Are Democratic Convention Superdelegates Up for Sale?

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Money Talks

The Democratic presidential nomination could be decided by the so-called "superdelegates." Now one study is revealing that elected officials who serve in that capacity have received at least $890,000 in campaign contributions from Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in the last three years.

The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics says Obama has doled out more than $694,000 to superdelegates — Clinton has given out about $196,000. With about 400 superdelegates still up for grabs — one expert says the competition will be fierce.

"Only the limits of human creativity could restrict the ways in which Obama and Clinton will try to be helpful to superdelegates," says Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia. "My guess is that if the nomination actually depends on superdelegates, the unwritten rule may be, 'ask and ye shall receive.' "

Viva La Revolution!

Obama has one fan who won't be able to vote — but is still singing his praises. Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega says Obama's presidential bid is a revolutionary phenomenon in the U.S.

Ortega led a soviet-backed Nicaraguan government back in the 1980's and recently returned to office. He says — "It's not to say that there is already a revolution under way in the U.S. ... but yes, they are laying the foundations for a revolutionary change."

Speaking His Mind

For the second time this week, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is throwing out rhetorical bombs. The Independent who says he is not running for president told reporters Thursday that the upcoming tax rebate checks from the federal government are — "Like giving a drink to an alcoholic."

And Bloomberg criticized the excessive spending in Washington — saying the U.S. — "has a balance sheet that's starting to look more and more like a third-world country."

Monday Bloomberg said that global warming poses a greater threat to the world than either terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.

Put up or Shut Up

A few years ago — then-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee challenged people in his state who were calling for higher taxes to voluntarily give up more of their own money. The fund collected about $2,000 in four years.

The state of Virginia also established what it calls a "tax me more fund" in 2002. The Washington Times reports the fund has collected just over $10,000 since then — including a total of $19.36 last year.

One Virginia Republican says people who advocated tax increases — "didn't seem willing to put their money where their words were. They could have easily participated more in the Tax Me More Fund but didn't. That's because they didn't really want to pay more. They wanted everyone else to pay more so they wouldn't have to."

— FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.