Maryland Superdelegates

Obama and Sweeney: In Chicago last weekOverlooked since last month has been the story of the remaining Democratic superdelegates, as it was assumed they would all fall in line for Barack Obama -- an assumption that was correct.

After the superdelgate bonanza of June 3 to 4, two remained in the Maryland undeclared column: AFL-CIO president John Sweeney and Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Susan Turnbull.

In a statement this morning, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Kensington) endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president.

Van Hollen praised the long nominating season for helping to "energize" the Democratic Party.

"This record enthusiasm has already helped to grow our Majority in Congress through three straight special election wins," the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said. "The enthusiasm, new voters, and Americans' demand for change has clearly expanded the playing field for House Democrats this fall. Our nominee Barack Obama is inspiring millions of Americans to register to vote and go to the polls."

He also congratulated Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) on her campaign.

Obama leads in Maryland superdelegates with 14, followed by Clinton's 11. Rep. Steny Hoyer, Sen. Ben Cardin, DNC Vice Chair Susan Turnbull and AFL-CIO President John Sweeney remain undeclared.

Mizuer with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on the front page of today's Washington Post

Endorses Obama

Some would argue that having your cellphone deluged by sales calls is not such a bad thing, especially when the tele-marketers are senators, governors a former president and two of the most sought after people on the planet.

In a long front-page article in today's Washington Post, by Philip Rucker chronicles state Del. Heather Mizeur's five month DNC superdelegate odyssey. She kept a detailed diary noting the phone calls, letters and on-the-street interactions she had with people trying to sway her one way or the other.

Mizeur bounced back and forth between candidates, voting for Hillary Clinton in the Feb. 12 primary, and waiting to endorse Barack Obama until after the primaries ended, out of respect for Clinton.

"I felt, you know what, if I came out now for Obama, it'd feel like I was kicking her in the teeth. I'd just be another one of the bullies telling her to get out."

On picking Obama, Mizeur tells The Post, "The visual I kept coming back to was a moving truck pulling up in front of the White House. When I would think of Barack, Michelle and their kids jumping out of the moving truck, it excited me. It represented a new start and change, versus Bill and Hillary dusting off all of their things and putting them back where they were."

Upon the closing of polls in South Dakota, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Towson) endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination tonight.

Sarbanes announced his support along with 25 other superdelegates -- the only Marylander to do so -- solidifying Obama's hold on the delegates needed to nominate at the August Democratic National Committee Convention.

"Now that the votes have been cast and the primary season has come to its close," Sarbanes said in a statement, "I am pleased to play a part in ratifying the decision of the voters in my district and across the country."

"Moving forward, the importance of unifying the party behind one candidate is vital and Democrats in the Third District, the State of Maryland, and the nation are quickly turning their focus to electing Senator Obama as our next President."

Sarbanes' endorsement gives Obama the lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton in Maryland DNC superdelegates. 12 back Obama, 11 back Clinton and 6 remain undeclared.

Bel Leong-HongMaryland Democratic National Committeewoman and superdelegate Belkis "Bel" Leong-Hong endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president this evening.

Leong-Hong, a former high-ranking Department of Defense employee and now the principal of a consulting firm, released a statement touting Obama as "the strongest candidate for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community [who] understands that it’s time for AAPI issues — immigration, education, and small business policy, for example — to be discussed on the national stage."

"And as someone who has lived in AAPI and international communities, I know he shares our unwavering belief in America as a land of prosperity and opportunity for all," she added.

Leong-Hong's endorsement leaves Obama tied with Hillary Clinton for Maryland superdelegates. Both have 11 while 7 are undeclared.

UPDATE: Cardin will not endorse tonight.

The New York Times reports that Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) will endorse Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president as part of "at least eight Senate and House members who had pledged to remain uncommitted until the primaries ended."

Allegedly, "the endorsements [will] come the moment the South Dakota polls [close tonight]."

Following a meeting held yesterday with Senators Tom Harkin, Jon Tester, Tom Carper and Ken Salazar, the Rocky Mountain News reports that Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) is set to attend another, larger gathering of the Senate's undeclared Democratic superdelegates.

The meeting will not take place until Wednesday, implying that Cardin's endorsement will likely not come tonight. Yet Harkin, who allegedly brought the group together, told the paper that he is unsure whether the group will end up voting as a block.

This all may change, as an AP newsflash reports that Hillary Clinton campaign officials say the Senator will acknowledge that Sen. Barack Obama has enough delegates for the nomination during her New York speech tonight.

Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Towson)ANNAPOLIS-- Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Towson) told PolitickerMD.com today that "it's possible" he could endorse a presidential candidate by Wednesday, one-day after the final nominating contests in South Dakota and Montana.

Appearing at the District 30 Democratic Club Cookout and Fundraiser in Annapolis, Sarbanes would not say which candidate he would endorse. The representative from Maryland's 3rd Congressional District has long pledged to remain uncommitted until the process is finalized on Tuesday.

"I'm certainly not going to make a decision before Tuesday," Sarbanes said. "We're coming to the end of the process and I'll think you'll see a fair amount of closure taking hold."

Yesterday, Westminster City Councilman and Democratic superdelegate Greg Pecoraro threw his support behind Sen. Barack Obama.

In a statement, Pecoraro said he is "very excited to join the large majority of Maryland Democrats who expressed their enthusiasm for Senator Obama’s candidacy in our state's presidential primary."

"Like them, I believe Barack Obama is the right leader for our time. With Barack Obama as our nominee and as our President, we have real hope that a new way of governing the nation is at hand. I strongly believe that Senator Obama offers us the best opportunity we have had for many years to turn away from the politics of division and despair, and look towards an America of opportunity and progress."

Obama now has 10 of Maryland's superdelegates while 11 are supporting Sen. Hillary Clinton. Of the 99 delegates voting at the Denver convention in August, Obama leads Clinton, 53 to 38, while 8 are unknown.

PolitickerMD.com most recently spoke with Pecoraro on May 15.

John GageUnion leader John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees and a Maryland Democratic superdelegate, announced his support for Sen. Barack Obama this morning, AP reports.

Gage's endorsement came with that of his approximately 600,000-member union of federal and D.C. government employees, of which he has been president since 2003.

In a statement, Gage said, "Our people, I think, recognize the enthusiasm and vitality behind Senator Obama's campaign."

He also expressed an anxiousness for the Democrats' to take on presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

"I think it's time we start really focusing in on McCain, who just has a terrible record when it comes to federal employees," he said.

Gage also serves as a trustee of the National Labor College in Silver Spring. He played for the ABL's Baltimore Orioles professional basketball team from 1968 to 1969.