The Superdelegate Dilemma: Obama's lack of electability vs. splitting the party?
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on May 12, 2008 - 6:10am.
Rapid Response
Hello Everyone:
Even a clock that does not work is right two times a day!
Here is where I believe that Rush Limbaugh accurately summarized the serious dilemma that the superdelegates are probably facing right now that they cannot publicly admit to because it is not politically correct:
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_050108/content/01125109.guest.html
Rush Addresses the Racial Fears of the Democrat Superdelegates
May 1, 2008
RUSH: "All I'm trying to do is make it easy for the superdelegates, here. They know they got a problem. The problem is that Obama cannot win. But they are afraid to pull the nomination from him because he's getting 80% of the black vote; and they think the black vote will not show up in November and vote Democrat..."
Bob Johnson is the founder of the Black Entertainment Network and he is an African-American supporter of Hillary Clinton. He admitted to the same thing about Obama's lack of electability in this CNN interview:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/20/cnr.03.html
CNN NEWSROOM
Checking with Pennsylvania Voters About the Primary
Aired April 20, 2008 - 23:00 ET
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "He's hears a lot of if as our -- have a lot of people who -- a lot of African-Americans, Rick, as you know, who support Hillary Clinton, they get the brunt of it. People -- some people saying they're betraying their race. Why do we care what Bob Johnson has to say? Well, he started Black Entertainment, multibillionaire, sold it for $3 billion and worth much more than that today.
But it was a surprise to some that he was supporting Hillary Clinton and not Barack Obama. And by the way, I got to tell you this, Rick. He said when Barack Obama came to Washington early on, he held one of the very first fundraisers for Barack Obama and supporters of them early on, but he does not believe that Barack Obama can win the White House in November. And we'll talk about that.
But one thing that got him into trouble early on, one was the comment he made about Barack Obama and a Hillary Clinton stump a couple of months back about what he was doing when he was out in the community, you know, referring to his drug use that he's written about, Barack Obama, that he's already written about, and then another one just the other day about Geraldine Ferraro. He said Geraldine Ferraro was right, basically, when she said this, "If Obama was a white man he would not be in this position and if he was a woman he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is and the country is caught up in the concept."
Is the country caught up in the concept? I talked to Bob Johnson about that and about a couple of other things about black people being so passionate about this election and why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (on camera): But more passionate this time, it appears, African-Americans are now that there is a black candidate in the race.
BOB JOHNSON, BET FOUNDER: Oh that's just natural that African-Americans see a chance for a black person to have the most important job in the world. There's no doubt that they would be proud and passionate. I think where they go overboard when they close their mind to responsible criticism, and they should be asking is, can he win in November or do we care whether he can win in November? We just want to see him nominated for the presidency.
LEMON: And you don't he can win in November?
JOHNSON: Don't think Barack Obama can beat John McCain in November, no.
LEMON: So Geraldine Ferraro, you said, what she said you believe to be accurate.
JOHNSON: She was talking about the numerical fact of the demographics of the core Democratic Party, not that he wouldn't get it if -- not that he didn't deserve them.
LEMON: So why didn't it come out that bay? Why were people offended by it?
JOHNSON: Because Geraldine Ferraro is white. This is a hair-trigger kind of election and some black folks do get mad at that and I think it's just because they are so proud of Barack Obama that they lose sight of the fact that this is an election, we're in a free democracy where people are entitled to their opinion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And then after that interview, he said, "You know, Don, I want to clarify," Rick. He said, "I want to clarify -- I don't think that -- I think," he said, "I think Hillary Clinton is the best person to go up against John McCain in November, not that Barack Obama can't win." He doubts that he can win, but he says Hillary Clinton, best person to go up against John McCain and the Republicans in November..."
The bottom line to this in my opinion is that both Rush Limbaugh and Bob Johnson are right about the race issue as being a huge factor about why Obama is in the position that he is right now and they are also right about Obama's lack of electability!
Here is credible documentation to show how that the race issue is definitely a very huge reason why Obama is in the position that he is in right now:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15230
VIDEO: African-American Hillary supporters coming under pressure to back Obama!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 9, 2008 - 11:57am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15039
ANALYSIS: Geraldine Ferraro; The reasons why Obama is where he is at right now!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 17, 2008 - 4:05am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15162
John Harris and The Politico implied Hillary will lose due to the race issue!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 1, 2008 - 4:35am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14894
CNN documented superdelegates are facing racial pressure & threats to back Obama
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 1, 2008 - 11:58pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14472
VIDEO: "Dan Abrams argues the media invented a race war to bait" Obama & Hillary
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 21, 2008 - 10:33am.
The superdelegates are probably also worried about Al Sharpton's threat "to protest a Hillary nomination if she comes into Denver trailing Obama" which this video link will show:
Sharpton on video: We could walk if Obama doesn’t get the nomination
Posted at 5:20 pm on March 7, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Here is credible documentation to show that Obama is probably unelectable unless he gets some kind of a very huge lucky break that happens in his favor. The GOP attack machine will eat him up alive in the general election IF he is the nominee which the evidence very clearly shows:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15450
Obama said at a campaign event: "Don‘t buy into this electability argument..."
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on May 6, 2008 - 5:33pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15439
Obama showed on Meet The Press he does NOT understand the GOP attack machine!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on May 5, 2008 - 1:54pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15387
Obama's own speech shows he has no concept about how to fight back IF nominated!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 28, 2008 - 5:16am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15161
Mark Halperin explains what Obama does NOT understand about being swiftboated!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on March 31, 2008 - 11:59pm.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14337
Obama showed in the Jan. 5 debate that he does NOT understand enemy attacks!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 7, 2008 - 4:32am.
The superdelegates in my opinion need to understand that Democratic party unity will be very hard to achieve regardless of who wins the nomination:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15327
POLLS: Democratic unity will be very hard to achieve after this primary is over!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 20, 2008 - 11:59pm.
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Carville_Democrats_Divide/2008/05/06/93789.html
Carville: Democrats Deeply Divided
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 9:10 AM
The superdelegates definitely need to be looking at electability, they should not be afraid of how the pro-Obama biased media will act if they vote how they really want to, and they have the freedom to vote their consciences IF no candidate has enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination which neither Hillary or Obama have right now:
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15388
My answer to the pundits who are saying the race is over and that Obama has won!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 28, 2008 - 6:32am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15417
John King of CNN objectively explained why the GOP wants to run against Obama!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on May 2, 2008 - 2:49am.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15487
VIDEO: Terry McAuliffe making the case for Hillary's campaign on Meet The Press!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on May 12, 2008 - 4:42am.
Sometimes it can take a heavily partisan Rush Limbaugh on the other side and a Bob Johnson with some spine on our side to say the hard but true things that many Democratic pundits, Democratic Members of Congress, and what DNC officials are afraid to publicly say because it is not the politically correct thing to do!
Hopefully the superdelegates will look at the electoral math which is what really counts as opposed to delegate math IF neither candidate has the nomination secured with enough pledged delegates because winning the general election is the bottom line of what this primary race is really supposed to be about!
The high cost of losing this election is a third Bush term with McCain as far as foreign policy and economic policy are concerned which is why the superdelegates in my opinion need to have the spine to vote for who they honestly believe is the most qualified and electable candidate regardless of racial, peer, and media pressure to do otherwise!
Mitch Dworkin
http://www.securingamerica.com/
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10756
StopIranWar.com: "War is not the answer"
Submitted by Wes Clark on February 21, 2007 - 11:40am.
http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!
The situation is too dire, and the powers that be had better face it. Either the party loses disgruntled blacks, or it loses legions of Latinos, Asians, Jews, working-class men, and white women in general. And some of these people will not be back. Obama should be pressing as hard for party unity as Hillary is, yet he is declaring himself the winner already by saying that he will do so on May 20th. His minions are shouting for Hillary to get out of the way, she and her followers are being insulted and demeaned, and the pundits are already ignoring any chance she has. Why don't these people, if they want party unity, speak respectfully of her and her supporters? It sounds as if they want to purge the party of what they must consider the great unwashed and silly, fuzzy-headed old ladies who're foolishly following another woman. Well, if this is true, they're going to get their wish.
It's also possible that the party leaders are reluctant not to be racially PC or that they're afraid large numbers of blacks will descend on Denver and riot in the streets. So, they're going to chuck it all and nominate a sure loser? If Hillary is nominated, Obama could quell a lot of the subsequent uproar by going on TV and speaking to his followers. But would he? I actually doubt it. Some thought this year could spell the demise of the Republican Party. But, if the elitists get their way, it will be the beginning of the end for the loyal opposition.
consolidating power? (tha's rhetorical, btw - snark)
;-)
"Our public servants work for us - we don't work for them. We have an obligation, as citizens of this country, to always remember that - and to never let them forget it." - DeadMessengers
He doesn't know what he is talking about.
Could anyone explain to me why these guardians of "electability" called superdelegates have been flocking to Obama by such margins that he has erased Clinton's once formidable lead of 70 superdelgates and now according to the AP leads Clinton in the superdelegate count? All of this I might add in the midst of the Rev. Wright "scandal".
I mean jeez, 10 Clinton supers have defected and pledged their allegience to Barack Obama. However, not one Obama superdelegate to my knowledge has defected to Clinton, not one!
I think given the numbers of supers announcing for Obama it is clear that the superdelegates have looked at the argument you *and Clinton's people* have made, and have soundly rejected it. Say I'm wrong, but the numbers don't lie..
Obama has been donating large sums of money to the super delegates. It is ironic that muchof the money Obama raised could have been donated to the down ticket Democrats directly. I do BELIEVE that Hillary's supports give more in this manner than do Obama's.
I think many, many "super" delegates will be changing their tune. Way over 50% of dem voters already DON'T WANT OBAMA; it's basically the party elite wanting to keep their power, white people on a guilt trip, and those who feel two hillbillies from Arkansas had no business being in the White House. Somehow they think it's better to install a known associate with crooks and tainted businessmen in there. Look what happened the last time that happened.
http://www.opednews.com:80/articles/genera_evelyn_p_080512_curtain_time_for_bar.htm
We're electing the President of the United States, not some g.d. prom king.
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/05/12/obama-wants-a-woman-to-be-vice-president/
Someone needs to tell Senator Barack Obama that the Constitution only provides for one Vice President. Obama has dangled the Vice Presidency in front of three prominent female politicians in a Janus-faced strategy to gain their suppor
A well-placed Democratic party source told me in New York on Saturday that Obama has offered the office of the Vice President to super delegates Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill. It is anyone’s guess as to how many other super delegates have been given the same pitch.
And I would bet that he's been offering other positions left and right. And, of course, there have been allegations that he's handing out the dough as well. Yet, he refused to let rich Dems bankroll the revotes in FL and MI! If this man were elected Prez, it would look like a spoils system that would rival the old days in NYC! Of course, he won't be, so he won't have to deliver on anything but the vp slot.
And, whether they support Hillary or Obama, it doesn't change the fact that the common people are largely against BO. If you want to talk about numbers--or "math" as the TV pundits keep snarling--what about Obama's less-than-stellar showings in the big states or the polls showing him trailing McCain? The party elites have thrown elections before, and it looks like they will never learn. And this time, the word is out that they don't give a fig about Latinos, the working class, or older white women and will build a new coaltion of a 12% minority group, the far-left fringe, and idealist young folk. It's fine to be for Obama, but his followers should at least acknowledge the fact that he's got an electibility problem and not pretend that all his scandals have blown over or don't matter. Okay, he looks good for the nomination. Does it matter whether he wins the GE?
Are you implying that the Commonwealth of Virginia is little, or North Carolina?
And yes it does matter, he has a lot of work to do, but it can be done.
And if the calculationg I have been hearing are correct, Clinton would have to win 75% of all remaining delegates and 80% of the supers.
All Obama needs is a slim minority, under 40%. I know where I'd be placing my money if I were in Vagas.
None of them is locked into voting for his/her endorsee, remember. WV is little, but mighty. It's apparently got BO's apologists shaking in their socks. Obama could begin to look bad, make terrible gaffes, totally lose his cool. Or some scandal, even worse than the dozen or so that have already emerged, could blow wide open. If he's got it all sewn up and all he has to do is "a lot of work", why didn't he start with WV, the biggest challenge he's got? He theoretically could have narrowed Hillary's lead there and begun to win over West Virginians for the GE. No, instead, he ran off to MO to give a captive-audience speech. He'll never do any hard work. He expects the nomination on a silver platter. His apologists appear to be so exasperated and tired of covering for him that they're giving ridiculous excuses for him: "He didn't campaign in WV. People there don't know him. He didn't lose; Hillary won." It sounds to me like he's just trying to run out the clock till May 20th, when he will foolishly declare himself the winner. Does he then expect the Repubs to just concede the Presidency to him? Oh, I forgot: all those millions and millions of O-bots that will be brainwashed and given their marching orders will put him over the top!
IF he is the nominee which further adds to his unelectability in my opinion:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0805/05/lkl.01.html
CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Tuesday Democratic Primaries: Game On or Game Over?
Aired May 5, 2008 - 21:00 ET
LANNY DAVIS, FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, SUPPORTS CLINTON: "I would like to get one fact out. Barack Obama opposed a revote when both Carl Levin and Senator Bill Nelson had raised or were ready to raise the money to allow Floridians and Michigan voters to revote in June. Barack Obama and his campaign blocked that. That is a fact no matter how you spin it. He didn't want the revote because he would have lost again. He lost by half a million votes in Florida when he was on the ballot.
And talking about following the rules, here's a fact. He advertised contrary to the rules on television the week before the Florida primary. That is a fact..."
I appreciate Lanny Davis for having the courage and spine to publicly say that Obama "can't win the big ones" which is what the evidence shows:
DAVIS: "I don't agree because of the short memory my friend Katrina seems to have. All of that grass roots -- we were out-spent, Larry, in Ohio, three to one. We were out-spent in Pennsylvania four to one. All of those grass roots, all of those dollars he lost. He can't win the big ones. And every time she's counted out, she comes back. So my good friend Ari, she may have lost some of the states that we have haven't carried for a long time, like the great Democratic state of Utah and Idaho, but she's won where we have to win in Ohio. If John Kerry had carried Ohio, he'd be president..."
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/15365
TRANSCRIPT: John King of CNN broke down the map to show how Hillary won in PA!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on April 25, 2008 - 4:02am.