2nd Update: Houston Superdelegate Switches from Clinton To Obama

Yet another superdelegate has migrated from Clinton to Obama. Rep. Senfronia Thompson has declared her intention to vote for Obama.

This is a fairly short diary but I think that the trend is quite clear as per the article linked below, there are now more than 24 superdelegates who have jumped on the Obama wagon during the recent weeks.

More below the flip    

AUSTIN — Democratic superdelegate and state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, of Houston, defected from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign on Wednesday and joined a growing list of superdelegates to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president, his campaign said.

"I'm honored to have earned the support of Representative Thompson and am pleased that she'll play an important role in advancing our grassroots movement for change in Houston and across Texas," Obama said in a statement. "Throughout her three decades in the Legislature, she's been a tireless advocate for working families and when I'm president we'll work together to put the American dream within reach of every child in Texas and across our country."

Houston Chronicle

Given Obama's apparently insurmountable lead in pledged delegates, HRC's strategy depends upon the superdelegates rising up at the convention in June and handing her the nomination.  It's my contention that the superdelegates that have switched may very well represent the canaries in HRC's coal mine.

The demographics, trends, finances, and energy all have favored Obama of late.  The party regulars and those running for office recognize coattails when they see them and realize the energy that Obama brings to the electorate.  As well, Thompson is following Lewis' lead.  This may also signal the attention of other African American superdelegates.  

(I note that this also be signaling the inability of the Clintons to demand fealty.  This also does not bode well.)

I point out that, while I still don't totally understand the calculus, Hillary's losing a superdelegate  to Obama really counts more than Obama picking up a superdelegate on his own because it's a net loss for her as well as a gain for him.  If this is, as I suspect, a harbinger of things to come, this may be spelling the end of the road for Hillary even more than what is looming on March 4, 2008.  I don't know how HRC's finances are looking but if they have flattened, the combination of superdelegate defections and poor financing may be spelling the end.

(Shhhh...this is a contraband diary as I'm doing this sub rosa from work.  I'll be checking in throughout the day but it is likely to be busy for me here.  If there's further news on this or other switches, I'll try to put it in.)

UPDATE: New Rasmussen Poll  As a related side note, it looks like Obama's lead in Texas is beginning to firm up, at least as per Rasmussen who has Obama leading by four.
Rasmussen:  Obama Up By Four

2nd Update: Two more superdelegates for ObamaFor the bean counters, howardpark's new diary says that two more superdelegates, from DC, have jumped on board the Obama train
Two more superdelegates for Obama