The Importance of Superdelegates

In the article "Obama Claims Nomination," by Dan Balz and Anne E. Kornblut as featured on WashingtonPost.com, the significance of Obama's recent victory in the Democratic nomination is tied directly to the support of the superdelegates. Superdelegates are a group of former political leaders and party members who are not bound to any particular candidate. This means that they can pledge allegiance to any nominee that they choose, regardless of their home state. This is important in American Government today because it proves that Superdelegates have the power to defeat "the most powerful family in Democratic politics."