Posted on 02/14/2008 8:33:47 PM PST by Matchett-PI
In the Democratic Party there are 796 "Super Delegates." These are men and women who are delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver by virtue of their position, not because they were elected in primary or chosen in a party caucus.
Officially, within the Democratic National Committee rules they are known as "Party Leaders and Elected Officials" (PLEOs) but Super Delegates stuck. PLEOs did not.
Mullpal Lanny Davis has reminded us that Super Delegates were never intended to be pledged to one candidate, but were the insiders who could undo a bad decision by those pesky voters in primaries and caucuses.
Yesterday, Mr. Davis (with whom I have appeared as a sparring partner many times over the past decade) pointed out that in an earlier age Democratic Party insiders chose as the Party's nominee Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, and John F. Kennedy.
As we pointed out here on Wednesday, Barack Obama - following Tuesday's "Potomac Primary" has assumed the lead in the actual delegate count.
The way the delegates are awarded in these Democratic primarie, unless one candidate gets 80% of the votes the awards tend to be 54% to 46% one way or the other.
Thus, according to CNN's count, Barak Obama has 1,096 elected delegates (of the 2,025 needed) while Hillary Clinton has 977 - 119 fewer and that ration isn't likely to change much.
While Super Delegates have no requirement to support any candidate prior to the opening of the Convention, CNN reports Obama has the pledged support of 157 and Clinton has 234 closing the gap between them to only 42 delegates.
As there are 796 Super Delegates and only 391 have pledge to support one of the candidates, that leaves 405 Super Delegates sitting around waiting for offers.
So long as Hillary Clinton stays inside of 405 delegates, the Supers can turn the tide.
But, they won't just swoop onto the floor and wrest the nomination away from Obama because that would cause a riot in Denver. Here's what they will do: You may remember that Michigan and Florida were stripped of their delegates because they ignored the DNC dictum that thou shalt not have a primary election earlier than February 5.
They did and Hillary won both.
The Clintons will arrange for their Super Delegates to reach down to the elected delegates who are members of the Rules and/or Credentials Committees over whom they have some control (If you are a sitting Democratic US Senator or Governor and you call an elected delegate from your state, that elected delegate will take your call).
The Super Delegates will instruct the elected delegates on those committees to seat delegations from Florida and Michigan proportionate to the votes Obama and Clinton received.
I guarantee you that the proportions will be just enough to give the nomination to Hillary.
And 1. The Clintons will be able to claim they had nothing to do with it.
2. The Supers will be able to claim they were just doing their jobs by not disenfranchising voters in two crucial states.
3. Just as you read, it is so complex that no one will be able to explain it in the required 12 seconds on television.
Sending Lanny Davis out yesterday to begin the process of inoculating Democrats against Super Delegate skullduggery is only the first step. Between now and August there will be a constant drumbeat that Michigan and Florida cannot be shut out and the Clintonistas will be working the phones to be certain everyone knows their role.
Or else.
On the GOP side, Mitt Romney's endorsement of John McCain (and the release of his delegates who are not bound under state law) will push McCain toward the 1,000 delegate number. On the Republican side 1,191 is the magic number to reach a majority.
Mike Huckabee, by refusing to leave the race, thus goes from running a quixotic and marginally heroic campaign against McCain, to being a laughing-stock or worse, a disloyal Republican.
She wants to be selected, not elected.
Blacks would sit home and NOT vote if she wins after a thing like that IMO.
((((PING))))
More:
“Make book on it: no matter who wins the voting, Mrs. Clinton will be the nominee.” ~ Rush 02/12/2008
7 posted on 02/12/2008 5:45:29 PM EST by Matchett-PI
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1969279/posts?page=7#7
“Rush is right. 800 of those delegates to the convention are party officials.
How many FBI files do you think Hillary and Bill have on them. It was nice to have the goods on Republican party officials, but it was a mandatory that the Clintons have the goods on Democrats.
They will either give the nomination to Hillary or there will be a huge increase in the number of former Democratic party officials serving time in our prison system.
Hillary will win Ohio and Texas as well as Pennsylvania. ..”
16 posted on 02/12/2008 5:52:12 PM EST by Common Tator
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1969279/posts?page=16#16
“....With his wins in Virginia, Maryland and The District, Barack Obama is now officially on a roll. If the Clintons can’t find some way to stop him and stop him quickly, the Democratic race may be over much sooner than we thought only a week ago.
Here’s something we know: A Clinton cornered is a very, very dangerous political animal. Obama’s supporters would be wise not to start celebrating too early.”
~ Rich Galen - 02/13/2008 Mullings.com http://www.mullings.com/dr_02-13-08.htm
I agree. bttt
I guess Rich Galen hasn’t heard that Al Sharpton will lead a March ( A riot) if that happens.
Maybe. But this logic fails to take into consideration that many of those superdelegates will feel the shift in the D power base away from the Clintons toward Obama and the next generation. Many who are elected themselves will decide based on “what’s in it for me”.
As the mortician says, “Remains to be seen”
Good point. These delegates have no loyalty to the Clintons. The question is, do the Clintons have some leverage they could use to influence them? I think if the delegates see Obama as a lifesaver from the Clinton’s sinking ship, they’ll take Obama.
See post #4 (FBI files)
Yes, but there has to be something in those files to use. Just because you have a file doesn’t mean there’s something in it that can be used as blackmail.
Heck, there’s an FBI file on ME, but I don’t have anything in it (that’s true) that could be used for blackmail.
I mean, AFTER the riots
It seems to me that many of them seem to see this as freeing themselves from the stench of the Clinton machine.
You'll have to leave a message, as he's on a speaking tour in the islands at the moment.
The cops that beat up Rodney King were just "doing their jobs" too. That didn't stop the riot. The dems have a problem. =o)
Blacks have ALWAYS had a problem with the Democrats since they were their actual slave owners or those that hosed them away from schools.
Time for blacks IMO to wake up and move on.
They deserve better than the Democrat party for sure.
So, the next question is:
Hillary raised funds for:
a) the primary battle
b) the general election
Each of these pools of cash could not be used interchangeably for pre/post uses.
The (post) general funding was eported to be in excess of $40,000,000.
So if she loses/folds/drops out, what happens to these mega millions of funds earmarked for the general election????
Does her re-election committee keep it??
Does the Clinton Foundation get it ???
Do these scumbag individuals get to launder it and then put it in their pockets??
Enquiring minds want to know!!
Nope. These are Dems...they have undoubtably done things that could be in there, so just a bluffed threat could mean something.
I know the Dem's have a long history, one darkened with the KKK and lynch mobs. I also know it was the republicans who pushed reconstruction, and fought for many rights for blacks. What I just don't know, and cant seem to find any reference in any history books I’ve read, is where the idea that the Republicans are all the cliche things we are accused of being. How did the liberators get tagged as the oppressors? I just don't get it.
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