Dems Fret Over Prolonged Bitter Fight

The Associated Press has noticed concern among Democratic party loyalists over a long, possibly hostile, nomination process:

"Despite Obama's impressive victories in February, Clinton's comeback is based on sowing political seeds of doubt," said Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and one of nearly 800 party leaders known as superdelegates for their ability to determine the nomination. "In order to clinch the nomination, he must anticipate the worst attacks ever."

Consider that a shot across the bow to the Clinton campaign because Brazile -- like many other superdelegates -- worries that Clinton's only hope for victory is tearing down Obama and dividing the party. Party chairman Howard Dean recently told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that he was concerned about the possible impact of a nominating campaign that stretched through the end of the primaries in early June.

Some superdelegates are bracing themselves to intervene on Obama's behalf if necessary.

"If these attacks are contrasts based on policy differences, there is no need to stop the race or halt the debate," Brazile said. "But, if this is more division, more diversion from the issues and more of the same politics of personal destruction, chairman Dean and other should be on standby."

Comments

[kennedy]

Brazil was Gores campaign manger and ran it into the ground. I can't stand her. She is worse DEM to give advice to anyone.

[snowcat]

from Judicial Watch:
In addition to her long and sordid ethics record, Senator Hillary Clinton took a lot of heat in 2007 – and rightly so – for blocking the release her official White House records. Many suspect these records contain a treasure trove of information related to her role in a number of serious Clinton-era scandals. Moreover, in March 2007, Judicial Watch filed an ethics complaint against Senator Clinton for filing false financial disclosure forms with the U.S. Senate (again). And Hillary’s top campaign contributor, Norman Hsu, was exposed as a felon and a fugitive from justice in 2007. Hsu pleaded guilt to one count of grand theft for defrauding investors as part of a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.

What are those Clinton scandals?
Whitewater land deal-gate, Norman Hsu, Missing Rose Law Firm Files-gate, travel-gate, schedule -gate, tax return-gate, cattle futures-gate, donations from firm rife with sexual harassment-gate, $44,000 profit on a $2,000 investment in a cellular phone franchise deal-gate, many contributions from drug smugglers-gate, Mark Penn's ties to Blackwater-gate, Johnny Chung, pardons for cash-gate, Castle Grande...there are more but my fingers hurt from typing...

[kennedy]

It is young kids like you who know less than nothing that make us Clinton supporters see right through you and your cult GOD.

The Whitewater investigation was a republican witch hunt of the Clinton's. They lied and lied about the Clinton's and 2 investigators later they found N O T H I N G. And do you know how much
N O T H I N G costs??????? Over 60 million!!!!!!! Over 60 million!!!!!!!!!!!
That was 60 million of hard earned tax payers money you cult member.

And Judicial Watch is a REP hatch job organization. And they have been all over DEMS for years.
I am sure they are looking into Obama as I type.

Judicial Watch has received a great deal of funding from mainly conservative sources.
Including $7.74 million from conservative anti-Clinton billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife.

And the rest of that crap you mentioned is REP lies. If any of this were true the Obama butt kissing media would be all over it.

Obama and you people are running a dirty lying campaign. And when Obama goes down in flames I am going to laugh like he!!.

[gba]

No 8 on that list is Obama:

"Judicial Watch Announces List of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians” for 2007" (...)

8. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL): A “Dishonorable Mention” last year, Senator Obama moves onto the “ten most wanted” list in 2007. In 2006, it was discovered that Obama was involved in a suspicious real estate deal with an indicted political fundraiser, Antoin “Tony” Rezko. In 2007, more reports surfaced of deeper and suspicious business and political connections It was reported that just two months after he joined the Senate, Obama purchased $50,000 worth of stock in speculative companies whose major investors were his biggest campaign contributors. One of the companies was a biotech concern that benefited from legislation Obama pushed just two weeks after the senator purchased $5,000 of the company’s shares. Obama was also nabbed conducting campaign business in his Senate office, a violation of federal law.

[coonce]

This race is different then any other -- there are Womena and Blacks involved, not just two white men going after one another.

Either on feels cheated because SUPERS changed things -- there will be HECK to pay for DEMS

[brwnizofmine]

I could see women rebeling if she was in the lead and it was given to him by super delegates. But, without her being in the lead, with no mathematical way of catching up, please explain to me what they have to rebel about.

[myskylark]

I'll be glad to explain if you really want to listen.

A primary season is not just ruled by the math. Super delegates were set up to acr as a fail-safe position when they sense the primary and caucus voters have made a mistake, ot the momentum in the campaign has shifted. Other considerations include comparing the various states that the candidates have won - for example Obama''s wins in Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, Indiana are not states that Democrats can win in November. Hillary's states of California, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania (where she's leading) are MUST-WIN states for Democrats.

The party professionals were supposed to exercise their political judgment to vote independently for the candidate they believe would a) make the better president and b) be most likely to win the election.

Now the Obama supporters have chosen to distort the original purpose of the super delegates, so that they become a rubber stamp for the pledged delegates. If that's to be the case, why have super delegates at all?

Also, bear in mind that most of Obama's wins came in caucuses, which by their very nature are undemocratic. They are held in a designated place at a designated time space (usually 3 hours) so that the caucuses wind up excluding military people away on duty, police, firemen, teachers, doctors, nurses and any other working people whose shifts will not allow them to vote. They also exclude many of the elderly, the sick, people who for one reason or another cannot be at that designated placed at the designated time. Those voters cannot come to vote at any time during the day when they could be there, and there are no absentee ballots, and there is no early voting. That's why so many of these caucuses result in only one half of one percent of the eligible voters being able to vote.Also, our caucuses do not allow secret ballots. Your neighbors, your spouse, your family, your friends, your boss, your fellow-employees will all know who you voted for. That's a hell of a lot of pressure.

The Democratic Party further poisons the system by apportioning votes based on a particular district's winning margin in a prior general election??????????
So you don't even get one man/woman vote.

Also, some primaries and caucuses allow participation by Independents and Republicans. I'm very upset with that. I think that only Democrats should vote in Democratic elections. I don't think it makes sense to let these others in who might take the opportunity to make mischief and/or might not really be committed to our candidates and not vote for them in the general.

So forgive me, I don't see any great moral imperative for "going by the math" when the system is so flawed.
I could go on and on, but the list is so long because only Democrats could come up with a system so terrible that with two strong candidates no one can win enough pledged delegates to get the nomination, and whatever the super delegates do the party will be divided and an awful lot of people will be embittered and will not support the nominee.

[coonce]

This election cannot be compared to ANY OTHER. There is a huge devisive part to this one - Women and Blacks.

Either one feeling they have been cheated by the Supers -- will rebel. Count on that.

[DavieB36]

Women will rebel? and do what protest....whoa watch out. Anyone remember the LA riots. I would be more affraid if Obama lost.

[whimsicalpig]

is that a threat?

[PacificGatePost]

Is it not irritatingly peculiar that the candidate that has evangelized eloquent on "rapprochement" with America's avowed enemies, STOMPS all over NAFTA?

Is he even aware that Canada is America biggest trading partner? I he aware that this relationship over any other is "balanced" - balance of political, socioeconomic, and judicial structure? Is he aware of the percentage of its energy the U.S. gets from its Northern neighbor?

Such ineptitude or lack of comprehension is troubling. Some enormous challenges on other trade relationships demand action...

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/02/americas-china-quandary.html

or

http://pacificgatepost.blogspot.com/2008/02/america-for-sale.html

More than knee-jerk reactions are going to be required.

[jdebar]

It's interesting that the "railing" against Hillary attacks things she's DONE. It's difficult to attack a track record when one doesn't exist.

...... YUP. The state of "international" affairs is going to take precedence to begin the reversal of the economy.

[BluePearl]

regarding nafta and barack and hillary

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/181749.php

looks like she was also talking to canada and is accusing obama of the very thing her campaingn has done

[ivana]

Here we go again. Anyone else feel the race card about to be played by Obama's secret surrogates?

[authoritarianbootlicker]

As opposed to the sexist card? Give me a break.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

Don't count on anyone steppin in. Over the weekend Bill Richardson supposedly said that whichever candidate was in the lead after last night should be the candidate at the other should step aside. Then last nigt I heard he said that if Hillary wins both OH and TX, it should continue on.

Even Richardson can't make up his mind.

[anika]

richardson is definitely for Obama... he is just too chicken to comeout and he is trying to play it both ways....

I think clinton camp should request donna brazille , clyburn and richardson to endorse obama.... -- clintons should make it clear that they dont want their support....

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

There is one very logical way to look at this. The super delegates are going to decide this race. That is a fact. Neither candidate can get to the 2024 delegates needed to secure the nomination.

Here is a rational way for the super delegates to make a decision. Review all the states. Remove any state fom the equation that is going to vote RED or BLUE no matter which candidate wins the nomination. That means don't worry about NY, CA, MA, ID, UT, WY, AK, AZ, SC etc

Now, take the close states that could go either way and do some polls with Obama vs McCain and Clinton vs McCain. Match these results up to the electoral college and see who does better in a general election matchup.

Just for fun, do some more polls with an Obama/Clinton ticket vs McCain and a Clinton/Obama ticket vs McCain and see if that has any effect on the results.

Then if you are worried about congressional seats and senate seats. Do some more polls to see if any of the above tickets do better for gaining seats in congress.

Look at all of these results, keep doing comparisons over time to see if things change as we get closer.

Then the super delegates would actually have some data to use to make a rational decision.

[slow2]

Well, surprise, surprise!

Could it be that the Democratic Party leadership, the Superdelegates, the msm, the cable gurus are joining the consensus of the rest of the world?

Is it possible that the nasty ads by Hillary, the back-stage manipulations by Hillary's campaign, the "oh-poor-me" by Hillary to the msm have become tiresome -- and shall we say, blatantly shrill?

A pitched battle will not make either candidate more strong against McCain. One wonders why this blood lust is so appealing to so many.

[pheepher]

Hillary's message:

NO YOU CAN'T! THIS GOVERNMENT BELONGS TO THE WEALTHY!!

[Grulg]

Prince Obama's message: CHANGE! *soaring rhetoric* CHANGE! Community Organizer!!!! I didn't VOTE FOR THE WAR* Oprah speech* CHANGE! *More soaring Rhetoric* PRESENT! etc.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

Then he mails out fliers in Ohio with quotes that were never said. And, he knew they were wrong.

Then he says his campaign never met with canadian officials, but they did

Then he says if the repugs will agree to it, he will accept public financing for the general election, but now he's not so sure

Then he accepts the chairmainship of a senate sub-cmte knowing he doesn't have the time to do the job. Resume padding?

The he claims he has answered all the presses questions about Rezko. The press disagrees. Obama storms off in a huff.

The he claims Sen Rockefeller, then cahirman of the senate cmte, read the NIE before making his decision to vote against the Iraq war resolution. Only problem is he voted for it and he wasn't chairman of anything. So, Rockefeller read the NIE and voted for the war. And Obama thinks this proves that if Hillary had read the entire NIE instead of just getting briefed on it, she would have come to a different conclusion. Because you know, Rockefeller, Oh wait, he votedfor it. LOL

[Krazime]

wow, listen to the news....the latinos are going to put hillary in the white house, hmmmm

So hillarys white sheeple are very different from hillarys latino sheeple.

But the white sheeple are the ones that want to return the latino sheeple back to their hispanic homeland....

let us know how THAT works out for you.

[Zenpilot]

The biggest fairy tale in the world, as her husband likes to say, is that Hillary is "turning a corner" in this campaign. That corner would have had to have been turned sometime in February when she was racking up 11 straight losses in blowouts. That's where she fell so far behind in delegates, it's become impossible for her to capture more than Obama. Consistently, since Iowa, she's seen 20 point plus gains in the polls evaporate. The more people see of her, the less they like. Superdelegates, once they see the math of the popular vote and delegates, will not move to her. She's living a fairy tale.

[Wanod]

B.O. is finished, he's damaged good's. He can't stand the heat in the kitchen, so he might as well get out. And those delegates of Florida, Michigan belongs to Hillary. B.O. played it safe in Michigan, because he didn't want to make the people in Iowa angry, so he won Iowa, and lost Michigan. Hillary put her name on the ballot in Michigan, where B.O. refused to, he told the people to vote other. Of which they did and Hillary won, In Florida B.O had a campaign ad running, even though he said he wouldn't campaign there. Hillary won there also, those vote's belongs to Hillary. B.O said last year he wouldn't go against what ever the Democratic Chairman come's up with, he was more concern with the people being disenfranchised. Now he's singing a different tune, forget about the people, and the Democratic chairman, those vote's shouldn't coun't. What a fake guy...It's all about him...

[joclark]

The Michigan, Florida card you are pointing out is just crap. Barack is gearing up to fight back. I think these races in Ohio and Texas are good for Barack as it puts his campaign to the test. We'll see how he responds.

[slow2]

Wonod, after you learn to use an apostrophe maybe you can learn to develop logic.

Senator Obama is neither finished, nor is he damaged goods, as you say. As of today Senator Obama still leads in delegates. And, winning 11 straight primaries is not too shabby for a candidate; and, it is predicted that Senator Obama will win more primaries.

Senator Clinton doesn't own the FL and the MI delegates. Read the fine print, and don't fall victim to misinformation.

[Krazime]

see how you hillary sheeple distort everything....Obama refused to put his name on the MI ballot?

y'all illiterate ignorants belong together. Can you pick up a book, read the internet, read a book, find out the truth? Oh, that's right, y'all wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in the face.

[feelfree]

"Some superdelegates are bracing themselves to intervene on Obama's behalf if necessary."

WTF does this mean? Intervene on Obama's behalf? Is the the freaking responsibility of a super delegate to intervene? Or is it their responsiblity to be INDEPENDENT?

They must think Obama is some kind of candy a88 candidate. If he's the nominee there won't be any interventions when the Republicans grind him into dust.

My goodness you people need to chillax pill and let the process run its course.

[Grunty1]

If I understand the exist of Super Delegates properly, their job is to protect the party. If Hillary is threatening the party itself, and I believe it will come to that, they WILL step in to shut her down.

[pheepher]

Yep, that's what they are charged to do. Whether or not you like the rules, this is the Democratic party, not the Republican party. The superdelegates are charged with carrying out what is best for the party, not supporting a Republican in Clinton in a Democratic pantsuit, complete with iron panties.

[TylerRose]

I HATE HILLARY CLINTON. Hillary is a Republican in Democrat clothing and you people are too stupid to see it. She was raised to be a steadfast Republican and her roots are showing. She has voted to same as McCain in the Senate. She has run her campaign just like a Republican. Hell, she even got on national T.V. and said John McCain (her friend) has experience, she has experience and her Democrat colleague has speeches. That was the nail in the coffin for me regarding Hillary Clinton She obviously thinks more of her Republican friend than her Democrat colleague who she knows has just as much experience has she has and she is outright lying to the voters. Attack ads are fair as long as they are factual and she is lying to HER DEMOCRACTIC VOTERS. lDuring this campaign, she did not even try to hide the fact that she breaks her promises, she withhold important information from voters which should be transparent to us like her tax returns and health care penalties, she openly shows she is only interested in the Big States and be damn to the little states, she appeals only to the Older women and Latinos and be damn the rest of America who is not an older woman or Latino, she ran through money and has her campaign in a recession just like America, and she use Karl- Rove- trailer- trash tactics to gain the White House. Hell, even George Bush complimented her because everything I have listed, George Bush has already done it and won the White House. Once again, you fools, are voting a selfish, power-hungry Republican in the White House who will fight and get nothing done. She has shown in her campaign that she is ‘more of the same’ and once again, you will be crying about the state America is in and it’s no one’s fault but your own because you see what kind of President she will be right now. And since you supporters like her red phone children ad so much, get ready for either Republican Hillary or Republican McCain to kill more of your children in a war. Serve you right. Damn right I am bitter because I was looking forward to having ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISABLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL and Hillary has killed my HOPE here in Texas . I am a 53 year old woman who has voted Democrat all my life and for the first time in my life, I hate being a Democrat and hate being a citizen of this bigot America. I want nothing more to do with elections because America is lying every time they recite the pledge of allegiance.

[pheepher]

Great post. I'm glad someone else noticed the trailer trash tactics the Clintons use to get what they want.

[1dogs2]

To TylerRose and pheepher: Instead of using this site to vent, rant and engage in name-calling, you could try making rational arguments, supported by facts, to make your perfectly legitimate points. Let's practice Obama's approach and try to elevate the level of political discourse rather than descending to Clinton's level.

[GrammyinPA]

You are truly filled with so much hate that it is unbelievable !!
It's difficult to read your post.
It's one thing to be disappointed in a candidate (I've been disappointed since Biden left the race), but to be so hateful and bitter isn't good for your state of mind/health.
Try to calm down; maybe you need a prayer or a tranquilizer.

[Countess]

Dear GrammyinPA,
It is very sad that cannot see the damage Hillary Clinton and her hateful campaign is doing. Perhaps you think there is nothing wrong with race baiting many people believe it is morally wrong to engage in this.

[brwnizofmine]

Grammy - I'm in PA also, how do you see the race in PA?

[FreeThinkn1]

TylerRose, I feel your pain. I used to be a registered Democrat and I voted twice for Bill Clinton. However, I was so disappointed by his inability to tell the truth and playing into the hands of the republicans that I no longer wanted to be associated with the Democratic party. So, I became a registered independent. At the beginning of this election cycle, I was actually excited that the Dems had a stable of great people running for the dem nomination. I had no problem saying that I would vote for whoever got the nomination. Believe me when I say this, I truly want to like Hillary Clinton and have tried really hard, but when she gets negative, evasive, and bends the truth I find it to be nearly impossible for me to like her even just a little bit. And now, I'm not sure if I can vote for her after the overly dramatic antics she has displayed in the last few weeks--you know the heavens will open speech, the "shame on you Obama" rant, her coyness about Barack's religious faith, and finally the "I want to be McCain's veep" speech when she said she has experience, McCain has experience, but Obama only has a speech. I'm just so disappointed by her and her husband‘s attitude that the end justifies the means (sound familiar?). Is it too much to ask a Clinton to put the needs of the many before his/her own desires? Also, I’m not the only one who feels this way. Most all of my friends and family feel this way too--tired of and disappointed by the Clintons.

[Countess]

Donna Brazile must be shocked to see how low Hillary Clinton will go to get her way. The deliberate fanning of racial and religious bigotry is really beyond the pale. People who have a conscience must stand up to the Clintons and try at least to civilize them.