Tag: superdelegates

The Wall St. Journal today (free link) examines the current preferences of the 795 superdelegates:

Obama leads among those who are elected officals (governors and senators) while Hillary leads among the non-elected state and party officials. 300 or so superdelegates remain uncommitted.

The superdelegates in these two groups have different predominant concerns. For those who are elected officials, the dominant concern is their own political future. For those who are non-elected, the key factor is electability of the Democratic candidate in November.

By the numbers:

Elected superdelegates include 28 governors, 234 House members, 49 senators, mayors of big cities and state officeholders

Non-elected superdelegates: More than 400.

A graphic showing the current status of superdelegates is here.

First Missouri and California. Now Ohio.

While some African American superdelegates have switched to Obama, others who support Hillary say they are receiving pressure they don't appreciate and are holding firm.

African-American superdelegates said Thursday that they’ll stand up against threats, intimidation and “Uncle Tom” smears rather than switch their support from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to Sen. Barack Obama.

“African-American superdelegates are being targeted, harassed and threatened,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), a superdelegate who has supported Clinton since August. Cleaver said black superdelegates are receiving “nasty letters, phone calls, threats they’ll get an opponent, being called an Uncle Tom.

In Ohio, some superdelegates are angry:[More...]

By Big Tent Democrat

I am tired of the delegate mathematicians ignoring the elephant in the room -- that the Super Delegates will decide the nominee. You see, here is the dirty little secret, neither Obama nor Clinton will be anywhere near the total necessary to put them over the top after all the contests are over.

All of the arguments are about what should guide the decision making of the Super Delegates. I have mine - the Super Delegates should vote for the popular vote and pledged delegate leader. But what if there is one popular vote leader and a different pledged delegate leader? My preference is for the popular vote leader. But what if the leads are insignificant? Well you can look at who Democrats preferred. Or you can look at who won the key states in the general election. Or you can look at who runs better in head to heads. Or you can vote for the candidate who won your state or congressional district. Or you can look at who you think would be the better President.

More . . .