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http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/superdelegates_hillary_ob/2008/02/17/73334.html

Hillary, Obama Feud Over Role of Superdelegates

Sunday, February 17, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The presidential race heated up Sunday after White House

hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton clashed with rival Barack Obama over how the

Democratic Party should choose its presidential nominee.

Trailing Obama in the nomination race after losing eight straight contests

to the Illinois senator, Clinton and her advisers suggested hundreds of

"superdelegates" -- party activists and elected lawmakers attending the

Democratic convention in August -- were not bound by the results of voting

in their states, US media reported.

"Superdelegates are a part of the process," Clinton was quoted as saying by

the Washington Post.

"They are supposed to exercise independent judgment," Clinton said on

Saturday while campaigning in Wisconsin, which holds primaries on Tuesday.

Clinton and her advisers made clear their view that the 795 unelected

superdelegates could clinch the nomination for her even if Obama prevails

among voters in primaries and caucuses.

Obama, who has won the popular vote so far, has argued that superdelegates

should back the candidate who wins the most delegates based on primaries and

caucuses in states across the country.

He now has a slight lead in pledged delegates after a string of victories

and hopes to extend his winning streak in Wisconsin and in caucuses in

Hawaii on Tuesday.

But senior Clinton aide Harold Ickes told reporters the superdelegates

should exercise "their best judgment in the interests of the party and the

country."

Ickes predicted that after all primaries are concluded on June 7, "she

(Clinton) will be neck and neck with Mr Obama ... Then she will wrap up the

nomination."

Ickes also argued the results of delegates from Michigan and Florida should

count even though the candidates agreed not to campaign in those states. The

national Democratic Party stripped the two states of delegates after they

flouted party rules and moved up the date of their primaries.

Obama's campaign promptly shot back, accusing Clinton of planning to

undermine the popular will of Democratic voters.

"The Clinton campaign should focus on winning pledged delegates as a result

of elections, not these say or do anything to win tactics that could

undermine Democrats' ability to win the general election," said Obama

campaign manager David Plouffe in an email.

The feud over how to select the Democrats' presidential candidate for the

2008 election came as Clinton struggled to regain the initiative amid

gathering momentum for Obama, who also now has the edge in campaign funds.

Both candidates campaigned in Wisconsin to woo the Midwestern state's mainly

white, working class electorate, which has shaped the outcome of previous

Democratic nomination fights.

Obama and the former first lady traded attacks over their voting records and

platforms on Saturday, with Clinton painting the silver-tongued Obama as

lacking substance while he portrayed the New York senator as hamstrung by

Washington's partisan ways.

Two polls gave Obama a four-point lead in Wisconsin, which has 74 delegates

at stake. Hawaii, with 20 delegates in play, also holds caucuses Tuesday

with Obama -- a native son who was born and raised there -- favored to win.

Obama has 1,296 delegates so far, compared to 1,238 for Clinton, according

to independent website RealClearPolitics. At least 2,025 delegates are

needed to win the Democratic nomination at the convention in Denver in

August.

With the race so tight, the superdelegates -- influential party leaders and

elected lawmakers -- have taken on crucial importance amid concerns the

nomination fight could spark a damaging row inside the Democratic Party.

Clinton, once the dominant front-runner, is counting on delegate-rich Ohio

and Texas on March 4 to halt Obama's surge.

Polls out this week have given her an edge in Ohio and Texas though similar

leads before previous contests later evaporated.

In the Republican race meanwhile, the Wisconsin contest could bring

front-runner John McCain one step closer to the 1,191 delegates he needs to

secure the party's presidential nomination.

McCain has taken big strides toward becoming the Republican nominee, with

825 delegates in hand. He faces the challenge of winning over more socially

conservative Republicans who oppose him.

Even though McCain appears to have an insurmountable lead, ordained Baptist

minister Mike Huckabee has remained in the race despite calls for him to

withdraw.