Superdelegates Call For Party Unity On War, Torture

On a conference call this morning, a number of Democratic superdelegates affiliated with the Win Without War Coalition argued that the party must be unified when it comes to opposing the war in Iraq, opposing torture, and backing a "diplomatic surge" in the Middle East.

Tom Andrews, a former Maine Congressman and National Director of Win Without War, argued that the intense media coverage of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton "is obscuring the common ground of Democrats around the country."

Andrews said that the effort is being launched by 16 superdelegates – Obama supporters, Clinton supporters, and the uncommitted – who call for the group's proposals to be incorporated into the Democratic Party platform.

The superdelegates stressed that the differences between the Democratic candidates paled in comparison to those between the two parties.

Democrats must be clear, said Congressman Jim McGovern, that if they win the White House, "we absolutely will bring our troops home."

He added that Democrats "can't be vague or fuzzy" on their position on Iraq. "We will end it, they will not," said McGovern.

"Every candidate needs to know what their base demands of them," said Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey in explaining why the effort had been launched. "We don't want them to waver."