KEY POINTS:
The race for the White House reached the Waitemata Harbour at the weekend, when a visiting African American Democrat congressman switched his support from presidential hopeful John Edwards to Barack Obama.
North Carolina representative G.K. Butterfield was one of five congressmen from southern states - some of whom have played influential roles in the primary election process so far - who were paying a return visit after MPs went to the US last July on a goodwill trip.
Like another six of his state's representatives, Mr Butterfield had pledged to back Mr Edwards, North Carolina's former senator, but his performance in the second primary in New Hampshire against Hillary Clinton and Mr Obama made it clear he would not win the Democratic Party's nomination for President, the congressman said.
Crucially, Mr Butterfield is the first of the state's Democratic representatives to switch support. He was handling typed-up talking points for American media on a short cruise around the harbour on Saturday when the Herald spoke to him exclusively.
"You can't [like Edwards] win polling 17 per cent. My advisers were saying if you're going to switch you've got to do it now. I wanted to wait until I was home.
"I don't think John Edwards is going to be in the final mix. It's breaking news back home. I've fielded six calls already and Barack Obama's staff have emailed me."
Mr Butterfield said Mr Obama's win in Iowa, the first race between the Democrat contenders, was where he started to question his support for Mr Edwards.
Mr Obama's win in the state, where 97 per cent of the population is white, signalled the end of his support and the belief that just maybe, come November, the US could have its first black President.
"We've lost our moral compass. He [Mr Obama] will bring us together. We've got to change the direction in our country, we're not satisfied with where it's going."
Congress' majority whip James Clyburn from South Carolina, the third-highest ranking official in the House of Representatives, was part of the delegation.
He was still undecided on his support but his endorsement in his state, which has a large black Democratic voting base, could prove to be the turning point in the race between Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton.
The permutations of what wins could do for either candidate in Nevada and South Carolina primary elections scheduled between now and Super Tuesday were gripping, he said.
"It is a sport, some might say a blood sport," he joked.
Labour Cabinet minister Shane Jones hosted the group, which left yesterday.
