Should We Be Lobbying the Superdelegates?

[Stephanie]

Would a letter-writing campaign make sense? Their names are all listed at the first link.

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Superdelegate Endorsement List

Here's a list of superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention that have officially announced who they plan to nominate. If you know of any others or are a superdelegate please post a comment.

We have also created a list of superdelegates that have not endorsed a candidate. There are 796 total Democratic superdelegates that the nominees are trying to be endorsed by.


Without Michigan and Florida
Candidate Delegates Super delegates Total

Clinton 777 201 978
Obama 784 110 894
Edwards 12 -- 12
Unknown-IA 14 -- 14
Undeclared 0 411 411
Updated 2/6/2008 Delegates Needed: 2025

Superdelegate Comparison
Candidate DCW CNN CBS AP
Clinton 201 193 209 201
Obama 110 106 118 118
Updated 2/5/2008

Includes Michigan and Florida
Candidate Delegates Super delegates Total
Clinton 955 213 1168
Obama 851 113 964
Edwards 25 -- 25
Unknown-IA 14 -- 14
Uncommitted 55 -- 55
Undeclared 0 451 451
Updated 2/5/2008 Delegates Needed: 2208

http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3034

Superdelegates make up one-fifth of the delegates to the Democratic National Convention. There are 4,090 total delegates to the DNC, of which 796 are superdelegates and have free reign to choose whichever candidate they like best.

The superdelegates include Democratic National Committee members living in Minnesota, all Democratic members of Congress, the Democratic governors if applicable, and distinguished party members -- which could include former U.S. presidents, vice presidents or former congressional leaders. In Minnesota, that includes former Vice President Walter Mondale. The same formula is applied to the other states.

In Minnesota, there are 47 pledged delegates elected from the districts and 16 at-large delegates chosen at the state convention. There are also nine pledged party-leader and elected-official -- called PLEO -- delegates and 16 unpledged delegates, 14 of whom are superdelegates who are free to select whomever they like at the convention.

The nine PLEO delegates are selected at the state convention. They are bound by presidential preference determined at the caucuses and are selected in the following order of importance: big-city mayors and statewide elected officials, state legislative leaders, state legislators, and other state, county and local elected officials and party leaders.

Two unpledged add-on delegates are selected at the state convention as well. Like superdelegates, they have free reign to choose the candidate of their liking.

Of the 14 superdelegates from Minnesota, six have not endorsed a presidential candidate: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Reps. Tim Walz and Collin Peterson, DFL Chair Brian Melendez, DFL Vice Chair Donna Cassutt and Democratic National Committeeman Ken Foxworth.

Four have endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton: Mondale and Democratic National Committee members Jackie Stevenson, Rick Stafford and Hubert "Buck" Humphrey.

Two have endorsed Sen. Barack Obama: Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum, and two have endorsed John Edwards: Rep. Jim Oberstar and Democratic National Committee member Nancy Larson.

[Stephanie]

1. Superdelegates are in the position to determine this nomination

[AtomicKitten]

2. Chelsea Clinton has been dialing for superdelegates ...

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Chelsea_calling.html

[Stephanie]

3. The Clintons' motto is "by any means necessary"

They have learned their lessons well. Have the superdelegates ever been lobbied by everyday voters before? What would the effect of that be, I wonder?

[AtomicKitten]

4. there does appear to be a pattern of skirting election law ...

http://connpolitics.tv/index.php/2008/02/05/chelsea-at-the-polling-place

[Stephanie]

5. hello?

has it ever been done before? or do the insiders only listen to other insiders?