And so once again Ohio election officials are unable to properly run an election. Despite the fact that there has been record turn outs in Democratic races everywhere and despite the fact that registration was up, Ohio election officials still did not have enough paper ballots. This is partly due to an apparent late decision over the electronic voting machines. Another part of the problem was reported high cross over voting from Republicans which is another reason why cross over voting ought to be banned.
Then in Texas, the only state where you vote in a primary AND a caucus, rooms were overflowing to the extent that all supporters of either candidate were unable to fit at caucusing places. It is clear that the completely DUMB Texas process has disenfranchinsed both the voters and the candidates. Texas needs to do either a primary or caucus. Not both.
In any event, barring some unforeseen event this race is going to come down to the superdelegates. Let's get this straight, the superdelegates were not created to reflect the popular will. They were not created to rubber stamp the "choice of the people." If that was the purpose they would never had been created in the first place. The role of the superdelegates is to maintain control of the "process" so that the "wild public" cannot do "damage" to the party by voting for a candidate that either can't win or is anti-thetical to the party "needs."
Now a days the media has taken over much of the purpose of the superdelegate. The media can kill a candidacy by simply ignoring or ridiculing a candidate. So the DNC does not have to worry about people like Kucinich or Sharpton ever getting close to the nomination. Similarly a Ron Paul is equally unlikely to get very far. So what's really left for the superdelegates to do is decide which candidate is most likely to win and folks up until last night I thought that was Obama. However; as Clinton said last night, no president in recent history has won the presidency without winning Ohio. Obama took the cities where the most votes are, but Hillary took the rest of the state. In fact where Hillary lost, she still got more votes than McCain got in his win. And remember, this happened after what I consider to be minor attacks on Obama by Clinton. I'm not buying the "Clinton camp sent out the African garb picture." because I get mail from myself all the time, e-mail headers are easy to forge and there are a lot of people out there who have pictures of Obama and want to see him, well, dead, who would gladly send such a e-mail. The resco thing is old and the NAFTA commentary I think is fair game. Not that Hillary has a better plan on that subject but her advisor wasn't caught discussing "political posturing" to Canadian officials. Obama must know that it's not what you do that's important but what you get caught doing that is important.
in any event If Hillary does get the nomination those superdelegates that changes sides when she appeared to be losing ought to be pretty concerned. If Hillary is anything like me, she hates and despises people who are not loyal and will plan on some way to pay them back. I think James Clyburn of South Carolina said it best:
I still remain studiously neutral. I think that the historical significance of so-called superdelegates, these are unpledged delegates, is very, very important for us to maintain. We are in place in order to either extend the wishes of the voters or to try to make corrections if they need to be made.
The superdelegate's job is not to influence the primaries and caucuses by endorsing any candidate. The superdelegate is supposed to wait until it is their turn to weigh in.
Lastly, on Florida and Michigan I find myself in agreement with Al Sharpton, that as it stands they ought not seat the delegates from those states because the elections that were carried out there were flawed. However, given that neither candidate will reach the magic number, I think the DNC ought to reset the voting for those two states. If for no other reason than that many superdelegates and Obama himself have made the claim of the popular will (which, interestingly enough Obama has changed his tune on and is now talking about delegates mattering more than the results.) Had the elections gone down when they were scheduled it is likely that Obama would have lost Florida and the Michigan primary would have been close given the state demographics.
However, Obamas current strength may make the results go in his favor in Florida. So the only way I would agree to a seating of delegates from those states would be under those circumstances. New voting for both states or nothing.
In closing we note that Clinton is apparently floating the idea of a Clinton-Obama ticket which I said is the best ticket that a Clinton headed ticket could have and would in my opinion be a clean sweep. Clinton needs Obama more than Obama has needed Clinton and I still think that is the case. If both of these cats are real about the need to "end it now." they ought to sit in a room with no press and no advisors and talk it out. I'm a seniority person and I think that Clinton ought to head the ticket based on that especially given that they both have virtually identical positions. Obama can run for president next time and still be a young face with none of the "experience" liabilities. They'd have the womens vote wrapped up, the youth vote wrapped up. the Hispanic vote wrapped up and the black vote wrapped up.
But let me repeat, for all those who may be confused by that last paragraph: I support neither candidate. Neither one fits my politics. My comments are a basic analysis of "the game." Nothing more. Nothing less.
Technorati Tags: 2008 US Elections
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