Politics

Rep. Emanuel: Obama Is Winner

Obama Takes Lead In Superdelegates

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Barack Obama is now ahead of Hillary Clinton in the critical superdelegate count.

Obama managed to finally surpass Clinton Saturday with new endorsements from superdelegates in Utah, Ohio and the Virgin Islands.

The news comes as a former Bill Clinton adviser and current Illinois Congressman, declares Obama the winner. CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports.

He's been a supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential ambitions for more than two years. But Rahm Emanuel, the fourth ranking democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives says the Democratic Presidential nomination now appears to be Senator Barack Obama's to lose.

"I said he was the front runner with a short window between now and the end of the process," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel (5th). "Therefore given that he's clearly the front runner with a short window that would make him the presumptive nominee."

But as a superdelegate who is close with both Obama and Clinton, Emanuel wasn't tipping his hand about who will get his support.

"I'm absolutely neutral, hiding under my desk," he said.

That as more superdelegates declare their support for Obama -- all but erasing what had been a 100 superdelegate lead for Clinton just four month's ago.

Political analysts say that's to be expected as more and more superdelegates defect to what they believe will be the winning side.

"There has been a slow and steady stream of people who want to sign on to the winning side and superdelegates, like most people in politics, like winners," said chief political columnist for Politico Roger Simon.

But Emanuel says no one should count out Hillary Clinton.

"Hillary can still win," he said.

And he says the detractors have a long record of being wrong about every aspect of this race which he says has befuddled the pundits from the beginning.

"The one thing we know that's predictable is the unpredictable," Emanuel said.

And he wasn't about to advise Senator Clinton to drop out.

"She'll make her decision, which is what she should do; she is running and she has something to say," he said.

And he says contrary to what many pundits are saying, the verbal slugfest between the candidates has strengthened the party.

"If you look at every objective piece of data: record registration, record turnout, record donations, record seat gain -- every objective piece of information you can look to has shown that this has been good for Democrats," Emanuel said.

Which is why he says, if Senator Clinton wants to keep running, more power to her.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---