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Time's Up Superdelegates: Obama or Clinton?
By David KnowlesApr 18th 2008 9:06AM
Filed Under:eHillary Clinton, Democrats, Barack Obama, Featured Stories
This is the message from DNC Chairman Howard Dean. Pencils down. Is that your final answer? Via CNN:
An increasingly firm Howard Dean told CNN again Thursday that he needs superdelegates to say who they're for--and "I need them to say who they're for starting now."
"We cannot give up two or three months of active campaigning and healing time," the Democratic National Committee Chairman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "We've got to know who our nominee is."
If Dean has shown us anything over the course of this election cycle--and readers of this column have varying opinions on the subject--it's that he means what he says. So it appears that he is not going to let the campaign linger on until August. No, a mile-high Credentials Committee won't be the thing to decide this thing.
Once again, this is bad news for Hillary Clinton.
For the past month, Clinton has worked hard to convince superdelegates that she, not Barack Obama, is the viable Democratic candidate. Her argument is simple: Plagued with too much baggage (Pastor Wright, flag pin, Weather Underground, the "bitter" comment, Tony Rezko), Obama will be grist for the Republican mill. So, she has done her level best to argue that the supers should swoop in and overturn the popular vote and delegate count that stand in Obama's favor, and anoint her as party savior. This strategy was epitomized in Wednesday night's Philadelphia debate, during which Clinton meticulously addressed the concerns about Obama's chances in the general, before giving the whole game away when asked point-blank whether or not Obama could win. Her answer? Yes he can.
From the IHT/NYT, however, we learn that Clinton's efforts at swaying the undecided big-wigs, have fallen somewhat flat:
But although Clinton gave it her best shot in what might have been their final debate, interviews on Thursday with a cross-section of these superdelegates--members of Congress, elected officials and party leaders--showed that none had been persuaded much by her attacks on Obama's strength as a potential Democratic nominee, his recent gaffes and his relationship with his former pastor and with a onetime member of the Weather Underground.
In fact, the Obama campaign announced endorsements from two more superdelegates on Thursday, after rolling out three on Wednesday and two others since late last week in what appeared to be an orchestrated show of strength before Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.
Every day, it seems we hear of another superdelegate going Obama's way. Today it's Robert Reich, Bill Clinton's former Secretary of Labor, and the author of a pretty fine blog devoted to economic matters. An old friend of the Clintons, Reich's decision was not, in case you were wondering, prompted by pressure from Howard Dean. No, it seems that what caused him to get off the sidelines was Hillary's mode of attack. From New York Magazine:
"I saw the ads"--the negative man-on-the-street commercials that the Clinton campaign put up in Pennsylvania in the wake of Obama's bitter/cling comments a week ago--"and I was appalled, frankly. I thought it represented the nadir of mean-spirited, negative politics. And also of the politics of distraction, of gotcha politics. It's the worst of all worlds. We have three terrible traditions that we've developed in American campaigns. One is outright meanness, and negativity. The second is taking out of context something that your opponent said, maybe inartfully, and blowing it up into something your opponent doesn't possibly believe and doesn't possibly represent. And the third is a kind of tradition of distraction, of getting off the big subject with sideshows that have nothing to do with what matters. And these three aspects of the old politics I've seen growing in Hillary's campaign."
This sums up the way a lot of us feel about Hillary Clinton. Her wounds are largely self-inflicted. Is she qualified to be Commander-in-Chief? Absolutely. She's incredibly smart, and has an admirable record in the Senate. When it comes to policy, she bested Barack Obama in the final debate. In others, she was bested by him. I agree with the bulk of her ideas, just as I do with Obama's. In many ways, this decision might have been made by a flip of the coin. What it really came down to was a question of style, since both candidates have the substance.
So, the question today, given Dean's throw-down, is whether or not we can gage the behavior of the remaining 250 undecided superdelegates based on the recent behavior of their brethren. If we can, then it's over for Clinton. If those fence-sitters buck the current trend, then Hillary's "Candle in the Wind" may stay lit for a while longer yet.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 11)hiswindow9:23AMApr 18th 2008
It's been over for Hillary for a long time. Time to move on and win the WH!
hiswindow9:27AMApr 18th 2008
If you're willing to crossover to McCain if your Dem candidate doesn't win the nomination, then you are not a real Dem! ANY Dem is better than ANY Rep any day of the week and we can't afford to have another 4 yrs of Rep rule!
Sally9:33AMApr 18th 2008
SO MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO HOWARD DEAN IF THIS ELECTION IS FINISHED OR NOT, IF ALL THE STATES HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO VOTE. HE IS APARENTLY NOT GOING TO COUNT MI AND FLA AND TELLS THE SUPER DELEGATES TO VOTE INSTEAD IN PLACE OF MI AND FLA FOR THAT IS WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING IF THEY WON'T COUNT OUR VOTES. IF DEAN AND THE DNC THINK THEY CAN FOREGO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE, AND STOP THIS ELECTION BEFORE EVERYONE HAS HAD CHANCE TO VOTE AND THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT THEY ARE VERY BADLY MISTAKEN, FOR COME NOVEMBER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL CERTAINLY PAY. THEY JUST THINK EVERONE WILL PULL TOGETHER AFTER WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. I WILL DEFINITELY NOT VOTE FOR A PARTY THAT WILL NOT LET MY VOTE COUNT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, AND THEY WILL PAY IN NOV FOR IT WILL PUT MCCAIN INTO OFFICE.
Randy9:36AMApr 18th 2008
When did we stop becoming Democrates? All the out rage over the past two Presidential elections? Now, Howard Dean says "Make a decision now"? Let's wait out the process until June. We have several states to weigh in on the Democratic Process of our party. Maybe Dean should go run the Republican party they like Dictatorships!
Davidg9:36AMApr 18th 2008
In other words "Pledge your vote for Barack now before anybody finds out any more dirt on him".
Dean is ridiculous. Why should anybody be told they better make up their minds NOW?
The Democratic party is a joke, and Dean is the lead Joker.
mrbline9:37AMApr 18th 2008
The thing I think Dean watches most is exemplified in the poll, which has been on the elections front page the last two days.
Clinton and Obama both going down.
McCain clearly emerging as a landslide.
Last week, combining Clinton and Obama meant McCain was on the losing side. Today, combining Clinton and Obama, McCain wins by 24%.
Dean is right. This needs to end, if we want to keep our health insurance, labor laws, jobs, homes, and our brave soldiers alive.
Randy9:38AMApr 18th 2008
I just saw AOL manipulate the data on the superdelegates. Don't believe the poll
Katherine9:44AMApr 18th 2008
LOL. Howard Dean--superdelegates can all do what they want. He's getting scared because more information will come out on Barack Obama.
I guess he wishes for all the secrets and horrors to be played out in the general election?
Real dumb move.
No one even knows who Barack Obama really is.
I demand that Barack Obama get vetted by the mainstream media.
Not even 10% of Obama's secrets have been aired.
He cannot beat McCain. Obama is dem suicide.
tanoga289:45AMApr 18th 2008
HILLARY OR MCCAIM
Richard10:03AMApr 18th 2008
Why do we even bother having these other primaries if they want to end this now???... this voting procedure needs fixed
Richard10:06AMApr 18th 2008
Dean is a republican when democratic clothing...
Terri10:06AMApr 18th 2008
It's about time. Let's get this show on the road. Obama can, and will, beat McCain if we get moving now. I hope this is true because I've been waiting a long time for such new.s
FRANK TELLS10:09AMApr 18th 2008
I WANT TO FIX HILLARY CLINTON FOR STAYING WITH BILL WHEN SHE SHOULD HAVE DIVORCED HIM OVER:
1. HIS ANTIMASTURBATION
2. HIS CHEATING ADULTERY
ALSO IM AGAINST HER NOT LISTENING TO ME ABOUT VOTING AGAINST THE ANTI POKER BILL (PHONE CALLS, LETTERS) AND RECEIVING FUNDING FROM HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES WHEN THEY ARE ALREADY OVERCHARGING AND AGE DISCRIMINATING. I ALSO BELIEVE LIKE JOE LIEBERMAN THAT BILL CLINTON SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED AFTER ILLEGALLY CHEATING ON HIS WIFE.
rebecca10:10AMApr 18th 2008
hiswindow:
what is a true democrat? one that is willing to
compromise their beliefs and just blindly vote
for a candidate that is totally unqualified to
be president. that is what dean and the
democratic party just dont get. obama will never
be elected. the democrats that are willing to
vote for mccain over obama do so over concern for
the country and know that we are americans before
democrats. that is what is really bothering dean
and the democrats now, they see obama cannot win,
however they mistakenly believe that if the
superdelegate showboat they will fool the public
into supporting obama. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
if dean and the superdelegates want obama they
can have him and come november when he loses
they can blame themselves.
ellen10:10AMApr 18th 2008
What Dean need to be worried about is seating MI and
FLA in a manner that reflects the will of the people. And as far as this thing people have about you not being a real Dem. if you vote for McCain give it a rest. Because a real Dem. vote for who they think will be best for the country. Not who people what tell them to.
lulu10:14AMApr 18th 2008
So Mr. Reich was appalled at Hillary's negative campaign ad? What does he think will happen when the mean republican machine starts revving up their engines? How many more times must we tell you people, especially the superdelegates, that Obama IS NOT READY TO BECOME THE POTUS? If we can see it, why can't you?
Lnstarmom10:26AMApr 18th 2008
The quote from Robert Reich is great! The American people are tired of politics as usual and want the focus to be on the huge problems facing us...Iraq and the economy! I am so tired of hearing political pundits say that the Republicans will do this or that based on 1988, 2000 or 2004...if they do follow the old poltics as usual ploys then they will lose the White House! I hope that Senator McCain and Senator Obama can have a different kind of contest...one that recognizes that this is a new century and the politics of the past won't be accepted!
JOHN MANN10:33AMApr 18th 2008
It has been said for some time that Superdelegates of the Demo Party are getting ready to endorse. The waiting game will soon be over. Obvious why they have waited and why they are ready to get the race over. A brokered convention is not what the Superdelegates want. The DNC is not out of touch regarding the stance of the Superdelegates. Politics are much like chess, a good player has 3-4 options, moves lined out in advance. None of the high mucky-mucks in office or formers out of office are NOT neophites at the game of politics. The stage has been set, the players have their ducks in order behind the curtain. Soon the curtain will be raised to the audience. Act I of II will play out as rehearsed.
KAB10:34AMApr 18th 2008
ellen10:10AMApr 18th 2008
What Dean need to be worried about is seating MI and
FLA in a manner that reflects the will of the people. And as far as this thing people have about you not being a real Dem. if you vote for McCain give it a rest. Because a real Dem. vote for who they think will be best for the country. Not who people what tell them to.
****************************************************
Exactly,
You vote for the best person to bring this nation forward not for a condidate because the represent a party.
Please, "True Democrats" will let the process continue and will allow "all" votes count and not just the one's you want to count.
Thats what Democracy is suppose to be.
We are starting to sound and act like some of our foreign neighbors.
We go into their countries and fight for the right to vote and have your vote counted.
And their are "some people" prepared to disinfranchise millions of americans and expect those same americans to come back and support them later.
'I DON"T THINK SO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Senator Clinton ,the best choice for President
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DerKirSto9:22AMApr 18th 2008
Dean should be worried about the divided democratic party. I think republicans will gain votes from pissed offed democrats who have been disinfranchised.
The polls everyone seems to be clinging to now say that a large percentage of Clinton and Obama supporters will not be on board with them if the choice of the nominee is not the one they want it to be. I am one of those supporters who will crossover.