Top Clinton Supporters Warn Pelosi Over Superdelegate Statements
WASHINGTON — Twenty top Democratic donors who are supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a letter asking her to retract her comments on superdelegates and stay out of the Democratic fight over their role in the presidential race.
In their letter, Clinton’s supporters said superdelegates “must look to not one criterion but to the full panoply of factors that will help them assess who will be the party’s strongest nominee in the general election.”
The letter also noted the donors “have been strong supporters” of the House Democrats’ fundraising arm. “We therefore urge you to clarify your position on superdelegates and reflect in your comments a more open view to the optional independent actions of each of the delegates at the national convention in August.”
Pelosi, who has not endorsed either candidate as chair of the Democratic National Convention, said during a March 16 appearance on ABC’s “This Week” that it would be harmful to the party if superdelegates don’t support the pledged delegate winner.
“This is an untenable position that runs counter to the party’s intent in establishing superdelegates in 1984,” the letter from the wealthy Clinton backers said.
No matter what the outcome of the 10 remaining contests, it will be nearly impossible for Clinton to overcome rival Barack Obama’s lead in pledged delegates, because they are awarded proportionally based on the outcome.
So it will be up to the nearly 800 superdelegates — party activists and elected officials who aren’t bound by any vote — to put one of the two candidates over the mark of 2,024 delegates needed to win the nomination. Obama has 1,406 pledged delegates to Clinton’s 1,249, according to The Associated Press count.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, “This letter is inappropriate and we hope the Clinton campaign will reject the insinuation contained in it.”
“Regardless of the outcome of the nomination fight, Senator Obama will continue to urge his supporters to assist Speaker Pelosi in her efforts to maintain and build a working majority in the House of Representatives,” Burton said.
Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said Clinton had made the case superdelegates should exercise independent judgment about who would be the best for the party and the country.
“Few have done more to build the Democratic Party than Bill and Hillary Clinton. The last thing they need is a lecture from the Obama campaign,” he said.
The letter was first reported by the political blog Talking Points Memo.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Who are these 20 nameless people??
The Democrat’s are the people’s party?
…right. This just goes to show you, they bow to money like any other party. They don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Once again, the Clinton’s are trying their well known and documented bullying tactics to make it clear that they are entitled to continue their dynasty. One can only hope that Senators O’Bama and Pelosi will make it “verbally” clear that they will not be intimidated by these thug tactics. This was tried by the big whig Democrats against Senator Joe Lieberman. How well did that work for ya, slick Willy and Hilly?
Why do the rich think they run this country? That is the main reason Hillary will lose!
The Clintons are despicable - this amounts to blackmail. Pelosi cannot engage in any thoughts that go against the Clintons because they control the funders of the Democratic Party. They have done so much for the Democratic Party - give me a break. Look what Clinton did to Gore! The Clintons are interested in the Clintons - not the Democratic Party. On another matter - I cannot believe that so many Republicans have voted for Clinton in the primaries - surely this is moral corruption.
Of course they’re upset. They’ve given her a lot of money. If she doesn’t even win the nomination, it’s wasted. Large donors are expecting something in return, even if it’s just a night in the Lincoln bedroom. It’s an unveiled threat that they will not contribute to the general election if she is not the nominee.
It just goes to show you, that Clinton Inc. will do anything to win. Any trick in the book will be tried.
They call themselves Democratic just another lie, when in fact they are Marxists. The Democrats are anything but Democratic.
These clowns can’t run a primary, why would you want them to run the country?
I think that it is obviously stupid for the Clintonians to think that hi-jacking the nomination process is the best thing to do.
The fact is democrats need to understand simple scenario: the guy who studies hard to take a test to pass and the guy who sits and relies on his contact with the professor to pass the test. This kind of stuff at any school will be considered academy fraud. Why the clitonians want this kind of integrity underminding? I am sick of them.
Hilary is still young. She’s not like John’s age. Let her wait for the next race for God sake.