Uncommitted Senate superdelegates say they are unlikely to weigh in with endorsements for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) until Wednesday at the earliest.
The remaining superdelegates in the Senate say they are holding out in the final hours of the Democratic presidential primary mostly to see what their other colleague, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), chooses to do, and how she decides to move forward in the next 24 hours.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) who has not yet endorsed either Obama or Clinton, urged the 17 other uncommitted superdelegates in his chamber to keep their decision in their pocket for the time being while Clinton irons out her plans. Reid said he would make his own endorsement by the end of the week.
Sen. Clinton needs to be left alone, Reid said in a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, adding that Clinton should not feel forced to concede abruptly. Reid said his colleagues should let this week work its course, and then decide.
Other uncommitted superdelegates agreed with that rationale and said they wait to make endorsements.
I think we all need to allow for an opportunity for Sen. Clinton to do what she needs to do. ... and what people expect shes going to do, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) said on Tuesday, adding that Clinton should be given the space she needs.
For most of us, well probably be waiting until tomorrow, Salazar said.
Salazar and Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said they would be meeting with the other undecided superdelegates on Wednesday morning to decide how to proceed and if they might make a group endorsement. The undecided Senate superdelegates also met Monday to discuss how to proceed on making their endorsements.
Were meeting to discuss what, if anything, we might do as a group, Harkin said.
Unlike the House, where a half-dozen lawmakers weighed in for Obama on Tuesday before the polls closed in Montana and South Dakota, the decision about whether or not to endorse has been a sensitive one for the remaining senators, in large part because they have to work with Clinton and Obama. The undecided senators said they dont want to be on the wrong side of that equation.
For us in the Senate, its something we have to handle with respect, Salazar said.
Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) said he couldnt make a decision because a lot of us think the world of both Hillary and Barack. Carper said he would like to see both Obama and Clinton on the Democratic ticket and said he urged Obama on Monday to give Clinton the right of first refusal.
But Carper said the remaining superdelegates should let the primary process proceed to its conclusion and reach a collective decision as early as Wednesday.
After everybody has a good nights sleep, I hope we will put our heads together and think about what we might do, Carper said.
Carper acknowledged that it might be too late by then to make a difference.
As a matter of reality, by the time the polls close tonight and the superdelegates are [gathered], it will pretty much be all over but the shouting, he said. An endorsement tomorrow may be after the fact.
