Dealing with Deadlock, Superdelegates, Michigan and Florida: A Challenge to Both Campaigns

If, as it seems, this nomination is headed toward deadlock, the votes of Superdelegates and the fate of Michigan and Florida delegates will be decisive.

Superdelegates should hear, loud and clear, that changing the outcome determined by the elected delegates around the country is unthinkable. If Obama loses to Hillary, I would be personally disappointed because I believe he has so much more to offer the country, not because Hillary would not pursue many of the policies he would(See, "Obama Gives Us Everything HIllary Could -- And Much More", January 30, 2008), and I would unite behind her for that reason and because the alternative is so unpalatable.

But, if Barack, who has in one year assembled a team hat could go toe-to-toe with the Clinton machine, 16 years in the making, and not only outraise it, but also wins the majority of delegates, and then the Clintons deny that victory -- the man from Hope crushing hope -- it ought to cause an uprising in this country, an uprising in the party, the likes of which have not been seen before. The same should be true if Hillary wins the elected delegates, but the Superdelegates change that to anoint Barack.

That leaves the vexing question of Michigan and Florida. The current situation provides an answer both states should like, if people of good will on all sides wish to take it. The two states moved up their primaries in defiance of the party rules in order to be "relevant." It turns out that, in this cycle, relevant is later not earlier.

While no one ought to want representatives of any state to go unrepresented, it is also obnoxious to seat delegates from uncontested elections. What if the DNC said this: let us have another election in each state. They could become the MOST RELEVANT states in the country. Let us have them at the end of all the currently scheduled primaries, with at least two weeks after the last currently scheduled contests. Whether they should be on the same day or not, I leave to others. And, yes, it is worth the money... it's called democracy.

When Michigan and Florida voters have then spoken, after the candidates have campaigned there, and delegates of the candidates who have dropped out are freed to vote for Obama or Clinton, there should be a tally of all the elected delegates.

The Convention should then nominate whomever is ahead, the superdelegates should not determine a different outcome. If they do, taking to the streets is the only answer.

Both candidates should support this proposal because each claims to want the people to speak and be heard. For either to say that the Superdelegates, i.e., the Democratic politicial establishment, should issue a judgment notwithstanding the verdict of the people, ought to be denounced as unconscionable now, while the final outcome is unknown.

This is a test of integrity, whether either REALLY means it when they talk about people being invisible to Bush, but not to them. This is the time to show us whether they will govern as they claim.

If either disagrees, vote in large numbers against the dissembler.

Comments

[Democrab]

I'd like to see the Florida and Michigan votes go to Hillary, she's my favorite, but rules are rules.

I think it would settle all arguments if it was just left they way it is and the way the DNC said it should be.

But I would like to see the super delegates do what they are supposed to do and honor the will of the majority of democrats respectively in each state.

[hwalker]

why not consider a different approach? Do not consider the total of michigan and florida delegates. Also do not consider the number of super delegates representing or related to these two states. Subtract these numbers from the total delegate pool and then revise the number to nominate accordingly. This addresses the michigan /florida problem by putting it outside the area of consideration in a manner fair to both sides.

[bmozaffari]

What are you smoking? That makes just way too much sense. What's next, you want to change our constitution and establish a democracy?

[TurnThePageGA]

Now that is the most thought out approach to Florida and Michigan. Who would have thought that it would be the later primaries and caucuses having the biggest say in this process.

[NABNYC]

Superdelegates? I've got a better name: Corruption Guaranty Program. Is there anything that says superdelegates can't accept money from a campaign? Make me a superdelegate. I want to sell out my democracy too.

The whole superdelegate system is simply a corrupt insider effort to deny to the citizens the right to pick their candidate. Each superdelegate should be told to not vote. Period. No votes from the party insiders who only got the right to vote through corruption in the first place. A conspiracy to steal the election. Who came up with this idea? KKKKarl Rove?

I've got a really crazy idea about how to solve this problem. Count the votes of the citizens. Excluding the states which (for whatever bizarre reasons) were prohibited from participating. Whoever's got the most citizen votes wins. Anything else is unacceptable.

[BUSHsurvivor]

Time to get this all straightened out YESTERDAY!

I did not appreciate, I must say, Barack saying that he would get Clinton's voters, while she would not get his. Whether it be true or not, it sounds like an ultimatum.

[Chris1345]

The danger in all of this, is that Mitt Romney dropping out today, has pretty much 100% assured McCain's spot on the Republican ticket. If Huckabee drops out within the month, where does that leave us? Fighting each other through June, while McCain attacks the Democrats? It's a peculiar situation, and we better figure out a plan of action.

[fairwitness]

Yes--if the choice is to retroactively seat the MI & FL delegates or have a new primary (OR caucus), then a do-over is the only fair way to resolve MI & FL. That's obvious and the country (and the dems who have a sense of fair play) will not accept any other solution. There would be hell to pay if Hillary gets to cheat on her agreement.

The very idea of so-called "superdelegates" is an afront to all and they should be required to vote with the majority of their states' legitimate delegates. Again, there will be hell to pay if they swing this election against the expressed will of the "UNsuper" democratic voters.

Sheesh--how could this party let itself get into this stupid predicament, anyway? The Republican authoritarian neofascists are laughing all over themselves.

[LeonBNJ]

Florida and Michigan should hold their primaries on their traditional date, or if it is too late, perhaps by mid-April. I think it would be wrong to deny Democrat party members the right to vote for a nominee. Michigan and Florida are very important states to the Democrats due to their demographics.

[casiguapa]

why hasn't kucinich been pilloried for leaving his name on the bill in Michigan as well?

[DennyCrane]

If the superdelegates decide this thing and vote for Clinton, they'll be an uproar and cement the idea that Clinton is the establishment candidate. She couldn't win the popular vote and need party insiders to give her the nomination.

If Florida and Michigan delegates are seated, this will also make Clinton look bad. Everyone will say she cheated and it would be a fair accusation. Michigan and Florida were rightly penalized for defying party rules. Obama and Edwards did the right thing pulling their names from the ballot. But I'm not surprised Clinton didn't. She's shown that all she cares about is winning. Howard Dean and the DNC will lose all credibility if they seat the delegates from both of those states. I say keep both states out. They broke the rules. There should be consequences. Letting them have a do-over will give too much importance to two states. Why give so much power to two states, especially when those states broke the rules?

[CanadianinNY]

Great post Mr. Abrams, you made a good case for giving Florida and Michigan voters another chance for their voices to be heard.

I think all the elected supper delegates should vote with the people they are representing. The unelected party hacks should abstain from the vote. That way they go with the voters.

As for Florida and Michigan, you cannot disenfranchise voters; on the other hand, you cannot ignore the rules. Holding another vote in these states is the only option.

[Purple Girl]

AS A MI'er I DO NOT WANT OUR PRIMARY TO COUNT- NO DELEGTES AWARDED TO A CANDIDATE, BECAUSE OUR PRIMARY WAS RIGGED!!
The Dems in this state set it up to hand Hill the win, they even fiddled with the ballots (at least two versions, clinton in alph order first, the other Kucinich in the top spot, then alph order) not to mention the Pre programmed Scam trons that read all the first line votes as Clinton.
Terry Lynn Land has committed election fraud! No doubt FL was corrupted too.
the only reason they will allow these states delegates to count is IF HILLARY NEEDS THEM TO WIN! They stacked the deck and pocketed some aces for HER.
They have been indoctrianted into the Corp Vision for our Country.
they have handed over the rights and freedoms granted to US to the Corp'ists.
Freedom of speech- only if you say what they like,
right to privacy- only if your Inc'ed
Right to a Defense- only if you pay them as the highest bidder for their services
Ya think Hill's gonna take away any of the new found priviledges for herself or her Pimps? NO

[feelfree]

I don't know how you can have a do over since John Edwards is no longer in the race.

No one made Obama and Edwards take their names off the Michigan ballot. The campaign in Florida was a level playing field.

Michigan and Florida voters have spoken. Seat the delegates as is.

[jsmyers]

I agree as well.

I've been thinking about this issue for a week or so too. I'd think that the votes may have to be caucuses instead of normal primaries..since an "election" was already held. (But a primary would be better.)