http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/us/politics/28superdelegates.htmlSuperdelegates were created after the 1980 election and were intended to restore some of the power over the nomination process to party insiders, keeping a lid on the zeal of party activists. They immediately came in handy for Mr. Mondale in his 1984 presidential bid, when they gave him a cushion over the upstart campaign of Gary Hart.
Since 1984, they have constituted 15 to 20 percent of the delegates at Democratic conventions, where they have historically supported the front-runner.
According to a recent telephone survey of superdelegates by The New York Times and CBS News, about one-third have expressed no preference in the 2008 race, about 25 percent support Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and about 10 percent favor Senator Barack Obama. The remainder did not return calls or refused to comment.
But nothing in the rules binds any of the superdelegates, and they are free to shift positions, unlike pledged delegates who are committed to support a particular candidate at least through an initial convention vote. That creates a situation that political aficionados dream about: a deadlocked convention up for grabs until a bloc of superdelegates comes together and anoints a nominee.
Cue the confetti.
As dramatic as that might be, it seems unlikely to happen. Recent history shows that one candidate emerges from the primaries as the clear choice for the nomination, with the delegates to prove it. Most expect the same result this year.
But that does not stop some from imagining the possibilities. “It would be fun,” said Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, who is supporting Mrs. Clinton. “Just like the old days. It would be a hoot to see it, just the floor politics.”
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