April 29, 2008 - 12:21
News: Maryland

Obama supporter says superdelegates should ‘cast their vote any way they want to’

Janice Griffin, a Maryland superdelegate and supporter of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), told PolitickerMD.com that Democratic superdelegates should support whichever candidate they think would make the best president - even if their votes would tilt the balance of the primary race.

"The rules are the rules," Griffin said when asked about the role of superdelegates. "A superdelegate can cast their vote anyway they want to."

Griffin would not speculate as to how the Democratic battle for the nomination would end, saying, "I'm not going there."

Obama leads rival Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) 1490-1334 among pledged delegates, and 1732-1599 when committed superdelegates are factored into the equation, according to an NBC News count.

While neither candidate will be able to obtain the necessary 2,025 total delegates needed to secure the nomination without the aid of superdelegates, a Clinton lead among pledged delegates at the conclusion of the nominating contests is a virtual mathematical impossibility.

Obama won the Feb. 12 Maryland primary by 25 points, but nine of the state's 14 committed superdelegates have endorsed Clinton; five have endorsed Obama and 13 remain uncommitted.

Griffin, who served as co-chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Women's Vote Center and as national chair of the DNC's Women's Leadership Forum, announced her support for Obama in February.

She said her decision was "difficult," but said she endorsed Obama because "I thought he was the best candidate for president and I still believe that."

Superdelegates, who will account for roughly 20 percent of all delegates at the Democratic National Convention, have never overturned a candidate's lead among pledged delegates since the system was first implemented in 1984.

In addition, Griffin predicted that the contentious nature of the primary campaign would not hurt the Democrats' chances of winning the November election.

"I firmly believe that no matter what happens, coming out of Denver, Democrats will be united from coast to coast behind the nominee," she said.

Kevin Agnese can be reached via email at noreply@politicker.com.

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