Plan for superdelegate 'mini-convention' seeks to end Democrats' internal warfare

[proud2BlibKansan]

By DAVE HELLING
The Kansas City Star

Democrats, looking for a way out, are pondering a new idea: an unprecedented “mini-convention” to bring their punishing presidential season to an early close.

The proposal surfaced during another week of pushing and shoving between the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns, and a growing concern that the party may be hurting itself beyond repair.

Without some resolution, they fret, Republican John McCain will win the presidency.

“If we continue down the path we are on, we might as well hand the keys of the White House to John McCain,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.Plan for superdelegate 'mini-convention' seeks to end Democrats' internal warfare
By DAVE HELLING
The Kansas City Star

Democrats, looking for a way out, are pondering a new idea: an unprecedented “mini-convention” to bring their punishing presidential season to an early close.

The proposal surfaced during another week of pushing and shoving between the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns, and a growing concern that the party may be hurting itself beyond repair.

Without some resolution, they fret, Republican John McCain will win the presidency.

“If we continue down the path we are on, we might as well hand the keys of the White House to John McCain,” said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.

more . . . http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/542737.html

[DJ13]

1. When Obama was interviewed on CNN 360

He mentioned that Tennesee's governor (An Obama SD) had plans to hold this super delegate convention, but I think it wasnt scheduled until after Guam voted (June).

Is this something sooner, or the same convention?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. First I have heard of it

but the article says after the last primary.

[ekwhite]

2. Interesting

I don't think they should hold the mini-convention until the end of the primaries, though. June after the Puerto Rican primaries would be good.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. The article says it will be after the last primary

I want to know if it is open to the public. Or will only superdelegates be allowed to attend?

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. When I watched Clinton speak live at the State of the Black Union Conference

She talked about the necessity of Democrats unifying behind whichever candidate wins the nomination so that we can defeat McCain in Novemeber, and she said she thought it would be known who that was by June.

If nothing else settles this by June, this probably would be a good idea. Waiting until late August to begin pulling the party together around a nominee is dangerous.

[jackson_dem]

9. Agreed

[Recursion]

10. I wonder how true that conventional wisdom is

Waiting until late August to begin pulling the party together around a nominee is dangerous.

That seems probable, but we don't really know. Maybe keeping the GOP guessing until that late is a Good Thing.

[Johnny__Motown]

6. It is a great idea. have all the SD declare in June so we can end this sooner

Unless Hillary comes to her senses and drops out before this happens.

[bluestateguy]

7. This cannot be allowed to bleed into late August

Even if Hillary steals it vai superdelegates and not winning the popular votes and delegates. If she is going to steal it, better that it be done in June than late August.

In any event, we can't just let the process stew for two and a half months after Puerto Rico votes.

[4themind]

8. At that point the principle audience would be

the super delegates, so why not have them decide in June rather than in august, if we want to have more time to unify, as long as the loser agrees to drop out after the vote. The only stickler is Florida/Michigan may not be resolved by then, but this way, the delegates could still be seated but not have a deciding role in the primary(if that's seen to be a compromise for recognizing their vote while serving some sort of deterrent to other states breaking DNC rules to begin with), and using the method that hillary herself validates; superdelegates using their "independent judgement". If they so happen to go along with the pledged delegate totals at that point in time (like obama wants) or not that's their choice...

[John Q. Citizen]

11. Interesting article. I'm glad to see the push to settle this.

[high density]

12. After June 3? How about April 3

They need to decide sooner rather than later. It's going to be their decision no matter what happens, and the overall math and race is unlikely to change between now and then.

[tekisui]

13. This lines up with Richardson's statement.

He said that after the last Primary, the SD's needed to unite around a Nominee.

It sounds like a SD Primary, before the COnvention to save two months of nastiness between the last primary and the COnvention. Sounds good to me./

[tabasco]

14. Somebody needs to take charge and give H. Cinton the bad news.

"You ain't gonna win and we're not gonna let you pull us down any farther into the gutter."

[grantcart]

15. DOA they are all prima donas and want their 15 minutes each

[mmonk]

16. I think our party is lost way before then.

Unless the operatives are shut up, it's not going to matter with months more to go of negative character assassinations in the press.

[madfloridian]

17. I notice who they don't mention. The DNC does not endorse this.

Dean's spokesperson sent out a press release the day Bredesen brought it up. So I guess everyone else will figure it out. Right?

[crispini]

21. I think Dean is going to wait at least until after another primary or two...

before he starts pushing something like this. He's a canny fella. :D

[MagickMuffin]

18. I saw a brief mention of this on MSNBC last Friday.

It was sandwiched in between commercials in a segment called 101 politics during the Verdict. I couldn't find anything about it though.

They stated that it would be a super secret mini convention.

I don't particularly agree when that scenario, I think it should be open to the rest of us democrats, but I certainly understand why they wouldn't choose to do that, considering the outcome.

Thanks for posting this article, proud2Blib. :thumbsup:

[madfloridian]

19. Not that it matters.....Dean does not endorse this.

http://www.kxmc.com/t/linton-nd/220796.asp

But then, who the heck cares? Rules? What effing rules? Let the governors take over, let FL and MI control the dialogue, just shove the DNC to the side.

That is what this has been about....there is already a third party. They will take care of it all.

[crispini]

20. It's definitely worth thinking about.

We can't wait til August, IMO.

[Stephanie]

22. I propose we use this convention to get rid of the super delegates once and for all.

It is just WRONG that they have the power to overturn a democratically elected nominee. It's undemocratic. We need to write them out of the rules.

[antigop]

24. and where does it say that we should have a "democratically elected nominee"???

The PARTY controls the process. The PARTY.

<edit to add> I'm glad other people are starting to talk about this....

[davidpdx]

23. I think within reason this could happen right after the last primary

June 7th would be good as it would make sure a few days had passed since the last primary, all the results would be in (hopefully) and the pledged delegates would be decided. This is a much better idea then simply waiting until the convention.