Cardin’s view of the Superdelegates

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Baltimore) is one of several uncommitted Democratic superdelegates in Maryland. Today, his communications director, Sue Walitsky, said the senator had no plans to publicly endorse either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton anytime soon. While he may not vocally declare his support, we asked Walitsky what Cardin thought the role of the superdelegates should be in the Democratic nominating contest.

“He really sees the superdelegates as being in position to unite the party behind the nominee,” Walitsky said.

When asked if Cardin believed the superdelegates should vote for the individual who is ahead in pledged delegates, Walitsky would not directly comment, saying, “The primary process still has to play itself out.”

Obama leads Clinton by roughly 150 pledged delegates at the current time. Democrats still have more than ten contests remaining, including this evening’s Mississippi primary, where Obama is expected to carry the majority of the 33 delegates. It is virtually mathematically impossible for Clinton to overtake Obama in the pledged delegate lead, meaning her path to the nomination would come from the superdelegates.

Many Democratic officials and analysts have said a scenario where superdelegates overturn the pledged delegate lead of a candidate would be disastrous to the party’s chances of winning the White House in November.

Walitsky would not comment on this possible situation, saying, “I’d rather not get into hypotheticals.”

As for party unity, Walitsky said, “It’s a long time between now and November. There is plenty of time to unite behind the nominee.”

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver from August 25-28. Nominating contests are scheduled to end in early June, though that may be extended to compensate for possible re-votes in Michigan and Florida.

Those two states were stripped of their convention delegates after violating Democratic Party rules by moving their nominating contests’ to January. All the major candidates agreed not to campaign in the states’, as a result. Clinton, who was the only major candidate not to remove her name from the ballot in Michigan, prevailed in both Florida and Michigan. She has since called for the delegates to be seated.

Other Democrats, who disagree with Clinton, have called for a re-vote in both states. In that scenario, the candidates would be allowed to campaign in Michigan and Florida. Still, disagreements remain on whether the contests would be a caucus or primary, and if such a vote should be held at all.

Whatever happens, Walitsky said Cardin believes the “issue of Florida and Michigan has to be resolved.”

According to Walitsky, the senator sent a letter to Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, expressing this thought.

The communications director would not say specifically how Cardin thought the process should be resolved, saying the senator preferred a system that was “fair to both” Obama and Clinton.

Walitsky also said that Cardin was “particularly concerned” that the voters in Michigan and Florida “are not to be disenfranchised.”

Excluding Florida and Michigan, Obama has won 29 states to Clinton’s 14. He also leads by approximately 600,000 popular votes out of more than 26 million cast.