superdelegates

Sen. Ron Wyden is the last of Oregon's superdelegates to declare for a candidate. Many election-watchers expected Sen. Wyden to come out for Sen. Hillary Clinton because Wyden's chief of staff, Josh Kardon, chaired Sen. Clinton's Oregon campaign.

Today Sen. Wyden joined what is being called an "avalanche" of superdelegates declaring for Obama.

Wyden announced in his statement:

"When voters in Oregon and around the country hear the word “superdelegate,” people start hissing. I never asked to be a superdelegate, and always thought it preposterous that my vote would be accorded greater weight than the vote of the very people who make my public service possible.

I would gladly have worked hard to elect either Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton, but fortunately, the nation’s choice has been made, as it should have been, not by the superdelegates, but by the grassroots voters. The voters of Oregon certainly spoke clearly on the subject, and my vote will enthusiastically reflect their decision to nominate Senator Obama."

In Oregon, Sen. Obama has 10 superdelegates to Sen. Clinton's two.

Barack Obama

Rep. Earl Blumenauer
Sec. of State Bill Bradbury
Rep. Peter DeFazio
Frank Dixon (DNC)
Jenny Geenleaf (DNC)
Wayne Kinney(DNC)
Gail Rasmussen (DNC)
Meredith Woods-Smith (DNC)
Rep. David Wu
Sen. Ron Wyden

Hillary Clinton

Rep. Darlene Hooley
Gov. Ted Kulongoski

I'm David Wu, a superdelegate, and I'm making a damn decision.

From a press release issued by the Barack Obama campaign:

Congressman David Wu Endorses Barack Obama for President

PORTLAND , OR — Today U.S. Congressman David Wu from Oregon announced his support for Senator Barack Obama for president, citing his ability to make real change:

"I think we are blessed to have two strong candidates for president," Congressman David Wu said. "I am endorsing Barack Obama for president today because I believe that he is best suited to turn the page on this sorry episode in American history. He and I both had the judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the very beginning.

"Every dollar that we have spent in Iraq—which adds up to over $500 billion so far—is a dollar not spent at home, a school not built, a bridge not repaired," continued Wu. "We need new policies both at home and abroad. Like Americans, the international community wants to see real change in America and I believe that Senator Obama embodies that change."

“I thank Congressman Wu for his support, and look forward to working with him to bring this war in Iraq to an end, strengthening our economy and addressing the issue of climate change,” said Senator Barack Obama.
Congressman Wu is in his fifth term representing Oregon's 17th First Congressional District.

Wu is Senator Obama’s 240th Superdelegate endorsement. Senator Obama is now 291 delegates away from winning the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.

This follows Obama's endorsement from PCUN, Oregon's farmworker union (Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United / Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste).