Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama

[KittyWampus]

Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
By TPM Editor

GEORGE NORCROSS SUPPORTS OBAMA
Barack Obama today picked up the support of two super delegates from New Jersey as several major Democratic leaders in South Jersey announced that they would switch their endorsements from Hillary Clinton to Obama. Super delegates Donald Norcross, who had previously been uncommitted, and State Sen. Dana Redd, who had backed Clinton, are now for Obama. This is a net pickup of two super delegates for Obama and a loss of one for Clinton.

Obama also won the backing of one of the state’s most powerful political insiders, George Norcross, and was endorsed by Clinton backers, including Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney, Democratic County Chairmen James Beach (Camden), Rick Perr (Burlington) and Michael Angelini (Gloucester), Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, State Sen. Frederick Madden, and Assemblyman Paul Moriarty.

This brings the New Jersey delegate count to 72 votes for Clinton and 52 for Obama, with 3 super delegates still undecided.
"Like many Americans, we have been closely watching the presidential contest unfold and sense a new energy and excitement that hasn't been seen in at least forty-years," said Norcross, the South Jersey AFL-CIO president and the Camden County Democratic Co-Chairman. "The performance of Senator Obama in Wisconsin and the Potomac primaries demonstrated that he has broad appeal across the political spectrum - men and women, young and old, white and blue collars, Asian, white, Latino and African-American. We need to seize this momentum, attract a new generation of leaders to our Party, while rallying behind the candidate who can best unite the country during these uncertain economic times. That candidate is Senator Barack Obama."

"It's clear the people have spoken. It's time to unite behind a single candidate and that's Senator Obama," said Redd. "He will have won, by the end of this contest, more popular votes, more primaries, more caucuses, more delegates elected by the people and deserves to be our nominee. He has met the burden of proof to be the Democratic nominee and our next President. While we have a great deal of respect for Senator Hillary Clinton's long history and commitment to public service, the results of the past few weeks made us realize it's time for a new direction."

[MadBadger]

1. Add that to Ron Kind of Wisco and most likely Steve Kagan of Wisco

[KittyWampus]

13. Question for Wonks- a number of Supers have defected recently. Anyone keep track how many?

Anyone know if the media has updated their tallies?

[HeraldSquare212]

They're defecting in her own backyard.

[scheming daemons]

2. The avalanche is picking up speed....

Two weeks is an eternity.... Hillary's support will have completely crumbled by March 4th.

[jackson_dem]

3. NORCROSS

:rofl: This exposes how much a sham Obama is. Norcross? You don't get more corrupt, more "old politics" than Norcross. Change we can deceive in!

[cali]

8. now there's logic for you!

Because some pol defects to Obama, that's an exposure of how much a sham Obama is.

Just brilliant!

:sarcasm:

[jackson_dem]

17. You obviously don't know anything about who Norcross is

Let me guess: you don't have folks like him in Vermont.

[cali]

20. Probably not.

Our system is a bit too intimate for corruption, if that's what you're getting at. But that was hardly my point. I was speaking to your paucity of logic.

[krkaufman]

21. Osama could endorse Obama, and it wouldn't reflect on Obama.

Norcross is free to support whomever he wants, and apparently is free to associate his superdelegate vote with whichever candidate he wants. I don't fault Obama for Norcross' purported weaknesses any more than I fault Hillary for the failings of Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, two people who have voiced support for Sen. Clinton's candidacy in recent weeks.

[lapfog_1]

Where was your post protesting his backing of Hillary

prior to this? You know, because he is so corrupt and all...

<crickets>

[K Gardner]

4. "Its time to unite.." I agree !

[Debi]

5. Hmmmm, I wonder if this is what the Clinton meant by 'automatic'?

The super delegates 'automatically' decide that a divided party isn't such a good idea?

[Colobo]

The Party needs to unite around Barack Obama. America has spoken.

[LisaM]

6. B-b-but --- it's HILLARY who's "stealing" superdelegates

I read it here, just yesterday.

[writes3000]

7. Actually, the conversation was about stealing delegates - not Superdelegates

Superdelegates can change their allegiance at any point.

Delegates are NOT supposed to do that.

Just for your info.

[Barack_America]

9. Inform yourself.

1). What you heard yesterday was someone from her campaign saying they would go after Obama's PLEDGED delegates. Those are the ones we vote for.

2). Superdelegates are unpledged and able to change their votes as they wish. They changed their minds, Obama did not "steal" them.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

10. I guess she didn't steal enough. ...n/t

[cali]

11. You're confused. That was about pledged delegates

not SDs. They're free to do as they wish.

[juajen]

15. I thought ya'll wanted the super delegates to vote the way their states voted?

Gosh, I forgot, different rules for Glitterbama.

[lapfog_1]

16. No, I'd be happy if the SDs went they way the state went

Even to the point that Ted Kennedy and John Kerry would vote for Hillary.

So long as SDs from states that Obama wins go with him.

Or that the SDs are apportioned in each state according to how the pledged delegates are apportioned in each state.

But those aren't the rules currently in effect, are they?

So right now, as far as SDs are concerned, all is fair, right?

That's why Chelsea is having lunch with young male SDs... and Bill is calling the older generation (well, maybe he calling on the young female SDs too).

[cali]

19. er, you would, of course, be wrong.

That's natural for Hillbots. I absolutely do NOT think that SDs should be obligated to vote the way their state's or districts voted. The different rules belong to Madame Entitlement. She's the one who's willing to subvert the system. God, it's good to know she won't be the nominee. I will so cheer the day she drops out.

[krkaufman]

22. You either thought wrong or are being intentionally obtuse...

... and so I don't see the point in spending any time educating you on reality, any more than a Right Wing 25%er.

[lapfog_1]

14. Sorry LisaM

but you don't pay that much attention, do you?

Or is it that you are intentionally fudging up things?

Super Delegates can do anything they want. Even "pledged" Super Delegates are not bound by any party rules to vote one way or another. Pledged Super Delegates make up their own minds and endorse who they want. They are free to change their minds. Its totally up to them. They represent no one but themselves. They are not elected to the delegation, they are appointed by the DNC.

Delegates are a completely different animal. They don't even get picked until one candidate wins a caucus or primary and is awarded a percentage of delegates from the states allocated pool. At the state convention, the candidate names a slate of delegates to the national convention. They are pledged to him or her.

The story yesterday was that Hillary was attempting to "flip" pledged delegates, which is nearly the same as "vote fraud" since the pledged delegates are the direct result of elections or caucuses where the average Democratic (and sometimes all) voter expresses their preference.

Hillary's campaign has denied that they were trying to do that.

We will wait and see.

But it has nothing to do with the Super Delegates, as I am sure you are aware.

[Jersey Devil]

12. This may have more to do with NJ politics than anything else

I'm an Obama supporter, but as a NJ resident I know that Norcross and much of southern NJ is at odds with the northern contingent of Democrats, both battling for control of the state Democratic Party. Norcross may simply be tweaking the noses of northern Dems who are generally for Clinton.

[K Gardner]

18. LOL.. they just NOW (2:20 EST) reported this as breaking on MSNBC

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. But the people of NJ voted for Clinton! How can this happen in a Democracy?!? n/t

[dempartisan23]

24. great news!!

[grantcart]

25. thank you below is an update on some other changes

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4690456

[JPZenger]

26. All delegates are equal, but some are more equal than others

All delegates are equal, but some delegates are more equal than others.

On the average, a vote by one superdelegate is equal to the votes of 20,000 Democratic voters in a primary election.

A thead today by a culinary union official on www.dailykos describes how delegates who were elected to vote for Obama in Nevada are being called multiple times to vote for Clinton by the Clinton campaign. Those aren't superdelegates - they are actually supposed to represent the voters in their area.

The rules vary from state to state on whether elected/pledged delegates need to vote to follow the will of their local voters. For example, in Pennsylvania, some of the pledged delegates are only obligated to vote for the winning candidate in the first ballot.