June Solution: Dems Set Deadline for Superdelegates

[babylonsister]

The June solution
By Scot Lehigh
April 16, 2008


IT'S EMERGING as the June solution in this spring of Democratic disquiet, a way to preclude a debilitating donnybrook that could rage all the way to the party's late August convention.
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The idea, discussed here several weeks ago, is for all superdelegates to make their presidential preferences known shortly after the final primaries, on June 3.

Two former Democratic presidential nominees are now joining that call. Both George McGovern, the party's 1972 standard-bearer, and Mike Dukakis, its 1988 ticket-topper, tell me they think superdelegates should declare their allegiances soon after the primary season ends.

Since neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama can secure the nomination without superdelegates, once they all announce their intentions, the party should know its de facto nominee. The trailing candidate would then face this choice: accept the reality of the delegate count or fight on in the hopes of luring delegates away. Unless the two rivals were virtually tied, the latter choice would rightly be seen as putting one's own slim chance of prevailing ahead of the party's need to coalesce around a candidate.

At this point, it's more likely that Obama would emerge as the unofficial nominee. Not only does he have a substantial lead in pledged delegates, he has steadily narrowed the superdelegate gap.

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http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/04/16/the_june_solution/

[Hugabear]

1. I can't foresee Hillary giving up that easily

Whether the superdelegates announce their pledges or not, it won't matter. I still think she'll take this all the way to the convention, working as hard as possible to get enough SD's to switch their votes.

[Bonn1997]

4. You may be right but...

I think Hillary knows that after June 3rd, if she's behind she will not get the nomination. If she doesn't dropout after the superdelegates make their desires known (and if she's still trailing), the media and the public will destroy her. The result would be that she'd lose more superdelegates and kill her reputation in the Democratic party (and kill her chances of ever getting the Democratic nomination in subsequent elections).

[cali]

5. she won't. she won't be able to. doing so would make both

Clinton's pariahs in the party. Quite a few of her prominent SDs like Barney Frank and Barbara Boxer and Governor Corzine would defect to Obama immediately. The voices calling for her to step aside would be loud and they'd come from all the party leaders. Her fund raising would dry up and you'd see staffers leaving.

[tekisui]

2. June 3rd.

As this becomes official, Hillary may exit before it.

[0007]

3. Super delegate gap is coming down the home stretch.

Barack is leading by five lengths.