The truth is even the popular vote delegates can legally switch.
The superdelegates have become a sort of oracular fog. They “know” the answer, but they ain’t talking.
People say they are afraid of a floor fight, but this is party politics at its best. To hell with the bloodless coronations that pass for conventions. It will be great to see a convention like in the days before TV. AND it will be a powerful civics lesson for the kids.
My understanding is that the pledged delegates, awarded during the primaries, are not supposed to switch until after the first ballot.
I think superdelegates can do absolutely anything they want (although they have to worry about their repuation if they break a promise to a powerful politician).
In any case, do we think that a superdelegate will be arrested and face jailtime for "voting wrong" on the first ballot?? The outcome will not be known until August, no matter what the media tells us.