I was very cautious to believe the rumor that was spreading like wildfire yesterday that Obama would be announcing the support of fifty superdelegates soon after the March 4th races. As someone involved in the Draft Gore movement and read every single tea leaf that bubbled up the surface, can you really blame me? Now though, it looks like we have a confirmation.
Congressman Lacy Clay told a local newspaper today that Obama does indeed have the delegates secured:
U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, Obama’s Missouri co-chairman and pledged Obama superdelegate, said that regardless of the superdelegate mathematics, the campaign is Obama’s. Clay said that later this week, Obama will gain the support of 50 undecided Democratic superdelegates.
Clay went on to throw a barb at his candidate's opponent:
"She (Sen. Clinton) will not make up those numbers," Clay said. "This race is over."
Going with the CNN delegate numbers, Obama, with the fifty new delegates added to his column, now has the popular vote lead, delegate lead, state lead, and superdelegate lead.
Pledged Delegates
Obama: 1321
Clinton: 1186
Superdelegates
Obama: 249
Clinton: 238
Total Delegates
Obama: 1570
Clinton: 1424
This all being said, however, I still believe this race isn't totally over. I have made comments saying just that the past few days, and have received a lot of flack for them, but here are but a few of the variables still at play in this race:
a) John Edwards and his 26 delegates
b) Michigan re-vote
c) Florida either seating their delegates or re-voting
d) Over 300 superdelegates remain
Yes, it will be incredibly difficult for Clinton to win, especially after this news comes to fruition later this week, but I assure you that she and her husband will do absolutely everything within their power, math being there or not, to win this thing. I think it would be very dangerous for Obama supporters to think otherwise. As such, keep donating, keep making calls, and keep Barack-ing the vote.
Update: Per HarlemUSA in the comments, the Obama campaign seems to be denying the story, or as I'll now again call it, rumor. So I guess continue to take it as a tremendously huge grain of salt - Clay may have simply repeated what Brokaw was reporting, though I would've expected a congressman to act a little more responsibly than that.