Our own Sen. Claire McCaskill was on a conference call this morning with a number of other notable backers of Sen. Barack Obama. The call, put as blandly as possible, was intended “to discuss the race for the Democratic nomination.”

But this wasn’t just any status update. Anyone with a heartbeat can discern that Obama’s people want to ramp up the pressure on Sen. Hillary Clinton to step aside now that she faces the longest of odds to the nomination. 

To drive the point home, this afternoon, Obama’s staff announced the support of three more superdelegates. 

Still, McCaskill told reporters the Obama campaign would “leave the decision to (Clinton) about when she thinks it is appropriate”  

Others who signed up to talk up Obama included Sens. John Kerry and Amy Klobuchar and Govs. Janet Napolitano and Deval Patrick.

More from McCaskill:

“There is sincere respect for Hillary Clinton within this campaign. I think it would be inappropriate, awkward and wrong for any of us to tell Sen. Clinton when it is time for this race to be over.

“That is her decision and only her decision. I am confident she is going to do the right thing.”

“The stakes are too great, the potential for real change is so close.”

To some, that might sound like a bit of polite begging.

Clinton, for her part, still says she’s in it to win it. Or she’ll at least stay in “until there’s a nominee.” She declined to say what exactly that phrase meant.

To some, that might sound like a bit of tactful hedging.