Letters to the Editor
Ricardo Malocchio
Published Letters: 197 Editor's Choice: 3
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@jpetty
[Read the article: In Iowa, Obama reaches toward victory ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You asked: "What the hell does "majority of the pledged delegates" mean anyway? Do you get some kind of prize for that?"
It's not particularly complicated. This means that for Clinton to win the nomination, the party elites must set aside the fact that Obama has won the majority of democratically elected delegates and install the person who won fewer delegates in his stead.
HRC may not care about the destruction of the Democratic Party, and should she succeed in having herself installed as the nominee, neither will I, nor legions of African-American voters, nor young voters, nor educated voters. In other words, for Clinton to successfully garner the nomination, the Democratic Party must voluntarily commit suicide.
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@riconap103
[Read the article: In Iowa, Obama reaches toward victory ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It is very simple: either the Democratic Party represents democratic principles or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, it's certainly not an organization that will garner my support. Surely, this isn't the first time you've heard such sentiment expressed?
You suggest this is tantamount to "holding a gun to the head" of the Party in an effort "to crown" Obama as its nominee. I suggest that you have it exactly backwards.
And, what's more, my comments really aren't directed at the Party or the superdelegates, but rather at those Clinton supporters who actually believe that either would be willing to thwart the popular will. It won't happen.
From all accounts, the superdelegates are a thoughtful, fair-minded group of individuals. They do not see their role as you do. They have no desire to substitute their judgment for that of the voters. As someone said recently, they are a "break glass in case of emergency" mechanism. We have no such emergency. Both Democratic candidates lead McCain in the polls, and I believe either would win and likely by far greater margins than many currently predict. But even if they trailed in the polls, such would not be an "emergency" requiring extra-democratic measures.
I know you're not arguing that we go back to a 1968-style nominating process, and I'm not suggesting that Clinton is Hubert Humphrey either. But, as Democrats, we can't be afraid of democracy. And that's precisely the fear that created the Hunt Commission and brought us the superdelegates.
But this new party elite is a chastened bunch, chastened both by Chicago '68 and our subsequent history. They recognize the limitations of their role, even where such limitations are adhered to voluntarily. Yes, they can vote as they wish without offering justification. But they won't. And, next month, you will hear them say precisely this as they line up behind Obama and attempt to unify this Party for the general election.
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@Karenn22
[Read the article: In Iowa, Obama reaches toward victory ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]With respect to Michigan and Florida, Hillary also "didn't care about the will of the people" ... until it became clear that it would inure to her benefit.
We will reach a deal on Michigan and Florida. This has nothing to do with any high-falutin' appeals to democracy, but rather the nuts-and-bolts of winning a general election.
That said, I urge you to read the fact section of the following order rejecting both the constitutional and Voting Rights Act claims brought on behalf of Florida voters by Sen. Nelson, et al., in the USDC-Northern District of Florida: http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/Nelson-ORDER12-14-07.pdf
If you read what actually occurred, I think you'll agree that Hillary opposed seating the delegation for very good reasons. I understand why she now sees things differently. Given that it will make no difference in the end, we should hold our noses, broker a solution, and soldier on to the general election.
You are free to dismiss the rest of my comments as "hogwash", but I'm making a very safe prediction. The superdelegates will not install Clinton as the nominee now that Obama has a majority of pledged delegates. Won't happen. Hogwash or no, it won't happen.