We have all now become familiar with the distinction between superdelegates, who are elected officials and Democratic party leaders, and elected delegates, who are the delegates chosen by each state (usually by congressional district). 

Before the primaries go any further, we must pressure the Superdelegates to do one of three things: 

1. ENDORSE NOW so all Dems know where they stand before the primaries end or

2. pledge to abide by the outcome of the Democratic primaries and caucuses by supporting the candidate with the MOST ELECTED DELEGATES or

3. pledge to abide by the outcome of the Democratic primaries and caucuses by supporting THE CANDIDATE WHO WINS THEIR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. 

This is the Democratic party, but it should also be a small-d democratic party.  One in which democratic votes should determine the nomination for the presidency, not behind-the-scenes dealmaking. 

I am sure that the vast majority our superdelegates are folks who value fairness and transparency, but many are politicians, a group known to engage in horsetrading, and who knows what sort of promises a superdelegate could extract in exchange for a vote for the nomination if the nomination is still up for grabs after all of the primaries have taken place (I believe the last in PA on April 22). 

We don't want our new nominee to be embarrassed by stories of promises extracted and compromises required to become our party's nominee. 

If after the primaries are over the superdelegates then go on to choose our nominee free of any constraints, I believe that would be disastrous for our party.  Many Democrats who voted for the other candidate will be greatly discouraged, quite possibly harming our party in the general election.

There are definitely other ways we could go about it, but I believe this way is fair to our two great candidates (full disclosure:  I support Obama) and fair to us, the voters of the Democratic party.

Let's organize.  Put your suggestions in the comments.

I found these lists of pledged and unpledged superdelegates that are pretty current but may need to be updated a bit.

List of pledged superdelegates: 

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

List of unpledged superdelegates:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegates-who-havent-endorsed.html