Hillary Clinton's strategy of relying on Democratic super delegates to keep her ahead of Barack Obama in the race for the nomination was in jeopardy yesterday after a veteran of the civil rights movement said he would switch sides to support her opponent.
John Lewis, a Georgia congressman who had been supporting Clinton, said he now planned to back Obama. The move from Lewis, one of Clinton's most prominent African-American supporters, could encourage other black leaders and Democratic super delegates to switch sides.
Lewis, like all Democratic members of Congress, is a super delegate. His defection could prove especially damaging because of his moral authority. As a student in the 1960s, Lewis was one of the main leaders of the civil rights movement.
"Something is happening in America and people are prepared and ready to make that great leap," Lewis told the New York Times. "I've been impressed with the campaign of Senator Obama. He's getting better and better every single day."
The change of heart highlights further erosion in Clinton's base of support at a time when Obama is consolidating his status as a frontrunner by sealing up important union endorsements before the March 4 primaries in Texas and Ohio.
