Montana superdelegate backs Obama, says Hillary 'can't unite us'

Update III: Commenters have noted that Dahlman was counted previously as having endorsed Obama. She told us today she had not formally endorsed, and the list we checked  and we did not see her on the list at Politico earlier today. Sorry for the confusion. She declared her support for Obama in the Great Falls Tribune Apr. 13. Sorry for the confusion. We've been calling people listed as uncommitted, but not all lists have caught up with everyone. I think the interview is still articulate, informative and reflective of states to come, but don't mean to overshadow any other news, so obviously recommend/unrecommend at your discretion.

We just spoke with Jean Lemire Dahlman, a Montana super. None of Montanas supers have backed Hillary. She explained her reasoning primarily in the context of Hillary failing to be able to "unite" the party. Congrats goes to Bev Davis, our new political reporter who joined us from Huffpo's Off the Bus.

You can read her full explanation and comments at Raw Story.

Jean Lemire Dahlman, a rancher and National Democratic committeewoman from Forsyth, Montana said that she will give Sen. Obama her superdelegate vote.

"When you’re in college and you read Plato’s Philosopher King, you think, yeah, that’s what I want in a leader; someone who can lead and unite us and I’m not sure Hillary can," Dahlman said. "She’s smart. She’s capable, but I don’t think she can unite us and that’s why I’m giving Barack Obama my superdelegate vote."

Dahlman lives on a sprawling ranch outside the rural town of Forsyth in a village called Rosebud. Tucked away in the southeastern part of Montana near the Wyoming border and the Yellowstone River, Rosebud is not far from where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer camped before his ultimate defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Dahlman is predicting a similar defeat for Sen. Clinton should she stay in the race by the time Montana Democrats vote in the last primary of the season June 3.

"There's no 'white working voter' problem for Barack here," Dahlman continued. "Yesterday, I was at the post office and I asked a retired welder - a union guy - if he was going to Billings tomorrow to see Bill [Clinton] and he said he didn't think he should since he's going to vote for Barack. And another guy - a young electrician - told me that he's supporting Barack and working hard for him. The people I see on the street are all white and they have no problem voting for a man whose father is black. It's what he stands for - he's authentic, he isn't pandering and he's telling us the truth - that's why people here are voting for him and that's why he'll win Montana."

Read the full story here.