Would Obama and Clinton both commit now to urge SDs to back whoever has the most elected delegates

[pampango]

at the time of the convention?

I realize that neither of them can MAKE the superdelegates do anything, but the candidates' public statement would put pressure on them. Each candidate now claims to be slightly ahead in the delegate race. If they each really believe that, this pledge would be both a good public relations move and a sly tactic to take advantage of the delegate lead he or she already has. It would not stop either of them from lobbying SDs behind closed doors other than the potential embarrassment if such lobbying was exposed and compared to their public committment.

As a practical political matter, I don't think either of them want to win the nomination if she or he does not have more elected delegates. It would be a hollow nomination since supporters of the "loser" (the one with more elected delegates) would justifiably feel betrayed which would jeopardize our election chances.

[Uben]

1. Why would they do that?

If they hold the power to elect a candidate, they will use it!

[enki23]

2. i imagine he, who is generally behind on SDs, would do so

and i also imagine that Hillary, who is ahead, would not.

[samrock]

3. Mass SD's

Sooo since Hillary got more votes in Mass.. Ted Kennedy and John Kerry should vote for her???

[pampango]

4. I wasn't really proposing a "winner takes all the SDs in each state".

That would be telling SDs what to do, which I don't think either candidate can do. I don't think you could force Kennedy and Kerry to vote a certain way, any more than you could force a SD who endorsed Hillary but comes from a state that Obama won. :)

My suggestion was simply that both candidates state publicly that whoever has the most elected delegates at the convention should be our nominee. You couldn't enforce that on the SDs, but it would be an ethical way to approach a probably brokered convention.

[cloudythescribbler]

5. The idea makes sense, especially for Obama, but don't hold your breath...

I think that there would need to be something of a popular hue-and-cry raised, especially if it appears that Obama gains a clear lead among elected delegates.

Although the PROMISE to follow this pattern as a rule may have little chance of coming into being, as a practical matter there is a good chance that most SDs will coalesce behind a candidate with a clear lead among the elected.

It would stink to high heaven if, say, Obama won the most elected delegates but SDs handed the nomination over to Hillary. Nothing could be more calculated to ruin the Democrats' chances in November, and to harm the party longterm. Fortunately, it appears that at least Howard Dean is thinking ahead about avoiding that kind of situation.

[pampango]

6. I agree with everything you said, particularly your last paragraph. n/t