Most of them said they are confused about how to solve the conflict.
Interviews with dozens of undecided superdelegates suggest they are uncertain about who, if anyone, would step in to fill a leadership vacuum and help guide the contest to a conclusion that would not weaken the Democratic ticket in the general election.
While many superdelegates said they intended to keep their options open as the race continued to play out over the next three months, the interviews suggested that the playing field was tilting slightly toward Obama.
They said in deciding whom to support, they would adopt what Obama’s campaign has advocated as the essential principle: reflecting the will of the voters.
A New York Times survey of superdelegates last week found that Obama had been winning more superdelegates recently than Clinton had, though Clinton retained an overall lead among those who have made a choice.
According to the survey, Obama picked up 54 superdelegates and Clinton picked up 31.
The interviews were conducted at a time of rising displays of animosity between Clinton and Obama, with the former repeatedly arguing that the later did not have the foreign policy credentials to stand up to Senator John McCain of Arizona, the likely Republican nominee.
Several superdelegates were concerned that Obama’s lack of experience could hurt the Democratic party in the fall elections and put pressure on some of them to endorse one of the candidates to bring the contest to a quicker conclusion.
“It would be nice to find a way to wrap it up,” said Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, who has not committed to either candidate. “If the current trajectory of the debate continues, the divisions will make it more difficult for many of our candidates,” Hollen said.