Bill Clinton, Superdelegate
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James Joyner | Wednesday, February 20, 2008 |
AP’s Valerie Bauman has manufactured a new mini-scandal: Hillary Clinton’s husband is a superdelegate.
The Democratic nomination for president could come down to a vote-by-vote struggle for superdelegates, and while Hillary Rodham Clinton has lost her delegate advantage over Barack Obama, she knows she can bank on one superdelegate no matter what.
Bill Clinton is guaranteed a spot as a superdelegate: Safe to say his wife gets his vote. With the two candidates separated by 85 delegates, every vote counts.
So, is it an unfair edge to be married to a super-duper-delegate, a former two-term president, the last Democrat to hold the office and a leader who’s still wildly popular within the party?
[...]
Political analysts don’t see the former president’s role as superdelegate as a problem.
“I don’t think the status of superdelegate gives Bill Clinton any more power to influence the outcome of the election than it would if he were not a president,” said Doug Muzzio, a politics professor at Baruch College in New York. “The objection is obvious, the guy’s wife is running for president and he’s voting for her, but he’s one of 796.”
Susan Lerner, the executive director of Common Cause New York, doesn’t object to Clinton the superdelegate. She worries more about his dual roles as a former president and party leader who happens to be married to one of the candidates. “People will be more responsive to him than virtually anybody else,” Lerner said.
Although, judging by the delegate count thus far, apparently not responsive enough.
Photo credit: The Satirical Political Report via Google
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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I'm a pretty staunch Obama cultist, but this is an extreme non-story.
I'm a pretty staunch Obama cultist, but this is an extreme non-story.
But non-stories can still be amusing! Especially when YahooNews is giving them front page treatment.
Was there anybody out there who didn't already know this?
Breaking news. John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, Barrak Obama, Bill Richardson, Chriss Dodd and Joe Bidden are all also super delegates. At least I think they are given the DNC rules.
Additional breaking news: Fidel and Raul Castro as well as that crazed rabbit that attacked Jimmy Carter are also super delegates.
The real story = A spouse or child of a former president should be disqualified from running. After The W. its hard to believe no one has figured this out or ever mentions it. The pitfalls from this will enable the republicans to win another term.
I don't see anything wrong with a spouse, child or other close relative running for president. And there sure enough isn't a constitutional prohibition against it.
As for the superdelegate story-it is pretty much a non story.
John Kerry,
Kerry aint a super-D
Triumph:
Kerry aint a super-D
John Kerry, as a sitting Dem Senator (MA Jr Senator) is a Superdelegate, and has endorsed Sen Obama. Wikipedia has a Superdelegate scorecard.
Triumph,
I know its hard to imagine Kerry being super anything, but maybe he will wear his magic hat to make up for it.
All I can think of is BJ using a Wile E. Coyote voice saying:
"Bill Clinton. Suuuuuuper Delegate."
John Kerry, as a sitting Dem Senator (MA Jr Senator) is a Superdelegate, and has endorsed Sen Obama. Wikipedia has a Superdelegate scorecard.
My bad--I got him mixed up with the "other John' from NC who shares the same $500 hairdresser.
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