Obama or Clinton: Will Party Elite or Voters Decide?

[bigtree]

Not taking any chances, the Obama and Clinton campaigns have been actively wooing super delegates.

Obama or Clinton: Will Party Elite or Voters Decide?
Democratic Rivals Woo Super Delegates in Historic Nomination Battle

Feb. 8, 2008 — With Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama digging in their heels in an entrenched battle for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, some Democrats worry that the fight could carry all the way to the party's national convention in August in Denver.

That's led to an uproar by some about the role of the 796 Democratic "super delegates" -- state party leaders, national party leaders and former Democratic presidents -- who get to act as free agents at the party's convention able to back any candidate they wish.

"If 795 of my colleagues decide this election, I will quit the Democratic Party. I feel very strongly about this," Donna Brazile told CNN this week.

Brazile, who managed Al Gore's presidential campaign in 2000, is herself a super delegate.

read more: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=4261986

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Strange how the rules need to be changed if somebody's candidate

isn't favored.

[bigtree]

3. from the article

"This is a complete disaster," blogged Chris Bowers this week on his Open Left website. (http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3633)

"It will shine light on complicated bylaws, and the questionable democratic nature of the delegate selection process instead of on voters. Fascinating as it might be for political junkies, it is not the kind of image Democrats need," Bowers wrote.

Even right-wing pundits are piling on against what they call the "tyranny" of the Democratic Party's super delegates.

"Strengthen our democracy by reforming the super-delegate system so that the people, not the party establishment, choose their candidate," blogged Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation. (http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?bid=7&pid=266130)

[pampango]

4. So true. Hillary re. Michigan and Florida. Obama re. superdelegates.

It is ironic. :)

[bigtree]

8. right , both challenging party rules against the votes of the people

but, the Michigan and Florida thing was an agreement between the campaigns, coupled by Clinton's name left on the Michigan ballot. Still, not as convoluted as a convention battle . . .

[RiverStone]

2. Super Delegates should vote based on who the people...

In their region voted for - that percentage should be the guiding rule.

And that applies to ANY candidates delegates.

[formernaderite]

5. why even have super delegates

let the people decide

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7. do you think they can be stripped of their power, at this point?

[joshcryer]

10. Unlikely. Only way to do that is pre-convention in some sort of Dean-esque power move.

Dean making them all pledge to vote for the one with the most delegates or something.

[bigtree]

6. do you think that rule can be instituted at the convention?

or, it will be even possible to get support for that among the members?

[formernaderite]

9. i doubt they'd agree

but if there are some shady back room dealings...who knows? maybe we'll have a revolution