Superdelegates shouldn’t look so lofty

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid has pledged to remain neutral until his support can be thrown to the candidate accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention.

So, too, has state party Chairman Sam Lieberman.

The only other remaining uncommitted superdelegates from Nevada are Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and former Democratic National Committee official Yvonne Atkinson Gates, who may not actually end up in the Nevada camp, but will remain a superdelegate.

The four committed superdelegates from Nevada have split between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Rep. Shelley Berkley and national Committeewoman Dina Titus are in Clinton’s camp, while national Committeeman Steven Horsford and party Vice Chair Teresa Benitez-Thompson are with Obama.

It’s honorable in some regard for Democratic officials to take the high ground while the passions of the two competing camps flare, overwhelming the party’s effort to unite completely behind one person.

Of course, it’s also out of political necessity that Reid doesn’t want to rock anything in his base. Support for Clinton, his son’s candidate, would only further alienate him from young, antiwar Democrats backing Obama.

Support for Obama, in turn, would not sit well with many in the establishment. These aren’t exactly voters who would sit out in 2010, when Reid’s back on the ballot, but they may not work so hard for someone they feel crossed them in the presidential cycle, even if the senator is almost solely responsible for Nevada having so much clout this time.

For Lieberman, who just assumed the chairmanship, it also makes sense to play ref.

It’s possible Cortez Masto and Gates could split between the two, leaving Nevada as divided as it was Jan. 19, when Clinton won the popular vote but Obama picked up one more pledged delegates than the former first lady.

While the still-uncommitted superdelegates certainly have a right to their waiting game, there’s a pledge they should be making for the health of the party.

CNN analyst Gloria Borger on Tuesday night referred perfectly to superdelegates as the “House of Lords.” So it might make sense for the uncommitted ones to stop looking so lofty.

Many news organizations have calculated the delegate totals, and are suggesting neither candidate can win the nomination without securing quite a few of the outstanding superdelegates.

Common Democrats don’t like higher authorities deciding elections after the masses have voted. In that spirit I call on Nevada’s superdelegates to make a simple pledge that shouldn’t harm them politically or place them in the middle of the fight.

If, in fact, neither candidate has secured the nomination after the remaining states cast ballots and after the scofflaws in Michigan and Florida are granted an unfair mulligan, the superdelegates need to line up behind the candidate with the most pledged delegates.

At this point, that would be Obama. He’s won more states, more delegates and has more of the popular vote to boot.

But that doesn’t mean Clinton can’t surpass him. The map ahead includes states that feature plenty of depressed Ohio-like blue-collar, established-labor, white and old voters who have come out in droves for her.

Making a promise to throw support behind the candidate with the most pledged delegates could actually prevent a brokered convention, which nobody wants.

So, how ’bout it, Harry? Certainly a guy from Searchlight is a man of the people.

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Here’s some friendly advice to Philadelphia-bound Obama: Don’t ask for Swiss on your cheesesteak.

As the eyes of the world turn to my native Keystone State, Democratic candidates should learn from one of John Kerry’s infamous mistakes. When in Philly, you ask for your steak sandwich “wit,” as in with Cheez Whiz.

I’d offer the advice to Clinton, but I’m sure Bubba had the lingo down when he downed some, pre-South Beach Diet days.

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It’s officially here. The moment I’ve dreaded for several weeks now.

Mississippi has voted. HBO’s “The Wire” — the best show on television, offering its cynically perfect view of politics, police, press and everyone else in power — has ended. And there are 40 whole days and nights before Pennsylvania’s reality show.

I’m suffering withdrawal already.

Contact Erin Neff at (702) 387-2906, or by e-mail at eneff@reviewjournal.com.