Paul Abrams: SuperDuper Delegates: How About Some Leadership?

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from HuffPost:




Paul Abrams
SuperDuper Delegates: How About Some Leadership?
Posted March 21, 2008 | 10:21 PM (EST)



The Bush Administration has been so disastrous, and Republican Congressional rule so complicit and corrupt, that it seems to follow, "as the night the day", that the Democrats must take over just to staunch the bleeding.

But, what have the Democrats done to show they would do better? Where is the leadership? Rather than cut funds for the Iraq War, and put the onus on the commander-in-chief to insure the safety of the troops with funding withdrawn, they capitulated. There are more troops in Iraq today, spending more US tax dollars, than there were when the Democrats won back Congress in November 2006. More US servicemen and women lost their lives in 2007 than in any prior year. Not exactly a leadership record to run on. Many excuses, but no results.

Because of the unusual situation presented by the Democratic nomination, Democratic Party leaders have a clear opportunity to show they can lead. Will they take it? Are they capable? That's what the next few weeks will determine.

As I understand it, the Clintons plan to do very well in the remaining primaries, and then develop an argument for their nomination. Argument? My middle school civics taught me that elections make choices, not arguments.

But, here's an argument: Bill Clinton was in 3rd place, behind both George HW Bush and Ross Perot, going into the 1992 convention. So, what is the "argument" for superdelegates to divine who will win the November election from August polls?

There are 3 potential outcomes to the Presidential nomination race. Following a protracted, scorched-earth battle, either Hillary or Obama wins the nomination. Each of those two outcomes provides McCain a likely victory.

Equally importantly, it will have shown--again--that Democrats have a genetic disability to lead.

....(snip)....

There is, however, a subset of superdelegates ("SuperDuper Delegates") that do have such clout. Like Barry Goldwater for the Republicans, there are major Democratic leaders, Hillary supporters, who could go to Senator Clinton and say, "it's over".

I do not underestimate how uncomfortable such a meeting would be. These people are colleagues, and future colleagues, of Senator Clinton. Many, like Bill Richardson, worked with the Clintons in the 1990s. Moreover, for them to say "it's over" to Hillary is to change their own position, and thus to appear as if they are fair-weather friends.

All true, if the key question for the SuperDuper delegates ought to be their personal loyalty to Hillary. It is not. Hillary had her run, she was inevitable, but, absent a scorched earth campaign that would make it unlikely for any Democrat to win, she has lost it. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/superduper-delegates-how_b_92869.html

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