Oregon Sen. Wyden is waiting to endorse...

I emailed Sen Ron Wyden a few weeks ago to encourage him to endorse Sen Obama. Today I received a thoughtful reply from his office. I'll share an excerpt below the fold.

Along with a potted history of the "superdelegate" system, he said the following:

Regarding my role as a superdelegate, I have not and will not endorse either of the Democratic candidates before the convention because I am working very hard to pass my universal health reform legislation -- the Healthy Americans Act (S. 334). I hope that one of these fine individuals will be elected president and that the other will return to the Senate to work with me. Ultimately, I will need both of their help to pass my bill and ensure quality health care for all Americans.

Much as I wish he would, this is the best reason I've heard for not endorsing. Wyden is seriously committed to health care reform. As I favour single-payer healthcare, don't think the Healthy Americans Act is perfect. It still keeps the insurance companies in business, although it will restrict their practices massively and end high premiums and refusals for people with pre-existing conditions, break the link between healthcare and employment, get rid of "junk" insurance, and provide subsidies for those who need them. These are good steps.
And it's nice to hear from a Senator who is taking a principled stand for an idea he believes in.