Hillary Nabs A Super-Delegate
Hillary rolls out her first super-del of the day, Louisiana Democratic State Party Chair Chris Whittington.
Tellingly, the Clinton camp's release on this took care to highlight a quote in which Wittington explicitly citing a belief in Hillary's superior elecability to explain the endorsement -- and stressed that other super-dels have a responsibility to follow suit.
"There is no question that she is the strongest Democrat to go toe-to-toe with John McCain in a general election," Wittington said. "It is our responsibility as automatic delegates to choose the candidate we believe best fit to beat Senator McCain."
Still, the math appears inexorable: The Obama camp's numbers put him 44 delegates away from the magic number of 2,118.















Yawn.
June 2, 2008 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't have a problem if Hillary gets her share of endorsements, as long as these retards comeout and get done with it. I don't understand why these cowards are hanging at the side lines.
June 2, 2008 10:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Vince Foster?
June 2, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
I spent a decade and change defending the Clintons against the Vince Foster charge . . . Now my winger friends just sit across from me at dinner and give me stink-eye . . .
June 2, 2008 11:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Until they change the magic number again and make Obama prove again that he really is the Magic Negro.
*sigh*
June 2, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
This just in:
Clinton camp calls for states she won to be worth double. Her reason being: she deserves it.
June 2, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Guess they don't read Vanity Fair down in Louisiana.
Oh look at me, I made a meanie.
June 2, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, sounds like Hillary's campaingn is going inactive in the very least....
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0608/Clinton_camp_converging_on_New_York_Tuesday_and_shedding_staff.html
June 2, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Talk about political suicide. Why on earth would you endorse the clintons at this point? It doesn't make any sense. I could see waiting on the sidelines if you really, really wanted to endorse the clintons, but coming out now? Stupid move.
June 2, 2008 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Candidly, the guy is from LA. Black is not the "it" thing yet. He is playing safe.
June 2, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
now hillary only needs 199 more delegates!
June 2, 2008 11:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
The repoters should have asked him to lift his shirt and show the bruises.
June 2, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very true Richard.
June 2, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
huh. That's keeping with recent Claims against the La Dems.
http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/NEWS01/80508007
Sen. Don Cravins Jr., Sen. Lydia Jackson and Rep. Michael Jackson say the state and national Democratic parties have failed to recruit and support black candidates to run for federal and statewide offices. They said there’s disparity between how the party treats black and white candidates.
June 2, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
If she was such a strong candidate how did she manage to lose the nomination? I'm so sick of this ongoing idiocy I could SCREAM! John McCain is toast this cycle, we could run Asparagus against John McCain and the vegetable would win.
June 2, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
ASPARAGUS FOR VP!!!
Wait, asparagus IS sort of an elitist vegetable.
CANNED GREEN BEANS for VEEP!
June 2, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Elitism is good - Asparagus/Arugula '08!
June 2, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
we could run Asparagus against John McCain and the vegetable would win.
You really think McCain would beat the Asparagus?
June 2, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's why Hillary Clinton so deparately wants to run this year, since she knows ANYTHING could beat McSame.
June 2, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is a scorch earth tactic. Give me the nomination and we will lose. Even though her popularity in the polls only goes up as she falls further behind.
June 2, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Her magic number is now 199. With 227 total delegates not yet announced, Clinton needs 88% of ALL remaining delegates.
Even after it is mathematically impossible she will claim the Suprs can still switch. If she makes this claim on Wednesday, I expect a deluge of defections from the Clinton camp.
I am hopefull she will concede Wednesday morning and suspend her campaign. Stranger things have happened.
June 2, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now that is some quality bullshit right there!
sorry, having the name "Clinton" on the ticket in any way shape or form will drive up GOP turnout. Why do you think Rush Limbaugh was so pro Hillary that he got dittoheads to vote for her?
June 2, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Second. If you read the earlier psot you hada heads up that Irene Stein of NY already came out this am.
June 2, 2008 10:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
How much did that endorsement cost the debt ridden Clinton camp?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/19/superdelegates-turned-dow_n_102450.html
June 2, 2008 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, except the polls show Obama is doing better, but whatever. Oh, and common sense.
I love that he said "automatic" delegates, you can tell it was completely scripted by Hillary's campaign, just stuffed full of talking points.
Give me a break.
June 2, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
That jumped right out at me too. It may not have been scripted, but he sure bought into the framing.
June 2, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone calling themselves "automatic delegates" have pretty much broadcast where their political allegiance lies.
June 2, 2008 11:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Right. That's actually strategically kind of idiotic. I mean, why not pretend not to be a total patsy? Make it look like a MOVEMENT, a real independent decision.
June 2, 2008 11:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Who knows the inner workings going on with some of these people? Maybe in his district it would be political suicide to back Obama. I don't know his area well at all.
On the whole, I want to acknowledge one thing. Hillary Clinton put to rest the notion a woman is weak and cannot run the country. And for that one thing, I thank her. She was not the woman meant for this time, but she has put to rest the concept that it can be done. I would only ask that she concedes with grace and does not blame her loss on sexism or the media, but rather, states that it was a close race. I hope to hear let's get behind the nominee and win this thing, especially for all women with the threat of John McCain's having any say over federal court picks and the Supreme Court. And I hope she does it by Wednesday.
June 2, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Clintons will be calling in their past favors and IOU's and putting alot of pressure on some SD's. I'm not concerned that they will get a few of them but Obama will be landing the SD'S in bunches today and tomorrow!
June 2, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have unearthed Europe's "The Final Countdown" on the jukebox, and send it out to Hillary R. Clinton - you fought well, but it's montage time! Some creative YouTube maven, get on it!
Da da daaa daaa da da dum dum dum... da da daaa daaa da da dum dum dum...
June 2, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Newsflash: "Chris Whittington bannishes himself to political obscurity for no good reason."
June 2, 2008 11:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
His state Governor is rumored (who knows) for McCain's short list for VP. They are passing more and more conservative bills, and the Governor is Catholic, as in a REAL Catholic that believes all the B.S. (Sorry if I offend, but being raised in that environment including boarding schools, I feel I have the right to put that in there.) In any event, I don't think this SD was helping HRC as much a protecting himself, if that makes sense. Just my guess.
June 2, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pippi - I'm sure you're right about his local politics calculation. I just wanted to belittle the guy for rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. :)
PS - You're not offending me on the Catholic stuff; I'm a disillusioned Boston Catholic.
PPS - GO CELTICS!!
June 2, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
There is a particular local context with tensions between Black wing of the party in LA which has been complaining for a while about their treatment at the hands of the state party.
See the third party run of a black Democrat against Cayazous in November.
In this case, I suspect there is a local politics play that could explain things.
Not to diminish the fact that there are a handful of SDs who do buy the electability argument ...
June 2, 2008 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
In it to win it!
June 2, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Mr. Whittington,
About this:
No, she isn't. She can't draw as sharp a contrast with McCain can on Iraq, thanks to that vote. Iraq? You know, the war that everyone hates at this point.
You think sexism cost her in the nominating process? It would be exponentially worse in the general election. And all those women voters who came out during the primary/caucus season? Women vote proportionately less in the general election.
That Vanity Fair article about Bill Clinton that just came out? The Obama campaign has demonstrated amazing restraint when it comes to Bubba. McCain and the Republicans won't. Bill's problems will be front and center. We'll get to relive the 90s, and not in a good way, either.
The only way Clinton is stronger against McCain is if you ignore reality.
Which seems to be strong suit of Clinton supporters.
June 2, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Long time until the convention and supers can swith until the vote on the floor.
Anything can happen.
June 2, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure gotalife you don't watch any sport. You never really can tell the difference between a good game and just a game, can you?
June 2, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jeez, I'm shaking in my booties....
June 2, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Watching both candidates speeches last night, two things jumped out at me. 1. Hillary begging her supporters to continue financing her failed campaign.
2. When Obama mentioned Hillary there was a polite silence; when Hillary mentioned Obama, her crowd booed and hissed.
Hillary and most of her supporters are tacky.
June 2, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary's gonna be at Baruch College in Manhattan on Tuesday night.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/events/ticketed/20080603NewYork/
Would've been more appropriate if she had her event at Madison Square Garden. Her campaign reminds me of the Knicks - high expectations, loads of money spent, little success.
June 2, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to mention colossally bad management (Dolan? Thomas? I'm talking about you!).
June 2, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. Not only bad management, but bad management that was clung to for far too long. Also: A complete lack of team chemistry (was it Penn and Ickes who had the "F*** you" "no, f*** you" exchange?), over-emphasis on short term gains to the detriment of long term goals, etc. I could go on and on...
June 2, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Was it in the UK Telegraph that someone linked to, where Gov. Rendell said the Clinton camp was confused as to why, despite her recent wins, the SDs have not been coming on board? It' so hard to believe that this is a genuine question that the campaign is asking itself. If they attempted to answer it honestly, wouldn't they surmise that it's because first of all, she's losing and second--and most importantly--they do not think she is the best candidate for the GE?
It's also hard to believe that Super Delegate supporters haven't just come out and told Hillary why they are not endorsing her.
It's all so mind-blowing at times.
June 2, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pippi says, "Hillary Clinton put to rest the notion a woman is weak and cannot run the country".
Pippi, I have a lot of respect for the insights of your posts and for the grace with which you express those insights. On this point I can't agree -- On the one hand, I've never thought that "a woman is weak and cannot run the country" But I also do not think that Hillary Clinton has shown that SHE could run the country, and I don't think that she has shown strength. Respectfully submitted, Hector
June 2, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Terry Mac just once again told the world, via CNN, that 2118 is NOT the magic number to reach, but 2210 is!
And that all of Obama's SD's are fair game for the picking throughout the ENTIRE SUMMER.
I'm a devout Obama supporter, but I honestly do not see this thing ending this week...or even this month, despite news of her shedding campaign workers.
June 2, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
On laying off staffers,,,,,,,,, one might not need line troup staffers if the plan is to spend the summer on the phone to SDs,,,,,,,,,,,, self delusion and avarice proceedeth apace.
June 2, 2008 12:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am glad he's for the underdog and doesn't mind standing up for the losing team. That shows courage of his conviction.
We know one super delegate who won't be in the Obama administration, since it wasn't his responsibility to elect President Obama.
June 2, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm... Considering that the last two elections have, arguably, been won by rules fights (or declining to engage in a rules fight in 2004 in Ohio) the ability to win a fight in the Rules Committee could be more important for "electability." Not that I think it will come down to that this year, but still...
June 2, 2008 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now Shrillary is claiming she's won more states!!! When will it end????
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/2/112856/3235/569/527264
June 2, 2008 12:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
What a dumbass.
The legacy of Edwin Edwards is still alive in Loo-siana.
June 2, 2008 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love it.
June 2, 2008 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink