Washington: Survey by The Associated Press has revealed that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is still in the leading state among the critical Democratic Party insiders even as Barack Obama has built up his delegate margin with primary and caucus victories across the United States.

The strong support from party insiders gives Clinton overall advantage in the pursuit of delegates to secure the party's nomination for president. Of the 796 lawmakers, governors and party officials who are Democratic superdelegates, Clinton has 243 and Obama has 156.

The latest tally of the AP exhibits that Clinton has 1,135 total delegates and Obama has 1,106, with three delegates still to be awarded from Sunday's Democratic caucuses in Maine. According to the Democratic Party rules, a candidate needs 2,025 delegates to win the party’s nomination.

The tally not only shows the thin difference between the two candidates, but also narrates the significant role that superdelegates will play in determining the presidential nominee of the party. That is why both camps are involved in the fierce battle of pursuing superdelegates.   

About 720 of the 796 superdelegates have been named by the national party, and the rest will be chosen at state party conventions in the spring and summer.

The AP began its survey contacting superdelegates last fall, and after Super Tuesday, the AP reporters have interviewed 95 percent of the named delegates.
 
AP reporters have interviewed 95 percent of the named delegates, with the most recent round of interviews taking place last week, after Super Tuesday. More than half of the superdelegate — 399 — have openly endorsed the candidates, and the 320 or so delegates are either undecided or uncommitted, making them the subject of intense lobbying by both campaigns.

The role of the superdelegates becomes rather critical when Clinton and Obama are involved in an almost evenly poised struggle. If the thin difference between them continues, superdelegates could decide the nomination in favor of one candidate even if the other receives more votes in the party primaries and caucuses.

According to a top Democratic National Committee member and manager of Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign, Donna Brazile, the party elders have an important role to play but said voters should lead the way.

As a superdelegate finding herself in Catch22 between Obama and Clinton, she said on Sunday, “I don't want to superimpose my personal views; I want to reflect the will of the voters. Honestly, I don't want to decide this."

According to Obama, voters should determine who superdelegates support.

He said, "My strong belief is that if we end up with the most states and the most pledged delegates, and the most voters in the country, then it would be problematic for political insiders to overturn the judgment of the voters. I think that should be the guiding approach to determining who will be the nominee."

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Clinton argued that superdelegates should make up their own minds.

Pointing to Obama endorsements of superdelegates John Kerry and Edward Kennedy, both senators from Massachusetts, a state whose primary Clinton won, she said, "Superdelegates are by design supposed to exercise independent judgment. If Senator Obama and his campaign continue to push this position, which is to the contrary of what the definition of superdelegates has historically been, I will look forward to receiving the support of Senator Kerry and Senator Kennedy."

Superdelegates were introduced to the Democratic Party’s nominating process after the 1980 election with the idea of giving a voice to elected officials and party elders who had a stake in who became the party's standard bearer. Walter Mondale relied on superdelegates to distance himself from rival Gary Hart and secure the Democratic nomination in 1984. Mondale went on to lose to Ronald Reagan in the general election. Since then, the primaries and caucuses have determined the party's nominee without superdelegates making a difference.

Clinton and Obama are superdelegates as Democratic senators. They now make up about 19 percent of the overall delegates. Obama and Clinton are also fighting for superdelegates, wooing them, and doing almost everything to win them.

Tom Daschle, former Senate Democratic Leader of South Dakota, who is co-chair of Obama's campaign, said he is spending much of his time calling superdelegates and urging them to vote for Obama. "It could make the difference" for the nomination.