Obama Expresses Support For Superdelegate Primary

Political Radar:

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., expressed support of a proposal floated by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen to hold a superdelegate primary in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The idea calls for a two-day superdelegate primary in June to reach a fast decision towards a party nominee, in anticipation of the race still being deadlocked between Clinton and Obama after the last contests wrap up.

Obama said, "I thought that actually Gov. Bredesen of Tennessee had an interesting proposal...That would probably be the best way to insure that at lest there's a couple of months before the convention."

Read the whole story: Political Radar

Comments

[Xiexie]

05:53 AM on 03/21/2008

Wouldn't this be "changing the rules in the middle of the game"? Isn't that what people have been crying that Clinton shouldn't do? "Rules are rules": you see it all over these blogs and in people's opinions. Stick to the rules then: this fight goes all the way to convention.

[AnninCA]

02:36 AM on 03/21/2008

This notion sounded completely stupid to me. But then, I assume super delegates do not have any problem figuring out what's what. They already probably pretty much know what to look for and what is best to do for the Democrats to win the Fall.

Hillary knows what she has to do to win. Obama knows what he has to do to win. And from here on out, Super Delegates are looking at who actually executes best.

And the voters left are going to be the deciders, really.

[tonyfv]

11:32 PM on 03/20/2008

Even better, before such a special vote, O and H should have a debate, with the SDs as the audience, and they should be allowed to post questions to them. No media hoopla - maybe League of Women Voters as moderators, or someone(s) nonpartisan.

[kfdan]

06:37 PM on 03/20/2008

Better than the situation at hand. But to clarify, I'm no supporter of this super delegate system. It smacks too much of the smoke filled back room politics of the past.

[iPolitics]

05:06 PM on 03/20/2008

Democrats better require the superdelegates to vote in June after the last primary not at the convention

[joeyp404]

03:17 PM on 03/20/2008

So, let's see - It's disingenuous of Hillary Clinton to want to seat the delegates, because it is changing the rules. But creating a superdelegate primary is somehow not changing the rules. Oh ok.

[rojo7449]

02:08 AM on 03/21/2008

It is amazing how Obama manages to slam Clinton's every word, and incorrectly analyze her every move, but doesn't see how what he says is really just a description of himself. He is so transparent. That Republican playbook is getting a lot of use this campaign.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

02:30 PM on 03/20/2008

Forget about FL and MI..................................I got 4 #`s in last nights POWERBALL; can I get a makeover please!!!!!!!!!!!!

[northernperspective]

02:09 PM on 03/20/2008

How 'bout the day/week after the last scheduled primary? That way, no state is disenfranchised (assuming they can work out something for FL and MI in the meantime). The "supers" can see which way their states have gone, explain their choice, if necessary, and - as so-called party leaders - can provide the first step in healing any divisions.

Obama/Webb '08

[DoAsISay]

01:59 PM on 03/20/2008

What does he know that we don't? He is probably confident of winning the superdelegate primary. Does this mean that clinton's confidence in winning the nomination by using the supers is misplaced? Does this mean that she will start dissing the supers now?

[Tariqahmed]

01:06 PM on 03/20/2008

YES YES YES
Immunize the SUPRDELEGATES so they can
come out and vote OBAMA-their choice in Denver.
At this time HillBillies are intimidating the SUPERDELEGATES.

Get this nomination process OVER with.
Take on McCain, now. GO DEMS.
.

[apresdeluge]

11:54 AM on 03/20/2008

So Obama wants a superdelegate primary but voters in FL & MI can go to hell? Wow, "a new kind of politics" indeed. He will "do anything to winw" won't he.

[joeyp404]

01:17 PM on 03/20/2008

I agree. Somehow it’s ok to make up new rules when it suits him, but in the case of a revote or seating those delegates, it’s disingenuous. Maybe Obama should schedule another speech, so he can explain that logic to us morons.

[DoAsISay]

02:00 PM on 03/20/2008

Obama will do anything to win. Wow, he is learning fast from Billary.

[rojo7449]

02:13 AM on 03/21/2008

Actually, he uses the Republican playbook. I think that's why the Republicans like him.

[Independentjunkie]

11:54 AM on 03/20/2008

ANTI AMERICAN, ANTI VOTERS obama now wanst to give superdlegeates a primary but not MI and FL... how fitting!

[DoAsISay]

02:04 PM on 03/20/2008

MI and FL had a primary. Sadly, their results don't count. And Billary only started feeling sorry for these voters after she was on a path to losing the nomination. You might want to take a look at the pledge she signed along with the other candidates.

[KucinichGirl]

11:50 AM on 03/20/2008

well his PAC has already paid 800,000 tos superdelegates, he doesn't really need to do much convincing when he's buying superdelegates

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

02:32 PM on 03/20/2008

At least he is not sleeping with them!!!!!!!!!!

[KucinichGirl]

02:45 PM on 03/20/2008

yeah because buying them is any better, and which superdelegate is sleeping with Clinton? None!

[atila]

10:51 AM on 03/20/2008

hillary is going to say "no" because she knows that right now these super delegates are convinced that Obama is the right nominee....she needs more time to descredit Obama,more kitchen sink, more lies ,more dirty old tricks.....she wants a war in the convention so unfortunately this good idea isn't going to happen.......

[harrisjb]

12:46 PM on 03/20/2008

No, she will say no because she thinks FL and MI should have their voices heard. If Obama "wins" via a super delegate primary, and by disenfranchising 2.5 million voters, Obama will lose to McCain and you can kiss the white house goodbye. Period.

[Grunty1]

03:07 PM on 03/20/2008

FL and MI have the ability to preform a legal revote, but both states' governments do not seem terribly interested in the revoted.

Hillary only thinks that their voices should be heard if those voices speak up for HER and her alone, otherwise there was plenty of time BEFORE the election to complain.

I'm sure you would be ok if Hillary walks away without the popular vote, without the delegate vote, but with the superD vote, right?

[greejambri]

11:25 PM on 03/20/2008

Look, rabid Clinton supporter, Obama isn't "disenfranchising" anyone. The DNC made the decision to not seat the FLA and MI delegates because they moved their primaries up in violation of party rules. Obama had NOTHING to do with that. Then he AND HILLARY and the other Dem candidates agreed to the decision and signed a pledge to not campaign in MI and FLA, which Obama, by the way honored. Hillary, true to form, coincidentally managed to squeeze in 3 "fundraisers" in FLA right before their "primary." Hillary, up until the NH contest, is ON THE RECORD as saying the primaries in FLA and MI "don't count." SHE SAID IT AND SHE AGREED TO IT back when she still thought she was inevitable. After being CRUSHED in SC by Obama, she suddenly got really concerned about the poor "disenfranchised voters" in those 2 states. That is pathetic politicking, and trying to blame Obama for the situation is delusional. One of the options for revotes was to have a caucus in FLA and MI, but Hillary shot that down (surprise!) because she ends up getting her ass kicked in caucuses by Obama. That was the smart thing for her to do, and she had a right to do it. Obama didn't think a primary redo in MI where Republicans and Independents could not participate wasn't fair, and said so. That was in HIS best interest, and he had the right to do that. Hillary Clinton and her blind followers are COMPLETELY DISINGENUOUS when they say they really are behind the voters in these states, and Obama is not. Baloney. If her MAIN CONCERN was enfranchising FLA and MI, she could have agreed to caucuses, but she ruled them out. What Clinton and her supporters say is such BULLSHIT, yet you people keep on spinning over and over and over and over and over and over again. Sit down already before you pass out from dizziness!

[Colonial82]

10:43 AM on 03/20/2008

Great idea