Nevadan makes Obama her choice

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has picked up the support of Nevada superdelegate Yvonne Atkinson Gates, nudging him closer to the nomination.

The former Clark County commissioner and member of the national party's rules committee said late Saturday that she had been impressed by the Illinois senator's campaign.

"I have been admiring, just from afar, looking at the way they run the campaign. I have been pretty impressed with this operation," she said. "I think he would make a great president."

Her decision comes as Obama is on the verge of winning the nomination fight against Hillary Clinton.

As a member of the Democratic rules and bylaws committee, Gates said she had decided to remain neutral in the race until the panel reached an agreement on how to handle delegates from Michigan and Florida, states that held primaries in violation of party rules.

The committee agreed Saturday to seat both states' full delegations, but each delegate will get only half a vote.

Gates said she supported the decision.

Obama now has 17 of Nevada's 34 delegates, compared with Clinton's 13.

Four Nevada superdelegates remain uncommitted: U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, state party Chairman Sam Lieberman and Nevada firefighters union President Rusty McAllister.

Gates served as the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee's Black Caucus in 2004. She said she was appointed to her post at the committee by former Chairman Terry McAuliffe, now the Clinton campaign chairman. She said she did not consider her choice an act of disloyalty.

"My goal is to win the election against the Republican in the general election. I've been waiting for this for eight years," she said.

Gates, 51, resigned from the Clark County Commission last year amid allegations that she misused campaign contributions. She has not been charged with a crime.