TJP

Will Super Delegates Thwart the Choice of the Democrats?

By Byron A. Ellis

February 11, 2008

Super delegates should not be allowed to determine the Democratic outcome for the presidential nominee: any backroom deal will backfire. The Democratic presidential nominee should be chosen by the Democratic primary voters and not by super delegates.

Thus, to neutralize the possibility of super delegates determining the outcome, they should be evenly divided among the potential presidential candidates or not count at all. The Democratic constituency should send a clear signal to the leadership that the 796 super delegates should not be able to thwart their choice.

Donna Brazile, a super delegate, and Chris Bowers are absolutely right in threatening to quit the Democratic Party if super delegates decide the Democratic presidential nominee. There is nothing democratic in having the super delegates decide who the party nominee should be.

The “unpledged” super delegates are not chosen by the voters, and are not really unpledged. For instance, most of the so-called “unpledged” super delegates are committed to the Clintons. Thus, the process of their selection, and commitment, is inherently undemocratic; mirroring the days of the smoke filled backroom deals.

Senator Milkulski and Governor Corzine are super delegates supporting the Clintons, and Bill Clinton is also a super delegate. How fair is that? The super delegate system is merely a mechanism for the old guard of the Democratic Party to impose their presidential choice on the Democratic constituency. It’s a sham. But, the old guard will not railroad the Democratic constituency. They have other choices, including not showing up in the general election.

The Democratic nominee needs 2025 delegates to win the nomination. The super delegates are approximately 40 percent of the delegates needed to win the Democratic presidential nomination. The Republican Party does not have such built in biased system.

Many Democrats will quit the party if the super delegates thwart the will of the Democratic electorate.

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