How real is this, how likely?
Reid, Pelosi, Dean may intervene in nomination
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he may try to force undecided superdelegates to make their decisions in the Democratic presidential race if it stretches into June.
Reid said he would consider writing a joint letter with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) demanding that superdelegates make their endorsements public.
“The three of us, we may write a joint letter [to superdelegates],” said Reid. “We might do individual letters. We are in contact with each other.”
Reid’s comments suggest that the party’s top three officials are contemplating a high-level intervention if the primary season concludes in June without a nominee and many superdelegates still undecided.
Reid said he would not rush any of the superdelegates for now.“People will have plenty of opportunity after the last primary on June 2 to make a decision about what they are going to do,” he said.
However, when asked by a reporter if he would be forced to weigh in on the race, Reid replied, “I might have to.”
The Senate majority leader also hinted that another high-profile superdelegate could be making an endorsement in the coming days.
What difference does a month make? Why not say August?
Reid is sending mixed messages or playing with our heads. Either you’re going to get some spine, intervene or STFU.
Dunno about you but I’m kinda tired reading, “something will be done”, “something will be done before the convention”
There is no reason for undecided Super-Delegates to remain on the fence unless they are very afraid:
But what if the remaining undecided delegates are afraid? They’ve seen Bill Richardson called a Judas, Robert Reich and others before him said it was not a pleasant conversation…
Could be. Here are some theories:
Megan McArdle, The Atlantic blog
As Matt [Yglesias] points out, they undoubtedly already know which way they’re going to go, so why are they subjecting us all to this painful ordeal?
Working theories:
- They are afraid of retaliation by a vengeful Senator Clinton
- They are afraid that she will somehow get the nomination, and retaliate from the Oval Office
- They need the Clintons to fundraise for the general
- No one wants to be the guy who put the last nail in the Clinton campaign’s coffin.
3. They need the Clintons to fundraise for the general
What, has the Democratic Party come to this – one couple, – Bill and Hillary Clinton are holding party members hostage?
4. No one wants to be the guy who puts the last nail in the Clintons campaign coffin.
WTF.
Why should we put up with this blatant political blackmail extortion?
Having taken the low road to victory in PA, a look ahead and I’m seeing that the Clintons risk being dis-invited, not just from the party – but from the very circles –big biz titans that they court and will need for any future earnings.
Their reputation is already shot. Not worth a pinch of Sh^^t.
We’re being Clintonshafted.
I’m concerned we Dems are in self-destruct mode.
[Warning: if the following is credible and you’re a pro “anybody but Clinton” you don’t want to read the whole piece]
We’re setting up for an ugly civil war. 1968 – while everybody fidlles, Clinton is set to steal the nomination.
DetroitNews via TPM:
Michigan is becoming Clinton’s secret weapon
This has not been a good week.
I thought it was already made pretty clear that Michigan’s delegation wasn’t going to get to vote on the nominee because they broke the rules. In the words of Mal Reynolds, “Why are we discussing something that’s already been settled?”
Still, I think we would underestimate Camp Clinton’s capacity for underhandedness at our peril.
They broke the rules
Is that not Clinton’s Mission Statement?- “rules are made to be broken”
It’ll be a floor fight at the convention. Count on it.
idredit, I’m having serious problems with that link. Demas writes “Obama seemed spooked” by a revote. Spooked? Where did that come from? First, the MDP broke the rules. Second, the MDP told their voters to vote Uncommitted if their candidate was not on the ballot. Third, MDP stated that a revote was not practical (press release). Fourth, the MDP, Clinton & Clinton suppoters are making Obama the “bad guy” for not supporting the revote. Fifth, Obama’s concerns with the revote proposal involved requiring Michigan voters to identify themselves as Democrats when the MDP normally doesn’t require party identification. Sixth, if Obama had played the delegate game like Clinton, as Demas suggests, Obama would’ve broken the rules. Seventh, the most glaring of all………..
Unfortunately, Obama can’t do nothing about that because no Democratic candidate should put one toe inside of Michigan.
IOKIYAD.
(as usual, thanks for the great catch)
I think maybe you meant to say “IOKIYAC”.
Didn’t Obama say he’d accept whatever decision the DNC made? How does that equate to being “spooked”?
I think if I were Obama I’d just respond to this by saying, “Look, the Michigan Democratic Party broke the rules. We are supposed to be a nation of laws, not of men. What kind of President would I be if I didn’t uphold the rules and the laws — especially if breaking them would personally benefit me? Haven’t we had enough of that in this country?”
Since (it’s been said) {a} there’s no difference between Clinton or Obama platforms, {b} both are playing the race card, {c} both are going negative, {d} both have a good shot at the nomination, {e} yadda……… IOKIYAD.
Obama Memo On MI Re-Vote outlines his revote issues. MSNBC First Read links to Demas’ opinion piece… interesting comments.
More info about Michiganders for Obama (Lavada Weathers‘ comment is priceless).
Detroit Free Press: Conventions reveal divided Dems
I don’t agree that both have a good (legitimate) shot at the nomination, and I don’t see Obama pushing to get Michigan’s delegates seated to his own benefit. Therefore, IOKIYAC. In fact there seems to be a great deal of IOKIYAC going on in this race.
IOKIYAD is what Limbaugh seems to think we think riots at the conventions this summer.
Omir, I don’t disagree with you. Actually, IOKIYAD is probably the first on topic comment I’ve made here. So let me respond to idredit. A friend & I once asked someone who worked in Washington what it was like working on committees, getting consensus &c. In that looooong moment of silence that followed my friend & I slowly looked at each other. That bad, huh? I don’t think the challenge here is to out Machiavelli, Machiavelli, because this seems more like “pseudo-Machiavellian burlesque” which may be more challenging to resolve. I hope Reid, Pelosi and Dean can do what needs to be done because I really don’t want to tell my mom, It’s Okay If You’re A Democrat one. more. time. so we get a Democrat in the White House.
Oh sure, just go talk to idredit just because you don’t disagree with me. See if I care. 🙂
Actually there are two things going on here. My “IOKIYAC” is in reference to Clinton getting a free pass on tactics that we decry when they’re performed by Republicans. But Democrats at large aren’t blameless, and there’s a great deal of “IOKIYAD” that goes on just because we happen to be allied with them politically in general. We’re supposed to be better than that. Unfortunately you can’t legislate good manners, good morals, or (apparently) good politics.
LOL! Damn… I thought that was a good segue.
Yes yes, IOKIYAC. Free pass, IOKIYAC. Tactics, IOKIYAC. Clinton wins on all counts. Absolutely, IOKIYAD: Unfortunately you can’t legislate good manners, good morals, or (apparently) good politics.
I don’t mind heated disagreements & whatnot, but this Lady is no Lady. If Hillary Rodham ever showed up I would’ve been proud to call her President Rodham. But we’re voting the Clinton Brand and that I renounce, reject — please don’t make me vote for it! This isn’t Coke v. Pepsi.
It was a fine segue, I just had to have some fun with it. It’s what my wife calls the Law of the Conservation of a Straight Line. You get an opening like that and you don’t take it, the chance may never come around again.
As for Hillary Rodham, this is a different kind of race. If this were the same kind of race we saw in the 1990s through 2004, if Obama hadn’t upset the apple cart, if, if, if, if . . . under those circumstances I think Senator Clinton would have gotten the same level of support I gave to John Kerry. But the rules have changed, and a campaign that isn’t based on fear (either fear of what the Islamofasciwhosiwhatsits might do or fear of what the other candidate will or won’t do) but instead is based on hope; a campaign that challenges ordinary Americans to do something besides sit on their butts, open their wallets and check their brains at the voting booth; a campaign where voters in Idaho and Mississippi get some attention, just like voters in California and New York; a different kind of campaign — and the reaction to that campaign by the Republicans, the press, and even Camp Clinton — have captured my imagination, and for the first time since I started paying attention I have a Presidential candidate I feel I can vote for on their own merits instead of a box I check out of duty, or worse, someone I’m voting for because the alternative is worse.
You know, if we’re not careful, that kind of politics just might catch on. (Which is one reason why the Forces of Darkness are lined up against it. They know it too, and it scares the snot out of them.)
good point Omir. Fear of the people power movement is keeping many on board the Clinton wagon.
Think about it. Obama raised some $239 million for an upstart…money talks and that’s a lot of power. That’s the only thing people understand. I feared Obama was starting out with no hope in hell of raising the kinda gelt he’d need.
But back to delegates, pledged or superDs. Looks like FL and MI dispute is coming to a boil. And here’s where Clinton may get screwed.
Ambinder leads us there. Mark this date; May 31, 2008. Nothing like a little jolt from the calendar:
Who wants dinner?
Ya know, I don’t think my blood pressure levels can withstand the wait.
No, but like you say by then it might be too late for her. Obama has the lead, the money, and the ball, and as long as he keeps doing what he does he can run out the clock, to use yet another lame sports analogy.
the Demas, Detnews and Politico links work for me. dunno what happened there with yours.
Can’t help but notice and Huffpost has highlighted that the media, all in unison, jumped ship, turned on Obama.
I agree with your point – unlike Clinton, Obama can’t set foot in Michigan or have his supporters go active there. He needs to stand firm that MI is illegitimate. Clinton said Michigan and Florida would not count, even signed a pledge……she snookered all candidates. The New Hampshire major daily – Manchester Union Leader called her a liar (their word not mine) for going back on her pledge.
Bottom line; Clintons have a serious case of dishonesty. I’m working on my uncle to prescribe them Liagra.
My bad. I meant that I had problems with Demas, who wrote that article at that link.
no problema.
Here’s a tiny bit of good news. It’s Friday, has been a baaad, disappointing week and I’ll take it.
MSNBC: BIG HILLARY FUNDRAISER DEFECTS TO OBAMA
Why? because she took the low road to victory
and the Clintons have short, poor memories. All this BS about Obama’s experience and that he can’t win the general.
Flashback.
NYT – The 1992 Campaign: The Front-Runner; Like Voters, Superdelegates Have Doubts About Clinton
Thanks for that bit of Friday cheer. I bet this went over like the proverbial turd in the punchbowl. 🙂
Can he take that $500,000 with him?
By the way I love the little snippets of news you post. Between you and Oui, who needs a newspaper?
thanks for your kind words.
yeah, Oui is the great one. If she misses a day, it leaves a huge hole in the community.
Oui is a he!
Thanks.
4 points for the Friday Cheermeister!
Damn, I blame you idredit! Can’t get this song outta my head.
It just isn’t fair to take all of the blame
When all we were doing was playing the game
Now all of Washington’s caught in between
The Delegates, Reid, Pelosi and Dean
Life ain’t fair.
Just caught Juan Williams, (NPR’s expert on all things black) analysis of the Bell police acquittal in NYC, 50 bullets. Later.
Hold on to your keyboard. Williams managed to make a link back to Obama and Pastor Wright. Gawd, he’s an HN.
Good news dump Friday: DNC and Obama in funding deal.
How unusual is that? – leaves Hillary on the outside looking in b/c she’s essentially broke.
Play it again Sam, sweet music that.
Broke? She’s worse than broke. She’s irrelevant. Obama is going to be raising money for the DNC as well as for his own campaign. He’s going to be registering voters all across the country. If Dean hadn’t been lined up with Obama before, this would seal the deal. (And don’t try to tell me he wasn’t in Obama’s camp, even if he can’t say so. The Clintons and the DLC types were against him from the git-go, and he knows it, and he knows how relevant he’d be if Clinton were to assume the reins of the Democratic party.)
She’s getting frozen out, bit by bit.
more mixed messages though.
Financial Times, UK reports Howard Dean says
Imho, Dean is whistling past the graveyard. If the leading candidate is overturned, betcha
we won’t need Rush to urge a riot or civil war. And, Clinton does not know when to leave. Take that, use it as collateral for any mortgage.
I was sailing along totally unprepared for the ‘utter bullshit’ quote. That’s Howard.
yeah, in Vermont we know what bull shit is; see and smell it everyday. Ever muck out a barn when the wind blows?
Dean and Leahy are singing the same hymns. The DNC just struck a deal with the Obama campaign to do some joint fund-raising. Hillary is looking on in from the outside.
Oh, Please!
They just can’t say single digit, can they? The Clinton campaign is desperately spinning the “putting her campaign back in contention” line with only a 9.4% lead left after a 19% lead to start. The press is letting her get away with this
They also keep using that word “back in contention.” I do not think it means what they think it means.
I’m on stand-by waiting to read all about “Hillary’s massive win in PA.” The word massive has been so misused.