So what is a "Distinguished Party Leader?"

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As we unravel the mystery of who is a superdelegate for the 2008 Democratic Convention, there is a special category of superdelegates called "Distinguished Party Leaders". What is a Distinguished Party Leader, or, as we like to call them here, DPLs?

All former Democratic Presidents, all former Democratic Vice Presidents, all former Democratic Leaders of the U.S. Senate, all former Democratic Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democratic Minority Leaders, as applicable, and all former Chairs of the Democratic National Committee. - DNCC

And who are the DPLs? Here's a list, along with the delegation they are a part of, and any endorsement they may have made:

President Jimmy Carter - GA President Bill Clinton - NY - Clinton Vice President Walter Mondale - MN - Clinton Vice President Al Gore - TN Speaker Jim Wright - TX - Clinton Speaker Tom Foley - WA - Clinton House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt - MO - Clinton Sen. Majority Leader Robert Byrd - WV - Obama Sen. Majority Leader George Mitchell - ME Sen. Majority Leader Tom Daschle - SD - Obama

DNC Chairman Fred Harris - NM - Obama DNC Chairman Robert Strauss - TX DNC Chairman Ken Curtis - FL - Clinton DNC Chairman Charles Manatt - CA - Clinton DNC Chairman Paul Kirk - MA - Obama DNC Chairman David Wilhelm - OH - Obama DNC Chairwoman Debra DeLee - MA - Clinton DNC Chairman Chris Dodd - CT - Obama DNC Chairman Steven Grossman - MA - Clinton DNC Chairman Joseph Andrew - IN - Obama DNC Chairman Roy Romer - CO - Obama DNC Chairman Ed Rendell - PA - Clinton DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe - VA - Clinton

Some of these people also qualify as a superdelegate in other ways. Dodd and Byrd are Senators, and Rendell is a Governor. But don't worry, they only get one vote. The DNC classifies them as DPWs, so, for example, the Pennsylvania delegation lists 1 DPW, but 0 Governors. But other sources, such as the GreenPapers, classify them under their current office, which is what we do also. Also, former DNC Chairman Don Fowler is a current member of the DNC, so he is listed as a DNC member, not as a DPW.