Obama Superdelegate

The Democratic National Convention will be taking place in Denver, Colorado August 25-28, 2008. The convention will culminate with Senator Barack Obama’s official acceptance of the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in front of 75,000 people at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

What is a superdelegate?

A superdelegate is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is not chosen by a party primary but is seated automatically. Senator Strauss, like many other superdelegates, is what is called an “unpledged party leader and elected official delegate” (PLEO), which means that he has been given a vote at the Convention by virtue of his position within the Democratic Party and is free to support any candidate. In Denver, superdelegates will make up about 20% of the overall delegate count.

Why Senator Barack Obama?

Senator Strauss pledged to support Senator Barack Obama in February of this year following the District’s presidential primary. He announced his support saying, “I am excited to endorse Barack Obama today. Barack Obama has been a leader for promoting unity and equality for all Americans, and has shown a steadfast commitment to the DC voting rights and full representation in Congress. We feel strongly that we should use our vote to uphold the will of the people who by decisive margins chose Barack Obama in contests across the country and by our region’s voters in the Potomac Primaries. Barack Obama inspired voters from every part of Washington, DC to turn out on Primary Day and give him victories in every single voting precinct. His diverse experience, from his days as an urban community organizer, to his service in the US Senate, proves he is qualified and ready to unite us and lead our nation. Senator Hillary Clinton has also served the American people well and has been a fighter for DC’s rights, but it is our considered belief that Senator Obama is the best person, at this time in the history of our nation, to lead us all into the future.”