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

[RyanK111]

All Hail Hillary W. Clinton. Apparently, regardless of political party, the votes of normal citizens no longer count for anything. Why even have elections? Shouldn't we just ask the Clinton's every four years whom they believe should run the country?

[Puzzle]

There is nothing Hillary can say or do that would surprise me. She has no shame. If you are a supporter of Clinon, listen to this video and see if it changes your mind. If you are a supporter of Obama, listen and pass it on.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EdDzvmY1XPo

[HeironymousJosch]

Mrs. Clinton and her campaign may go ahead and push for superdelegate endorsements even if she doesn't carry the popular vote and/or rack up the most pledged delegates but it may not make one damn bit of difference. The superdelegates are party insiders and politicians, they wouldn't be stupid enough to side with the losing candidate knowing it would tear the democratic party apart. Why do you suppose more than half of them have yet to pledge? They're waiting to endorse the presumptive winner whoever that is. The superdelegate concern is a moot point.

[marcusdean]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I am so tired of this sort of power politics.

Show some dignity Hillary camp. Don't insult us voters. Don't tear apart the democratic party.

[finally]

Thank you! Now they can show that they care about anything / any one besides themsleves - the damage to the party in Nov and long after will be profound - WHERE IS GORE, Dean, Carter, all persent and past elected officials pointing this out - PUBLICLY? The Clintons will not go down gracefully!

[6PercentIsUpperClass]

Good-bye Democracy, Hello Oligarchy! If this is allowed to happen I lose what little faith I have left in our government. I can't believe I read what I just read. Sad, so very sad.

[Shantee]

It's up to us the people not to let this tactic work....instead of feeling sad or having a defeatest attitude, we're going to have to fight back and take to the streets and revolt..we have to stand up for our rights....look what other countries do...they take to the streets...we've become so complacent and and feeling so powerless. One of the reason's I'm supporting Barack is because he encourages us to get involved in the process....we have to take back our power....plus more and more people are gravitating toward him because he makes us feel good about being an AMerican again.....we the people decide who the nominee is, not the super delegates.

[mommadona]

Well, there you have it folks.

DLC Queen Bee deigns to reign the unwashed masses.

I'll see you in Denver Ms. Clinton.

With bells on.

It'll be like 1968 de ja vue alllll over again.

ONWARD........

[zreeb]

Yep, I hope a riot breaks out.

If this happens I will change my registration, and write in a candidate.

[MarkieBee]

I already have a few URLs purchased for a write-in Obama candidacy Web site if need be. HILLARY WILL NOT DESTROY OUR PARTY and SHE WILL NOT BE PRESIDENT THIS WAY!!!

[6PercentIsUpperClass]

How sad and petty she has become. Anything for power, huh Hillary? Greedy, Classless, Self-pity....Hillary '08!

[longislandlol]

Ohio and Texas, and Pennsylvania know what they have to do ..

[estreya]

Exactly. This is so chilling - not alone, but in combination with her war votes, bombing votes, bancruptcy votes, warrentless wire tapping votes (or lack thereof) ... it's just chilling.

[PhDcommonsense]

So, Clinton says no matter what the people say, She and Bill will go in and brow beat all of the Superdelegates to make her the nominee? That is a very interesting thing for them to say. I hope all of America is looking at this. I want to see if the DNC has the back bone to make this look like a fair nomination.
My question, who do the Clinton's think they are? If they go in with this attitude, you are going to see a defection from the DNC like never before. Let me make this very clear, it will not be Obama's fault for those of you in Commenters' Land, who are ready to lay it at his feet.
This is truly Democracy at its worse. Yes, I think people will let McCain win and vote for the Down Ballot of Senators and Representatives to overturn him in the Congress with Vetos, etc.
I hope the Clintons understand that while they may win the "Battle", they will look pretty stupid losing the "WAR".

[finally]

Exactly - GREAT get-out-the-vote slogan for OH, TX and PA - vote for us, not that if matters if you don;t!

[oshpd1]

The superficially charming, self-absorbed couple known as Billary, ever so possessed with an outsize sense of entitlement feel they are entitled to what ever they want. You do know Bubba Bill has called in every favor he can to get the Superdelegates on Hillary's side. If they (I do mean they, Hill and Bill) get back to the White House they can pay back the Superdelegates with favors in kind. This is how career politicans work. Let the people be damned. This is about them not the citizens of this country.

[AZModerate]

So team Clinton has their nuts in a bunch because the Obama camp doesn't want to seat Fla and Mich per the rules because that would disenfranchise 2 states... but they are OK with disenfranchising 48 states if it can get them the nom?

[midtown]

GREAT POINT ! ! !

[estreya]

Excellent point.

[coonce]

With that kind of attitude -- I can see her General Election now -- BRINGING FOLKS TOGETHER ----NOT

[passport]

Someone let the voters in Texas know that Hillary doesnt really need them, She got her some SUPER delegates.

[Researchguy66]

I can't understand what everyone's getting all hyper about. Superdelegates have been around for a long time. All the candidates knew that going into the race. They can change their vote anytime up to the convention and the vast majority haven't even expressed a preference yet.

For all you people know, Obama may be leading in consideration at this very moment. It's all conjecture and paranoia.

As for the point of the article, no one really expects me to believe that Obama would turn down the nomination if Hillary had more pledged delegates, but he won by the margin of the superdelegates?

Now if he were to make that pledge, that says something!

[Eternal]

It's not a issue of the two canidates really, it's a party leadership issue. If party officals were to overturn the will of the people they would loose the general election. The rules are the rules its not about the rules it's about common sense. If Clinton win's the pledged delegates and looses due to supers, women will abandon the party. If Obama win's the pledged delegates and looses due to supers, young, minorities many men will abandon the party. I would take it a step further to say they would even risk a rejection backlash which would vault McCain into a large victory. As a practical matter overturning the results of elections by party officals is not a very good idea.

[estreya]

~ nods ~

And this may seem crazy, but there's also this sense of, "Ok, the Republicans made this mess, let THEM clean it up." Now, i grant you, that's a horrible, hopeless, defeatist, spiteful, totally counter-productive point of view. But if Clinton destroys this party, it almost becomes a sort of "six of one, half dozen of the other" kind of thing for me. Now i say ALMOST because i still want to have hope. I still want to think things can change ...

i just don't know ...

[BlueInARedState]

Hillary just lost me.

[zreeb]

Honestly, I had no real qualms with the Clinton's going in to this campaign season, figuring I could comfortably vote for either HRC, Obama, or Edwards. However, things have changed.

Hillary lost me somewhere between NH and SC. The stunts pulled in each primary told me I could never vote for this person.

[BeyondKen]

If this had been true I would switch my support to Sen. Obama. But after reading every news article on the subject, Mr. Wolfson never actually said it.

[COwoman]

"We don't make distinctions between delegates chosen by million of voters in a primary and those chosen between tens of thousands in caucuses,'' Wolfson said. "And we don't make distinctions when it comes to elected officials'' who vote as superdelegates at the convention.

"We are interested in acquiring delegates, period,'' he added.

[Eternal]

Four months ago I would have said there was now way Democrats would loose the big prize in November. Today I have my my dobuts. If either canidate wins the pledeged (elected) delegates and is overturned by superdelegates, the democrats will loose. Both Obama and Clinton has to decide if their asperations are worth giving the WH to the Republicans *again*. It's time for Dean and Pelosi to show some party leadership. It's a simple equation, get the majority of elected super delegates to pledge their support for the pledged delegate winner.