Superdelegates Must Tell Color of Change What it Can Do With its Silly Vote for Obama Petition

Color of Change which presumptuously bills itself as the premier national grassroots organization is the latest to jump into bully the super delegates for Obama game. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, DNC Chair Howard Dean tried their hand at it and failed. Now Color of Change says it will urge the alleged legions of activists it claims to speak for to petition and flood Pelosi, Reid, and Dean with letters demanding that they stop Clinton from hijacking the nomination.

Reid, Pelosi, and Dean should toss this silly petition and their letters in the can. Here's why. The group claims that Clinton thumbs her nose at blacks, plays the race card (figure that contradiction out), sows divisions, and disenfranchises millions of voters. She also, they assert, falsely says that the Democratic race is a tie. This thwarts the will of the pledged delegates who overwhelmingly back Obama. These are all self-serving myths.

The assumption that all blacks scream with one voice for Obama is foolish, arrogant, and racially myopic. In some states, mostly the South, blacks have voted ninety percent for Obama. But they also voted in nearly the same high percentage for white Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry. Overall Clinton nets about one in five black voters. The Congressional Black Caucus remains split between Clinton and Obama. There are hundreds of prominent black state and local officials from New York governor David Patterson to the former chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus Mervyn Dymally that back Clinton. There are packs of black personalities, celebrities, business and professional persons that support Clinton.

Even if all black voters backed Obama, the black vote is only one of several crucial vote demographics in the Democratic fold. The Democrat's hope to bag the presidency hardly hangs solely on the wishes of black voters.

Color of Change's claim that a vote for Clinton disenfranchises millions is even more ludicrous. It ignores the nearly two million voters in Florida who overwhelmingly voted for Clinton and now because of a clueless and bungling DNC chair Dean they will likely remain disenfranchised. It also erases the millions of white, blue collar, rural, Latino, older white females (and a not inconsiderable number of black females), and Jewish voters who powered Clinton to big state and swing state victories. Without their vote neither Obama nor Clinton have a prayer of raising their hand in January at the presidential inauguration. Nearly one quarter of these voters are adamant that if Obama is the nominee they will vote for McCain or stay home. They apparently don't count either.

Color of Change says that the Clinton/Dean claim of a tie in the popular vote is dead wrong. They're right. Clinton is ahead. Her total: 15,112,000 votes. Obama's total: 14,993,000 votes.

The group charges that Obama has trounced Clinton in the number of pledged delegates. This is another myth. He has a bare eight percentage point lead over her in pledged delegates. If the Democratic primaries were winner take all as is the GOP's, Clinton would be decisively ahead of Obama in pledged delegates. Even with the Democrats confusing, shoot-themselves-in-the foot proportional system, count Florida for Clinton and she's ahead of Obama in the number of pledged delegates. A solid win in Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky, (North Carolina is suddenly very much in play for Clinton) and she'll be ahead or in striking distance of him in the number of pledged delegates.

Color of Change scoffs at Clinton's claim of electability. But the magic number to win the White House is 270 electoral votes. To get those votes, a Democratic presidential nominee must beat McCain in a majority of the 15 key battleground states. Clinton won 9 battleground states in the primaries. They hold 116 electoral votes. The 6 battleground states Obama won hold 54 electoral votes.

If Clinton wins the 15 solid Democratic states and the 9 battleground states, she wins the presidency with a comfortable 312 electoral vote. If Obama wins the 15 solid Democratic states and his 6 battleground states, he winds up with 250 electoral votes, and loses the presidency.

In late April, in polls in the three most crucial battleground states, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Clinton beat McCain by nearly 10 percentage points. Obama either trails, is slightly behind or is only marginally ahead of McCain in those states. Clinton is competitive or outright beats McCain by corralling white, blue collar, and rural voters. But Color of Change doesn't give a hoot about them.

When Reid, Pelosi and Dean tried to bully the super delegates to make a down and dirty final decision most refused. Their job is to back the Democrat who can win. They must do their job again and tell Color of Change what it can do with its browbeating petition and letters.

**

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House (Middle Passage Press, February 2008).

Comments

[seejake]

I keep reading EOH to see if he'll ever post anything that's worth the effort. Still no go. I do wonder at the end of each post how this clown actually lives with himself. Then I remember that he's a Clintonista, and the only way Clintonistas live with themselves is because they know no shame. I can't tell if it's genetic, or some kind of sickness. Perhaps it's both.

[presto]

Completely disregarding and disparaging half of the country's population does not seem particularly helpful. Is unity something you can't grasp?

[oldlakelady]

The one good thing that this ridiculous article did was connect me with ChangeofColor. I proudly signed the petition.

[frustratedinohio]

Earl,

I'm one of the "typical" white women who support Hillary. I just want to say that I think you should run for president one day. I'd vote for you. You're a very level-headed person and I appreciate your opinions and the way you express them.

[Aleka4]

Holy cow, this is one of the stupidest and fact free posts I have read from a blogger in ages.

All you do here is counter the facts the petition presents with Clinton non-facts. You don't "prove" anything - except perhaps how utterly without intellectual honesty you must be to beleive this tripe you posted.

1: Do you really think blacks will vote for Clinton? Speaking of "myopic" your premise fails, like most Clinton premises do, b/c it compares apples to oranges as equal. Resentments will differ depending on whether the candidate won the nom fairly vs stole it. This is a critical difference and why your "arguement" is flawed. Resentment will be insurmountable for a stolen nomination.

And disgusting, to say that her support is worth more than his. And obtuse and blind of you not to notice the race-baiting.


2: USE FACTS. I am disgusted by your utter display of ignorance in trotting out the "popular vote" ploy. Your number INcludes the FL and MI, which were not fair contests and don't count, but EXCLUDES FOUR STATES that did not hand in numbers.

What is the matter with you? Why is it OK to exclude - not even -guess but EXCLUDE- states that Obama won, but not ok to exclude FL and MI? You, sir, are a lying cheat with the convenient ethics of Clinton. No wonder you support her.

I do not admire nor listen to people who argue facts with fiction. You are a hack.

[standforpeace]

If Hillary comes out of the caucuses and primaries with more pledged delegates, she will likely enjoy overwhelming support from Black voters with decent turnout. There will be a far different outcome if she gets a win as a result of party hacks/elites/or if you like call them Super Delegates who overturn the will of the majority of voters (and don't try to sneak in the votes from Michigan where Obama's name was not on the ballot or even from Florida where many potential voters likely stayed home since they were told that their votes would not count). Black Democrats will see a stolen election and experience the same outrage that most Democrats did after Florida in 2000. And they will have an immediate way to express that outrage by simply staying home in November. That is an option that Blacks will take en masse. If you don't get that, perhaps you should stop billing yourself as an expert on Black politics.

Next, no Democratic presidential since LBJ in 1964 has won the white vote (ncluding Bill Clinton). When Democrats have won the presidency it has been because they got the support of 80-90% of Blacks. Although there may be a Democrat out there who can win over a majority of whites it is not going to be Hillary with her low approval and high distrust ratings. If you don't understand that, you need to stop billing yourself as an expert on any kind of politics.

[mindact]

Let's make it clear, if the Dem party think they can win the election without the backing of African Americans, they in for a huge shock.They've been the most reliable and consistent block since the 60's. Hillary has played a very dirty game. the idea that she's fighter is nonsense. she's a scrapper. scrapper win tactical battles and trhey end of spending their entire lives fighting all the time. Real warriors might loose a couple of tactical battles, but they win the strategic ones. Obama is a warrior.

As long as Hillary keeps up with all her negativity, our memories will be long. John McCain wasn't abad option for me initially and I'm defnitiely willing to throw my vote to him if the superdelegates overrule the will of the people...

[kdublya]

mindact,

Is that a threat, promise or neither?

My guess, it's neither, but we still have to wait and see.
Don't we?

[NYSF]

This is typical of Earl. I wonder if your Black father treated you bad, or if you just had a few bad experiences that have caused you to devote your life to keeping Senator Obama out of office. You are easily embarrassed when other Black people are around you. You are not "proud to be black". You are proud to be a "Republican" Cool.
House Neeeegro is what they called you back in the day.

Do you have ANY pride in seeing an African American man coming so close to the top?
Does it not matter that we have been through so much in our history? That now that we have a viable candidate for office, you do NOTHING but tear him down. Why?
Even your white friends must look at you funny. Like, "Damn, Earl."

[presto]

That was really, really unpleasant. Spouting racial trash and insults is the absolute worst thing anyone can do for the Democratic party. Why don't you jump on this opportunity to get away from character assassination politics? There's an election coming up and there's a Republican in it. This makes no sense.

[ruthinking]

correction:
My last post should read:
I am not Black, but wrote Mr. Hutchinson to say it would be helpful if he addressed being Black, given his views, and here is his response.

From: Hutchinson­report@aol­.com
the answer
if all blacks don't think and act alike (namely like you) than they are somehow racially deranged
that thinking shows you and your ilk to be charter members of the mindless, brainless black thought police brigade

[ruthinking]

I am ot Black, but wrote Mr. Hutchinson to say it would be helpful if he addressed being Black, given his views, and here is his response.

From: Hutchinson­report@aol­.com

the answer
if all blacks don't think and act alike (namely like you) than they are somehow racially deranged
that thinking shows you and your ilk to be charter members of the mindless, brainless black thought police brigade

[headhuntermi]

As a white American from a small town in Michigan I was happy to sign on to the petition. While no group can or should speak with one voice, there is a time and a place to make a statement. G. Ferraro was right, if Obama were white he would not be where he is today. He would have already clinched the nomination.

Make no bones about it, the Rev. Wright controversy as well as the Ayers smear is about labeling Obama a "Black Activist" and scaring white Americans so that Clinton can justify taking the nominating procedure out of the hands of voters and putting it into the hands of a few well-connected supporters.

Under no circumstances will I ever vote for someone whose honesty and ethics are more in line with Karl Rove and Dick Cheney than the Democratic Party I have always supported. If the party elders reward her for her behavior in this campaign I will renounce my party affiliation.

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

[kdublya]

Dear Armchair Superdelegate

What on earth?

The Colorofchange petition points out an undesirable permutation: A no-win situation.

In fairness to Sen. Clinton, there is a world difference between renouncing party affiliation and portending race riots.

By the rules, she has every right to stay in the race. The numbers suggest it will take a little longer for her to win/lose. She may run out of time.

I'm glad you feel special, however, renouncing party affiliation is a fairly common option. Question is, can you be held to your word?
Take your time.
Like all Superdelegates, first you have the option royal assent.

[harriscrl3]

In my opinion it does NOT matter whether AA support Obama or not if they percieve that there was some injustice done to him on some trumped innuendo that he is unelectable because of his race they will be OUTRAGED and rightly so. John Kerry was deemed electable he won the number of pledge delgates needed yet he LOST in the general. Same for Al Gore so its OK for them to be elecatable and LOST but someone Obama is NOT suppose to have the right although he has EARNED it with the most pledge delegates simply because of the color of his skin (Because thats what Hilary Clinton is saying and anyone who thinks its NOT well I have a bridge to sell you) ITS WRONG and it will be BOIL on our democracy if the superdelegates overturn the will of the people. American does NOT need another boil on its democracy because when they try to spread it to the rest of the world they will be seen as a JOKE and rightly so.

Carol

[vsign]

Thank you Earl. You are one of a very few I like reading on Huffpo. I feel hope reading your blog. Hillary is so prepared to fight the good fight for average typical Americans. Obamamath has been so awful and feels like such a bully tactic to use. Obamamath makes most of us feel hopeless. It scams the caucus system giving Obama way too many delegates for the number of supporters in these states and will not contribute to a win in the General. Voters, this year especially, want our votes to really count. I appreciate using the popular vote and the electoral vote being the important math to look at.

What many Obama supporters and his campaign fail at, I believe, is talking to real people. We are not all typical white people. We are flesh and blood humans struggling with food and gas prices. We do not want some intellectual bully preacher telling us what is good for us in the long run. We want our votes to count now - this election. And we want a gas tax holiday now.

[VSamuels]

You want a gas tax, huh? Well, since Hillary won't be the President during the summer, but George Bush will, it is unlikely it will pass. Hillary is a weasel; and capable of saying whatever the push polling says is popular for the time being. Congress isn't likely to push a tax upon the oil companies, but Hillary realizes that by the time the people who voted for her because of this fake issue realize it, she would already have gotten their vote.

There seems to be a clear pattern here on the part of the Clinton campaign; find a marginal issue and make it a major distraction a couple of days prior to a primary, and sit back and watch the conflict driven media do the rest of their dirty work.

[kdublya]

Earl, thank you for your assessment of Colorofchange's fear tactics. Like everyone, I'm sure the Superdelegates have a lot of issues to consider. Unlike everyone, however, they can vote when it suits them. So far, they are proportionally underrepresented. Fine, their choice.

No rush.

A point of order on Hillary's argument of electability (reminds me of truthiness '07), she has every right to stay in the race. However, the Michigan and Florida results are fruit of the poisonous and, until decided, should be discounted accordingly.

Both MI and FL have been pushed back to May 31. If nothing is decided then, God help the fine people of Puerto Rico, Montana and South Dakota. They have no say in the matter, heroes they are, the remaining Superdelegates will likely exercise the option to throw it back on these fine people.

Obamamath favors the first person to reach 2025 pledged delegates. Clintonometry must also reach this goal. Otherwise, why count delegates at all?

[usabroad]

Take a moment to read here http://www.cjr.org/campaign_desk/the_inestimable_popular_vote_e.php about the complexities of arriving at an accurate popular vote count.

[Aleka4]

Oh ty!

[littlesongs]

Amen!

I am a bitter working class white male voter.
I am over 35 and under 50 years old.
I make under under $40,000 a year.
I do not have a college degree.
I am in a state that has not voted yet.

I signed the petition.

http://www.colorofchange.org/dems/

I passed it on to my bitter working class White friends.
I passed it on to my bitter working class Black friends.
I passed it on to my bitter working class Hispanic friends.
I passed it on to my bitter working class Asian friends.
I passed it on to my bitter working class Native friends.

They signed the petition too.

http://www.colorofchange.org/dems/

I think you underestimate the broad base that Obama has built.
I think the entire Democratic Party does so at their own peril.
We will not vote for McCain or Clinton.
We will not be bullied or extorted for our votes this fall by any political party.
We are voting for Obama in a few weeks.
We are voting for him in November.

Any questions Earl?

[presto]

My only question would be - Who is bullying you? You are sounding very much like a victim but it's hard to see who has been beating on you. It is unfortunate that you are so bitter but I think that will pass. Just vote for a Democrat.

[U4IA]

"Her total: 15,112,000 votes. Obama's total: 14,993,000 votes."

Care to enlighten us on how these totals come to pass, Earl. Do you have the gall to tell a group such as Color of Change to back off of their "silly" claims in one breath and in the next try to pass of this bit of political slight of hand? If so, it is you who are out of touch sir.

Your grasp of the mathematics involved in the race is astoundingly poor. After Tuesday it is likely to be a statistical impossibility for Clinton to take over the pledged delegates or the popular vote. And then what will her metric be? Number of lies during the campaign. OK, we give!

[Aleka4]

Haven't you figured it out?

She - and her dirty backers like this one - simply use totals that exclude places Obama won.

Its the next logical step from "small states don't count as much" or "caucus states don't count as much" to simply using selective "popular vote totals" where they don't count at ALL.