Beyond the Dome

Now that the race for the Democratic nomination is over, eight uncommitted Senate superdelegates issued a statement this afternoon that says -- well, that the race is over.

The statement from Tom Harkin of Iowa, Ken Salazar of Colorado, Barbara Boxer of California, Tom Carper of Delaware, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon says "the Democratic nominee for President has now been chosen" and that it's time to get behind Barack Obama.

"Our focus now is on victory in November and on giving Barack Obama every ounce of our support, every bit of our energy, and our total commitment to do everything in our power to win the Presidency," the statement said.

Of course, one could argue that the superdelegates would have had more relevance if they had taken a stand, say, yesterday. But Harkin, one of the ringleaders of the gang, gave a clue as to his own personal motives for waiting so long: He's not comfortable with the power that the superdelegates had to finish off the race.

"I do not believe in superdelegates. I want to do away with superdelegates. I think they are elitist," Harkin told reporters this morning after the group met to plan the statement they wanted to make. "But we are what we are."