For the Dems, a fight to watch

NEW YORK -- As pundits, reporters and campaign operatives try to figure out what to make of last night’s split results, the two Democratic campaigns are taking very strong postures on the role of superdelegates – the elected officials and other party leaders who get their own votes at the convention.

The Clinton campaign, which is way ahead in the superdelegates battle so far, is playing up superdelegates as an important part of the party nominating process.

But Obama is previewing an argument he may need in Denver in August – that the superdelegates will hurt the party if they don’t bow to the will of the voters, as represented by pledged delegates chosen through primaries and caucuses.

“Those superdelegates, those party insiders would have to think long and hard how they would approach the nomination," Obama said at a press conference. “If we come into the convention with more pledged delegates, then I think we can make a very strong argument that our constituencies have spoken and I think that's going to be pretty important when it comes to the general election.”

The new mantra of Clinton aides is, in the words of Howard Wolfson this morning: “It is likely that either side will never come out with a large lead in delegates…Super delegates are going to be critically important.”

Asked yesterday about the controversy over the idea that superdelegates may choose the nominee, Wolfson said, “We are going to plan to play under the rules that we are given and we are going to do what we can to amass superdelegates in same way Senator Obama is attempting to do.”