Pennsylvania Democratic Party will wait for Obama, Clinton battle to end

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party is still being careful not to declare its support for either potential presidential nominee even amid the increasing likelihood that U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will soon earn the number of delegates necessary to defeat U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

The state Democratic party is not going to decide who the nominee is until the national party has chosen, said spokesman Abe Amoras.

When and if Clinton throws her support behind Obama, the state party will be ready to back him 100 percent, he said.
"We're going to be ready when the other shoe drops," he said.

The party today sent an e-mail to voters co-authored by U.S. Reps. Patrick Murphy (D-Bristol) and Joe Sestak (D-Edgmont), saying they should support whoever emerges from the primary battle.

Murphy, an Obama supporter, and Sestak, a Clinton supporter, wrote: "Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama each have the skills and aptitude to lead this nation with dignity. Either candidate can improve our standing in the world as we suffer through the end of George W. Bush's failed second term."

The e-mail attacked presumptive Republican nominee John McCain because he "represents a third Bush term."

The e-mail was the party's third that featured state politicians who, despite supporting different candidates, asked voters to support whichever Democrat emerged from the primary battle. Previous e-mails included U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Scranton) and Gov. Ed Rendell, and state Reps. Josh Shapiro (D-Montgomery County) and Eugene DePasquale (D-York County).

So when should the party decide between the two?

According to Sestak, a pledged Clinton superdelegate, the race is over when a candidate secures the support of the required number of delegates.

He thinks if Obama reaches that total, which he said is nearly certain, Clinton will honor her pledge to support him as the nominee.

He also speculated superdelegates committed to Clinton will begin switching in the next few days if Obama captures the delegate victory.

But he is not concerned about an even longer nomination fight hurting Democrats in the general election.

"We went into the last two conventions knowing our nominees months before," Sestak said. "And you know what, we didn't win those elections."

The party must unite to be worthy of leading the country, he added.

Adam Abrams, Murphy spokesman, said he's confident whoever is the nominee will receive the party's full support.
"At the end of the day, Democrats have always come together," he said. "And they will this year."

Asked when that time will come, he responded: "We'll see what happens. We're a few hours away from knowing a little more than we know now."