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Some of those presidential superdelegates Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are pursuing are more super than others. One delegate, one vote doesn't apply to them. These prominent Democrats can name additional superdelegates, giving them control over multiple convention votes, and that could be the difference in a race that may not be decided until the August convention.
The clout of the nearly 800 superdelegates is unprecedented in this year's race because neither Obama nor Clinton can clinch the nomination with only the delegates won in state primaries and caucuses. Largely overlooked in the arcane process, though, is the power of a select few to complete the superdelegate ranks by naming 76 newbies, and Clinton and Obama are fighting hard over every one of those from state conventions to back rooms.
Separated by fewer than 140 delegates, both candidates are lobbying the hundreds of known superdelegates, employing family, friends and influential surrogates to woo the governors, lawmakers and other party leaders. Some are more important than others.
Consider Art Torres, chairman of the California Democratic Party. He remains uncommitted, yet he could be the most powerful superdelegate of all. Torres gets to name five additional superdelegates, giving him control over six votes at the national convention this summer.
"I am the super of supers!" Torres proclaims with a laugh.
He and other state party chairmen will appoint most of the additional 76, known in Democratic ranks as "unpledged add-ons."
"They basically are gifts to the state party chairs," Harold Ickes, a chief strategist for Clinton, said of the additional superdelegates.
The additional delegates represent a lot of votes in a race this tight, and neither Obama nor Clinton has really capitalized so far. Only 20 of the party's 56 state and territory chairmen have endorsed a candidate, according to surveys of superdelegates by The Associated Press. Obama has 12 endorsements, Clinton eight.
The candidates also have split endorsements from Democratic governors, who often control state party matters. Both have 10 gubernatorial endorsements.
Superdelegates can vote for whomever they choose at the party's convention this August in Denver, regardless of the results in primaries and caucuses. In all, there will be nearly 800 superdelegates, including the 76 extras.
Clinton has been leading in superdelegate endorsements since before the first primary, but Obama has gained ground in the past month and a half. The latest AP tally: Clinton, 251; Obama, 221. Obama has won more pledged delegates in primaries and caucuses, giving him the overall delegate lead, 1,635 to 1,501. Needed to win the nomination: 2,024.
The 76 "add-ons" are doled out to each state based on population and Democratic voting strength. Every state but Florida and Michigan, which were penalized for holding early primaries, gets at least one. California's five are the most.
The extra delegates will be selected at state party conventions and committee meetings throughout the spring. In about half the states, including California, Georgia and Ohio, they must be chosen from lists compiled by the state party chairmen. If the chairmen list only one person for each slot, they effectively name the extra delegates.
In other states the additional delegates can be nominated from the floor of the convention or by simply applying, turning mundane state party gatherings into spirited debates about the presidential candidates.
Alabama's extra delegate was decided by six votes on March 1, when Obama backer and labor leader Stewart Burkhalter was selected at a meeting of the state party's executive committee. Burkhalter said he worked with the Obama campaign to get the nod.
"If we'd already had a nominee I wouldn't have been an unpledged add-on, I guess," Burkhalter said.
In past years, states used their extra delegates to reward elected officials, donors or labor leaders, or to achieve racial balance in their delegations. This year, the battle for the extra delegates is one of many fronts in a historic fight for the Democratic nomination.
Aides to both campaigns say they are wading into local politics to try to make sure the new delegates are amenable to their candidate.
Some state party chairmen will consult governors or senators when making their choice; others will simply pick like-minded delegates.
That's what Wyoming Democratic Chairman John Millin plans to do when he selects the state's extra delegate in May. Millin, who has endorsed Obama, said he plans to choose another Obama supporter for the spot, though he hopes their votes are not decisive.
"The two votes that I get are frankly two more votes than I really want at the national convention," Millin said. "The party as a whole needs to wrap this up soon after the primaries. I would like to see the decision made long before we get to Denver."
In California, Torres has come up with a diplomatic way to select his five delegates. He said he plans to award them in proportion to the vote in California's Democratic primary. Clinton received about 52 percent of the vote, so she gets three; Obama got 43 percent of the vote, so he gets two.
Torres said he will also use the slots to help meet the state's affirmative action goals.
"I want to take a delegation to the convention that reflects the diversity of California," Torres said.
Both campaigns lobbied Oklahoma Democratic Chairman Ivan Holmes before he picked the state's extra delegate in February. It didn't work.
Holmes, who hasn't endorsed Clinton or Obama, said he selected another undecided superdelegate, the state party's chief fundraiser, Reggie Whitten.
"I had all kinds of people wanting to do this, and Reggie never asked me," Holmes said.
Holmes said he originally backed former Sen. John Edwards, believing he would do well in Oklahoma, perhaps providing coattails for local candidates. He said he has yet to see that trait in Obama or Clinton.
"Obama brings young people into the party that we haven't had before, and Hillary brings in a lot of independent women," Holmes said. "Unfortunately, the polls show that neither of them are going to win Oklahoma."
I support President Clinton and Hillary Clinton because our Economy is struggling and our Deficit is @ an all time high right now and if I recall both of those issues were almost @ a stand still when They accompanied one another in the White House for 8 years as Commanders and Chiefs of this great nation. Right now is a pevital moment and we litterally have lost the Middle-Class in this Country, The Clintons and they're organization have always made sure the middle class has flourished. I would like to voice my opinion about being a Voice that is Heard and not pushed aside by a biast media and perhaps even a biast democratic party, It is evidently clear that the media is "Forcing the Hands of The Democratic Party to throw the Clintons out"
What they do not understand is that all they are accomplishing by doing so is guaranteeing a victory for the Republicans and John McCain and here we go with another 4 years of Bush. Look the numbers speak for themselves. We agree that McCain is going to be another Bush so simple mathematics will show if you go to the election of 2000 and 2004 you will see a trend of what states Bush Carried over Gore and Kerry. It is easy to see that Hillary has alot of support in some of those states and Beat Obama in all of the "BIG" states with the biggest population and with the most electoral votes. Her support as she clearly keeps indicating amongst Blue Collar White Working Class voters is overwhelmingly in her favor, these are the votes you need in an election for President. She will continue to fight on for Florida and Michigan to be seated and that will help even the playing field. NO ONE I repeat NO ONE will have enough Electoral Votes to win this Election for the Democratic party So they do not have the right to give any credit to the Obama organization referencing a Win. The Super Delegates may not even Decide on this issue.
There is a simple Question rising right now and that is do you want a Democrat in office or a Republican??? The Democratic Party is going to have to come to terms with that Simple Question and if it is Democrat then they will have to Choose Hillary Clinton other wise we will loose the Nomination and I believe by staggering numbers considering what is out in the media right now about Barack Obama. Look @ the Hard facts and that is what Hillary Clinton is going to argue up until the end. The Party would have to be loosing they're Bearing's if they really think Obama stands a chance. Hillary go ahead and use that slogan by the way. I just want to end with a letter I sent the Clinton Organization Pleading with them as a Florida Voter and here it is,
The Math to get the Nomination" Read this Very Important
Listen I and my wife are Hillary supporters and so is my family and friends and we are all from Florida, Missourri, Indiana, New York, California, and Arizona. and we have held group meetings, made calls, and contributions and know you NEED this nomination. We need this Nomination and we NEED YOU Hillary Clinton to be our Candidate. I know the math is against us right now but we havn't given up and we know you will not either. I am no Rocket Scientist but I have figured out a way for the math to work for you to win in the election for the electoral votes needed. First off, and I know it's going to be a long shot but you have to win the endorsement of John Edwards and Get his 19 Delegate Count in your favor from him succeeding them to you in compliance with the democratic committee in agreeance. Maybe Bill can help you with this. also; You will need to carry West Va. , Kentucky, and Puerto Rico by an avg. of 70/30 split. not bad considering the demographics and latino favorable vote for you. You need a tie in South Dakota and Montana and Oregon. all of this will be contengent on you also getting Fl. where you should have about 105 delegates to Baracks 73 and you will need to also seat Michigans votes but in order to do this you will need to give Barack the uncommitted votes of 237,762 you carried this state with 328,151 votes if you recall. that math is roughly 33/21 so you will still pick up delegates there. now furthermore you will need to and maybe most impressively win about 63% of the super delegates and Wham' you are the next democratic nominee. as far as I can see you have the tenacity and the backing of your name and all of us and many endorsements and of course poll victories to pull this off. tell them that 70 % of Obama supporters will vote for you even if Obama is out and only 48 % of our voters will vote for Barack or McCain come November. I, My wife, my family and friends happen to be those whom will either not vote or vote for McCain if we are not heard and you are not seated. they are infringing on all of our rights to vote "it is our constitutional right to vote" Who do they think they are.? WE will Send a message to these people. It may cost them the Nomination all together and then Wham' another 4 years of BUSH with McCain. Please, I know you are trying everything you can but DO NOT allow them to throw you out. Stand your ground and keep up the fight. Your HillaryAholics stand behind you most when you are down and you fight back everytime and that's precisely what your message should be from here on out and what you shall and will do from here on out. This I am confident of. The Republcans are hoping for Obama and routing for Obama so they can win this nomination.
Sincerely,
Your HillaryAholic Leader,
Kevin Poeling
Naples, Florida
Also, I will like to add to this a little bit on "The Math"
The States in just the last election won by Bush that Hillary should be a much better candidate in against McCain than Obama are West Va., Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Kentucky, Arkansas, Puerto Rico, and even Arizona. These States were carried by Hillary Clinton in the race to the whitehouse. The other States that were not won in 2004 by Bush but Obama might not be able to carry in this election against McCain and Clinton more than likely will are California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, and New Jersey. Look People I don't know about you but lets be real here. I mean just because you don't want to make this about RACE and hurt our African American vote which by the way only makes up 22.5 % of the total Democratic vote and lets see 87.6% of them are voting for Obama. that math equivalates to about 6,504,300.00 votes and what was the last poll? Oh yeah 70% of them said they would vote for Hillary. so lets see whats that #? o.k. its. 4,553,010 votes and so you subtract that from 6,504,300 and it is only 1,951,290 votes. Now lets do a little subject here. lets say that the poll that just came out held some weight in the upcomming election which it will.. now only 48% of Hillary supporters claimed they would vote for Obama. she has over 17,000,000 votes with Fl. and Mi. lets just say for argument sakes that number which is 8,160,000 votes. seems like an awfull lot of diffenece to throw the election on doesn't it? take 8,160,000 votes subtract the 1,951,290 votes and you have 6,208,710 votes difference. AND THAT MY FRIENDS WILL LOOSE US THE ELECTION RIGHT THERE. JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GET A LITTLE HARSH WITH OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS AND TELL THEM WHAT THE REAL NUMBERS ARE OUT OF FEAR.
I for one am upposed to allowing this nation to be ruled by an incompitent nominee and an unexperienced one who is tied up in all sorts of scandals and terrorist mentioning? what are we still even talking about and what has come over the American People? WAKE UP!!! Don't forget about what just happened to us in the last 8 years. We cannot afford to allow that to occur again.
VOTE HILLARY CLINTON or LOSE THE WHITEHOUSE.
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