As noteworthy as it is that super-delegate Larry Gates, who heads the Kansas Democratic Party, endorsed Barack Obama, another pledge today is much more significant.

   Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd, the 90-year-old dean of the Senate, today backed Obama. After his rout last week at the hands of Hillary Clinton in the West Virginia primary, it could be just the tonic Obama needs in a crucial state if he, as appears likely, wins the nomination.

   For decades, the Mountain State was "almost heaven" for Democrats. Starting in 1928, it had an unbroken record of not voting for Republicans in open presidential contests - which 2008 is - until 2000, when George Bush defeated Al Gore.

   A lot of that had to do with the Clinton administration's opposition to mountaintop coal mining and fears over gun control. But President Bush won the state again four years later.

    Byrd has been in the Senate half a century. If anyone can help Obama persuade some wary West Virginia Democrats who sided with Clinton, it is very likely him.