US:HILLARY CLINTON'S Pennsylvania win has bought her time - but not much - to make her case to the Democratic Party's superdelegates, many of whom expressed a strong desire since the result to end the nominating contest once the final votes are cast.
Superdelegates are Democratic Party leaders and elected officials who are free to support whomever they choose. They almost certainly will determine the presidential nominee because neither Obama nor Clinton seem likely to win sufficient delegates at the ballot box to clinch the nomination.
While few seem eager to use their power to call a halt to the presidential race - and many said they welcomed the continued balloting - a number of party leaders and other activists sent a clear signal that they want the fight over well before the Democratic convention in August.
"If June 3rd is the last primary, then after June 3rd is the time to make a decision," said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party and an uncommitted superdelegate.
Blake Johnson, vice chairman of Alaska's Democratic Party, agreed. "After all the states have voted, it'll be time for the superdelegates to make their decision," said Johnson, who is also neutral in the primaries.
Interviews with dozens of superdelegates turned up a growing acceptance that the contest between Clinton and Barack Obama probably will continue for another six weeks. The primary season ends June 3rd in Montana and South Dakota.
Many viewed the ongoing race as a good thing, toughening the eventual nominee and giving Democrats in more states a chance to organise and get involved. The next contests are May 6th in North Carolina and Indiana.
"What happened in Pennsylvania, and what is going to happen in North Carolina and Indiana, is voter registration of Democrats is going up," said Lauren Glover, vice-chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party. "If those votes didn't matter it would be difficult for state parties to increase voter rolls."
While some Democrats cringed at some of the attacks levelled over the past month, several said it was better to expose the candidates' weaknesses early, rather than wait until the autumn. Many of the superdelegates interviewed said they believed that any hard feelings within the party would be forgiven and forgotten long before November, once the general election fight against the Republicans' John McCain is truly joined.
"Most families - loving families even - have fights," said Robert Rankin, a leader of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. "As they realise what the greater good is, most families come together. Whatever happens [ Democrats] will come together."
But others expressed anxiety that the continued scuffling ultimately would weaken the Democratic nominee and hurt party candidates up and down the ballot. And there was virtually no support for Clinton's notion to take her fight to the floor of the convention.
Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, an uncommitted delegate who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, warns "it would be a big mistake to have a divisive convention in the full glare of TV lights". -