Delegate fight: Hillary's steep climb
Posted: Monday, April 07, 2008 9:19 AM by Mark Murray
The New York Times’ Harwood writes about the steep climb Clinton has regarding superdelegates and reports on a new Obama endorser from Montana.
DNC Chairman Howard Dean "expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached to seat the delegates." But a deal, he said on the Sunday shows, is unlikely until after the primaries are over in June.
The Los Angeles Times looks at the superdelegates’ dilemma involving their own re-election. "One blunt question underscored how much lawmakers' thinking is shaped not just by high-minded reflection about who would make the best president, but by the cold-eyed political assessment: What does it mean to me? Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), a freshman from a district that President Bush won in 2004 by 14 percentage points, asked Clinton to address concerns that in conservative districts like his she would not be ‘helpful’ at the top of the ticket, Pa. frosh Dem Rep. Jason Altmire recalled. Clinton responded by pointing to her success in GOP precincts in the New York and Arkansas primaries as evidence that the more people know her, the more support she draws -- even from Republicans.”
”Republicans often seem to be rooting for Clinton because they believe she will be a bigger liability than Obama -- both in the presidential campaign and in congressional races. That is why Altmire fears that a Clinton nomination would energize conservatives -- not just in his district, but nationwide -- who otherwise would be lukewarm about McCain's candidacy."
Former DNC chair Paul Kirk wrote an open letter in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette giving his advice to his fellow superdelegates. He urges them to do four things (all of which would benefit Obama, potentially, more than Clinton):
1): "Speak out now!": "No, I'm not suggesting we urge one candidate to step aside before the primaries run their course. But I am suggesting we urge both campaigns to cease the intra-party slurs. The problem is not the length of the calendar; it's the negative tone of the dialogue that will hurt our chances in the fall. Our candidate will be a weaker nominee in November if the bitterness continues. None of us should look back from November and ask: "Why didn't I speak out in April?" If your voice is to be heard at any time in this process, now is the time. Let's urge both campaigns to cease the slash-and-burn tactics and get back to the kitchen-table issues that worry America's families."
2) Resolve Florida and Michigan now! "In sports as in life, if you don't play by the rules you must pay a price. The same should be true of politics. One "price" being considered for Florida and Michigan, both having ignored party rules on the timing of their primaries, is to nevertheless count their votes at what could be a determinative moment late in the calendar. But every candidate knew that neither state held a valid election, so no candidate should be able to claim an advantage from it. ... The fairest solution is to divide their delegations equally between the two candidates. The campaigns can work with the state parties to assure appropriate demographic representation.
3) Stay focused. It's about the delegates! "Questions are floating as to the real measure of "winning" in the run to the nomination. Number of states? Big states? Popular vote? Electoral College? Helloooo? ...We have rules. Everyone understood them at the outset. This is not a national primary; it is not a red-vs.-blue, caucus-vs.-primary or big state-vs.-small state competition. It's a state-by-state contest (some primary, some caucus, some big, some small) by which delegates are selected in proportional representation to the popular vote in each state."
4) Close ranks before the Democratic Convention!
