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

[rollingdivision]

Obama wants a new rule, the candidate with the most elected and caucus delegates on day one of the convention, regardless of whether or not they have received 2025 votes will be declared the Democratic presidential nominee. But, this isn't the rule. Maybe Obama could work to get his new proposed rule accepted for the next primary?

[Jacksonian]

At long last...has this woman no shame?

[IkeChicago]

Trust me if Obama is ahead and they attempt to push him aside, he won't be able to control most of his supporters no matter what he says. Somehow I think if Obama attempted to toe the line in an instance like this, he would loose my respect and most of the young people who believed in him.

Somehow I don't think the superdelegates are look at this at all, I think they want to appease Hillary that she won't leave mad. Hillary on the other hand don't mind dismantling the party, if Obama looses to McCain, Hillary would see this as a win, she'll be able to run in 4 years not 8.

[kennedy]

That is the DEM party rules. The problem is that to few Obama people know the actual DEM party rules. Obama doesn't like the rules of the party he joined he can leave.

[Notapathetic]

The greatest deception in this campaign is Clinton's "Big Lie" about how much experience she has and how she has overcome 15 years of Republican attacks and is "vetted".

First, she has ZERO experience in military matters. She doesn't know which end of a rifle the bullet comes out of. She doesn't have enough military experience to be a Private, let alone the highest-ranking officer of all branches of service. (Obama is in the same boat, but we are talking Clinton here).

Secondly, she has NOT survived 15 years of "vetting" unscathed. She is damaged goods, to the point where she starts out with well over 40% of the population totally rejecting her under any circumstances. Republicans, to the last person, passionately reject her. Even in her own party probably 20% loathe her and another 20% at least mildly dislike her.

At least Bush is overwhelmingly accepted by his own party. (They might be wrong, but hey...) Hillary is definitely rejected by a large percentage of her own party. Bush is much more popular among his party than Hillary is among hers. This spells disaster in November if Clinton is the nominee. All of the Republicans and a lot of Dems voting for McCain spells doom for Hillary.

If you add all the Republicans who reject her to the sizable number of Democrats who reject her you can see unfavorable ratings higher than George Bush. Don't let the small percentage of Democrats who support her in primaries give you the impression that Hillary is accepted by a lot of people. She is definitely less popular in the overall American population that Bush.....w­hich is really a difficult condition for someone to accomplish!

[JiminNC]

He might and he'll be taking greater than half of the party with him if he does.

[indie17]

Sure, the super delegates can vote how they want to. But we will be watching them, and if they were to overturn the will of the voters, it would be purely anti-American. They won't do it.

Your statement, "Obama doesn't like the rules of the party he joined he can leave" is asinine.

[eddiestardust]

Indie17,

Yes, Kennedy is right and you are mistaken.

Want to know why I know?

Because I was an elected delegate that's why.

Pledged delegates, for the most part, don't change their votes.
But they can if their conscience permits them and that's according to the rules.

I saw it happen in 1984.

[naturesway]

the will of the voters?????
WTF which voters???

Where I live and where most Americans live, Hillary has gotten the majority of the voters.
We are the core of the Democratic party.
We are the core.
Hillary is our fighter and she is our path to the truth we have been fighting for ....for over 30 years.
We will win.
Hillary is Presidential from day 1.

[kennedy]

You need to read the DEM party rules. Because I have and Obama has no idea what the party he joined their rules are. And he can whine all he wants. He will never be president. Millions upon millions of people across America back Hillary.

[kennedy]

I am sure they are shaking in their boots from all of you cult people threatening them.

Grow up. Like I said earlier if Obama or you for that matter don't like the DEM party rules then leave. Stop whinny about rules that have been in place longer than you have been on this earth. And it is American the rules were known up front. People like you are just not smart enough to read them before you joined the DEM party. Get a grip on the facts.

[ndolomar]

here's something that may be fuel for the fire, should hillary win the nom nod:
mccain's going to remind the electorate of the huge shift instituted by george w. bush toward increased executive power that trumps much of the power the legislative and judicial branches had prior to his administration. and mccain is going to "ask" voters if they want hillary clinton to have all that power.

obama, taking into consideration his background in law, being a professor and organizer -- as well as his general disposition -- wants that power restored back in the branches and hands where it should remain: in the other two branches of government and in the hands of the people.

[armadillious2002]

Hillary - you just need to get a grip. You are not the annointed one. You are simply someone who is running for President for whatever reasons. You know - my neighbor has a really kewl bar-b-que grill. Now then, if I really obsessed and planned and plotted I could probably design a way to swindle him out of that grill. Maybe blackmail or some sort of scam. But you know what - I am above that. He can keep his grill and I'll just be jealous of it and that's the way it is.

Attaining the Presidency at all costs is not the way a democrat should do business. That is Rove/Bush/Cheney bullsh*t. If America wants Obama, then that's just the way the cookie crumbles and by the way - you didn't win Texas - Obama did in the final analysis.

[UrbanInterloper]

Clinton is talking out of both sides of her mouth, again. How can we believe what she says?

[mrJJ]

After the so called loyalist party members dubbed the superdelegates make their decision as to who the Dem nominee for President will be for the General 08 election "We the peon voters" Indies, Newbies & Crossover voters will have a chance to have our say. But NOT until after these superdelegates vote as their rules dictate. ... for anyone and for any reason they decide. thats the rules so nothing more to be said about it.

So what happens after the convention­... A few scenarios.­..

1 In the General vote FOR your states entire Dem Senate and Congressional seats.

2 Decide to vote AGAINST the Dem nominee by leaving the Presidential slot BLANK in Nov 08

3 Vote with your feet by not showing up to vote in Nov 08

4 Vote for the nominee just because thats the only choice you have been given

5 Most importantly vote FOR the candidate because this Candidate is YOUR choice.

I assure you Sen Obama being a loyal Dem party member will urge his supporters to toe the Democratic Party line... I am voting for a candidate for President of the United States... NOT a Party...I don't care about Party.

I am NOT a follow my party right or wrong voter..I'm not even a member ..It will be interesting to see how many Indies and newbie & crossover voters feel the same way.

On to this Convention­... Lets see the loyal party democratic party superdelegates make their decision. We will then know if the Democratic Party elders are interested in having us turn out to vote for their hand picked candidate or not.

Btw this is in NO way meant as disrespect for those of you who are card carrying Dem party members. The choice you make will be your own... as it should be. 1 of your candidates surrogates called our vote insignificant to the process... who knows ... mr w is probably right... we'll soon find out

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

But the way she has run her campaign, her candidacy is so far from Democratic values, how could she possibly expect pledged delegates to switch over to her. She's in deep denial and so are her supporters and apologists.

[PhoenixtheUndying]

She wouldn't bring it up if she weren't planning to attempt to hijack the election. This won't end well.

[kennedy]

Kid, kid, kid there is no hijacking read the DEM party rules. Read before you speak.

[RayZarukkus]

In today's daily news, Michael Goodwin describes Hillary as a con artist who will try to sell you a house she doesn't own. Enuff said.

[useyourbrain]

I guess that makes it so, then. It's amazing how many people who don't know the Clintons seem to know their urges, motives, reasons, etc. Just how do they do it? I know, they listen to each other in one large circle jerk of rumors and innuendo and then say "it's out there" so it must be true.

[kennedy]

Michael Goodwin on Monday, March 3rd 2008 said:

( This is Barack Obama's third chance to knock her out. If he can't close the deal this time, maybe he can't close the deal, period.

Either the third time is the charm for him, or it could be strike three against him. Any result tomorrow that doesn't finish her off lets her argue that Democratic voters' love affair with Obama was just one of those flings. She'll say buyer's remorse has set in, and it's time to get serious about winning the White House. )


Buyer's remorse has set in and Obama needs to go back to the senate. He is a loser who can't close the deal. Three strikes and your out Obama leave the field.

[idabamaho]

Just watched Manchurian Candidate last night. It's remarkable how much the monster reminds me of Meryl Streep's character Eleanor Shaw. The cold calculating evil political spinster cranking the levers of power in a twisted power grab. Quite amuseing, then scarry.

[ratmach]

ATTENTION SUPERDELEGATES:

As soon as the results are in for Mississippi tomorrow, a big bunch of you need to come out and declare for Obama. That would pretty much end the race, and stop the harm being done by the rhetoric of the Clinton campaign.

[thebirdstheword]

The very notion of superdelegates is against the fibers of democracy and is "big brother" at his worst.

[rosal]

Let the Superdelegates crown Hilly, and she still won't win the presidency. Obama's supporters will stay home in November, or worse.....­.......wil­l vote for the opposition.