Hillary Clinton: Pledged Delegates Can Switch Candidates

In an interview with Newsweek, Hillary Clinton raised the specter of pledged delegates, nominated by voters, switching their votes at the Democratic Convention.

How can you win the nomination when the math looks so bleak for you?

It doesn't look bleak at all. I have a very close race with Senator Obama. There are elected delegates, caucus delegates and superdelegates, all for different reasons, and they're all equal in their ability to cast their vote for whomever they choose. Even elected and caucus delegates are not required to stay with whomever they are pledged to. This is a very carefully constructed process that goes back years, and we're going to follow the process.

It was only a few weeks ago that the Clinton camp was accused of seeking the vote of pledged delegates. A Politico article in mid February suggested the camp was thinking about the strategy down as the convention drew closer:

"I swear it is not happening now, but as we get closer to the convention, if it is a stalemate, everybody will be going after everybody's delegates," a senior Clinton official told me Monday afternoon. "All the rules will be going out the window."

That article prompted the unequivocal response from the campaign:

We have not, are not and will not pursue the pledged delegates of Barack Obama. It's now time for the Obama campaign to be clear about their intentions.

UPDATE: Ben Smith is reporting that the Clinton's statements do not represent a change in stance on pledged delegates, according to a campaign aide.

Comments

[genmalia]

Having just been elected a pledged delegate for Obama, one reason I presented as worthy of being a delegate is that my commitment to the campaign, the efforts I've made, and the dedication I have displayed thus far does not make me easy to succumb to anyone trying to get me to change my pledge. I believe it to be a valid argument, considering the information provided in this post. In my Congressional District, 30 people ran to be Obama delegates (14 male and 16 female) and we were only allowed 2 delegates. Only 3 of those who ran got letters from the campaign expressing their support for those who were very committed. I was the only one who got a letter and won, but the campaign did not deny anyone the chance to run.

How many folks have pledged money and never paid? Or signed a pledge card to vote and never showed up? Pledging just means that people have to take you for their word. Whether that individual chooses to fulfill their pledge is taken on faith. I find it a legitimate concern of either campaign, as delegates, both pledged and Super are extremely important and will ultimately determine the Democratic nominee.

[TheRealMacDaddy]

I wonder if Sen. Clinton will start changing her tune when the N.Y. Super Ds start migrating to Obama now that Eliot Spitzer is no longer going to be holding a hammer over their heads? I also wonder if maybe now the investigation into ALL those precints where Obama did not record even one vote will get some traction?

Or will she play the race card if if Mike Paterson switches to Obama because his core constituency (Harlem) trounced Hillary? Guess we'll have to wait and see which face Sybil shows this time.

[JiminNC]

She is right and I consider it very adult of her to authorize the defection of her pledged delegates to Obama, especially considering how many of them she obtained by deception of the voting public. Bravo Hillary, you finally get it.

[S1m0n]

I don't get it. Isn't that the point to having a delegate/convention process in the first place? If more than one candidate is still standing when the convention happens, the only way past the impasse is for at least some delegates to change sides.

Doing some advance delegate outreach is smart politics, not fraud.

[FZliveson]

There are "people" on this blog who are constantly running the other candidate down. I learned long ago....and today is my 61st B-day...that if a person is attacked, rather than the things he/she stands for, then the attacked one has hit the nail squarely on the head and the attackers are fighting for air in their arguments. Anger in action is an overt confession that one has lost the ability to persuade people with logic, reason and negotiation. Anger is an overt, though somewhat cloaked threat to another person's well-being. Anger is very useful in the jungle...the state of nature, but the politics that our forebearers brought us was supposed to be a walk outside the state of nature and a venture into a civilized society. Well, it seems to have run its course and we are now back swinging big sticks while some candidates bellow loudly, using hatred and intimidation to try to hoodwink people into voting.

People on both sides of the aisle are forgetting one thing....the polarity, which you seem to think gives you an E-ticket to political heaven, is just a divisive tool, which erodes our society and makes us animals. Things just are not as simple as liberal/conservative, Christian/non-Christian, Left/right, Hot/cold...and the sooner we see that we are ALL AMERICANS and we all deserve to be heard the sooner we will get down to really discussing the issues instead of GETTING PERSONAL and attacking individuals.

The game has been set-up well by the neuro-linguistic professionals and we are programmed by advertising, the media and PC elementary school teachers to be "fair" (say limp) and not to offend anyone (say--say nothing). There are people who are digging through the emotions and getting down to what is really important to people, working to make something really positive happen.

When you hear negativity---look for insecurity. When you see insecurity you are looking an ineptness. Inept people have reduced (say almost no) credibility.

[Doofus]

'Even elected and caucus delegates are not required to stay with whomever they are pledged to. This is a very carefully constructed process that goes back years, and we're going to follow the process.' - HRC

Yes, it's based on the principle of Utter Chaos, a cornerstone of Democratic Party politics.
Think Chicago, 1968, 'Days of Rage' (which was a sort of tribute to the Demo convention, a year after).

[Brooklynindy]

So Clinton's now saying, "If I can't win it, I'll steal it." Makes me want to rush out and vote for her in November if she's the nominee. Maybe Roseanne was right when she said in her blog (paraphrasing), "Nobody can play dirtier than Clinton." Doubly inspiring.

[Hawise]

Get a grip folks. She is right. The rules since forever have allowed even pledged delegates to change their vote at the convention. This goes for electoral college delegates as well. The reason is that way back when the time between the primaries and convention and the general election and electoral college vote was designed for travel. The times back then were less certain- your candidate could get sick, a scandal could emerge, they could die on route and so the delegates are given a certain latitude to vote their conscience. We didn't know yesterday that Gov. Spitzer would be caught violating banking laws in order to pay for high-end call girls but surprise, he did. Obama may have a secret undiscovered, and even Clinton's storied past may still have a nugget to uncover. The race is close and the future uncertain- let this play out.

[fixbone]

and the clintonites wonder why hrc is so disliked - she spends all her time telling you about her opponent and nothing about herself, please hillary tell me why you are qualifed- they manipulate the media, the rules, anything and everything they can other than discuss their position and their policy plans - AND they think this is the fun part of the game - selecting a president to lead the country is not a game, it is serious business and we as electorate should take it seriously and NOT put up with those who trivalize it

[joja]

Hillary & Bill are showing their true Republican colors, aren't they?

And all the fools who follow along in line with them are marching us all down the path to another 4-8 years of McBush.

Thanks, assholes!

[SoFLindie]

I will do anything Hill strikes again ! People in Iowa are already getting the " change your pledge robo-call "
So dont let her fool you - she is trying to get this to happen !

[tiredofhillary]

Another tactic to win the race. Shame on you Hillary!!!!

Sign the petition: www.ipetitions.com/petition/Hillaryconcede/

[Ginzaman]

Translation: I'm so goddamn desperate I'll do ANYTHING to be President.

[Veeve]

For the longest time I couldn't understand why so many dems approved of Hillary's Rovian tactics. Then it occurred to me that Hillary has all the slimy dems in her back pocket already; like Fast Eddie Rendell, and Mean Bill Shaheen and Bob Kerry and Bill Clinton. Her voters approve of her slimeball tactics.

[slc20]

The Clinton camp IS ALREADY DOING IT!!!!---

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/11/05659/3925/970/471945

[Manx]

If pledged delegates can switch their votes, why did we spend all that time and money on the primaries? In effect, the Clintons are now saying the primaries are redundant. They're still trying to figure out how to wrest the nomination from Obama at the last minute. If the good 'ol boys of the Clinton machine pressure the delegates in order to steal the nomination from Obama, all hell would break loose, not only in the Democratic party but the country. The Democratic party would implode and there would be riots in the streets. The desperate Clintonites are in denial or they just don't get it.

[kennedy]

This has been the rules of the DEM party forever. Wake up to the facts. They were in place so cult people like your guy couldn't brain wash enough voters to sneak into the nomination. Wake up. Leave if you don't like it. The rules will not change for you cult people.

[tehriaz]

jesus christ thank you for being sane. it's fucking scary on this site.