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

[zorrobozo]

Hillary is a megalomaniac and a cheat!

[kennedy]

Obama is a megalomaniac and a cheat!

He thinks he has already won the nomination. Obama thinks he is GOD.

The only way Obama ever got 85% of the black vote was to pull the race card. Obama is a cheater and a con.

[kgb999]

Damn ... the "favorite" button is right next to the "reply" button ... now it looks like I agree with this moron (of course, I clicked the *^%%$ button - so who's the idiot?!).

Both sides have "played the race card" additionally Clinton plays the "gender card" like it's the only card in the deck. That's not cheating - just poor form.

Going after "pledged" delegates after you lost the primary - that's bullshit. Has this woman hired Karl Rove - or is she just so locked into that mentality that she will never allow our country to be free of it?

There is 1 sure path to a McCain presidency - Hillary Clinton.

[goldstategirl]

Kerry, Clinton and others have regularly pulled those kind of numbers from Black voters in primaries and GEs, sometimes against Black candidates.

So -- based on your logic -- you expect that if they like Obama as much as previous guys, they shouldn't vote for him so people like you won't think they're racist?

But white people can continue voting for all the whites they want without risk of your judgment?

You're as twisted and delusional as Hillary is for publicly saying the guy who's currently beating her should be her VP. Like Obama said, if he's in 2nd place, he understands that and since he's not, it doesn't make sense.

Yes the person above you had it right:

Hillary is a megalomaniac and a cheat.

[DocGreen]

Putting aside the undemocratic insult such a thing would be to the voters for the respective candidates (in all states) who got out to vote or caucus, Senator Clinton should be careful what she wishes for. What makes her think she would hold her pledge delegates in view of her recent antics?

[BARRISTER]

DocGreen, America is not, never was and never will be democratic. It is an Oligarchy, always, has been and always will be. The Oligarchs bandy around the word "democracy" to keep the plebs like you quiet in the false and impossible hope that you could get a share f the economic and power pies. Nothing could be more scifi than that.

Stop using irrelevant words like 'democracy" and its derivatives..

[Silpat]

Hillary's display of psychotic desperation is scary and borders on insanity. She seems to have no-limits as to what she will do or say in order to get the nomination, and the really scary thing is that her chances of winning are slim to none.

[starboymikey]

Hillary Clinton: Pledged Delegates Can Switch Candidates
_________________________________________________________

Hopefully a lot of hers will have the wisdom to do just that.

[kennedy]

Hillary Clinton: Pledged Delegates Can Switch Candidates
_________________________________________________________

And they will. They will see that Hillary is the best person to lead America. Obama will never in a million years be president. Count on it.

The Obama butt kissing press has been fooling the America people. If the real story behind Obama would had come out from the start, Obama would have been out by Iowa.

[kgb999]

If you all keep this crap up - neither Obama or Clinton will be President!

[Lempira]

I cannot understand why this comment isn't front page news.
At every turn she wants to rewrite the rules when the results do not suit her. This is the most destructive and devisive comment/action I can possibly image. Anyone who does not see this as absolutely desperate and self absorbed in in denial.
SHE DOESN'T LIKE THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE SHE WANTS TO GOVERN,
SHE THINKS SHE AND HER PROFFESSIONAL PEERS KNOW WHATS BETTER FOR US THAN WE DO??
DOES THIS NOT SOUND LIKE OUR CURRENT ADMINSTRATION??????

[kennedy]

Hillary loves and respects voters.

Obama is running off of his cousins Bushes 2000 platform so stop making things up.

The fact that you love Bushes cousin is so sad for you. And he is Cheneys cousin to. EWH...

Talk about a stomach turning dynasty....

[goldstategirl]

Ha! You support Clinton than complain of a dynasty?

You do know how hypocritical and crazy you sound -- but just in case you don't, here you go:

Bush Sr.(VP) - 1984
Bush Sr (Pres) - 1988
Clinton (Pres) - 1992
Clinton (Pres) - 1996
Bush (Pres) - 2000
Bush (Pres) - 2004

and in 2008? Yes -- after 24 YEARS OF THE SAME TWO FAMILIES RUNNING THE FREAKEN COUNTRY -- you want who and you're complaining of the "stomach turning dynasty" concept?

Come on now. Do you really believe what you're saying?

[musselmanm]

If the candidate with the most votes and the most delegates does not win, this would begin the end of the political career for a very large portion of the Democrats elected officials from the top of the food chain right to the bottom. Can all of you spinners not accept the truth.
I want Basrack Obama to win but if Hillary Clinton is the candidate with the most delegates and voters, she should be our nominee.
I do not care, I will vote for whichever of the two is our candidate. But only if the delegates and votes are not ignored.
Plus I have had enough of the hate, fear and smear. Why can't the whole lot of us just have some respect for each other and post with some dignity and thought. You calling me an Obamabot or even an asshole is not going to make me say, wow I have been wrong all along, My thoughts and opinions do not matter.
Enough all you shit stirers. I am just as guilty of this as most of you posters. I am going to try to listen and respond in a logical and responsible way.

[jazzman]

Does saying that delegates can switch loyalties mean that Obama may be able to count on even a bigger lead in delegates than he already has?

[FromConnecticut]

After how he was treated by the Clintons, and how their behavior affected his presidential race's outcome, Al Gore continues to be silent and not endorse Obama. And what about George Mitchell, supposedly so astute and fair-minded? Where are the elder statesmen who can stand up to Hillary, this unbalanced woman who has already weakened the Democratic Party's chances for winning the G.E.? Where are the so-called statesmen hiding? Why are they hiding?

[mamamay]

Why does everyone want AG to be the monster? Rules are rules. It doesn't matter to Hil, because she only wants to win for Hil, not the people, and she wants to win at any rate to get back at Bil. HD, JT, and all those SDs need to stand up and rally behind Obama and stop this Hillary drama. God is watiching you and you and you of so little faith who think Hil should win the nominee over Obama illegaly. He knows that you are playing a racist and gender card. Give Obama Credence to his ability. When Obama is named the nominee the voters will be happy and he will go on to beat McC and make America proud. Voters, we can stop Hil. We are not obsessed with Hil. We are working for the Dem Party and it is time that the SD switch to Obama and stop this Hil Drama.

[KDH]

Yes...a big mystery, isn't it. Maybe they are waiting until after the primaries are over, so they can come out, and thennnnnn.............................ENDORSE HILLARY !!

[patriotscholar]

Let me see, if I get this right:
(1) Caucus delegates don't count as much as "pledged" delegates. Therefore, states that like caucuses don't count as much either, nor the people who live in those states.
(2) We must listen to what is being said, here, that the rules should be changed to help the Clinton campaign, since the rules aren't suppose to apply to them.

[hillarysupporter]

I'm so sick of the Obama whiners. If there was any substance to Obama, you wouldn't need to be tearing down Clinton! You're the ones who are negative and hateful, listen to yourselves.

[HGalal]

In a nationwide poll released on March 8th, Survey USA detailed the results of 600 interviews in each of the 50 States (30,000 total interviews).

In a head-to-head matchup, Obama beats McCain by 22 Electoral College votes, while Clinton beats McCain by 14 votes.

However, what is more striking about the results, should they pan out through the General Election, is that there is little evidence to support HRC's contention that to win the Presidency, the nominee also needs to win in the 'big states'.

Specifically, of the 13 States where HRC has thus far beaten Obama in the race for the Democratic Nomination, there would be an overlap of only 2 States, in her contest against McCain. HRC would win only Arkansas and New Jersey.

Of the remaining 11 States, 5 would be won by either Obama or Clinton: California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Ohio ("as goes Ohio, so goes the Nation�").

Of the remaining 6 States, 4 would be lost irrespective of Obama or Clinton being the nominee: Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.

Of the remaining 2 States, Obama would actually fair better by beating McCain, whereas Clinton would have lost: Nevada and New Hampshire.

So much for the 'big state' argument, not to mention the 'dream ticket' idea - HRC would be a handicap.

You can see the results for yourself at SurveyUSA.com

[imagram3785]

The Corrupt Clintons do not deserve to be allowed back in the White House. How can anyone still be under that old spin about the wonderful Clinton W/H years. It’s time for a reality check. Every time I see some negative blogging about Obama I am going to try to respond on that site by reminding Clinton fans of the following: The CLINTONS FAILED TO CATCH OSAMA BIN LADEN. The top secret documents gathered during investigations for the 9/11 Commission were stored in the National Archives. Bill appointed Sandy Berger (his National Security Advisor in Clinton Admin.) to represent him for the 9/11 Commission, & Berger swore that Clinton had done his best to stop terrorism. Berger had access to the National Archives, was later seen with papers sticking out of his socks as he was leaving the Archives. Eventually he was charged with theft of documents and said it was only “copies” that he borrowed to study, then returned. The DOJ accepted this highly unlikely testimony and only charged him with a "misdemeanor" crime. It came to light later that the documentation covering the CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HANDLING OF TERRORISM PRIOR TO 9/11 was MISSING. These documents would have shed some light on how 9/11 COULD HAVE/SHOULD HAVE been prevented. The importance of these missing documents should not be overlooked in choosing the next POTUS.
Accountability, integrity and respectability should factor highly in the nomination of the next POTUS. The Clintons were accused of many criminal acts for which they have avoided convictions. The failure of the Clintons to provide various requested documentations, the failure of the Clintons memory during prosecutions, the memory failures of friends in the Clintons trials, are ample reasons to deny the “Teflon Team” any more opportunities to prosper from illicit activities. Lock the doors, chain the doors, build a moat, and protect our government, our country. No votes for vice.

[CarbonDate]

If Clinton stages an amazing comeback and wins the nomination fair and square, then fine. I suspect the party (including Obama supporters) will get behind her in that scenario. If she wins it through superdelegates despite having fewer pledged delegates, there will be a serious defection to Nader in November. If she wins it by flipping pledged delegates, I predict riots in the streets.

[eljodio]

Good news for Obama. This means that Clinton's deligates should have no qualms about backing Obama if they feel inclined to do so.

[Weathermaker]

HRC is officially an older, meaner Tanya Harding.