Posted on 01/19/2008 7:46:47 AM PST by shrinkermd
In 1982, party leaders allocated for themselves a heaping portion of the delegates, creating positions called super delegates. Every Democratic member of Congress, every Democratic governor and all of the elected members of the Democratic National Committee (the majority of the super delegates) were each granted a vote at the convention. Party leaders assumed this would help them retain a measure of control over the process -- and of course continue to be granted the bounty of political favors that historically flowed from backing the right horse at the convention. In 2008, the 796 super delegates will make up about 20% of the entire convention. Winning the nomination requires 2,025 delegates.
In creating the super delegates, Democratic Party leaders sought to show that although they respected the popular will as expressed in the primaries and caucuses, they also expected that the super delegates could play a significant if not necessarily decisive role in the selection process. However, it did not work out that way. Popular will has put one candidate far enough ahead by the convention that the super delegates haven't come into play. Every nominee since these reforms has been decided based on the primary and caucus votes.
This year might be different. Because no front-runner has emerged, and the compressed time frame of the election may prevent any candidate from gaining enough momentum, no candidate may have enough delegates by convention time. In that case, the super delegates, the majority of whom currently support Hillary Rodham Clinton -- but who could switch sides at any time -- could well be the decision-makers at the convention. And this could be a real problem for the Democratic Party.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Hehe... (See definition of SchadeFreude)
The problem described in the article of the super delegates choice versus the popular choice may really force a Clinton-Obama ticket whether Hillary likes it or not.
Well, it is worse than Spivak thought. 796 is not “about 20% of the total[2,025]”, it is nearly 40% (39.31% to be exact.) This large a block could easily control events and, one can only hope, screw the Dems and their MSM shills.
soooooooo
the dems in power can screw the voters if they chose someone they dont like?
this from the “democratic” party?
hahahahaha
The 796 would be about 20% of the total number, but since any candidate would only need half, if they all voted together (however unlikely) they would represent 39.31% of the delegates needed.
“Sink the Democrats”.
Yeah, I just LOVE that phrase.
No matter who the RAT nominee is, if they win the Presidency, we will either have
Clinton - America Held Hostage... Again!
Obama - Obamanation
Edwards - Everybody will be forced to work in a mill like his daddy
I hope Obama gets the majority of the “regular” Democratic delegates, and the Hildabeast gets the super-delegates who give her the nomination. That ought to be fun to watch.
That was exactly what I was thinking too.
These people are STILL complaining about how the popular vote for the president should count more that our constitution, but here they are and their own party rules won’t allow it!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA is right. Hypocrites.
No, it wouldn’t force a Clinton-Obama ticket.
It would steal the nomination from Obama and hand it to Clinton, thus robbing a black man of what is rightfully his and forcing a nominee on the Democrats who was “selected, not elected.”
And the sweet irony of it is that should this come to pass, it will be the Congressional Black Caucus who likely delivers the fatal blow to Barak Obama.
May not. Now THAT would be a shame.
just out of curiosity
are the repub delegate rules simular??
IDK...bettah check
I see that word all over the place.
It’s got to be the stupidest word in the English language. Well, I mean if it was in the English language!!
I’m not sure what it means, but whatever it is, it can’t possibly make any sense!!
Germans oughta stick to beer and blondes and forget about literature.
It means taking pleasure in someone else's misfortune. There is no exact English equivalent and I think it's a great addition to the English language.
BTTT!
It’s kinda like it means this: “that’s so sad... hehehe...” (Sad-Happy)
And to be honest, English is the absolute collection center of words from every language on the planet from Barbecue to Yosemite... English takes what works and makes it its own...
If these super delegates (is this a DNC comic book?) reverse the result arrived at by the party's primaries and caucuses, the party will splinter. The Obama would consider it to be a declaration of civil war. Also, it would give the image (correctly so) that the Democratic Party doesn't believe in democracy. On the other hand, it would be some good watching. ;)
English is going to be in dire straits if it ever has to return all its borrowed words!
Thank you Lord!
So...the DNC consists of over 400 elected members? I had no idea it was that large. Seems cumbersome, perhaps they have a central steering committee that makes the real decisions.
The party of the KKK will be hoisted on it’s own petard, race.
>>>In creating the super delegates, Democratic Party leaders sought to show that although they respected the popular will as expressed in the primaries and caucuses, they also expected that the super delegates could play a significant if not necessarily decisive role in the selection process. <<<
In other words, in the tradition of the Left, the Democrats established a Politburo to ensure that everyone was working in the same direction with the same goals. It’s interesting how the interests of power are always supreme among the Democrats.
You can be pretty sure that the SDs are going to go with the majority of the primary delegates any time there is a two person race, as is the case now. Even if they could give the nomination to Hillary, they would not.
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