Buttigieg Prepping for Possible Contested Convention

[wyldwolf]

“Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign is taking proactive steps for the possibility of a contested convention, including an aggressive effort to court Democratic Party insiders who could cast crucial votes in such a scenario,” the Daily Beast reports.

“The South Bend mayor’s team held a conference call with a group of so-called superdelegates on Monday to ask them for their support… It was just the latest sign that the mayor’s aides are still playing catch up against competitors such as former Vice President Joe Biden, who has been cultivating relationships with party insiders for nearly 40 years. But it also signals that Buttigieg’s team sees a convention floor fight as a possible path towards securing the party’s nomination.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pete-buttigieg-campaign-aggressively-courts-superdelegates-in-preparation-for-a-contested-convention

I like you A LOT Mayor Peter, but the convention won't be brokered. Superdelegates have never gone against the person with the most delegates.

[True Blue American]

1. Yes, much too soon.

[crazytown]

3. Indeed

Intimidation, abuse of delegates, belong at the Convention, like last time.

[democratisphere]

2. WTF is this about?!

When a candidate can't put up the numbers, you bow out.

[crazytown]

4. Like 1980?

Like 2016?

[True Blue American]

5. No one is really in the running yet.

Too many candidates. You need to concentrate in getting to the top of the Totem pole now.
2016 had 2 candidates, one who refused to give up after they lost. Not the same now.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. Interesting these are two elections the Democrats lost.

[crazytown]

33. 1984, 1988, 2000, 2004 - lost

A frontrunner emerged, took it all the way to the convention, then lost the GE. 1988, Hart bowed out, Dukakis had the inside running.

[Demsrule86]

18. Not a good example as we lost both of those elections...so if you want to win, you exit

gracefully...the person with the most delegates should be our nominee...period. the Supers' role is to put the winning candidate over the top on the second ballot if need be.

[Celerity]

6. The article adds context, it is simply smart politics

The courting of superdelegates has taken place during every modern Democratic presidential campaign. But after the Democratic National Committee instituted a rules reform package at their 2018 summer meeting, the significance of those party insiders was supposed to have lessened. Responding to complaints from supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders—who had decried a “rigged” primary in 2016—the DNC made it so that superdelegates could no longer vote on the party’s first presidential primary ballot.

But the reforms still allowed the 769 superdelegates to vote if the convention was contested. And with a historically crowded field running for the party’s nomination, the possibility of a contested convention has become more likely, prompting campaigns to accelerate their courtship of superdelegates.

“Nobody wants to anticipate a campaign where we go to a second ballot, but if you’re smart you have to,” said Jed Ober, Hillary for America’s deputy delegate director in 2016 and chief of staff to Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, who is uncommitted but was invited to the call. Ober joined Monday’s call on Wild’s behalf. He said the Buttigieg campaign was the first to reach out this cycle and that all signs point to them building a sophisticated delegate-wrangling operation.

“Any of these campaigns that have a legitimate shot to win should be doing this,” Ober said.

snip

“He’s taking the right step by trying to engage DNC members this early,” she said. “When you’re looking at the number of candidates we have right now, that may end up becoming something really important. When I have this level of engagement from a candidate, it’s an indication to a certain level that that candidate is thinking strategically.”

In addition to hosting conference calls, Buttigieg’s campaign has been topping the candidate’s call list lately with outreach to superdelegates and focusing his campaign stops on delegate-rich districts. His campaign also has ensured that superdelegates have access to him at his grassroots events, according to a person familiar with his day-to-day schedule.

“You never want to go out on a dance floor and ask a girl for a dance if you haven’t introduced yourself previously,” Bob Mulholland, the longtime-DNC member from California who has endorsed Sen. Kamala Harris, and who joined the call, told The Daily Beast.

[mobeau69]

7. This is good. Pete's thinking ahead. Always smart to have contingency plans at the ready.

That's what you want to see in a leader.


Go BOOT EDGE EDGE.

[Demsrule86]

16. It makes me like him less...he is not even within range of the nomination.

[Blue_Adept]

22. Because polls are saying one thing?

The number of things that can change in the next five months before even the very first primary vote is cast is enormous.

And a smart politician will plan for as many eventualities as possible.

Hell, Biden could topple over tomorrow and be out completely and it would upend everything in terms of "range of the nomination"

[Demsrule86]

25. Planning to usurp the voters choices by playing politics is distasteful...win or lose fairly.

This is why we have supers who hopefully will vote for the winner of the primary and put him/her over the top if needed. I do not believe he could ever win in racist homophobic America in the first place...my daughter is gay and she says the same thing...we need to get Trump out in 20. Thus we need a candidate who can win. I like Mayor Pete but I find this distasteful and disappointing. Knowing when to bow out gracefully is something all politicians need to learn.

[Blue_Adept]

40. Having read through most of your replies in this thread, and knowing you've been here for awhile

It really feels like you don't understand how a lot of this works.

Hell, the number of people telling candidates to bow out before even a single vote has been cast really is a wonderful thing to see on a democratic site.

Planning on surviving the first round or two and figuring out how to manuever through the remaining contests is now "distasteful and disappointing."

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

[Demsrule86]

43. That wasn't what I said...you need to bow out after there is no shot of your winning the primary...

we don't need 20 candidates all the way though...people will start having trouble raising money and I predict some will drop out before the Iowa primary...and more after. It needs to happen...we need to have primary and then move on to the general. A primary is only a means of getting a candidate who can win a general. It is pretty clear who will be the top three already. I know how primaries work and how they can destroy our chances in the general if we are not careful. As for a contested convention, it always leads to defeat...always.

[FreeState]

44. Biden is doing the same thing...

As are most the contestants. This is good politics and shows forethought from all of them.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/superdelegates-2020-convention-democrats

"Back in February, on a trip to Washington, DC, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker made time to meet privately with Democratic National Committee members from Georgia — a small but influential group of party officials who, until last year, held key superdelegate votes in the presidential nominating process.

Before he got in the race last week, Joe Biden’s campaign manager, Greg Schultz, met with a similar constituency: chiefs of staff to Democratic members of the House of Representatives.

On the campaign trail, California Sen. Kamala Harris makes it a point to check in on superdelegates wherever she goes, tasking a senior adviser to keep tabs on all 769 in a carefully monitored spreadsheet.

And after helping to strip superdelegates of a significant portion of their power after his first presidential campaign, Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign officials are planning to take “superdelegates strategy seriously,” they say, with an outreach program designed to “prepare for multiple convention scenarios” — even as the candidate continues to bemoan superdelegates at his rallies."

[zentrum]

8. Too bad we have super-delegates

Makes for an insider, anti-democratic, establishment election.

[Demsrule86]

15. If super delegates vote with the winner of the primary which I fully expect they will do...they will

put the leader over the top on the second ballot. This has happened before...and they always vote for the winner of the primary. If they do anything else...Trump wins.

[ehrnst]

57. How so? When have they ever decided a primary?

Bernie Sanders was a Superdelegate.

[Amimnoch]

9. Makes sense at this point.

Biden is clearly the front runner by all indicators, but since he's nowhere near 50% at this point, it's a smart move.

Hoping like hell that once the primaries kick off this field narrows down a good bit fast, and a clear front runner comes out, and the rest respectfully bow out once it gets to that point so our candidate can consolidate and start going after Cheetolini aggressively. Hoping it doesn't even get to the convention as a contest, but given the numbers still running right now, and the polling numbers, this doesn't seem like a bad move to be making.

[Demsrule86]

14. It is not smart but self serving...he is not even close to being the winner.

[Blue_Adept]

41. NOBODY IS CLOSE TO BEING THE WINNER

Not ONE vote has been cast.

[Demsrule86]

42. He has no chance.

[Blue_Adept]

55. "Things said about Obama circa 2007" for $500, Alex

[Demsrule86]

58. The campaign had not begun...this is a different thing.

[Sunsky]

10. We're not going to do this crap

This is how we hand Trump the election. Haven't we learned anything from 2016? A divided party will not win against a solid Trump base and foreign propagandists. Unity is strength. We need to coalesce around the person on top. Anyone who advocates for a contested convention will not receive my support, even if it's one of my top two candidates.

[dsc]

17. so if candidate a has 30 percent of delegates

and candidate b has 25 and candidate c has 20 with the rest split among candidates d thru f a should win even if b is the second choice of everyone?

[Sunsky]

23. The person with the most votes/delegates

Should be our nominee. In times like these one has to put the country before his/her own political ambition. If you fall short of the majority, step aside and help unite and lead our party to victory.
However, I believe we will have a clear choice before the convention. He/she likely will not have over 50% of the delegates but there will be a clear choice just like in 2016, 2008 etc.
For some of us this election is too crucial to screw up. This is life or death for some communities. United we stand and divided we fall.

[Demsrule86]

31. I agree completely...win or lose. We need to go with the candidate with the most delegates..supers

put this candidate over the top is what usually happens and this has happened before ...all delegates should vote the same way after the first vote...for sure.

[Fiendish Thingy]

29. In your scenario, if Biden is candidate A

Warren B, and Sanders C, I’m guessing/hoping that Sanders would throw his delegates to Warren and bow out, giving her 45%, then other candidates would hopefully give her enough delegates to win 50+% on the first ballot.

Of course, Biden would lobby for those delegates as well, in which case there may be no winner on the first ballot and the super delegates have to settle it.

[Demsrule86]

32. This would destroy any chance of winning the election period...the candidate with the most delegates

wins period. If Sanders and Warren want to make sure there is a progressive candidate then one of them needs to drop out. This needs to be done during the primary...not during the delegate counting...or Trump wins...consider that neither Warren nor Sanders do well with the AA voters, you would be shutting out the most important part of our party...can't happen...often moderate or progressive candidates split the vote...one needs to drop out or live with the consequences of not dropping out...the candidate with the most delegates must win.

[Fiendish Thingy]

36. I guess I wasn't clear- delegates would be reassigned before the first ballot at the convention

Typically in the time between the last primary and the start of the convention.

[Demsrule86]

39. The candidate that wins the primary wins the nomination...or we lose the general.

We can't read the mind of voters and give out delegates to whom we think they would want...those candidates who are splitting the vote...one of them needs to drop out before the primary is over.

[Thekaspervote]

11. Not being Pollyanna, but I don't think we're anywhere close from what I have read lately

Wish I could save everything I have read for reference... but

[Demsrule86]

13. so we could lose? This makes me hope Democrats turn out in droves and make Biden

the nominee...he polling in 5th place...would we really run a 5th place candidate...thank God we still have supers.

[2020Junker]

19. Nothing wrong with preparation

I'd be surprised if other candidates weren't looking ahead to all possibilities.

I doubt the convention will be brokered. I think after Super Tuesday, things will narrow down considerably, and we'll have a much clearer picture of the likely nominee.

But I like anyone who is thinking forward. It's a chess game. You have to think moves ahead.

I don't get why this is bending noses out of joint. Just preparing is now considered gauche?

[mopinko]

20. good. a smart leader w a long term plan, based on a solid concept of the problem.

for a guy who has never run for anything bigger than south bend to have made such a good showing on the national stage is the stuff political legends are made of.
pretty good for a guy who had to write a playbook from scratch.

one thing to bash other dems, but srsly, bashing them for having a solid, full term plan despite their lack of experience is/should be beyond the pale here.

[zackymilly]

21. Who knows what will happen? I never thought we would have a game show host for president either.nt

[Lefta Dissenter]

53. Would have been fine,

If it had been Alex Trebek. 😕

[brooklynite]

24. There will NOT be a contested Convention...

Anyone running 3rd, 4th, 5th will drop out rather than ruin their future political prospects, and will endorse one of the two other candidates.

[Funtatlaguy]

27. I love Pete but he's polling at 0% with blacks, 5% overall.

a long way away from this kind of brokered thinking.

[onetexan]

28. Second that, a bit presumptuous

Guy is smart, but this shows a smug arrogance about him that i do not like. I dont trust the fact other than being mayor of a town he's got no state or federal experience. Put in the time Pete. Your time will come, just not now.

[Demsrule86]

34. That is how I feel about him...smart yes but there is an arrogance that I don't appreciate.

[FreeState]

45. Because he is doing what Biden, Saunders, Booker, Harris are doing?

I don't get this, he's arrogant for doing the exact same thing Biden has been doing? How is that arrogant?

[Demsrule86]

50. I don't recall anyone else working on such a plan.

[FreeState]

51. Here

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/superdelegates-2020-convention-democrats

[Demsrule86]

60. Well it is buzz feed but that seems pretty normal...supers will put the winner of the primary over

IMHO...as they should anything else is political suicide. Those who are splitting the vote...need to address this before the convention. One should drop out.

[Fiendish Thingy]

30. But if he wins a state or two, and it's a close race

His delegates could be a strong bargaining chip.

[Demsrule86]

35. And then we lose the general...there can be no bargaining...the candidate with the most delegates

wins...Obama and Clinton were very close but Obama won...that's how we win.

[Fiendish Thingy]

37. But Obama won the nomination with 50+%

We could have a scenario where no one has a majority of delegates, and the front runner only has around 30%. Nominating that candidate is a recipe for disaster IMO, as there would 70% of voters who did not support that candidate.

If Warren and Sanders created a progressive coalition with close to 50% support, with Sanders assigning his delegates to Warren, and Buttigieg’s delegates put her over the top, that is a better recipe for winning IMO.

[Demsrule86]

38. Obama did not have the required number of delegates and two states had delegates that were not

counted too...the candidate with the most delegate wins period...if candidates are concerned about splitting the progressive vote than one needs to drop out. If we try the contested bullshit, we lose the general. We have never won such an election...as in never.

[FreeState]

46. Completely dishonest

Almost all the candidates are doing this, including the OPs chosen candidate.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/rubycramer/superdelegates-2020-convention-democrats

Back in February, on a trip to Washington, DC, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker made time to meet privately with Democratic National Committee members from Georgia — a small but influential group of party officials who, until last year, held key superdelegate votes in the presidential nominating process.

Before he got in the race last week, Joe Biden’s campaign manager, Greg Schultz, met with a similar constituency: chiefs of staff to Democratic members of the House of Representatives.

On the campaign trail, California Sen. Kamala Harris makes it a point to check in on superdelegates wherever she goes, tasking a senior adviser to keep tabs on all 769 in a carefully monitored spreadsheet.

And after helping to strip superdelegates of a significant portion of their power after his first presidential campaign, Sen. Bernie Sanders' campaign officials are planning to take “superdelegates strategy seriously,” they say, with an outreach program designed to “prepare for multiple convention scenarios” — even as the candidate continues to bemoan superdelegates at his rallies.

Superdelegates — the elected officials, party officers, and activists who have been given a say in the Democratic nominating system since 1982 — were stripped of their vote in the first round of convention voting last year, a move to appeal to Sanders supporters who felt the system unfairly benefited Hillary Clinton in 2016. But across the field of 21 candidates, campaigns with the resources to do so are already courting superdelegate support to prepare for the possibility of a contested convention next summer — a scenario in which superdelegate votes could come back into play.

[wyldwolf]

47. You do understand the definition of "dishonest," right?

Point to the passages of the piece that are dishonest.

[FreeState]

48. I do and the framing of the article is dishonest

It leaves out key facts - like Biden doing the same thing. It written and presented here as if he (Buttigieg) is the only one doing it - that is dishonest.

[wyldwolf]

49. That's silly

It leaves out key facts - like Biden doing the same thing.

It also left out what I had for breakfast that day.

It written and presented here as if he (Buttigieg) is the only one doing it - that is dishonest.

It was about Buttigieg.

Nothing dishonest. Try again

[still_one]

52. Hopefully after Super Tuesday this will be a non issue

[samnsara]

54. i want my donation back!

[SKKY]

56. This is what some might call 3D Chess, and it's very, very smart politics...

...unfortunately, until Mayor Pete endears himself to Black voters, this won't matter. He has time, but I just don't see much progress being made.

[Gothmog]

59. Mayor Pete will have a hard time making a case to the super delegates

The super delegates will want a proven candidate with a track record of accomplishments. Mayor Pete has very little to offer in this regard.

[zackymilly]

61. Why? Isn't this Bernie Sanders' job? n/t