Clinton: Superdelegates Trump Popular Vote

Boston Globe's Political Intelligence:

Hillary Clinton will take the Democratic nomination even if she does not win the popular vote, but persuades enough superdelegates to vote for her at the convention, her campaign advisers say.

The New York senator, who lost three primaries Tuesday night, now lags slightly behind her rival, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, in the delegate count. She is even further behind in "pledged'' delegates, those assigned by virtue of primaries and caucuses.

But Clinton will not concede the race to Obama if he wins a greater number of pledged delegates by the end of the primary season, and will count on the 796 elected officials and party bigwigs to put her over the top, if necessary, said Clinton's communications director, Howard Wolfson.

Read the whole story: Boston Globe's Political Intelligence

Comments

[standforpeace]

And that's where the Democratic voters need to weigh in and let party elites know that if they want to go their own way at the Convention then they should count on getting it done on their own in November.

[johnnygoodwud]

once again hillary shows her true colors. narcissists, like bill and hillary only think about one thing themselves, and truly doubt they think much about each other, just themselves. she can't even run her own campaign, how is she going to be ready 'on day one'? i've heard rumors she has sold her donor mailing list to some big marketing firm. very nice, screw the people who have trusted, and believed in you. wise up america, you're being played. she doesn't and won't honor your vote, she'll do anything to get back into the white house. YUK

[bobdob]

She rented the list out to InfoUSA, which is a company owned by Vinod Gupta, one of Bill's business partners. He got the list for something like $8000.00 even though most industry types agree it's probably worth closer to $800,000.0­0.

These people are filthy. Corrupt as hell. Read about it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/26/us/politics/26clinton.html?pagewanted=print

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05242007/postopinion/opedcolumnists/bills_ugly_buddy_opedcolumnists_dick_morris__eileen_mcgann.htm

[useyourbrain]

If the list was worth 100 times what she supposedly rented it out to -- that would make her a bad business person, not filthy.

[nyobserver]

Hillary can't "wrestle" or steal anything from anyone without the full support of the delegates. The true decision will lie with them. What's everyone talking about? Will she be holding a gun to people's heads?

Come on people. Let's hold everyone accountable for their individual decision. If the delegates end up deciding, the delegates - not Hillary - will end up deciding. Period. They will likely use rational thought in the process.

[useyourbrain]

Why isn't Obama said to be "wrestling" and "stealing" supers? It's always the evil HRC. Mommy issues, that's all it is with you people.

[indie17]

Because Obama has stated publicly that the super delegates should reflect the will of the people. If Hillary is ahead in pledged delegates and popular vote, you will see him concede.

And why do so many Hillary supporters throw out parental-type declarations? We are all adults here.

[XYZ]

This is the most sane thing I have heard all nite. I would be pissed if she held the delegates, but her & her husband only have 2 delegates, and 2 votes. So they really can only account for about aprx 20,000 people.

Plus Obama isn't dumb he's also been greasing the skids. He has actually given more money to the supers than Hillary. So I doubt that Clinton holds that much favor over Obama on the super delegates, and seeing them peel off Clinton when Obama is starting to show some real forward movement is promising.

What I'm more afraid of is the huff-po posters killing each other in verbal assaults about who's candidate is better.

[bobbylee]

Hillary Clinton attitude and the position she has taken on the superdeligates matter is precisely why she turn so many voters off, she and Bill Clinton will not accept defeat and will not cease their illicit activities until they have single-handed destroyed the Democratic Party. They are so thirst for power that they have lost their way.

[useyourbrain]

So, she's strong of spirit and determined and won't accept defeat. I guess that means BO will readily accept defeat -- I think he will because he wouldn't want to upset anyone. He will be rolled over. I want a strong person as President, not a weakling like Bush who is under the control of Cheney. HRC will fight the good fight for the country.

[ilcapo]

She s so strong that she let the waterworks out in New Hampshire.­..maybe she can bawl her way to the WH...OBAMA 08

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

So, as everyone predicted, THIS NEWS IS BLOWING UP REALLY UGLY with all crossover voters, young or first time voters, really with anyone new to politics, or that believes in the ideals of Democracy.

There's a huge flood of emails and phone calls coming in to reps, newspapers, television . . . AND IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW ANGRY PEOPLE ARE AT THE CLINTON'S for their decision.

The Clinton's have decided to twist the process BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY to steal the nomination.

Today they essentially said, "The will of the voters DOES NOT COUNT. The party elites WILL DECIDE FOR YOU."

That would, of course, EXCLUDE the Clinton spin doctors in the room, dropping lines of propaganda in the desperate hope that they can sell this elitist and undemocratic attack strategy to the party and the VOTERS.

Well, it's not working with folks in the party. As they (the spin doctors) know, the Clinton's have been having a VERY bad day.

AND THE VOTERS ARE ANGRY.

Even the Clinton's supporters are abandoning them now.

And still the spin doctors keep repeating the BIG LIE.

But it isn't flying anymore, because there's a different kind of voter this year.

AND WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION.

WHATEVER YOU DO RIGHT NOW, don't listen to the Clinton's ESTABLISHMENT MACHINE.

Ignore them and start to make some noise, because EVEN THEY KNOW that this WILL NOT WORK if we get angry enough and DEMAND that they base their results on the PLEDGED DELEGATE COUNT and the POPULAR VOTE.

Start sending emails and ringing phones. And keep doing it at a furious pace until we've made it clear that THIS TIME WE'RE DECIDING.

[Ides]

The answer is simple. Bring out a pro-Obama vote so large Hillary doesn't stand a chance.

[useyourbrain]

Schmuck!!! HRC is not stealing the election. The super delegates is part of the DNC rules. HRC didn't create them. They were set up in 1982 and voted on by the delegates. Obama is going after them too. You people are major A-holes and if this is the type of person that supports BO, what a horrible thought for the future. Look at all the spin words and MSM talking points in your post -- you believe everything you hear or read on a blog? GROW UP.

[XYZ]

Relax man, she doesn't have a gun to anyone's head...

Like Bill's holding every one hostage, in the RV world, while Hillary's in Denver at the Primaries laughing in a DR Evil tone.

Take a chill pill Ghost your gonna break your keyboard..­..

I want Obama to win just like the other guy, plus he has given more than money to the supers than old Hillary anyways (money talks b.s. is to be feed to the electorate in politics).

[SethBLiNK]

My guess is that if Hillary is within 100 electoral votes of Obama not counting SuperDelegates, she will continue to pursue the Supers, and she will say that because the Florida Delegates have been disenfranchised, it's okay for SuperDelegates to step in and act as their surrogates and everybody will be okay with it.

However, if Obama has a lead of 150 or so and she persists in pushing both the SuperDelegate hunt and the Michigan Florida seating, people will see her efforts as desparate and repugnant.

If Obama has enough of a lead, SuperDelegates will feel pressured to form a concensus. If Obama amasses a nice lead, their own politican instincts will drive the Supers to fall in line with the popular vote and the other arguments will grown mute.

[Thatcher]

As of right now - without superdelegates the count is (per realclearpolitics.com):

Obama 1133

Clinton 995

If you add in MI and FL (if their elections were counted):

Obama 1196

Clinton 1163

And if you add in the superdelegates to date (per realclearpolitics.com)

Obama 1352

Clinton 1405

So, in reality - though Clinton is in the lead, with FL and MI (if they were counted) - it's still neck and neck. And this isn't counting the uncommitted MI delegates in either camp. If, as might be assumed - since they voted against Clinton, they would probably end up going to Obama - 55 of them ... and that would put Obama back into the lead (by 3).

So - it really does come down to Ohio and Texas and if Hillary can stave off Obama's delegate counts. If she loses even one of these - it should become quite apparent that the contest is over and that even with FL and MI counting she wouldn't be the nominee.

I believe that the best case for FL or MI mess to be over is for either side to wrack up a nice chunk of delegates. If Obama does - he would be able to see that even with counting MI and FL, he still wins and would make this concilliatory offer. If Clinton does - even though she wouldn't need them - she makes the offer as well.

The worse that can happen is that the Democrats remain deadlocked into June. This creates a huge battle when attention should be turned toward McCain. The DNC and the 2 state parties should be sitting down and making offers to work together to solve this problem fairly (not just fairly for the 2 states - but for the other 48 who did follow the rules, as well).

[XYZ]

And remeber if this was any other democrat Obama would have smashed them to bits by now. It's really amazing how well Clinton did, in this election.

[realpolitic]

Wow, her decision could ruin the Democratic party and chase an entire generation of young people away from politics as they will see voting as unnecessary to the result. After eight years of Bush hell, we need consolidation, transparency, and fair play. No more of higher-ups making decisions in back rooms. I hope Hillary reconsiders for the good of the country and her party.

[rwilliams1961]

If this isn't enough to convince EVERY Democratic voter to vote for Obama, nothing is.

If her priority at this stage is herself over the party, what do you think her priority will be in the White House?

So much for pimping Chelsea. She's pimping us.

[lezlib]

Best post of the year!!!!!!

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

I agree. I am angry about this. And I'm not alone. I have emailed this news to my whole list - only a little over thousand, but a start, and the least I can do.

I guess I decided I'm not going to sit down and just take it the way we have in the past.

Remember how it was the Republicans that were all organized - in polo shirts and khakis - "protesting" as the votes were recounted in 2000?

Well, I believe we should be the ones that stand up this time.

There are those that will say, "Well, that's the rules, man."

I say, "Okay, that's the rules, man. Yet, those rules do not prevent 70 percent of the Democratic Party standing up and saying, 'Not this time!'"

This being an example of yet another establishment POWER GRAB, I think we are well within our rights to say NO and force them BY THE SOUND OF OUR VOICE to abandon the very idea of perverting the intentions of the superdelegate system for the purposes of stealing the nomination.

And, respectfully (and please don't take this the wrong way), we simply cannot afford to sit back and say we "hope Hillary reconsiders for the good of the country and her party."

She has demonstrated the fact that she will not reconsider for any "good" other than the personal acquisition of power.

CONTINUED BELOW . . .

[GhostOfSchlesinger]

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE . . .

This is blind ambition. And the only way we stop it is the same way such as always been stopped.

We know we are in the right. We know that - no matter what rules they can play - the RIGHT THING is for us to decide upon OUR nominee.

And we can decide that right here, right now, today, and wrest it from their hands if only we will stand together.

Believe it or not, this is a profound opportunity if we will only take it.

The powerful have just torn off their masks and spoken to us from on high, saying, "You don't decide. You see, it's right here in the bylaws - rule number 732-B-4.2.­"

It's not often that this happens. Usually they try to hide their machinations.

Only this time, knowing that there was no hiding, they have decided to start selling this travesty right now. Which means they're thinking we'll "get used to it" between now and Denver.

If we let them know in no uncertain terms that WE WILL NOT "get used to it," they will reverse course and we will be able to chalk up a rare and historic victory for We The People.

Such events can change the course of history.

[Rigso]

Well, those are DNC rules, the 2025 needed combines both pledged and 'super' delegates. If she gets screwed over FL not being counted, with which she would have been in delegate lead, then he may get screwed by another DNC rule. DNC fucked both over, don't blame it all on Hillary Clinton, she has the right to fight for it, although I will not support her doing so if Obama has more than 150 pledged delegate lead, buts that unlikely. In a close race, its fine i think.

[Silpat]

So she cares more about winning than she does about the voters. What a self-serving witch.

If she gets the nomination then she will surely lose the General Election. Count on it.

[BeyondKen]

Silpat, don't believe everything you read. She never said this, nor did Mr. Wolfson.

[ATLiberal]

A major newspaper reports he said it, but you say he didn't?? Oh, well, I'm glad you told me.

[watchingthings]

The neo-con adjenda must be carried on at all costs.

[Lazslo]

This is an attempt by Clinton to discourage people from voting in the next few state contests. She wants people to think "why should I vote, if the DNC is just going to give the nomination to who it wants." If I were a voter in Wisconsin, Texas, or Ohio, or Pensylvania I would be sure to get out and vote for Obama to send a clear message that this kind of politics is not going to work anymore. Massive wins in these states for Obama will stop any talk of Clinton cheating the system and stealing from the country what it has voted for. I urge every Clinton supporter to break from this undemocratic policy and support Obama.

[BitJam]

I disagree. This wasn't a ploy to discourage voters since as you point out it has the exact opposite effect.

This is another symptom of the meltdown of her campaign. You lose/shift four top people in three days and mistakes will happen.

[OpusIsUnderTheBed]

Well, of course she will.

[LucyWatts]

It amazes me to see the Obamaphiles pick up and run with even the slightest piece of gossip they see as something Hillary is doing to their candidate. I was just at this post http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/greasing-the-su.html and sure didn't see a lot of Obamaphiles complaining about Obama "buying" superdelegates. Most of these people sound like they have no idea how the superdelegate system works... which makes them sound ignorant and paranoid.

[XYZ]

Yeah I was one of them yesterday, but at work had a very long mental pause about the supers. If you look up Hillary's past she has put a lot of work into being a prominent democrat. She has carried the water for many years, if you follow her democratic career back to Mondale. For the younger crowd he was a democratic contender to Reagan. I'm sure she dialed her fair share of digits, for him. She was once probably an activist like an typical Obamaphile.

So to really drive it home if you were her, and served all these years, in the party towing the party line (even though sometimes you don't agree with it) you don't deserve favor.

If they didn't have supers I'm sure the democratic party would fall apart, even faster. There would be no reason to stick around with the party. The party would be like that lazy friend that only calls you when he needs help moving but never calls you when he's having a party.

[InDaZone]

The Clintons are power hungry and will do anything to get back into the White House, even if it means driving the wedge further and dividing the American people while destroying the democratic party. If Hillary is the nominee and she does get into the White House.... all these nice plans and proposals she has will never get through congress, because she is so divisive.

[RagingJerseyBoy]

Right. She is extremely divisive. True, the irrational Clinton hatred on the right approaches a psychotic state, but if Hillary is having such an effect among members of her own party, that is not a good sign. People like myself stood beside the Clintons all through his presidency and defended him; now we are getting repaid by having Bill and Hillary ridicule our candidate for being foolishly idealistic, and us for believing in a 'fairy tale.'

Actually, the Clintons are living a fairy tale if they think that they can get away with alienating a huge number of voters, such as the foolishly idealistic young people and others who want change. Hillary can talk about universal health care, but can she deliver? That's the question everyone should be asking. She doesn't have a very inspiring track record. And she voted for the Iraq war resolution, so she has no credence with me on that issue. Is this the type of 'experience' we need?

[the964kid]

Hillary will do exactly what Bush did in Florida in 2000, if given the chance. She'll even risk destroying the Democratic Party in her quest for power. All the Dems I know, and I only know Dems, say they'll vote for McCain if that happens. Dems in these final states have a clear choice - Hillary will not beat McCain, Obama will.

[standforpeace]

Hillary Clinton is only doing what anyone in her position would do, using every strategy she can to win. I'm not mad at her for that. It is the Super Delegates, the Democratic party elites, who will have to choose whether they are going to follow the will of the people (whatever that turns out to be). If they choose to defy the will of the voters, then the consequences will rest squarely on their shoulders. It's high time for us to decide if we want a real democracy or an oligarchy.