In shift, Rendell is likely to vote for Obama

DENVER--A week before he came here for the Democratic convention, Gov. Ed Rendell said he would cast his roll-call vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as part of the symbolic closure many of her still disenchanted supporters say they need.

But with Clinton making efforts to foster party unity and expected to release her delegates this afternoon, Rendell shifted course this morning, saying he was likely to cast his vote instead for the party's presumptive nominee, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

Rendell told delegates at breakfast that Clinton was likely to cast her superdelegate vote for Obama, and if so, he would do the same.

And while he said he would like the opportunity to say the entire delegation is behind Obama, he assured Clinton backers there would be no pressure.

"It is my hope, and this is your individual decision and there will be no pressure, that as many of you will vote for Sen. Obama as possible," Rendell said. "However, if you feel you have to vote for Sen. Clinton for closure, we will respect that.

"If you're a Clinton delegate and you can't [vote for Obama]," he added, "no one will understand that more than me."

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