AP Newsbreak: Final Nebraska Superdelegate Endorses Obama

from the associated press | April 23, 2008

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska's final superdelegate endorsed Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination today, despite a last-minute call from Hillary Rodham Clinton asking for her support.

Ostergard says Obama's "prohibitive lead" in pledged delegates nationwide was a major factor in her decision, despite Clinton's win in Pennsylvania yesterday. When Clinton called today, Ostergard still wasn't sure what she would do. She's supported Clinton in the past and was courted heavily by the New York senator throughout the campaign. But in the end, Ostergard says her decision came down to what's best for the country and for Nebraska.

And from the Obama campaign...

LINCOLN, Neb. – Audra Ostergard, Associate Chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party and member of the Democratic National Committee, publicly announced her support for Senator Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

“I have carefully weighed input from Democrats across Nebraska and closely watched results from primaries and caucuses across the country,” said Ostergard. “There are compelling arguments for supporting both candidates, but my decision came down to what’s best for our country and for Nebraska. In that regard, I am confident in my decision to endorse Senator Obama. He has a proven ability to activate Democrats in Nebraska.”

“The gravity of this decision has weighed on me heavily,” Ostergard added. “I don’t want to use my position to influence the process, but at the same time I agree with Howard Dean that our party needs a nominee. Senator Obama’s prohibitive lead in pledged delegates was a major factor in my decision.”

Ostergard, 41, is a publishing representative in Lincoln. By virtue of her position as Associate Chair in the Nebraska Democratic Party, she is a member of the Democratic National Committee and therefore automatically a delegate to the Democratic Party’s National Convention in August.

All six of Nebraska’s Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Official Delegates (also known as “superdelegates”) have now endorsed Senator Obama. U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, Committeman Vince Powers, Committeewoman Kathleen Fahey, and Committeman Frank La Mere all endorsed prior to Nebraska’s February 9th Caucus. NDP Chairman Steve Achelpohl announced his support last week.

Wyoming Governor Endorses Barack Obama

CHEYENNE (WTE) - Gov. Dave Freudenthal today endorsed Barack Obama and pledged to cast his superdelegate vote for the Illinois senator at the Democratic National Convention in August.

Freudenthal had refrained from endorsing a candidate for several months, saying that none of the presidential hopefuls were engaged on issues important to the West.

The governor said that began to change in early March when both Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton visited Wyoming.

In announcing his endorsement, Freudenthal cited Obama's style of leadership, which includes an openness to reason and discussion, an attribute he said is particularly relevant to the West because the exact nature of particular issues that will be important to the region over the next four years is unknown.

"The negativity, partisanship and lack of purpose that characterize our national debate and government are crippling this country," Freudenthal said in a prepared statement Wednesday before a scheduled news conference. "While no one individual can effect this change alone, the change must begin with someone. Senator Obama is the Democratic candidate with the openness, honesty and skill to end this vicious cycle of business as usual."

Freudenthal said his endorsement was largely uninfluenced by Obama's victory in the Wyoming caucuses on March 8, when Obama secured 61 percent of the vote.

The governor said he spoke with Obama on Tuesday night to inform him of his decision.