A Pickup of 40 Superdelegates?

May 23, 2008 · Posted in Election 2008 

This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this rumor. It first surfaced out of the reports of the California State Convention last week, where the final delegates were chosen and a resolution for party unity was affirmed by the Obama and Clinton camps.

The Field has learned that Cardoza is the first of a group of at least 40 Clinton delegates, many of them from California, that through talking among themselves came to a joint decision that all of them would vote for Obama at the convention. They have informed Senator Clinton that it’s time to unite around Obama, and that they will be coming out, one or two at a time, and announcing their switch between now and the convention if Senator Clinton doesn’t do the same.

This would end it, because it would result in a net 80-delegate spread, taking one out of Clinton’s column and adding one to Obama’s column. 40 will not give him the magic 2025, but I suspect it is the beginning of the superdelegates’ signal to Senator Clinton that Barack Obama is the choice for party nominee.

Cardoza’s endorsement also had a warning:

I am deeply concerned about the contentious primary campaign and controversy surrounding the seating of delegates from Florida and Michigan – two states Democrats need to win in November. I will not support changing the rules in the fourth quarter of this contest through some convoluted DNC rules committee process. Yet, we must find a resolution to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates so these states’ voters are represented at the Convention. I believe we need to avoid this potentially divisive situation by uniting behind one nominee and bringing the party together immediately. Therefore, I have made the decision to support Senator Obama at the Democratic Convention in my role as a super delegate.”

Yes, this is exactly what the superdelegates should be doing. The key, of course, is to do it in a way that allows South Dakota and Montana to have their say.

And in the meantime, let’s hope Senator Clinton takes a bit more care with her words. We know she thinks they’re “just words”, but words inflict pain as well as inspire.

Cardoza’s endorsement means game, set, match.

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Comments

  • Great post. It's good to see Clinton's true colors showing and us Californian's are finally stepping up to show the country that we're not afraid to speak and vote our minds in this Democratic primary.

    I have great admiration for Cardoza for this bold move and I hope that others follow. Our goal is to win the election in November and we have to unite behind one candidate NOW so we'll have the proper time to prepare. He's absolutely right, it's time to unite and we cannot afford to waste any more time playing Clinton's "try to win the nomination at any cost" game. Our party can't afford such a costly game...

    -Kenneth
  • Hi Debbie,

    It does my heart good to see California leading the way on this, too. It was so ironic to see my state finally have a say in the primary process and then realize that the primary was so early that Obama didn't have the chance to overtake Clinton, even though he would today.

    Cardoza seems to be putting out the call to make the Rules Committee meeting moot by inviting superdelegates to step out now and make their preferences known. Because of the timing of the primaries, they may have to come out in force before June 3rd, so as to neutralize any battleground Clinton may think she has there.
  • Karoli, man, thanks for this post. 'tis spot-on. I esp. appreciate that Cardoza was careful to articulate the need to recognize the voters of MI and FL. they should count. they deserve to count. it isn't their fault that the system is so STUPID broken.

    (meanwhile, Clinton's attempt to wrangle that fact to her advantage is more evidence of patheticness on her part, but -- digression.)

    etc.
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