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Obama Rolls Out A Super-Delegate
Obama gets the first super-delegate of the day: Political activist Joyce Lalonde of Michigan. The campaign claims they are 41 supers away from the prize.
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Actually, they're only about 20-30 supers away from the prize. I think it's fair to say he'll be picking up some pledged delegates today, after all.
June 3, 2008 7:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Demigates
June 3, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
or...
Diminugates
Wee-delegates
Delegatlings
Bisectegates
Voting-challenged-delegates
Eensy-weensy-delegates
Unsuper-delegates
Dwarfegates
June 3, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
If superdelegates from Michigan have just a 1/2 vote, wouldn't that make them mini-delegates?
June 3, 2008 8:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Semi-delegates?
June 3, 2008 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or, not-so-super-delegates. I mean, if you get a 1/2 vote only, super is a bit arrogant, eh?
June 3, 2008 8:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
I always thought Batman was sort of a second rate, watered down version of Superman.
How about Bat-delegates?
June 3, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, if you're going that route, they are definitely Robin-delegates.
June 3, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, that's what Hillary's going to be attempting to do: Robbing delegates.
June 3, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Touche.
June 3, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Adequate Delegates?
June 3, 2008 9:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pseudo-supers?
June 3, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Half Classed Delegates?
June 3, 2008 10:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think the Obama count includes Clyburn yet.
There are reports of big chunks of congressional delegates declaring today and/or tomorrow which would constitute the flood that has been predicted now for weeks.
Incidentally, I live in Obama's home state of Illinois, where practically the entire state is under an extreme low pressure system today. We had probably 3-4 inches of rain overnight and it's still pouring. Chance of Flash Floods - High!!
June 3, 2008 8:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg
It is not 41 supers, but only 41 delegates required. Please correct your last line.
June 3, 2008 8:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg:
Things are moving fast and furious. Democratic Convention Watch has the number of DELEGATES needed at 38. Check it out:
http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/
June 3, 2008 8:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I decided to not even mention the actual number for two reasons. First, as you say, I expect that number to change multiple times today. Secondly, it depends on your source, with each one differing by sometimes up to 4 or 5 delegates. (It'd be easy to blame the second reason on the first, but it's been true even during the slow times.)
June 3, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC has him at 38 also. I think the biggest difference at this point is how they are counting the Edwards delegates. Most news sources are giving Obama some of Edwards' Florida delegates, while the Obama camp is not including any.
Anybody seen any public announcements from the Edwards Florida delegates?
June 3, 2008 9:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, he needs 41 delegates (elected or super), not 41 supers. Can you correct that?
Obama should pick up somewhere around 17 with SD and Montana, so according to DemConWatch he'll need about 22 supers to get to 2117. There are reports (via MSNBC and CNN) of 34 House members and 17 Senators who are ready to endorse today or tomorrow, so he should get there handily.
YES! WE! CAN!
June 3, 2008 8:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Carol = I just saw your post upthread.
I like to see a real number = not what someone claims and if that's the real number - say so
So many numbers have been floating around I don't know anymore
June 3, 2008 9:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
And Al Giordano just posted this:
http://ruralvotes.com/thefield/?p=1304
June 3, 2008 8:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
There's five Montana supers in total who are going to back the winner of the primary. The list includes the guv and the senators too.
June 3, 2008 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Start of a big day for Barack.
June 3, 2008 8:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm as excited today as I was on February 5th, then March 4th, and then May 22nd...actually, I really am excited and not succumbing to snark.
I believe, finally, and truly, that Hillary will do the right thing and suspend her campaign in a brilliant speech recounting how she blazed a trail for women in presidential politics. That the glass ceiling has been broken.
Hillary will compliment Obama on a race well run and congratulate him on securing the nomination and give a heartfelt speech outlining why she believes he will make a great President.
Am I simply a dreamer? I think not. Hillary has been winding her campaign down since May 22nd, and I think she's come to the conclusion that she doesn't have the math or the willingness of the superdelegates to buck the math, to secure the nomination. Today she will do the right thing and work to unify her supporters behind the democratic nominee.
I can't wait to watch her speech tonight, and Obama's speech to follow. It's a great day to be a democrat and hoping for a democratic government come the fall!
June 3, 2008 8:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was equally excited, until I read this. Sorry.
June 3, 2008 8:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Way to rain on a parade Ben! Just kidding ;-) I don't place much stock in this. I believe that Hillary is bigger than that. We'll see soon enough if my faith has been misplaced.
Cheers!
June 3, 2008 9:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm hopeful like you Chris that Senator Clinton will bow out gracefully this evening.
I don't put any stock into the denials from the Clinton campaign over the last day or so about her non-withdrawal. The campaign is obviously NOT going to admit she is withdrawing until she actually says the words herself. They are putting up a front to allow Senator Clinton to garner all the attention and ultimately adulation when she does withdraw.
June 3, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
I completely understand the idea of not admitting it, but to actively deny it, the day before it's supposedly planned…
I don't think she's going to suspend her campaign tonight—unless those 20-30 supers go to Obama today. She might suspend her campaign later this week, if and when Obama goes over whatever she thinks the magic number is.
June 3, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama is in the driver's seat and has his foot on the accelerator. Hillary is in the back seat doing her awkward best to reach over and pull on the emergency brake. Geez. Her team is asking the uncommitted to 'defer' to her need for 'more time' 'out of respect to her'.
In other words, now that it is over, the last thing she will do is try to stall his well deserved moment of triumph. Hey Hillary, how about some er, deference to Obama out of respect for him?
June 3, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Another one for Obama this morning:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/E486465EAF8BF9F38625745D0010F444?OpenDocument
June 3, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just over 12 hours, people!
June 3, 2008 9:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
So how many does Obama need? Greg says that his campaign "claims" he needs 41, but there has to be real number - not just a claim.
June 3, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
As soon as we post the number, it'll be one less than that. So, in that spirit, DCW puts the number down as 38. (Delegates that is, not supers.)
June 3, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thank you Ben.
June 3, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think this is an overgeneralization but it could explain some hesitancy from supers. From Ben Smith:
June 3, 2008 9:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
I said this above, I'll say it again - I think everyone, including the media, which is moving this story off the front page, is ready for a nominee and a general election campaign.
If she keeps going, I don't think it will be big news anymore, so she can do what she wants but I don't think it's going to get her anywhere.
June 3, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wolfson: New magic number is 4236
Howard Wolfson has announced this morning his campaign's new position on the required number of delegates to achieve the Democratic Nomination.
"We strenuously object to the short-sighted finish line 2118," fumed Wolfson. "We contend that, in the interest of fair reflection relative to gender congruity and intergriy, 2118 is the required goal for male delegates only, and an additional 2118 must be comprised of female delegates. Hence, 4236.
"We categorically and unequivocably reject this mix-and-match approach with regard to gender, in an attempt to fabricate an artifical victory."
Wolfson went on to say, between hits off his crack pipe, that neither candidate will have a sufficient amount of delegates to secure the nomination. "In which case, the nominee is chosen by using the popular vote in Puerto Rico and Guam. This assures that there is no impartiality."
June 3, 2008 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Anybody know what's up with the races today? I thought Obama had them both in the bag, then I heard on CNN that Clinton is up by 20 in S.D. and Obama is up by only four in Montana. What gives?
June 3, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink