The race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has raised voter interest and turnout to levels unmatched in recent years. But for all the hoopla and ballots cast in Maryland and elsewhere, the Democrats' presidential nominee could well be chosen by a group of political insiders in a closed-door room at the national convention this summer. Here's a bit of advice to the 796 superdelegates: Make a solemn public promise to vote the way the people back home did.
That promise would ensure voter confidence in the process, and not leave them shortchanged, as many feel they were after the 2000 election. It's necessary because the superdelegates - elected Democratic officials and other party insiders - hold about one-fifth of the nominating votes that will be cast at the convention. That gives them potentially extraordinary power at the end of what has been a closely fought race. After this week's sweeping primary victories in the Chesapeake region, Mr. Obama has an estimated 1,190 delegates to Mrs. Clinton's 1,177. Still, neither candidate can gain the 2,024 delegates for the nomination, even if he or she wins convincingly in all the remaining primaries.
So representatives of Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama have been bombarding superdelegates with calls and personal pleas for support in recent days. An estimated 228 superdelegates are on Mrs. Clinton's team, while Mr. Obama has about 138. In Maryland, Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Rep. C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger are in Mrs. Clinton's stable. Reps. Albert R. Wynn and Elijah E. Cummings are with Mr. Obama.
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin and Reps. Steny H. Hoyer, John Sarbanes and Chris Van Hollen are among a dozen Maryland superdelegates who haven't yet committed. Mr. Cardin doesn't expect pros like himself to make the final choice, his aides say, because there will be tremendous public pressure on the candidate with less momentum and appeal to give in. But if Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton remain closely matched, the superdelegates will be the ones under pressure, and the quickest way to alienate voters would be to take a "We know best" attitude.