What, exactly, is a Superdelegate?

[Raven]

I think he/she may be someone elected or appointed to do something other than to take my vote away from me. Could I be wrong on that?

[Cant trust em]

1. It's a delegate with a red cape and can fly. NT

[Cali_Democrat]

8. .

[Cant trust em]

10. I was looking for that with Pelosi's face superimposed. NT

[bhikkhu]

2. A delegate not tied to a state primary.

Essentially an "independent" delegate who is supposed to make up his or her own mind and vote accordingly. Democratic governors, congressmen and senators, for instance, are automatically SD's.

[tekisui]

3. They are individuals whose vote in the Primary counts 100,000-1,000,000 times your

measly little "people" vote.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Someone whose wishes are deemed much more important than yours or mine.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. It's the "more equal" animal.

[Asgaya Dihi]

6. There's two groups of them

Former Presidents, sitting Governors, Senators, and others who were elected to their positions make up one group of them. The rest are filled in by party appointments, insiders for the most part. No difference between them other than how they got there though. They all have the same SD vote once in position.

Decades back we had a silly blowout at convention and got our ass handed to us for a number of reasons, one might have been bad candidate and the better part probably that we were so divided. Someone thought this method would be a way to put up a firewall if we ever seemed to be heading in the same direction. So much for good intentions I guess, they have to actually do something for it to mean anything and so far they seem willing to let it go the same way as it might have without them. The intent was clear enough, but if they actually fulfill that role is another matter.

[Hippo_Tron]

7. Yup, but they didn't bother to throw up a firewall and stop Mondale's nomination

In fact some of them encouraged it, given that Mondale led in pledged delegates but didn't have a majority. Let us remember that Mondale lost just as badly as McGovern did.

[Growler]

9. It'e beyond ridiculous their delay

At this point I can't think of a good way to penalize any uncommitted super-delegates, but at the least they should have their SD status stripped for 2012! Waiting this long to commit is just stupid and damages the party. I don't care who they pick, just pick someone!

[rock]

11. If a candidate wins enough "regular" delegates

we can take the votes away from the super delegates.