Dean calls for supers to decide by July 1

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DNC Chairman Howard Dean is calling on all superdelegates to make a decision by July 1:

A potential game-changer from CBS News and "The Early Show." Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean says he wants superdelegates to make a decision by JULY 1 -- the most specific he has been in his effort to prod the party to decide between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton before the Democratic National Convention in late August.

Harry Smith asked if after the nominating contests end with the South Dakota and Montana primaries on June 3, "Do you want the superdelegates to have some sort of vote immediately so that you'll know months in advance of the convention what the outcome is?”

Dean replied: “Well, I think the superdelegates have already been weighing in. I think that there's 800 of them and 450 of them have already said who they're for. I'd like the other 350 to say who they're at some point between now and the first of July so we don't have to take this into the convention.”

This comes on the heels of Gov. Bredesen's call for a superdelegate convention, and DNC Representative Ed Espinoza's call for decisions by Memorial Day. Note that Dean has not been in favor of the superdelegate convention idea. He just wants each superdelegate to announce a decision either way, so we have a nominee as soon as possible and can turn our attention to the fall election.

2008 Democratic Convention Watch agrees with Governor Dean. For the good of the party, and to allow our nominee to turn our attention to the General Election, we call on all our superdelegate friends to announce their choice as soon as possible after the last primaries, or, of course, earlier if they choose, as Sen. Casey did today.

Update: The commenter raises a good point: Will Chairman Dean take his own advice and endorse someone by July 1?