she meant.Stop using the old republican "patriotism" test. It was stupid to use it in '04 as well as today and any democrat who votes for McCain and 4 more years of bush policies is a pure dummy. The republicans have ruined this country-and they are all so 'patriotic'-and if you are dumb enough to vote against your country's future because you think someone isn't patriotic enough than you are the real anti-patriot.

S.Gibbs, Texas (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:55 PM)

I wonder how much influence the Senators have in the home states to help one candidate over another. Have all of the Senators in states that are coming up endoresed someone? Casey has endorsed Obama as an example.

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 3:04 PM)

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=844144