Superdelegate trickle

by David Nitkin

The trickle of superdelegates siding with Barack Obama on the final primary day includes names familiar in political circles, and those not so well known.

In the former category goes Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the third-ranking House Democrat and prominent African-American lawmaker who stayed neutral despite aiming mild criticism at former President Bill Clinton's ill-timed comments during his state's primary.

In the latter category: Belkis Heong-Long, head of the Democratic National Committee's Asian and Pacific Islander American Caucus, and a resident of Montgomery County, Maryland.

On Saturday, Heong-Long told The (Baltimore) Sun that she was truly undecided, and wanted to split her vote in half. She was waiting to hear which candidate would better address Asian-American issues, she said.

Today, she said in a statement released by the Obama campaign that "I believe he is the strongest candidate for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community and he understands that it's time for AAPI issues--immigration, education, and small business policy, for example--to be discussed on the national stage."

The Obama campaign said Heong-Long's decision left the Illinois senator 10 delegates short of the nomination, even as multiple news organizations already declared him over the top.

None of Maryland's four members of Congress who have not declared their intentions -- Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin and representatives John Sarbanes, Chris Van Hollen and Steny Hoyer -- announced a decision by the time Heong-Long had.