Clinton to have own floor whips at Dem convention

[proud2BlibKansan]

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON | Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's delegates will have their own organizers on the floor of the Democratic National Convention, an unusual move at a convention that is being billed as unified.

Clinton's supporters will have about 40 organizers, or whips, said Clinton campaign spokeswoman Kathleen Strand. Whips traditionally enforce discipline among a candidate's supporters, making sure they vote according to plan.

These whips, however, will not encourage delegates to vote for Clinton over the presumptive nominee, Barack Obama, Strand said. They also weren't instructed to intervene if Clinton delegates start an anti-Obama protest, she said.

"We have been and are working closely with the Obama campaign to make sure we have an exciting and unified convention," Strand said. "Our delegate whips, along with the Obama delegate whips, are a part of a team that will be on the floor of the convention to make sure delegates have everything they need, whether that's answering questions or passing out signs during Hillary's speech. The whips are a traditional part of every convention's floor operations."

more . . .

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/13871

[gateley]

1. If this move is being billed as unified,

then what's with the "Our delegate whips, along with the Obama delegate whips..." Us and Them doesn't sound very unified to me.

[Lucinda]

2. They have been presenting everything as a team for a week or so now...joint press releases etc

Unity.

[redstate_democrat]

4. Um...yeah...ok

[gateley]

6. Does "Clinton whips" and "Obama whips" further that show of unity? nt

[Lucinda]

8. Yes. As does O's welcome to Hillary supporters on his main web page

Hillary and Obama are working hard for unity. Are you?

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

10. Hillary delegates will be quieted better by her squad

Hillary has an easier time putting her people in and around groups of Hillary delegates than Obama would.

And a lone crackpot Hillary delegate who wants to make trouble will be more quickly shut up by a Hillary person. That's just human nature.

[polichick]

23. Exactly - maybe her whips are meant to whip them into a frenzy. lol

[rwheeler31]

3. There should be no need for this.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. Why post this spun with an evil conotation?

This is an old story and was one of the big unity stories of the last week. It's about what Hillary and Obama are both doing to avoid any unsightly convention hijinks.

Hillary has her own whips to quell any anti-Obama gestures by *individuals* because she presumably has more influence with her delegates.

So why post it with your own emphasis to highlight calculated to manufacture disunity and spur ignorant paranoia?

[LostinVA]

21. Your last paragraph answered the question

It's like DU's own little chaotic operation.

[AZBlue]

7. She just stoops lower and lower.

[specterderrida]

13. did you read the OP before you dissed her???

These whips, however, will not encourage delegates to vote for Clinton over the presumptive nominee, Barack Obama, Strand said. They also weren't instructed to intervene if Clinton delegates start an anti-Obama protest, she said.

[AZBlue]

15. Of course I read it.

And even your own quote includes quite a damning line in it:
They also weren't instructed to intervene if Clinton delegates start an anti-Obama protest, she said.

[specterderrida]

16. And??

[AZBlue]

17. And what?

[QC]

9. Dupe x 2

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6678427

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=6680958

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. Not really a dupe. The first two were productive posts, not manipulated anti-Democrat spin

The accurate previous posting omitted the OPs "concerned" highlighting of disunity.

[QC]

12. True. Anything to bring back the glorious primary war.

Some people miss it so.

[last1standing]

14. They're there to quell anti-Obama outbreaks. Do you have a problem with that?

Seriously, what's your problem with that?

[yodermon]

22. huh?

They also weren't instructed to intervene if Clinton delegates start an anti-Obama protest, she said.

[Gman]

18. If you've ever been to a convention

you'd know this is completely normal.

[QC]

19. I had a similar assignment at an Al Gore appearance in 1992--

keep an eye out for people doing anything weird--like waving giant fetus pictures or something--and block them with my sign.

You're right--this is common. It's amazing how such a politically savvy crowd as this one suddenly doesn't know the first thing about conventions, campaign appearances, roll calls, etc. Must be some new form of amnesia.

[Gman]

20. I think most people here would be pretty disillusioned about a lot of things

if they knew how convention politics really works. Conventions are the home of back room deals and everything else this place hates. The whole Hillary's name in nomination thing is a classic "back room deal" convention thing. Of all politics, I love convention politics the most. I love the strategizing, wheeling and dealing atmosphere of cutting deals and outworking/end running your opponents in a short timeframe. If you've done your work, before you get to the convention, everything should be a done deal. It doesn't always work like that and it's that unknown that makes it even more exciting.

[QC]

26. I miss the old roll calls. Was there ever a greater bit of Americana?

The Great State of Mississippi, home of Troy Snodgrass, All American Receiver, home of the world's largest honeydew melon, a place where fathers are strong and mothers are devoted, the land where the sun always shines and the rain falls gently, proudly casts its 34 votes for ___!

It's amazing how many people here have never heard that and think there is something peculiar about counting down the states and letting all the delegates vote.

And it gets worse: just yesterday, a poster here declared her dramatic indignation at losing primary candidates being allowed to speak at the convention. Who ever heard of such a thing, until the Clintons tried to make it all about them, she demanded to know, clutching her pearls. Saints preserve us from such Clintonian villainy!

[Gman]

29. Actually, they still do a roll call vote

There's always a roll call vote. They did one in 2004 in Boston although the major networks really didn't cover it much as there was no drama and it was a formality. There was the usual confetti falling, balloons dropping stuff when Kerry went over the top. Actually, there had to be some coverage as I positioned myself with some folks right behind our delegation chair when he announced our state's vote and had people back home tell me later they saw me on TV!

[QC]

30. Yeah, but it's pretty meaningless now, and, as you say, not really

treated as anything other than a formality anymore.

Everything has to be wrapped up nice and neat before the convention starts, it seems. Otherwise someone might get the wrong idea.

[gal]

24. I've never been ..but how many whips will Edwards or Richardson have there?

[DS1]

25. Aww. Someone has to have their also-ran tiara

:eyes:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

27. Are you simple-minded? Did you even read the OP?

[DS1]

28. Very