General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I'm gonna leave the dem party if I have to listen for one more second [View all]Jim Lane
(11,175 posts)I don't like the term "rigged" because it's too vague, but it's clear that the nomination fight wasn't completely perfect. The most notable example is that thousands of people in New York had their registrations changed, without their knowledge, so that they couldn't vote in the Democratic primary. IIRC a couple Board of Elections officers have been suspended while the investigation goes forward. I've heard no indication that the Clinton campaign played a role in this, but my impression is that most of the affected voters were Bernie supporters.
Even if that illegal maneuver benefited a highly qualified candidate whose candidacy was historic because of her gender, it was still illegal. It should be thoroughly investigated and the guilty parties punished, with steps being taken to prevent a recurrence.
People who say "rigged" also criticize the superdelegate rule as undemocratic. They point out, correctly, that Clinton had a big leg up on winning the nomination before a single vote was cast. One specific proposed reform is to modify or eliminate the rule. There are colorable arguments on both sides, but it's not sexism and it's not refighting the primary for Democrats to want to change the current setup.