Clinton Camp Looks for a Delegate Loophole

[NYCGirl]

They'll do anything...

http://www.newsweek.com/id/123495

Citing wiggle room in an obscure, 26-year-old Democratic Party rule, Hillary Clinton's campaign is leaving the door open to the idea of attempting to persuade Barack Obama's pledged delegates to switch their votes at the last minute and back the New York senator—despite fears among some party officials that it could throw this summer's Denver convention into chaos.

The question of whether pledged delegates must stick to the candidate they were elected to vote for has prompted party chatter for weeks. Clinton herself drew notice last week during a NEWSWEEK interview when she said her delegate numbers aren't "bleak at all," even though by most counts she trails Obama by more than 100. "Even elected and caucus delegates are not required to stay with whomever they are pledged to," she added. Although her campaign quickly denied it was waging any effort to "flip" Obama's pledged delegates, Clinton's remarks weren't academic. After the 1980 battle between Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy, her chief strategist Harold Ickes noted, the party changed a rule that required pledged delegates to stick with their candidates no matter what. The current rule, adopted in 1982, states that pledged delegates "shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them." A "good conscience" reason for a delegate to switch, Ickes told NEWSWEEK, would be if one candidate—such as, say, Clinton—was deemed more "electable." If delegates believe she has a better chance in November than Obama, Ickes said, "you bet" that would be a reason to change their vote. (He added, however, that the campaign is "focused" on winning over uncommitted superdelegates "at this point.")

Ickes's comments prompted a fierce comeback from Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "Despite repeated denials," he said, "the Clinton campaign finally admitted that they will go to any length to win." One party official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive matters, said the strategy behind Clinton's invocation of the 1982 rule was clear: "They're trying to open up a window for some of the Obama people to change their minds."

[cooolandrew]

1. Do they not get the word "pledged". To break a pledge in poltics is alost tratorous...

..Could we trust her to pledge theoath when she does. Back to school HRC you need to do English and math. Sarcasm yah so is taking people's votes.

[roguevalley]

30. how can she expect people who are zealous for their candidate to

stick him and the country in the back. As I see it, they VOTED for that candidate and were given the honor of representing THAT candidate. She is despicable for even thinking this. Any Clinton supporters should say so because they would if Obama was planning this. How undemocratic she is.

[krkaufman]

35. Hillary and what the meaning of the word is.

Hillary's ever-growing list of words for which the definition is not quite clear...

pledge
denounce
apology

... along with the phrase "authorization for use of military force."

[Stephanie]

2. Stealing the nomination via "loopholes" - that's Your Girl.

She's despicable.

[tyne]

5. But...but....

this is an election. Everybody knows that she would change back to being honorable once she reached the presidency.

[polichick]

3. Loopholes are all they have left.

[ej510]

6. Msnbc has been talking about it this morning.

There is a loophole. Is it ethical no but it's legal.

[krkaufman]

36. Bush's theft of the Presidency in 2000 was strictly legal

... in that the Supreme Court rendered a legal, albeit erroneous, judgment.

[flpoljunkie]

23. Who will be the one to tell Hillary, "It will not be you."

And, when? That is the question--along with how much damage has been done in her futile quest.

[polichick]

34. Whomever has that honor might think about bringing a taser!

[dchill]

4. "Loophole?" - No, it's a looking glass...

And Clinton has gone through it.

[cooolandrew]

8. We need to drum home the word pledged and what that mean regardingan oath.

[dchill]

24. Well, for instance, the words,"I pledge allegiange..."

would obviously have a loophole for Hillary to use to escape any real loyalty to the Flag of the United States of America. Just drumming...
:)

[cooolandrew]

9. xeroxed post

[helderheid]

15. LOL!

Like that!

[dchill]

25. No, it's not...

and you are definitely not "coool."

[Nedsdag]

22. Loopholes - That's what Hillary's campaign has become.

One. big. loophole.

The end justifies the means.

:eyes:

[dchill]

26. Looked at closely, the loop is really...

a snake eating its own tail.

[grantcart]

7. Really - open that window and you may see a bunch of Clinton delegates

leaving - just ask the folks in Iowa.

[PerfectSage]

10. Only a racist would steal delegates from a black man.

:spank:

[cooolandrew]

12. Not that I wanna go there but caging does spring to mind.

[BlueIdaho]

11. The Clintons

Know this is a two edged sword so they must be planning some even more disgusting dirty politics ahead. Say goodbye to the Clinton Global Initiative - say hello to Clinton/Rove Consulting Inc.

[DearAbby]

13. Now she is poaching for delegates...how pathetic is that? n/t

[usregimechange]

14. Doing anything to get elected...

[knixphan]

16. desperation is on the table...

You just know Dean wants to smack them.

[dchill]

27. He's not the only one. n/t

[Froward69]

17. Hillary is pathetic

She will usurp Democracy and thus the WILL of the MAJORITY of voters to satisfy her Orwellian desire for power.

Knowing full well She will attract the ire of republicans who will come out to vote Against her.

[IDemo]

18. I'll repeat part of an earlier post of mine on this topic:

While it may be open to debate how a super delegate casts her ballot, it should be taken as sacrosanct that a pledged delegate will remain true to the votes cast in his or her state's primary election or caucus. To do otherwise makes a mockery of the election process, rendering voters from all states irrelevant.

I am not irrelevant. You are not irrelevant. We are Democrats, members of a party whose very name honors the most defining part of a free society: open and fair elections. Our vote counts. Or it should.

I feel as strongly about this issue as any that have been raised in an already bitterly contentious contest. For any candidate (or their surrogates) to even suggest the possibility of circumventing the will of the people in such a manner is every bit as outrageous in its own way as the election theft of Supreme Court/Florida 2000.

I don't believe the Clinton campaign has any serious expectations that delegates, whether pledged or super, will suddenly come swimming back to her in the face of a significant lead by Obama. The role of delegates is not to upend the will of the electorate unless overwhelming reason exists for them to do so, not simply because they hold differing opinions on the 'electability' of the leader. In this case, the more electable candidate is the one who will hold the lead in Denver. Case closed.

[ButterflyBlood]

19. Pathetic and idiotic

It's not going to work. Just give it up..

[rateyes]

20. I'll vote for Hillary if she is the nominee, only if she gets it "fair and square."

If she gets it by twisting even the "spirit of the rules" she can count me out for the GE.

[ORDem]

21. From an HRC point of view, I guess this makes sense, since she apparently has no conscience. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

28. How DARE you peons question the Great and Powerful Hillary?

She's been PLANNING to be president for years, so, therefore, she's ENTITLED to the nomination, fergawdsakes. Would you just give her her coronation already and stop worrying about RULES, VOTES, and the WILL of the PEOPLE? :eyes:

[City Lights]

29. Ah, so this is what Bill meant when he said his "gut" told him it'll be alright.

A loophole.

[Vinca]

31. If they pull something like that off, it will be the end of the party. nt

[nsd]

32. A nomination secured in this way would be worthless.

If Clinton wins by inducing delegates pledged to Obama to switch sides, she would have no legitimacy as the Democratic nominee. She would be seen as a cheater and a fraud, plain and simple, and would have no hope of defeating McCain.

Of course, such a strategy would never work, and I can't imagine that even someone as dumb as Mark Penn would ever try it. I'm surprised the Clinton campaign has brought this up.

[anigbrowl]

33. Good luck. She couldn't even pick up Edwards' delegate in Iowa

who had a legitimate reason for switching their support, since their man isn't in the race any more and isn't likely to be a big power-broker at the convention because he had such a tiny delegate count.

[dansolo]

37. Wouldn't it be ironic if it is Hillary's pledged delegates that bolt?

We've already seen her lose one delegate in Iowa. She has basically given HER delegates her blessing to switch over to Obama. Not very smart.

[Martinezsousa]

38. Florida broke the rules

Therefore, the delegates should not be seated. It's a very simple argument.

[IsItJustMe]

39. What's that smell?