The Superdelegates need to stand up and be counted and they need to do it now.
Hillary Clinton won the Pennsylvania Primary last evening as expected. It appears she won by 9.3 percent or so - not the clear and convincing numbers she needed but enough to convince her to stay the course.
That is, unless the Superdelegates stand up now and decide the nominee. They need to do that and do it right away for the good of the Party. John McCain and the Republicans have had a free ride for way too long while the Democrats continue to bitterly fight each other. This prolonged primary battle is seriously hurting the Democratic Party and could cost it the election in November. The Democratic Party can not afford to let that happen.
This can't be delayed any longer. The Democrats need a nominee to fight John McCain and a nominee who can help elect a majority to both the House and the Senate. Had Super Tuesday worked as advertised, it should have given the Party a presumptive nominee who could have done just that. It didn't. (The Democratic Party needs to take a serious look at it's Primary strategy and nominating process - it's unbelievably complicated, borders on the absurd, and is hurting more than helping the Party).
It is mathematically certain that Hillary Clinton can not win the pledged delegate contest. Barack Obama has already won that battle. He is closing in on Hillary Clinton's once commanding lead in the committed Super Delegate count. He has won significantly more state primaries and caucuses than Clinton. Barack Obama continues to lead in the popular vote. He has raised, and continues to raise, significantly more money than either Hillary Clinton or John McCain; and he's done that though more than 1,300,000 individual small donors.
Perhaps most importantly, Barack Obama has run, for the most part, a very positive campaign. Hillary Clinton has not and her relentless ambition has apparently caused her to subscribed to the Karl Rove handbook on how to win an election with lies, deceit, distortion, and innuendo. Hillary Clinton will not be able to unite the Democratic Party after the Primary season. She is too divisive. She has burned too many bridges during her 'scorched earth" campaign for the nomination. Hillary Clinton can't bring in the Independents and the disgruntled Republications that will be needed to win in November. Because she is the Democrat the Republicans like most to hate, she will energize their base and likely will jeopardize the majorities that the Democrats will need in the House and Senate to effectively govern . There are credible rumors that the only reason she continues in the race is to tear down Barack Obama so he can not win in November and thus she can emerge as the Party "savior" for the 2012 election. If that is true, it is despicable and it will backfire.
Barack Obama will unite the Party. He hasn't burned any bridges. He can, and will, make the general election campaign not just about him, but also about those who are running for the House and Senate. He will bring out large numbers of new voters. He's clearly demonstrated that he can raise the money needed to win in November.
Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. The Superdelegates can make that happen now and allow the Party to unite and begin the campaign for the general election, or they can wait several more months and give the general election to the Republicans. It's time for the Superdelegates to stand up and commit themselves before it is too late.