The Democratic Party puts WAY too much power in the hands of superdelegates. 19% of the convention delegates are just handed out instead of going to the people who won the election? That is out of control. So is the formula that is used to divvy up a state. 50% or more, not 35%, should be based on statewide totals. Lastly, on the generalities anyway, the Democratic and Republican Party leaders need to get together after the primary season (or general election if they feel they can't spare the manpower- it should be announced ASAP anyway) with leaders from all 50 states and hammer out a primary/caucus schedule that will compact the schedule somewhat, push it away from Christmas and New Year's Day, and provide more geographic diversity on each primary day. It would be a struggle, but they could do it and it would be much preferable to what the Democrats and Floridians and Michigans are facing this year.

That said, I somewhat disagree with the points that Ms Walsh has made here. As for the DC superdelegates not being bound to the voter's wishes, I would point out that DC has more superdelgates than it does pledged delegates. One could read that as a system designed to keep the voter of color in check. Regardless of its true purpose, appearances DO matter.

So, why is Joan wrong, in my opinion? This election year is something special. Obama is something special. He has energized a generation for the Democratic Party. He has a key component of the democratic base, black Americans, not just picking the lesser of two evils, but fired up. The Obama movement is NOT just about pretty speeches. He has the people that Democrats need to win in November, in 2010, and 2012-36 fired up. No, it shouldn't just be handed to him because of that, but

IF Obama goes into the convention with a sizable lead, but less than the 2025, it would be a nightmare for lobbyists to hand the nomination to Clinton. It would be bad if it went the other way, but the long term effects of Obama being perceived as having been "robbed" of the nomination by party insiders would turn a generation and perhaps an entire race off to politics. If Obama lost "fair and square", it would be a sore disappointment for his supporters, but they could rally around Obama preventing McCain's re-election in 2012. If Obama has it taken from him (or it is perceived that way) all Hell could very well break loose. Rioting is possible, if not likely, if it perceived that the white power structure found another way to keep the black man down.

Even if this didn't occur, the democratic party would emerge severely weakened and President McCain might just get a Republican congress in November or in 2008.

So that is why, IF there is a clear winner in pledged delegates, the superdelegates need to forget the favors that Bill did for them and act in the best interest of the party and the nation.

The time has come for Hillary Clinton to show that she cares about anything other than Hillary Clinton. The time has come for Hillary Clinton to swallow her pride and step aside for the good of her party and her country.

Her campaign is growing more and more desperate and more and more vicious as the democrats of America make clear that she is not our first choice. Her attack ads against a fellow democrat are as bad as any that the republicans run aganst democrats. The last week has shown that there is no depth she won't sink to in order to get the prize that she, for some reason, believes should be hers by right.

She is willing to drive the Democratic Party into a brokered convention and, thus, an almost certain loss in November no matter who comes out on top rather than admit that the tide has turned. The scorched earth politics of Hillary Clinton are bad for America and worse for the Democratic Party. This is our moment. This is our chance to restore America. We cannot do that through lies, mischaracterizations and racism. The Bush administration has given us 8 years of that. We don't need 4 more.

Al Gore and John Kerry both ran positive, message-centered campaigns. They were both brought down by the kinds of lies that Hillary is using against Obama. While their positive campaigns were a shining example of what makes America great, they were unable to keep the some of the mud being flung from sticking. And they both "lost".

Obama is different. I have great respect for Gore and Kerry. I voted for both. They are both highly intelligent, but lacking in political charisma. (I am sure both are highly charismatic in person, but presidential elections require a different kind of charisma). Obama is different.

Obama has the intellect, but he also has the one thing that the last two Democratic nominees lacked- political charisma. He doesn't JUST have the right plans for America, he moves people. That is a powerful weapon against the hatemongering and fearmongering that have marked the Atwater/Rove era of Republican campaigns. He has also proven that he learned a lesson from Kerry's swiftboating. He has responded quickly and efficiently to every Clinton slander.

He has proven that he can stand up to the Clinton sludge pump, which proves that he is more than ready to handle anything McCain can throw at him. He has proven that he is ready for the next step. Now, it is time for Hillary to to take that next step, stepping aside for the good of the party and the nation. The only question left is whether her ego will allow it to happen or if she will tear the Democratic Party apart rather than admit defeat, thus costing the party its chance to retake the White House and restore American dignity.