One Woman Speaks Out: “The Democratic Party Can Fend for Itself”

So why didn't Democratic Party leaders speak out against the sexist assaults on Hillary Clinton by the liberal media throughout the primary?


Once again I have Tennessee Guerilla Women to thank for linking to an important article. Titled the Democratic Party Maybe Presumes too much - about Women, this one was written by Robin Lakoff, professor of linguistics at UCC Berkeley and published at SFGate, home of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Lakoff discusses “the failure of party leaders to comment on the sexism rampant in the media, especially the liberal media, for months on end;” and she wants to know: “Why did the superdelegates move in such numbers to support Obama? Why did this occur, especially after Clinton victories?”

Lakoff concludes:

“I am reminded of a particularly chilling passage in Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita." Humbert Humbert, after raping the 12-year-old, is pondering why she has come back to his bed. "You see," Humbert tells the reader, "she had absolutely nowhere else to go."

“That's just how I feel. And they want my enthusiastic support? The Democratic Party can fend for itself.”

Money Changes Everything : Superdelegates Are For Sale

A must-watch video titled Money Changes Everything : Superdelegates Are For Sale. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLPoV4diMjk

Today’s Must-Reads at Guerillawomen

Katalusis readers owe it to themselves to check out today’s edition of Guerillawomen for news of a crowd erupting in applause at Obama’s mention of Hillary Clinton; definition of Obamania; superdelegates switching over to Clinton prior to Denver; a word about the latest polls, Rasmussen Finds Hillary Would Do Better Against McCain:Obama currently leads McCain 47% to 45%, according to Rasmussen, but Hillary beats McCain by 8 points!
and more.

Come Denver, Superdelegates Could Change Their Minds

Photo credits: courtesy of cdn.channel.aol.com

Craig Crawford’s post yesterday, July 14, at Trail Mix (CQ Politics) summarizes how the importance of the role of the Democratic Party’s superdelegates in choosing the nominee has shifted along with the fortunes of Barack Obama since day one of the primary.

Crawford writes:

“There was a time months ago -- when Hillary Rodham Clinton led the Democratic nomination race -- that party superdelegates were the bad guys according to the rhetoric coming out of Barack Obama's camp.

“Obama supporters trashed the unelected, automatic and unpledged delegates as undemocratic autocrats when it looked as though they might put Clinton over the top. Not anymore.
“With the dust settled on the primary season, one thing is clear: Obama is the presumed nominee thanks only to superdelegates. He never did win enough pledged delegates to reach the winning number, falling about 350 votes short. His expected victory stems from beating Clinton among superdelegates 463-257, according to a tally on Real Clear Politics.

“All the more reason for Obama to make sure that there is no roll call including Clinton's name on the ballot at the national convention -- which a few die hard fans of the former First Lady are still clamoring for.

“Why highlight just how close the Democratic contest really was? And there is certainly no gain for Obama in dwelling on how he had to depend on superdelegates to win the nomination.”

Crawford links to an earlier post at CQ by staff member, Shawn Zeller that reports a conversation with Heidi Li Feldman, a Georgetown University law professor.

Feldman contends: "‘…there’s still ‘no way of predicting’ the outcome should there be a fair vote. That’s because Obama has not secured enough pledged delegates to ensure the magic number of 2,118 needed to claim victory; the Illinois senator has gone past that benchmark only with the pledges of about 390 superdelegates — and they can change their minds at any time up to the moment they cast their ballots.

‘“If they had a meaningful vote, I have no idea who would win. But I know that if Sen. Obama were sure he would win, there wouldn’t be a negotiation about Clinton’s role at the convention.’

“So Feldman, who says she has raised about $100,000 for Clinton, has turned her prowess to raising money for advertising demanding a convention vote, and she has teamed with a fellow pro-Clinton blogger, Marc Rubin, to form the Denver Group to lobby the Democratic National Committee, much of the staff of which has already moved from Washington to Chicago to work for Obama.

“Feldman says she won’t vote for Obama if Clinton doesn’t get a convention vote. Rubin says he might not. Both say they aren’t worried that their efforts will continue to divide Democrats at a time when they should be uniting to take on Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona. In fact, they argue, many Democrats might stay home if they feel Clinton gets short shrift.

‘“What they have to do is make it possible for people to say to themselves that there was a fair and correct process,’ Feldman says.”’

Unelected Superdels Clinch the Deal for Obama

Photo credits: Getty images

Hillary Clinton won the popular vote with 17,785,009 votes compared to Barack Obama’s 17,479, 990. But at the end of the day on June 3, 2008, the questionable resolution of the Michigan and Florida dilemma by the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws committee and the lemming-like support of unelected superdelegates had already tipped the scales in favor of Obama.

For months Clinton stood firm against the repeated efforts by the Obama campaign and its media allies to force her to drop out of the race; thanks to her courage, determination, and outstanding leadership, the voters in every primary were given the opportunity to vote.

It is unfortunate that in their rush to anoint Barack Obama the presumptive nominee, Democratic party leaders have chosen to overturn the will of the people.

This state of affairs does not bode well for the general election or the future of the Democratic party. It cries out for a close examination of the Democratic nomination process and much needed reform to insure that sexism and misogyny will never again be used to nominate the weaker male candidate over the stronger and obviously better qualified female candidate.

In the meantime, I’ve a hunch that thousands of women who supported Hillary Clinton will continue to refuse to sit down, shut up, and get with the program of a good old boys network that blatantly dominates the Democratic party and the media.

Hey, Superdelegates! Are You Listening?

Democratic party leaders, especially those labeled superdelegates, probably aren’t listening and even if they were, there’s been little evidence so far in the Democratic primary that any of them would care what voters think. But here’s the deal:

The latest Gallup Tracking poll shows Hillary Clinton leading John McCain with a wider margin than Barack Obama in a national match up. Clinton leads McCain 49-43; Obama leads McCain 47-44.

The new poll, taken Friday through Sunday, shows the “lemming” party falling in behind Obama as expected with 53% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, his highest standing ever and an increase of 9 points in the past month. That’s despite the fact that Obama has only won six of the last 14 primaries, and Clinton has totally mopped the floor with him in three recent contests.

Clinton is supported by 40% of the Democrats.

Considering that the Obama camp and its media allies have been trying to force Hillary Clinton out of the race since New Hampshire, here’s a remarkable finding: Gallup reports there is no groundswell among Democrats for Clinton to quit the race: 59% say she should continue to campaign.

Democratic Party May Not be Choosing Its Strongest Candidate

Photo credits: Doug Mills/NY Times

Paul Harris, writing in Sunday’s Observer (Guardian-UK) before Clinton had swept Puerto Rico, effectively nails the dilemma the Democrats – especially the superdelegates - are facing as the primary winds down:

“With senator Barack Obama poised this week to clinch his party's nomination for President, there are growing fears in some quarters that the Democratic party may not be choosing its strongest candidate to beat Republican John McCain.

"Senator Hillary Clinton has been making that argument for weeks. Now some recent polls and analysis, looking particularly at vital battleground states and support among white voters, have bolstered her case - even as Obama looks certain to become the nominee.

‘“Obama supporters reject this argument and point to his record of boosting Democratic voter turnout, especially among the young. But sceptics in the party, already nervous about nominating Obama after the furore over outspoken pastor Jeremiah Wright, are growing increasingly concerned. 'There is an element of buyer's remorse in some areas. The question is whether it gets really strong now or in September - or even after the election is over, if he loses,' said Steve Mitchell, head of political consultancy Mitchell Research.”

Harris notes the latest firestorm erupting from Obama’s Chicago church:

“Another boost to Clinton's case came late last week after a pro-Obama preacher gave a race-tinged rant against her at Obama's church in Chicago. In a recent sermon Michael Pfleger - a long-term Obama backer who is white - mocked Clinton as an entitled white person angry at a black man having beaten her. His angry, red-faced speech, in which he mimicked Clinton weeping, was played repeatedly across American cable channels and the internet.

“The news sent shock waves through Democratic circles; many had hoped Obama had put 'pastor problems' behind him. 'It is more of the same problem as Wright. It reinforces the image among some voters that Obama does not share their values,' said Mitchell.”

Read More.

P.S.

Hillary defeated Obama in Puerto Rico 2 to 1, trouncing him in every category, including key components of his base: younger people, the college-educated, and those boasting higher incomes.

Hillary Makes Her Case to the Superdelegates

Hillary Clinton sent the following letter to each of the uncommitted superdelegates to make her case as the candidate most likely to defeat John McCain.

Dear ___________,

The stakes in this election are so high: with two wars abroad, our economy in crisis here at home, and so many families struggling across America, the need for new leadership has never been greater.

At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee, and I would like to tell you why I believe I am the stronger candidate against Senator McCain and would be the best President and Commander in Chief.

Voters in every state have made it clear that they want to be heard and counted as part of this historic race. And as we reach the end of the primary season, more than 17 million people have supported me in my effort to become the Democratic nominee – more people than have ever voted for a potential nominee in the history of our party. In the past two weeks alone, record numbers of voters participated in the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. And with 40 and 35 point margins of victory, it is clear that even when voters are repeatedly told this race is over, they’re not giving up on me – and I am not giving up on them either.

After seven years of feeling invisible to the Bush administration, Americans are seeking a President who is strong, experienced, and ready to take on our toughest challenges, from serving as Commander in Chief and ending the war in Iraq to turning our economy around. They want a President who shares their core beliefs about our country and its future and “gets” what they go through every day to care for their families, pay the bills and try to put something away for the future.

We simply cannot afford another four – or eight – years in the wilderness. That is why, everywhere I go, people come up to me, grip my hand or arm, and urge me to keep on running. That is why I continue in this race: because I believe I am best prepared to lead this country as President – and best prepared to put together a broad coalition of voters to break the lock Republicans have had on the electoral map and beat Senator McCain in November.

Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him. And nearly all independent analyses show that I am in a stronger position to win the Electoral College, primarily because I lead Senator McCain in Florida and Ohio. I’ve enclosed a detailed analysis of recent electoral and polling information, and I hope you will take some time to review it carefully.

In addition, when the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries. Ultimately, the point of our primary process is to pick our strongest nominee – the one who would be the best President and Commander in Chief, who has the greatest support from members of our party, and who is most likely to win in November. So I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me.

I am in this race for them — for all the men and women I meet who wake up every day and work hard to make a difference for their families. People who deserve a shot at the American dream – the chance to save for college, a home and retirement; to afford quality health care for their families; to fill the gas tank and buy the groceries with a little left over each month.

I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.

Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.

In the end, I am committed to unifying this party. What Senator Obama and I share is so much greater than our differences; and no matter who wins this nomination, I will do everything I can to bring us together and move us forward.

But at this point, neither of us has crossed the finish line. I hope that in the time remaining, you will think hard about which candidate has the best chance to lead our party to victory in November. I hope you will consider the results of the recent primaries and what they tell us about the mindset of voters in the key battleground states. I hope you will think about the broad and winning coalition of voters I have built. And most important, I hope you will think about who is ready to stand on that stage with Senator McCain, fight for the deepest principles of our party, and lead our country forward into this new century.

Clinton Forestalls Superdelegate Stampede to Obama

Photo credits: CNN

Hillary Clinton used her 41-percentage point victory over Barack Obama in the West Virginia primary to rally her Capitol Hill supporters on Wednesday night.

The Obama team sought to upstage Clinton with the endorsement of successful trial lawyer John Edwards, evidently believing the twice-failed populist candidate (2004 and 2008), known for his expensive haircuts, will be able to help Obama overcome his image as an elitist to win over the blue collar vote.

John Bolton at the Hill reports that Clinton used the meeting with her supporters at the Sewell-Belmont House to drive home the point that she’s more competitive with precisely that category of voter, and in districts where Democrats will face their toughest races this fall.

Bolton notes:

“Clinton has performed better in a swath of House districts that voted for President Bush. She is pressing that record with superdelegates from conservative districts, especially freshman Democrats facing tough races.


“Clinton has circulated a PowerPoint presentation among lawmakers titled “Winning in the Tough Districts.” It highlights that she won 16 of 20 districts that voted for Bush and are now represented by first-term Democrats.


“Many Democratic lawmakers believe winning in these districts will be necessary to protect or expand their majority in Congress.”

Bolton reports further:


“Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.), who is helping Clinton recruit support in the House, said her record in Republican-inclined districts should attract vulnerable freshmen and conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Coalition.


‘“She’s done well in rural districts, and that makes you think these Blue Dogs would be a natural fit,’ said Berry, who represents a district Bush won in 2004.


“Clinton won the districts represented by freshman Democrats, Gabrielle Giffords (Ariz.), Jerry McNerney (Calif.), Tim Mahoney (Fla.) and Nick Lampson (Texas), who are all uncommitted superdelegates.


“Several freshman superdelegates from Republican-leaning districts recently declared their support for Clinton: Reps. Chris Carney (D-Pa.), Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas).


“Obama has picked up more superdelegates than Clinton in recent days. A tally kept by The Hill shows that he has received endorsements from 106 members of Congress to Clinton’s 100.

“But Clinton has forestalled a superdelegate stampede to Obama.”

Now it’s onward to the Kentucky primary for Clinton, where she’s expected to sweep to another double-digit win over Obama.

Hillary Clinton - Winner in Tough Districts – Outperforms Obama Among Key Demographics

Photo credits: Getty



Talking Post Memo has posted a convincing Power-Point presentation the Clinton campaign has emailed to all Democrats in the House showing her electability and her ability to carry tough swing districts.

TPM’s Greg Sargent reports the gist of Hillary’s argument is that she has beaten Obama in the vast majority of tough red-leaning House districts, and has consistently outperformed him among key demographics -- seniors, Hispanics, and rural voters.

Sargent suggests that the Clinton campaign is “racheting up its behind-the-scenes campaign to win over uncommitted super-dels in the campaign's final days…”

Note to Mr. Sargent:

Clinton is simply getting the facts out to the superdelegates to help them avoid the dangerous affliction of Obama intoxication. Clinton’s Power-Point presentation accurately portrays her - the winner in tough districts - as the candidate who can win the presidency in November.

Clinton Supporters in Congress Unified Behind Her

Photo credits: Clinton Webcast

The Hill reported today that “most Clinton supporters in Congress remained unified behind the candidate. Pro-Clinton Democrats frequently invoked sports metaphors to argue that Clinton could make a fourth-quarter comeback — comparing her to Eli Manning, the New York Giants once-maligned quarterback who led his team to an improbable victory in the Super Bowl.”

The Hill also quoted Lanny Davis, a regular contributor to The Hill's Pundits Blog who does not have a formal role with the Clinton campaign: “You will not find one Republican, including Karl Rove, who would rather face Hillary Clinton [in the general election].”

Clinton Tops Obama’s Support from Former DNC Chairs

The Obama campaign shouted from the rooftops this week the endorsement of two former Democratic National Chairs: Paul Kirk and Joe Andrew. Well, they can stop gloating; their two DNC chairs don't amount to much compared to the list of those who support Hillary Clinton.

CNN’s Political Ticker posted this afternoon news that seven former Democratic National Committee chairs who support Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, and the family of one who is deceased, released a letter Friday arguing that she is the candidate best-equipped to beat John McCain in November.

CNN reports: “The letter was signed by former party leaders Kenneth Curtis, Charles Manatt, Debra DeLee, Don Fowler, Steve Grossman, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, and Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe. It was also signed by the family of the late Ron Brown, who served in the Clinton administration.”

As quoted by CNN, the former DNC chairs wrote:

“if the election were held today, Hillary would beat Senator McCain, but Senator Obama would lose to the presumptive GOP nominee.


“Hillary has run one of the most formidable campaigns in the history of our Party,” the chairs wrote, listing Clinton’s primary season victories. “Her base of support includes women, Hispanics, seniors, Catholics, middle and low income Americans, and rural, suburban and urban voters. That’s a formidable coalition tailor-made for victory in a November general election.

“…We encourage you to continue to fully consider Hillary Clinton and the fact that she is qualified and accomplished. Too much is at stake for us not to consider deeply the choice we must make for our Party and our country.”

Read More at CNN.

Breaking News for Hillary Is all Good

Photo credits: aolcdn.com

Superdelegate Bill George, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO president, has announced his support for Sen. Clinton. With George's support, Clinton extends her lead over fellow Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama to 16-5 among Pennsylvania superdelegates.

And in North Carolina, on the heels of Gov. Easley’s formal endorsement this week, the Clinton Campaign has upped the odds for Hillary with a very moving one-minute ad featuring Maya Angelou. Watch the ad at Talking Points Memo.

Recent polls show Hillary closing the gap in North Carolina, and Eric Kleefeld at TPM points out: “if she can win Indiana and deprive Obama of a North Carolina landslide, that would go a very long way in making her case to super-delegates that Obama is really a weak candidate.”

Clinton Gains Second Ohio Superdelegate in Two Days

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of northeastern Ohio has announced his support for Hillary Clinton for president. Ryan joins Congresswoman Betty Sutton as the second Democratic Ohio superdelegate to back Clinton in two days.

In announcing his support, Ryan said, "The people of the 17th (Congressional) District overwhelmingly voted for Senator Clinton in the Democratic primary. I look forward to working with her to see that our community is the beneficiary of her economic policies."

Clinton Adds Three Superdelegates in 36 Hours

In addition to Sophie Masloff, the former mayor of Pittsburgh, Hillary Clinton picked up the support of Bill Burga, a former president of the Ohio AFL-CIO and Jackie Speier, a California lawmaker who this week took over the late Tom Santos’s seat in Congress. That’s a gain of three superdelegates for Hillary in the past 36 hours.

Hillary Clinton Gains Powerful Pennsylvania Endorsement

James O’Toole in the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette reported today:


“Former Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff will endorse Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton when the New York senator appears this evening for the Allegheny County Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at Heinz Field.”

"It's been very difficult for me to sit on the sidelines and fail to support a woman," Masloff said, “a Democratic superdelegate who had been neutral in the presidential race. "For a long time, I was convinced I shouldn't make a public choice. We have two wonderful candidates. But finally, I just couldn't sit on the fence."

Masloff is the second Pennsylvania superdelegate to move into the Clinton column in recent weeks. Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Johnstown, the dean of the state's congressional delegation, announced his support for Mrs. Clinton last month.

Masloff’s endorsement gives Sen. Clinton 253 superdelegates to Sen. Obama’s 224.

Peter Daou Shatters Myths from the Obama Camp

Wow! Over at HuffingtonPost this morning, Peter Daou is breathtaking as myth buster. Daou shatters three major myths about the Democratic race. First off he nails the Obama camp with the same charges I’ve been repeating endlessly for weeks now:

“MYTH: Barack Obama is running a positive campaign that will unite Americans.

“FACT: Barack Obama and his advisers have conducted a divisive "full assault" on Hillary's character.”

Daou explains:

“While talking a lot about the politics of hope, change and unity, Sen. Obama and his campaign have been conducting a relentless and singularly personal assault on Hillary's character. They have blanketed big states with false negative mailers and radio ads and have described Hillary and her campaign as ‘disingenuous,’ ‘divisive,’ ‘untruthful,’ ‘dishonest,’ ‘polarizing,’ ‘calculating,’ ‘saying whatever it takes to win,’ ‘attempting to deceive the American people,’ ‘one of the most secretive in America,’ ‘deliberately misleading,’ ‘literally willing to do anything to win,’ and ‘playing politics with war.’

“This ‘full assault’ on Hillary's integrity and character has reached a new peak since Hillary's victories on March 4th. One of Sen. Obama's top surrogates equated President Clinton with Joe McCarthy; another called Hillary a ‘monster;’ and his campaign manager held an angry conference call claiming that Hillary is ‘deeply flawed’ and has ‘character issues.’ That's neither unifying nor hopeful. If Sen. Obama really is the prohibitive favorite some say he is, these negative attacks make absolutely no sense. Why would a frontrunner seek to attack and divide? If Sen. Obama can't unify Democrats in a primary, how can he unify Americans in a general election?”

Allow me to repeat Daou’s question: “If Sen. Obama can't unify Democrats in a primary, how can he unify Americans in a general election?”

In the second myth, despite what all the pundits are saying – Howard Kurtz’s column in yesterday’s WaPo was titled: “Hillary’s Last Rites?” – Daou shatters this one as effectively as he did the first:

“MYTH: The delegate ‘math’ works decisively against Hillary.”

“FACT: The delegate math reflects an extremely close race that either candidate can win.”

Daou explains:

“‘The Math’ is actually very simple: with hundreds of delegates still uncommitted, NEITHER candidate has reached the number of delegates required to secure the nomination. And EITHER candidate can reach the required number in the coming weeks and months. That is indisputable. No amount of editorials, articles, blog posts, charts, graphs, calculations, formulas, or projections will change the basic fact that either candidate can win. Pundits who confidently proclaim that Hillary has no hope of winning because of ‘the math,’ have counted Hillary out of this race three times before. Each time they based their sober assessments on 'facts' and 'realities' -- and each time they were wrong.

“In a campaign with dozens of unexpected twists and turns, bold prognostications should be viewed with a healthy dose of skepticism. Look no further than Sen. Obama's ‘full assault’ on Hillary's character to judge whether he thinks this election is over. The fact is this: Hillary and Sen. Obama are locked in a very close, hard-fought campaign and Hillary is demonstrating precisely the strength of character required of a president. Her resilience in the face of adversity, her faith in the voters, her capacity to rise to every challenge, are part of the reason she is the best general election candidate for Democrats. And it is why she is increasingly strong against John McCain in the polls at the same time that Sen. Obama is dropping against Sen. McCain.”

Finally, Daou shatters the myth about the superdelegates:

“MYTH: For Hillary to win, super delegates must ‘overturn the will of the people.’

“FACT: The race is virtually tied, the ‘will of the people’ is split, and both candidates need super delegates to win.”

Hint: As Daou explains, the election is not over yet:

“The Obama campaign and Sen. Obama's surrogates have engaged in a sustained public relations effort to convince people that the election is over and that if super delegates perform their established role of choosing a candidate who they believe will make the best nominee and president, they are somehow ‘overturning the will of the people.’ They have the audacity to make this argument while quietly and systematically courting those very same super delegates. They are courting them because they know that Sen. Obama needs super delegates to win. The Obama spin is being parroted daily by pundits, but it is patently false. The race is virtually tied; the ‘will of the people’ is split. By virtually every measure, Hillary and Sen. Obama are neck and neck -- separated by less than 130 of the more than 3,100 delegates committed thus far and less than 1% of the 27 million+ votes cast, including Florida and Michigan. Less than 1%.
“An incremental advantage for one candidate or the other is hardly a reason for super delegates to change the rules mid-game. Despite the Obama campaign's aggressive spin and pressure, the RULES require super delegates to exercise their best independent judgment, and that is what they will do. Even Sen. Obama's top strategist agrees they should. If not, then why don't prominent Obama endorsers like Senators Kerry (MA) and Kennedy (MA), and Governors Patrick (MA), Napolitano (AZ) and Richardson (NM) follow the will of their constituents and switch their support to Hillary? After all, she won their states. And if this is truly about the ‘will of the people,’ then Sen. Obama's short-sighted tactic to run out the clock on a revote in Florida and Michigan accomplishes exactly two things: it disenfranchises Florida and Michigan's voters; and it hurts Democrats in a general election. Apparently, for the Obama campaign, the ‘will of the people’ is just words.”

Note: Peter Daou is the Clinton Campaign’s Internet Director.

Obama and Clinton: The Countdown for Delegates and Superdelegates

Obama and Clinton split the delegates from Obama’s win in yesterday’s Wyoming caucus 7-5, netting Obama just two delegates. The two Democratic candidates will face off again in Tuesday’s primary in Mississippi, which Obama is also expected to win. Both candidates are looking ahead to delegate-rich Pennsylvania on April 22, where polls show Clinton with a solid, double-digit lead.

Obama now has a total of 1,578 pledged delegates compared to 1,468 delegates for Clinton, according to the Associated Press. Of the 719 known superdelegates, Clinton has the support of 242, and Obama has the backing of 210. A group of 77 “add-ons” will be named later by state party leaders.

Dan Balz reports in today’s Washington Post: “Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's trio of victories over Sen. Barack Obama last week appears to have convinced a sizable number of uncommitted Democratic superdelegates to wait until the end of the primaries and caucuses before picking a candidate, according to a survey by The Washington Post.”

Balz desribes the superdelegates as “a cross-section of the party, young and old, women and men, of all races and creeds, famous and obscure. They approach the role with more caution than gusto -- and they are now among the most closely monitored Americans on the planet, the focus of elaborate courting and tracking inside the Clinton and Obama campaigns.

“By one analysis provided to The Post, half of the uncommitted delegates are elected officials, almost a third come from states that have not yet held primaries or caucuses, a third are women, and about a fifth are black or Hispanic. Others say there is no real pattern to who has taken sides and who remains on the fence.”
Read More:

NYTimes Miscalls: Lewis Has Not Switched to Obama

Photo credits: John Nowak, NYTimes

According to the Atlanta Journal-Consitution the NYTimes story reporting that U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) had decided to drop his support for Hillary Clinton and back Barack Obama is ‘inaccurate.’ The AJC article indicated that Lewis press secretary Brenda Jones had not responded to a request for clarification.

The AJC reported that Georgia’s 13 Democratic superdelegates have pledged their support to Obama and Clinton as follows, with several remaining uncommitted:

“Congress. Lewis had been backing Clinton. Scott is now with Obama, as are U.S. Reps. Hank Johnson and Sanford Bishop. The other two, Jim Marshall and John Barrow, have not publicly committed to either Obama or Clinton. Marshall, who as a super delegate has never endorsed a Democratic presidential nominee, said he didn't feel the need to go through the process of selecting one this year either. "This is not a decision I may have to make," Marshall said Friday. "It's my view that the votes of the super delegates are likely to be muted long before we get to the convention." Marshall said he expects Clinton or Obama – "more likely Obama" – to gather the 2,025 delegates they need before the party convention convenes this summer. Barrow, a Savannah Democrat, has still not decided whom he'll support as a super delegate to the party's national convention, his spokeswoman said. "He's still uncommitted," spokeswoman Jane Brodsky said. Both lawmakers live in swing districts and so are wary of siding with a more liberal national Democrat unacceptable to their constituents, fearing it would cause a backlash against the incumbents in their generally conservative home areas. Of the remaining seven superdelegates, party vice-chair Thurmond has endorsed Clinton; union leader and DNC member Lonnie Plotts told the AJC he has committed to vote for Clinton; Carole Dabbs, former aide to U.S. Sen. Max Cleland, has reportedly agreed to back Clinton; and DNC members Mary Long and Richard Ray, state party chairwoman Jane Kidd and former President Jimmy Carter all say they remain uncommitted.”

Still Leading Obama in Delegates, Clinton Beefs Up Her Campaign

Photo Credits: Associated Press

Despite Barack Obama’s recent wins, CNN calculates this morning that Hillary Clinton still maintains a 27-delegate lead over Obama, 1,148 to 1,121. CNN includes an ongoing tally of superdelegates in their count.

To beef up her campaign, Clinton raised more than $10 million in the past few days, and she recently brought in longtime aide Maggie Williams to replace Patti Solis Doyle as campaign manager. Solis Doyle will stay on as as a senior advisor to the campaign.