Obama Endorsement Watch

Today should be a big day for superdelegates. The goal is for Obama to get enough superdelegates today, that when the results from South Dakota and Montana come in, those pledged delegates, the voice of the people, will push him past the finish line. He'll be officially starting the general election campaign where the Republicans will be holding their Convention, which is quite symbolic. I think we'd all like him to be able to declare "game on" there, instead of tomorrow after enough superdelegates have gotten off their asses to make it "official". Anyway, it is still quite early, yet we already have a superdelegate for Obama, Missouri State Rep. and superdelegate Maria Chappelle-Nadal who remarked:

This is a year that the mere existence of a single candidate, Barack Obama, has inspired people in my district to believe in the greater good.

Also House Majority Whip James Clyburn, who has remained steadfastly neutral throughout the entire campaign, officially endorsed Obama today.

Update: Another one for Obama, political activist and Michigan superdelegate Joyce Lalonde has endorsed. Since she is from Michigan she only has half a vote. Keep 'em rolling.

Update #2: Massachusetts Rep. John Olver has endorsed Obama.

Update #3: Michigan superdelegate Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick has endorsed Obama, giving him another 0.5. That's 4 so far today.

Update #4: Obama gets two more Michigan superdelegates: Debbie Dingell and Rick Wiener, for a total of 5 so far today.

Update #5: Rep. Clyburn also announced that he knows of three more superdelegates who will endorse Obama today: Rep. John Spratt of South Carolina, New York superdelegate Ralph Dawson, and Tim Moore, a South Carolina Edwards delegate. If those pan out, that would bring us up to 8 for the day.

Update #6: I should also point out that five superdelegates from Montana, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Sen. Max Baucus, Sen. Jon Tester, state party chairman Dennis McDonald and vice chairman Margaret Campbell have committed to endorsing whoever wins Montana as soon as the winner is decided tonight, and all expectations are that this will be Obama, so that gives a total of 13 for the day so far that are pretty much secured for Obama.

Update #7: Fred K. McDowell, a Florida Edwards pledged delegate has committed to supporting Obama, giving him another 0.5. More on Edwards' pledged delegates here.

Update #8: Maine DNC Committeewoman and superdelegate Jennifer DeChant has endorsed Obama, raising his total to 14.5? ish? I guess it gets hard when you are counting people who you know will endorse but haven't yet and new endorsements just keep coming. Some are calling it an endorsement tsunami.

Update #9: Obama has received 2 more endorsements: DNC member Joyce Beatty of Ohio and Kwame Kilpatrick of Michigan, giving him 1.5 more delegates. Sooo...let's call that 16 for today so far!

Update #10: California superdelegate John Perez endorsed Obama this morning. 17?

Update #11: Rep. Jerry McNerney of California is set to endorse Obama today. That makes at least 18 today.

Update #12: Massachusetts state party vice chairwoman Debra Kozikowski has endorsed Obama. That makes at least 19 today. Pretty soon we'll be hitting the point where Obama will have enough superdelegates to have MT push him over!

Update #13: Former president (and superdelegate) Jimmy Carter has announced he will endorse Obama tonight after the polls close. Woo hoo for having the best living former Democratic president on Obama's side! That gives us at least 20 for today. Keep 'em coming!

Update #14: Mississippi party vice chairwoman Carnelia Fondren. At least 21 today, definitely a one day record for this one and a half year (seriously) primary season.

Update #15: State Rep. Sharon Nordgren of New Hampshire and Michigan DNC Member Tina Abbott have endorsed Obama, giving him another one and a halfie. It makes you wonder who was really hurt more by the decision to half the delegations from Florida and Michigan. Even if it hurt Obama more, I still support it, the rules must have enforcement if there is to be any order, and nothing less would have been fair to the 48 states that actually obeyed the rules.

Update #16: Halfies DNC Member Mike Tardiff of Michigan, and DNC Member Diane Glasser of Florida have endorsed Obama, adding up to a fullie.

Update #17: FOUR Hillary superdelegates have switched to Obama, a huge blow to Hillary, giving Obama a net of 8 and showing that she can't hold the line. These superdelegates are DNC member Ben Johnson of DC, DNC member DNC Kamil Hasan of California, California Rep. Maxine Waters (major female African American supporter), and DNC Member Rhett Ruggerio of Delaware. That pretty much seals it, he will be the nominee tonight.

Update #18: More endorsements for Obama, coming in like a tidal wave now: DNC Members John Daniello and Harriet Smith-Windsor of Delaware, Kansas Rep. Dennis Moore, and Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson.

Update #19: The Obama campaign has announced that 8 more Edwards pledged delegates from Florida have moved over to Obama:

With today’s announcement, every delegate pledged to Senator Edwards in Iowa (four delegates), New Hampshire (four delegates) and South Carolina (eight delegates) will be voting for Senator Obama at the National Convention. In addition, 10 of the 13 Edwards delegates from Florida will be voting for Senator Obama at the National Convention.

Update #20: DNC Member Bel Leong-Hong of Maryland has endorsed Obama.

Update #21: California Rep. Sam Farr endorsed Obama. This puts him 10 or 11 delegates away from securing the nomination.

Update #22: DNC member Ivan Holmes of Oklahoma endorses Obama. 9 away I think.