“The Cardoza 40″: Exodus of Clinton Delegates Begins

The endorsement by US Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-California) of Obama today sends an extremely firm message to the Clinton campaign, and not only because he was, until today, a Clinton superdelegate.

The Field has learned that Cardoza is the first of a group of at least 40 Clinton delegates, many of them from California, that through talking among themselves came to a joint decision that all of them would vote for Obama at the convention. They have informed Senator Clinton that it’s time to unite around Obama, and that they will be coming out, one or two at a time, and announcing their switch between now and the convention if Senator Clinton doesn’t do the same.

Cardoza is one of the leaders of this effort (which includes not only superdelegates, but here’s something that should set off some paranoia in Camp Clinton: there are pledged Clinton delegates in “The Cardoza 40,” too). One Field Hand reports that during a recent Cardoza fundraising event in California the effort was discussed openly in front of other Democrats. Cardoza’s announcement, today, sent the message that the effort is serious and for real.

This is not “excellent news for Hillary Clinton.”

An exodus of 40 delegates from Clinton to Obama, mathematically, increases his lead by 80 delegates, because she loses one for every one he gains.

Cardoza, in his endorsement today, said:

“I am deeply concerned about the contentious primary campaign and controversy surrounding the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan – two states Democrats need to win in November. I will not support changing the rules in the fourth quarter of this contest through some convoluted DNC rules committee process. Yet, we must find a resolution to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates so these states’ voters are represented at the Convention. I believe we need to avoid this potentially divisive situation by uniting behind one nominee and bringing the party together immediately. Therefore, I have made the decision to support Senator Obama at the Democratic Convention in my role as a super delegate.”

If that was a little wordy for ya, let me translate. It means:

“Checkmate.”

Update: A commenter here has asked a question:

jimmyhoffa2222, on May 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 pm Said: Edit Comment
Al, Is your source a DailyKOS comment?

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/5/20/133342/978/108#c108

Al replies:

I would never cite an anonymous comment as a “source” on a story. All the sources I have cited in two decades as a journalist have been known to me. It is likely that the same person that made that comment contacted me via email with a tip. That was about a week ago. Obviously, I didn’t then publish this as a “story” based on a single tip. I then spent the week following up with sources that are known to me, and published the story - as always - only after I could confirm it.

I also sign my names to my reports. “Jimmyhoffa2222″ doesn’t, not here, not over on DKos where he has been trolling diaries for two days trying to raise doubts about my reporting. I know Steven, er, “Jimmy’s” name, but it doesn’t really matter, does it?

Original here