Hillary seeks delegate 'strategy' at convo

Posted: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 6:14 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
Below is the video of Hillary Clinton telling supporters at a gathering in California that she wants a "strategy" to have her delegates heard at the convention, as reported by Huffington Post and today ABC News. She said such a strategy would be cathartic, and would actually unify the party.

"Because I know from just what I'm hearing, that there's incredible pent up desire," Clinton said. "And I think that people want to feel like, 'OK, it's a catharsis, we're here, we did it, and then everybody get behind Sen. Obama.' That is what most people believe is the best way to go." She also said in the video that she was working out those details with the Obama campaign and the DNC, and that no decisions have been made.

From the ABC story: "Sources close to both Obama and Clinton told ABC News that the New York senator is highly unlikely to allow her name to be formally submitted for a roll-call vote on the convention floor. The Obama campaign wants to avoid such a vote, since it would underscore the party's splits and remind voters of the divisive primary campaign between the two Democrats. ...

"The refusal to publicly announce her intentions is widely seen as a bargaining chip Clinton is holding on to as party officials negotiate logistics regarding her convention speech and other activities, according to several Democrats who are closely involved in the matter."

A Democratic Party operative familiar with DNC rules points out that Clinton must approve, in writing, for her name to be placed in nomination. DNC chairman Howard Dean repeated this to NBC's Chuck Todd on MSNBC Tuesday. The rules provide that:

1. Presidential candidates may place their name in nomination by giving their written approval and submitting delegate petitions containing at least 300 but no more than 600 delegate signatures. A delegate may not sign more than one petition and no more than 50 petition signatures may come from any one state. This means that any possible presidential candidate who wishes to place their name in nomination must give their “written approval.” (Rule C.6.a-b) Candidates who are the Party’s presumptive nominee must still submit these delegate petitions.

2. Each presidential candidate who has requested to be nominated is entitled to a total of 20 minutes for nominating and seconding speeches, the time to run without interruption.  (Rule C.6.d)

3. After nominations for presidential candidates have closed, “the Convention shall proceed to a roll call vote by states on the selection of the presidential candidate.” A majority vote of the Convention’s overall total number of delegate votes is required to nominate. (Rule. C.7a.-b)

4. During the course of the roll call vote, delegates may vote for any presidential candidate regardless of whether or not the name of that candidate was placed in nomination. However, a vote cast for LaRouche or any other non-bona-fide Democrat is considered a vote for “Present.”
(Rule C.7.c)

The operative adds that balloting continues until a candidate reaches a majority of delegate votes. The last time the presidential nomination went to a second ballot was 1952.

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