2 Minnesota delegates give support to Obama

Their endorsement is part of a nationwide swing of superdelegates toward the Democratic front-runner.

By CONRAD WILSON, Star Tribune

Last update: February 29, 2008 - 10:11 PM

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WASHINGTON - Barack Obama picked up more momentum from Minnesota Friday, snatching endorsements from two DFL party leaders.

DFL chair Brian Melendez and associate chair Donna Cassutt, both superdelegates, announced their support for the junior senator from Illinois.

The endorsements bring Obama's superdelegate total in Minnesota to eight, half of the state's total. Sen. Hillary Clinton has three, leaving three of Minnesota's superdelegates uncommitted: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Colin Peterson, and Nancy Larson, a lobbyist and member of the Democratic National Committee.

Minnesota's final two superdelegates will be chosen at the Democratic National Convention in August.

Melendez and Cassutt were among four superdelegates nationally who moved into the Obama column on Friday. Two others were in North Dakota and Texas.

The announcements came a day after the high-profile defection of civil rights figure John Lewis, the Georgia congressman who switched sides from Clinton to Obama.

"Superdelegates are seeing where the people are," said Nick Kimball, a spokesman for the Obama campaign in Minnesota. "They want to affirm the will of the voters."

A Clinton campaign spokesman in Minnesota said he was not surprised and noted that a lot can still happen between now and Aug. 25, when the Democrats meet in Denver to select their candidate.

"They're supposed to represent the Democratic activists and the Democratic voters here in Minnesota," said Rick Stafford, former DFL party leader and co-chair of Clinton's campaign in Minnesota.

Obama won the Minnesota Caucuses on Super Tuesday with 66 percent of the vote, while Clinton received 32 percent.

Melendez, who had stayed neutral for the sake of party unity, said his decision was a nod to the party's voters who went for Obama decisively. He said he hoped to wait for voters in other states to decide the nomination.

"Now, however, it appears that the superdelegates' votes may affect the outcome," Melendez said. "I am therefore announcing that I will support Senator Barack Obama for president."

Staff writer Kevin Diaz contributed to this report. Conrad Wilson 202-408-2723

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