Superdelegates Under the Desk
Like the rest of America, Rep. Rahm Emanuel knows that Hillary Clinton's quest for the presidency is dying a slow and irreversible death. He has even called Barack Obama "the presumptive nominee." Yet when it comes to the question of how Emanuel will cast his own all-important superdelegate ballot, he couldn't be more cautious. Known in political circles for his killer instinct, Emanuel describes his current position as "hiding under my desk."
What is it about the Clintons that puts the fear of God in these hard-nosed political people? Why are Emanuel and the rest of the undecided superdelegates so fearful of finally ending this thing?
We've known for a long time that this ridiculous system of superdelegates will ultimately decide the nominee. What's clear now is that Obama will end the campaign ahead in the popular vote, pledged delegates, and states won. However you add it up - and the Clinton campaign is advancing new theories of math daily -- Obama has won the primaries.
The superdelegates have two choices: back up the will of the people, or reverse it. This should be a no-brainer, and for most of them, it is. There's no way the Democratic Convention is going to overturn the clear result of the primaries -- you couldn't invent a better way for them to antagonize their own base and increase the odds of losing the general election.
But instead of stepping up to the plate and ending this thing, the majority of undecided superdelegates are waiting for someone else to do it, emerging from under the desk in a trickle instead of a flood. Many of them have admitted that Obama will be the nominee, and even said that Clinton's continual hammering of him will damage his prospects in the general election.
Rep. James Clyburn has called the Clintons' negative campaign tactics "bizarre" and publicly worries that her attacks will damage the party in the fall. But his superdelegate vote? He's still undecided.
Rep. Charles Rangel responded to Hillary's latest race-baiting tactics with the quote: "I can't believe Sen. Clinton would say anything that dumb." She did. And Rangel? Still officially supporting her.
Even Nancy Pelosi has been intimidated into backing away from her comments that superdelegates should support the will of the people -- as if that is a highly controversial statement.
Yes, there are still states left to vote, and ideally it should be the voters who decide the nominee and not the superdelegates. But the reality is, if the superdelegate system was not in place, Obama would have already mathematically wrapped up the nomination. The only chance Clinton has of winning is to convince the superdelegates to overturn the will of the people.
The undecided superdelegates should step up now and say they won't let that happen. It's time to come out from under the desk.
Brendan Spiegel is a former reporter at Congressional Quarterly and the editor of Endless Simmer.
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With a few pitiful exceptions, the dem "leadership" has been anything but.
They are - in the main - simply reprising their usual craven behavior.
That's why we're still in Iraq, even though the dems have had the power of the purse since the '06 elections - as Dennis Kucinich pointed out over and over during the debates.
We want change - and I hope Obama gets the opportunity to bring it.
So, why are they afraid of the Clintons? If superdelegates listen to the Clintons' argument based on previous elections (maps,...)
Maybe the super-delegates are aware of this map:
http://www
which shows the will of the people of the Democratic
Party.
Maybe the SDs are nervous that the rank and file Dems
are going to wake up and ask them what the hell they
think they are doing.
What is happening here is that this situation has never presented itself involving an African-American and woman running for President so the superdelegates don't know how to handle this to make sure that all hell won't break loose if they make the wrong decision.
There is that and there is also a battle going on between Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton for control of the party. It is this story that the MSM has ignored and instead tried to make it all about divisive demographics. The fact is that Clinton and Kennedy have pushed their agenda which has forced the loyalists to pick a side resulting in the current stalemate.
In addition, I believe that even if the SuperDelegates "commit", that commitment is not binding because they can always change their mind. So, once the voting is over, and the battle of MI/FL worked out or not, the difference will probably still be in a margin where the number of SDs required to change their mind will be so small that the only way to decide it will be to go to the Convention and cast their votes.
This is Clinton's shell game. Saying that the democratic primary map equates with the electoral vote is completely fraudulent. It ignores the reality of the OTHER party that will take place in the general election, and it completely disregards the fact that MOST democrats will vote for their party's choice regardless of who won the primary or caucus in their state. It also COMPLETELY IGNORES history with regards to party voting behavior.
Painting Obama's wins as RED and Hillary's as BLUE is a dead give away that this is a con job, even if you can't quite figure out the difference between choosing a party nominee from within a single party and choosing a president from two separate parties in an entirely different process.
This is exactly why, although i agree with the Dems politically, I'm registered Independen
The Clintons hold markers on many of her supporters and those uncommitted! Why do you think that it took so long for Obama to catch her in total superdelegates and he still hasn't caught her in DNC or DPL superdelegates (the only categories he is still behind)?
You're right. They have this braniac computer system with stuff on all governmental personnel that is not all good. They have a "blackmailing" system so huge that's why everyone is afraid of the Clintons. If you thought Hoover's files were something, you can't even imagine Hillary's. That's why she knew she was going to win.
My question exactly!!! These super delegates are so whimpy. No wonder nothing gets done in the government.
Exactly! Now you say it, I wonder whether voters will desert the party because they can see how chicken the top people are the longer they hesistate. They complained about Clinton's negativity but couldn't do anything to top it. They should kick her out instead of keeping humoring her "tenacity". Oh, I know, they are still deferent to her husband, the ex-president!
If this was reversed Obama would have had the grace to bow out so we can focus on McCain. The Clinton's intimate people, you would think that these superdelegates would grow some cojones like Carville famously said.
We will have to wait for them to come out from under their desks! America waits while our senators and represenatives and DNC members take their sweet time.
It's not just fear o' Clintons that keeps them in place. In many cases it's gratitude. Clinton's have helped numerous Dem candidates with fundraising, mentoring. They feel an obligation to hold in place until June 3. After that, you'll see a flood.
This is the problem with the Democratic party in a nutshell - lack of courage. I don't think Hillary was really for the war - she just lacked the courage (or cojones, in today's parlance) to vote against it. She thought she would look wimpy. All through the 7 plus years of the Bush administration, there was not a harsh word for the Patriot Act, et.al. - afraid of being attacked by the Republican attack machine.
So, now, they are afraid of backing the wrong horse; so they dither around until the last minute. The Republicans have a reputation for being "tough" because they are not afraid to strongly back the most outrageous ideas, as if they were good for the country - while the Dems hide under the desk.
If the Dems would only speak out for what's right - even though it isn't momentarily popular - they would be way ahead in the long run. Obama has the most courage of any Dem - and that's why he'll become the next president.
"This is the problem with the Democratic party in a nutshell - lack of courage."
I will say it... they are cowards. Many in the Democratic Party (especially the leadership) are Republican enablers. They are fully familiar with the moral high ground, but when it comes to defending it, they act as cowardly as the definition allows.
Republicans now believe they can use the same tactics that Clinton campaign employs. Why? The answer can be seen in the almost total lack of Democratic Party leadership indignation for her campaign behavior.
The fact that so many superdelegates still refuse to commit to ending this travesty of divisiveness and destruction only encourages the Republican Party to escalate the lies, innuendo and smear.
Democrats.
Isn't it obvious? The same reason the Iraqis were fearful Sadaam would regain control.
If Obama gets caught in bed with a dead hooker before the convention the Clintons will be back with a vengeance - and for those that betrayed them, there will be political hell to pay. In short, the SuperDels are scared.
It's called "no guts".
Some of them are still hoping she can pull it off.
I don't know why the superdelegates are so scared of the Clintons. Prior to this campaign, I had no idea the Clintons still wielded so much power. Bill is no longer the president and his exit from the White House was a disgraceful one. It's time the Super Delegates show some spine and do the right thing by coming out and supporting Obama. They speak out of both corners of their mouth and by them acting so cowardly, they're doing the Democratic Party a great injustice as thry're only providing ammunition and fuel for the Republicas to use in the GE. The superdelegates will be the ruin of the Democratic party if they continue to hide beneath their mothers' 'frock tails'.
Well said, Bramptonian. The DNC need to all step up and endorse Obama who has clearly won the democratic nominee. There is no need in waiting until Hiliary destroy the party within its' entirety.
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