The Democrats' supersized headache

Toronto Star ^ | 2/16/2008 | Tim Harper

[markomalley]

On this long road to the Democratic presidential nomination, a frightening sign has popped up alongside the highway.

Warning. Potential Car Wreck Ahead.

There are two ways this riveting race for the prize between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton could careen into the ditch and both are giving party officials the yips at night.

It may all come down to how hard the Clintons, their dynasty hanging by a thread, the traditional path to a convention win looking increasingly unlikely, will fight to wrest this nomination from Obama.

The balance of power today rests with the 796 so-called superdelegates, an elite group so far controlled by Clinton, and 366 phantom delegates from Michigan and Florida, the majority of whom the New York senator seeks to claim as her own.

Neither route to the nomination would appear likely without an ugly battle.

If Obama pulls ahead in the race, there is an expectation the superdelegates will begin to ditch Clinton and move to the perceived winner rather than risk thwarting the will of the voters.

This is, after all, a party still stinging from 2000, when their candidate won the popular vote but lost the election.

Clinton could be setting them up for failure again by asking them to stay with her.

In Michigan and Florida – stripped of their delegates for bucking party rules – Clinton won the popular vote easily, although no one campaigned in either state and Obama didn't even put his name on the Michigan ballot.

She has begun a push to have those delegates counted before the nomination race is over but she will have to parry accusations that she is seeking to change the rules in the middle of the game.

[markomalley]

All in all, a nice assessment from that Canuck!

[Vigilanteman]

. . . she will have to parry accusations that she is seeking to change the rules in the middle of the game.

In Democrat circles, that is called resume enhancement.

Despite the abject stupidity of large swaths of voters in this country, I cannot help but think God is still looking out for us.

[FreePaul]

In Michigan and Florida – no one campaigned in either state...

I thought that Clinton campaigned in both states and was criticized for it at the time.

[kjo]

Please pass the popcorn...

[cgbg]

There won't be a Democratic trainwreck. Obama will win the two primaries on Tuesday and imho will sweep Ohio, Texas and the other two states on March 4. The superdelegates will be pushing each other out of the way to support him at that point.

Hillary has run the most inept primary campaign in the history of the country. Her authoritarian and arrogant style has assured her electoral humiliation.

Even the vast majority of the DUmmies are beginning to realize that we were right about the Clintons all along. They haven't just lost this race--they have lost the history professors who will write their "legacy".

This has been the political version of "A Bridge Too Far". They wanted four Presidential terms--they thought they were FDR.

Instead their reflection has been revealed in the mirror of their last remaining constituency--rural trailer trash.

[TexasRedeye]

I thought that Clinton campaigned in both states and was criticized for it at the time.

No "campaigning". She held "fund raisers", hehehehehe!

[Hildy]

this primary process makes the electoral college look like logic 101. It’s time for the parties to make some changes. Someone tell me why this process is good? Anyone?

[barker]

I thought that Clinton campaigned in both states and was criticized for it at the time.

Don't know about Michigan but she did attend some fund raisers in Fla. Thus to the people in Florida she bucked the party and showed up there.

Am torn between wanting Hillary to crash and burn so badly she'll be the laughing stock of the party and wanting her to get the nomination because she'll be easier to beat than Obama. If only we had a good candidate left in the race ;-(

[xtinct]

You are correct. Hildabeast campaigned in both states.

[flowerplough]

Hillary has run the most inept primary campaign in the history of the country. Her authoritarian and arrogant style has assured her electoral humiliation.

Observing Hillary's authoritarian and arrogant campaign, I have come to believe that she wants to be president so that she can punish us for rejecting and ridiculing her Stalinist health care reform plan.

[Fresh Wind]

Clinton’s superdelegates may be demanding more money, hence its $5 million loan to itself.

[freekitty]

The Democratic Party is dead on arrival.

[bboop]

I’ll tell ya’, pass the popcorn. It’s great entertainment, watching the libs eat their own. In a terrifying sort of way.

[JaneNC]

Cry me a river

Boo hoo

[Condor51]

*** *this primary process makes the electoral college look like logic 101. It’s time for the parties to make some changes. Someone tell me why this process is good? Anyone? ****

Let me give it a try..

• Only the Dems have these 'Super' Delegates, Republicans don't.
  
• The Primaries of both parties were set up to get rid of the 'smoky back-room deals' that was SOP until the 50's (or 60's?) and power brokers 'picked' the Candidates for POTUS and VEEP.
  
• Back to the Dem's now: The Super Delegates' were created (per Bob Beckle on FNC) to 'safeguard' against the Radical Left taking control of the nomination process.
  
• This was the result of what happened at the 1972 Dem Convention when leftist moonbat McGovernites pulled coup and unseated hundreds of Legally Elected Delegates.

  Case in point; The entire Illinois delegation was kicked out after their credentials were 'questioned'. I can still recall the look on Mayor Daley's face (the REAL one, not the kid of today) as he was being escorted out. boy oh boy, if looks could kill.

That's about it in a nut shell.

[Sacajaweau]

The super delegates are Clinton cronies. It's why she isn't worried by THE PEOPLES' VOTE.

Maybe Bubba will loan her some money.

[Eagle Forgotten]

Only the Dems have these 'Super' Delegates, Republicans don't.

It's not that simple. The Democratic superdelegates are all the members of the Democratic National Committee, plus all elected Democratic members of Congress and state governors, plus a few others. Republicans have only the first category -- all Republican National Committee members are automatically delegates. The media have taken to using the term "superdelegate" only for the Democrats, though.

[Hildy]

Thank you.

[Eagle Forgotten]

Hillary has run the most inept primary campaign in the history of the country.

Bah, it isn't even the most inept primary campaign this year. Have you already forgotten the guy who was leading in the polls going into 2008? The Hero Of 9/11?

Hillary at least managed to win some delegates (plural). What did Giuliani end up with, one delegate?

[bronxboy]

Hillary did go to Florida-she didn’t call it campaigning ...but I think she probably had this in mind if she got into trouble.