Undecided Superdelegates: Many Have Clinton History, Majority Are Women

The dwindling group of elected officials and party leaders publicly undecided in the Democratic presidential contest -- about 300 out of the 795 so-called superdelegates who may determine the party's nominee -- includes at least 30 who have a long and often personal history with the Clinton family.

But more than 100 of them are from states whose voters have spoken in primaries and caucuses and voted, often overwhelmingly, for Senator Barack Obama. And in a year where Mrs. Clinton has drawn much of her strength from women, there are nearly twice as many men as women who remain undecided.

Read more here.

Comments

[scandals&skeletons]

to set the record straight it looks like obama has given more money to superdelegates, however the bulk of this was money he raised for these politicians before he aspired to be president. the contributions date back to 2005.

so is it a bad thing that obama is a much better fundraiser than hillary?
i think not.
this again is actually a negative for hillary especially in the general election. although, anninca would have you think otherwise.

[scandals&skeletons]

SELF-SERVING
Clinton's camp immediately dismissed Gelber's idea. No wonder: It gives Obama a chance to win a state she already won, and independents typically favor Obama.
''I think that the people of Michigan and Florida spoke in a very convincing way, that they want their voices and their votes to be heard,'' Clinton said.
But her demand -- which looks increasingly self-serving now that Obama leads in delegates -- may not get traction.
For Obama, whose campaign has dismissed the state's delegate-less vote as meaningless, the do-over allows him to get in the good graces of Florida Democrats. It also would let him do what he does best: talk to voters. The major candidates ceased campaigning in Florida months ago after the party punished Florida.
''I think even my 6-year-old would understand it would not be fair for Sen. Clinton to be awarded delegates when there was no campaign and, in one of the states at least, my name didn't appear on the ballot,'' Obama told reporters.
And for Democrats looking ahead to November, when independent voters will undoubtedly play a decisive role, Gelber's idea of including independents is a potentially ingenious party-building tool. The state party would engage these swing voters months before the general election campaign gets under way

[scandals&skeletons]

What if they held an election and more than 1.7 million Florida Democrats came? That is the quandary facing Democrats, as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama slog it out, state to state, with neither in reach of the 2,025 delegates needed to claim the nomination.
Florida Democrats could stage another election that would count toward tie-breaking delegates, but a caucus with limited voting sites would draw a fraction of the record-setting Jan. 29 turnout.
Or the deadlock could be broken by 796 so-called ''superdelegates'' at the convention, but allowing party bosses to subvert the will of the people -- there's that 1.7 million again -- threatens to be a public-relations disaster.
Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber of Miami Beach is pitching an alternative: a mail-in vote, framed as a runoff between Clinton and Obama, allowing Democrats and independents to participate.
Only Democrats were allowed to cast ballots in the primary, which did not count toward delegates because the early date broke national party rules. Mailing ballots to every registered Democrat and independent would overcome the elitist tinge of a party caucus or superdelegate surge.
SELF-SERVING

[scandals&skeletons]

please mitt romney (flip flop) my above posts.
thanx

[Orikinla]

The Democrats who rejected John Edwards deserve to lose the presidential election.

You haved voted for those who paid for your votes by spending millions of dollars on the media to cajole and woo you and you fell for the spin like dummies.

You are too confused to lead America.

Look at John McCain looking even better, smarter and stronger than both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

The Independents voting for Barack Obaama now are going to turn to John McCain in the presidential election.

Barack Obama has divided the Democratic Party.
He has not united any of the opposing sides and the way the Democratic caucuses and primaries are going, the opposing sides are not going to be united in the end.

Hillary Clinton will feel very bitter if she loses to Barack Obama and Barack Obama will feel more bitter if he loses the presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton.

Their cold war will drive their supporters to vote for John McCain in protest.

Democrats, put your house in order before it is too late.

[Orikinla]

The Democrats who rejected John Edwards deserve to lose the presidential election.

You haved voted for those who paid for your votes by spending millions of dollars on the media to cajole and woo you and you fell for the spin like dummies.

You are too confused to lead America.

Look at John McCain looking even better, smarter and stronger than both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

The Independents voting for Barack Obaama now are going to turn to John McCain in the presidential election.

Barack Obama has divided the Democratic Party.
He has not united any of the opposing sides and the way the Democratic caucuses and primaries are going, the opposing sides are not going to be united in the end.

Hillary Clinton will feel very bitter if she loses to Barack Obama and Barack Obama will feel more bitter if he loses the presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton.

Their cold war will drive their supporters to vote for John McCain in protest.

Democrats, put your house in order before it is too late.

[scandals&skeletons]

orinla, your insane

[STParker]

Hillary Clinton has divided the Democratic party more than Barack Obama. More people are voting for Barack to keep Hillary out of office than vice-versa. More Barack supporters are loathe to vote for Hillary than vice-versa.
THere would likely be no Barak phenomenon and if it were not Barak Obama in the race the anti-Hillary sentiment would doubtless have accrued to another candidate.

[uheardme]

This is true. I like Barack, but I dislike Hillary's pandering and her voting record more.

[CranialRectalLoopback]

Funny how the Republican Party hates its nominee but the press, and apparently you brainless Defeatocrats, act as if your party is the one on the brink of collapse. You all are fucking stooges of the MSM. Well played, my fools, well played.

[FZliveson]

It has all been scripted, behind the scenes.
The founders of the nation warned us to be suspicious
of government and we gradually forgot until they not only robbed from the cookie-jar, but sold it to China and Saudi Arabia for war toys and power.
Clintons=Lieberman x 4 because they are covert and do their damage with smiles, in sheep's clothing.
There is no candidate prepared to take-on the problems, free of lobbiest debt. Watch for a NEOCON VP candidate and an early exit of McCain (if he wins). If Hillary gets the nod, the Republicans have a 50/50 chance despite all they have done and have not done.

[AnninCA]

Obama is highly irresponsible to try to redefine the role of Super Delegates.

It's flatly wrong.

Why is he so afraid to let them do their jobs?

I guess he is thinking they might notice that he's not pulled in too many of the true Democrat states.

[TurnThePageGA]

So we should nominate the candidate that Democrats win in no matter who is running? As "IkeChicago" has stated we can run the Democratic Mascot and win those states. Virginia is now a swing state. Missouri is a swing state. When was the last time we lost California, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or Illinois? Same "OLD" and "TIRED" 50 plus one strategy. Time for CHANGE!

Do really think the party is going to unite by the candidate who is behind in "PLEDGED" delegates by 50 or more "PLEDGED" delegates? Do you think there will be KUMBAYA in this party? Do you think a constituency that votes 85 to 90 percent is gonna support Hillary when they KNOW that the NOMINATION WAS STOLEN? And they will know and there ain't gonna be no way that the CLinton Machine will be able to spin it with their talk who "Automatic" delegates. We won't give a flip what Sheila Jackson Lee, Maxine Waters, Charlie Rangel, John Lewis, Maya Angelou, Magic Johnson, Andy Young, 50 Cent, Bob Johnson, Alcee Hastings, Quincy Jones, Bill Gray, Willie Gary, Tavis Smilley, Ron Dellums, Corrine Brown, David Dinkins, Kendrick Meek, Stephanie Tubbs, Iyala Vanzant, Julian Bond, Diane Watson, John Street have to say.

OBAMA 08

[AnninCA]

I think he's tried to buy them off. Hence, he spent 4 times what Hillary did.

Now, he's trying to reframe their role.

And I think your IkeinChicago is pretty much of an idiot.
Anything more?

[STParker]

I sure hope that 50 cent is not a superdelegate.

[scandals&skeletons]

anninca, obama is not trying to redefine anything.
what he did was a smart tactical move by bringing the superdelegates power to the forefront of public opinion. many voters had never heard of superdels before this election. this way ol bill cant be calling in favors etc.. to swing superduper­pooperdele­gates hillarys way. perhaps you think this is ok, but regardless of who i support the election should be decided by the voters not politicians promising ambassadorships or calling in favors.
i would be in favor of doing away with superdelegates after this election cycle.

[KidMeNot]

"True Democrat(sic)" states

First, it's the Democratic Party, stop using the right-wing name.

Second, The Democratic Party should be democratic, meaning the people decide.

Third -- There are not "true" Democratic states. The party should try to win all states in the Prez. election. The reason the Dems. one back the Senate was because Senators were elected in Red states like Montana.

This election is not just about the personal ambitions of Hillary Clinton, but it is about building a Democratic Party mandate for change from the top to bottom of the ticket.

Bill and Hillary lost the Congress when they were in the White House. I guess, they are showing their great political wisdom by cherry-picking the states to run in. This latest choice does nothing to help Democratic candidates across the country.

[kempis]

Never fear. Obama's PAC has spread about 700,000 dollars among those Super Ds. I'm sure he'll be OK.

NOTE: Imagine the headline on HuffPo had HILLARY been the one grease palms with 700,000 dollars to Obama's 200,000.

[AnninCA]

What I notice is how the DMC is allowing Obama to malign the role of Super Delegates.

Talk about disingenuous.

It took an AA leader to spell it out!

Not Pelosi....­..what an idiot.
Not the DNC......

But an Obama supporter who is shocked by what's happening.

[scandals&skeletons]

actually anninca you are disingenuous.
hillary is constantly trying to change the rules.
rules she voted for. she is running a campaign of win at any cost to hell with america.
look no further than fl and mi to see how corrupt her politics truly are.

[scandals&skeletons]

kempis lets see your proof.
bet you cant provide any.

[rollingdivision]

On Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Senator Schumer if Obama is ahead in elected delegates, ahead in states won and ahead in popular vote should he win the nomination? Schumer replied in a long winded way, NO! Imagine that. Every day when we think we have heard the last of the scandals of the Democratic primary fiasco, another vile fact boils up to the top of the cauldron. Ugh...what a horrible unfree, unfair, dishonest and disenfranchising Democratic primary system. How can anyone seriously support this?

[Stoyver]

So, who does control political partys? I don't believe that was taught in civics class. I have written to my local Democratic Party officials several times and have yet to hear even acknowledgement that my letters and emails were received. Makes me wonder.

[rollingdivision]

It's obvious I am not a Democrat. The current Democratic primary system in total as run this election is bad for the country. Democrats should work to correct the terribly bad rules.

[MetalCanuck]

Clinton will win, just watch.

ITs called "Fixed elections" in a banana republic. Your votes are just for show. The candidates are chosen for you and you have no real choice.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

As usual, envolving Senator Clinton, the paranoia rules. So let me get this straight. If she wins, fair and square, with a majority of delegates, it means she cheated. If they tie, and the Super Delegates decide the nomination, she cheated...­even though Senator Obama apparently gave them the most money. If he wins, with suspicious things happening, and she questions it, then she's cheating yet again. So which is it going to be. Even if she has the greatest number of delegates, Obama supporters will say she "cheated". Like I said before...s­he can't win for winning.
There is a great editorial in the paper here today in Atl. called the "Hating of Hillary Clinton". The author goes on about how she has been accused of murder, blackmail, theft, graft, and having poor fashion sense. As he says, if you ask anyone of these "haters" to provide evidence of their accusations or reasons for their hatred all you get is a blank stare. Or a reference to some republican website. She has never done anything to deserve it. Sad.

[scandals&skeletons]

troll, where does it say if hillary wins the popular vote as well as delegates she cheated or should not win?

[MetalCanuck]

All the candidates are in the CFR, they are chosen before the race starts. You only get to choose people that are already chosen...d­on't you get it? Try running and see if the media helps you...they are chosen for you..wake up.

[AnninCA]

Absurd.

It's a very tight race.

How would you suggest than any party break the tie on such a race?

[EspritDeVoltaire]

There's a great piece on Rasmussen Reports about the origin of the Super-Delegates. How the party insiders in 1980 made a bid to keep the nominations out of the hands of the "crazies" (you and I) and keep in the hands of the party insiders, "the cigar chomping white guys". This is the Clinton firewall you keep reading about which we're headed for in Denver.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/political_commentary/commentary_by_susan_estrich/beware_what_you_wish_for

[truthyguy]

We will see if the Clinton IOUs, purposely collected over a long period of time for just just election, will result in another stolen election over the will of the people, a la Bush/Rove.

[AnninCA]

And Obama outspent her in contributions to Super-Delegates through his "hidden" PAC fund 4 to 1.

Honestly, it's a flipping wash.

And the Democratic party has been absolutely silent on the role of Super Delegates.

Now, that's shameful.

It's time to start educating all these Independent voters, explain the roll, and get on with this.

[scandals&skeletons]

anninca you keep posting this. do you have proof beside your posts? you are extremely disingenuous.
it is people such as yourself ,who just throw crap out and hope it sticks that make hillary looked at in an even more unfavorable li8ght. don't you realize you do her campaign a disservice with your outlandish posts?
perhaps you think you will change a voters mind but actually you are doing the opposite.
keep up the great work of making hillary look bad.

[joja]

I don't give a fuck if they're little green creatures from another planet, all I know is, if they give the nomination to the Clintons, the Dems are guaranteed to lose in November.

And they deserve to. Dumb fucks!

[Thurber]

And we would deserve it, you mean. Any candidate, whether it is Clinton or Obama, would lose all legitimacy if chosen by superdelegates over the popular or pledged delegate vote. I doubt there are many Democratic voters who could stomach voting for nominee chosen for them that way regardless of how partisan they are. I know I would not. My vote would go to a third party.


Both candidates need to consider that winning by the vote of superdelegates would doom if not completely negate their general election candidacy.

[FogBelter]

It really comes down to what is more important ... getting Hillary into the White House at any cost or preventing a split in the Democratic Party.

I think this is quite clear.