Dean says Super Delegates have every right to "do what they want"

[ruggerson]

He says it is unlikely that they will go against BOTH the pledged delegate leader and the popular vote leader, "But it is possible and they have every right to do it.”

“If it’s very very close, they will do what they want anyway,” said Mr Dean.

“I think the race is going to come down to the perception in the last six or eight races of who the best opponent for McCain will be."


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3d03a310-12f7-11dd-8d91-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

[LakeSamish706]

1. According to the rules established by the DNC I agree with Howard Dean....

There is a however of course... If they go against the person that is the obvious winner, (most of them are in elected positions) they will risk not being re-elected themselves again.

[ruggerson]

10. There is no "winner" this year

until the super D's have weighed in.

[LakeSamish706]

16. Oh yes there is a "winner" and that person is the one that holds the most...

delegates.. I understand that they may or not be at the magic marker of 2025 or 2024 whatever the number is, but Obama is clearly ahead of Clinton and therefore is the presumed winner.

[ruggerson]

17. that's completely erroneous

there is no "winner" until one candidate amasses a MAJORITY of all pledged and Super delegates. One candidate may be "ahead", but they are neither the winner nor the "presumed winner" until they have the requisite number of delegates.

[LakeSamish706]

21. I might agree with you, but as I said.. It is very doubtful that the SD's are going to go against..

the candidate that has the most delegates.... And one thing I would say to something any different is that there is no way in hell if that happened that Clinton would win in November anyway, cause there would be a mass exodus from the Democratic party like you would not believe. I would venture to say that not only would a huge number of African Americans abandon the party, but many young people and old alike. If thats what the Clintons and there supporters want, then just keep up with the Bullshit that says she has a hope in hell of winning.

[thunder rising]

2. I propose a BCS model.

It's the same problem that college football had where late losses cost more the early one.

[MercutioATC]

4. Submit your plan.

Maybe we'll be using it in the next race.

[MercutioATC]

3. He's absolutely right. They were intentionally created that way.

Agree with Dean or not, he speaks the truth.

It would have been easy for him to spin this issue. I'm very happy that he didn't.

[dchill]

18. Dean didn't spin it - he left that to ruggerson.

[FlyingSquirrel]

5. Dean doesn't wanna tick off the Supers or they won't do what he wants...

which is for them to endorse sooner rather than later.

[kenny blankenship]

6. They can destroy their own futures and the Party's if they feel like it.

So good of you to point that out!

I fear insights like yours are getting lost in all the clamor to give the winner of the primaries his precious nomination so he can begin campaigning against the Republican.

[NJSecularist]

7. Good for Dean. I am glad he is not forcing the superdelegates to chose a specific candidate.

They have every right to do what they want. Their entire purpose was to make sure that the nomination was given to the most electable candidate, not the candidate with the most pledged delegates.

[John Q. Citizen]

15. If your interpretation as to the SD's purpose is correct, then Obama is a shoe in.

Sen. Clinton's unfavorable ratings are sky high and climbing as you are probably aware.

It's interesting that she had something like 200 SD's publicly committed to her before the voting even began. Is it your opinion that they committed not out of loyalty and past relationships with her but out of pragmatism? And if that's the case, why would Clinton surrogate Carville accuse a super delegate of disloyalty instead of being un-pragmatic?

[cali]

8. Sadly, no matter how often Dean demonstrates

that he's behaving in a scrupulously fair manner, some hillworlders will continue frothing at the mouth and demanding he be removed. See it here day in and day out. Disgusting.

[ruggerson]

13. "hillworlders?"

Are those people who hang out at Sugarbush or Stowe? Those are pretty hilly areas.

[Olney Blue]

9. I would hate to have his job right now.

[Condem]

11. Why bring that up, Ruggerson?

Their all going Obamas way.

[madfloridian]

12. Here is the full quote:

"However, he added that it was highly unlikely that the superdelegates – of whom roughly 300 out of 800 remain undecided – would go against whichever candidate was ahead on the popular vote and among pledged delegates in practice. “I think it is very unlikely – I have never seen it happen. In fact it has never happened. But it is possible and they have every right to do it."

He has to quote the rules and leave it to others to speculate.

[dchill]

20. Thanks for posting this - I'm sure ruggerson can't wait...

to edit it into the OP!
;)

[ruggerson]

22. it's in the op

why do you think I put the link there? Along with quotes from Dr Dean.

[dchill]

24. I know why you put the link there...

so you wouldn't have to include this in the OP:

"However, he added that it was highly unlikely that the superdelegates – of whom roughly 300 out of 800 remain undecided – would go against whichever candidate was ahead on the popular vote and among pledged delegates in practice. “I think it is very unlikely – I have never seen it happen. In fact it has never happened. But it is possible and they have every right to do it."

It's common spin practice. Quote only that which bolsters your view. It's fine, but it's also fine to call you on it.

[ruggerson]

25. Which is what I wrote in the very first line of the OP

He says it is unlikely that they will go against BOTH the pledged delegate leader and the popular vote leader.


Your spin bout my intent is out of line.

[Rageneau]

14. Rules are rules -- just like in Florida and Michigan, right?

[ruggerson]

19. I am against seating FL and Michigan

and have said so for months.

I was in favor of a revote in Michigan, since that was within the DNC rules, but Obama's supporters in the Michigan senate killed that idea.

Whatever the credentials committee decides will be the legitimate outcome, as they are the body empowered by the DNC to settle the dispute.

[LakeSamish706]

23. Well I don't think that it will get to the credentials committee, I think that the SD's will...

cross over for Obama in the not to distant future.