Letters to the Editor
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@ KcM: Your Math
As I have noted elsewhere, superdelegates will use pledged delegates as only one factor in their determination. As much as everybody would like to make it only about this, it just ain't so.
Another fact: Sen. Obama cannot win without superdelegates</> either, so it's disingenuous of his campaign -- and you -- to act as if his nomination is a done deal.
Still this fact: As I mentioned above, superdelegates will look at several factors when they make their determination and these numbers will shift, as well. Two of these important considerations are which candidate is able to draw core Democratic voters (e.g., blue-collar, working-class) and which candidate is best able to win Northeastern industrial states, South-Central states, moderate Southern states, and states with industries like coal (WV, IN), for example.
Barack Obama has not won any of these states, either in primaries or caucusus. So, where you see simple "math", I see complexities that even superdelegates are looking at right now.
And finally: Everybody is using these "pledged delegates" as proof positive that Obama will receive the nomination. However, many states that held primaries and caucuses have yet to hold their state conventions, where these "pledged delegate" totals will shift between candidates even before we arrive in Denver. That is no doubt what happened in California. We will see movement in these numbers from now until the convention.
"Reality" cuts many ways. It isn't a simple matter of pledged delegate totals=nomination for either candidate.