US:As both camps seek the support of Democratic Party super delegates, some are questioning their role, writes Denis Staunton
As Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama dig in for a long battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, a select group of 796 congressmen, governors and other party big shots is poised to play a decisive role.
For weeks now, these super delegates, who will make up almost a fifth of the delegates at next August's national convention in Denver, have been at the receiving end of every form of flattery, cajoling and more robust persuasion from both campaigns.
Most have received multiple calls from Hillary or Bill Clinton, from Obama or his leading surrogates and from political friends or fundraisers pleading for a public endorsement. So far, 213 have declared for Clinton and 139 for Obama, with the remaining 444 still uncommitted, but even those who have publicly committed to a candidate are free to change their minds.
The super delegates were introduced into the Democratic nominating system after Ronald Reagan's defeat of Jimmy Carter in 1980. Carter had fought off a primary challenge from Edward Kennedy to win a majority of delegates at the convention.
By the time of the convention, most party officials believed Carter was bound to lose to Reagan, but they could do nothing to influence the delegates, who were bound to reflect the preference of their state's primary or caucus.
Reforms introduced after the 1980 defeat included a decision to unbind pledged delegates, who could now choose in "good conscience" to switch support and the creation of a large bloc of senior party officials who could swing behind the candidate best placed to win the presidential election.
Super delegates include Democratic senators and congressmen, governors, members of the Democratic National Committee, state party chairs and former senior office holders. Thus, former president Bill Clinton is a super delegate, as is Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, Terry McAuliffe, a former chairman of the DNC.
Obama's supporters among the super-delegates include Kennedy, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and former senate minority leader Tom Daschle.
Super delegates played an important role in securing the 1984 nomination for Walter Mondale, working against Gary Hart and helping to put Mondale over the top in delegates ahead of the convention.
Bill Clinton's support within the party establishment helped him to secure the nomination in 1992 and John Kerry saw off Howard Dean in 2004 with the help of party insiders. Until now, however, the super delegates have never had the power to determine the nominee at a brokered convention, and the prospect fills some of them with unease.
DNC member Donna Brazile said last week that she would leave her position rather than take part in a process that could see the super delegates reverse the popular decision. She thinks the nominee should be chosen by the pledged delegates (from the primaries and caucuses) and the super delegates should then simply move behind the winner.
The idea of an elite group of party Pooh-Bahs blocking the popular choice of nominee is toxic to many Democrats, who pride themselves on the participatory and transparent nature of their selection procedure.
Mr Obama said last week that super delegates should vote for the candidate who won their state, although that would mean that his supporters Kennedy, Patrick and John Kerry would have to back Clinton, who won Massachusetts.
Clinton's advisers are bracing themselves for what one described as "a f***ing fist-fight" at the convention, with arguments about what to do about Florida and Michigan, as well as the super delegates.
Florida and Michigan were stripped of their delegates because they held primaries earlier than the party rules allowed but Clinton, who won both states, wants their votes to count.
The dispute over Florida and Michigan could end up in the courts, although the supreme court has usually concluded that parties can apply any rules they like to internal matters.
Meanwhile, the super delegates continue to receive daily calls pointing out why each candidate is the best choice for the country, the party and the delegate's own career.