Howard Dean Calls for Superdelegate Decision by July 1
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean (AP Photo)
Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean, hoping to avoid a divisive fight on the convention floor, weighed in on the Clinton-Obama battle Friday by calling on all party superdelegates to declare whom they support by July 1.
The 800 or so Democratic superdelegates will almost certainly decide the presidential candidate, because it’s unlikely either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton will gain enough pledged delegates in the remaining primary contests to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination outright.
Dean, appearing on CBS’ “Early Show” Friday morning, was asked about the prospects of a vote among the superdelegates before the convention, an idea floated as a way to settle the still undecided Democratic race.
“Well, I think the superdelegates have already been weighing in. I think there’s 800 of them and 450 of them have already said who they’re for,” Dean said. “I’d like the other 350 to say who they’re on between now and the first of July so we don’t have to take this into the convention.”
Dean was not asked to elaborate on his remarks during the interview.
In a separate interview with The Associated Press, Dean warned against “demoralizing” Democrats with a drawn-out fistfight between Clinton and Obama.
“You do not want to demoralize the base of the Democratic Party by having the Democrats attack each other. … Let the media and the Republicans and the talking heads on cable television attack and carry on, fulminate at the mouth. The supporters should keep their mouths shut about this stuff on both sides because that is harmful to the potential victory of a Democrat,” Dean told the AP.
Dean’s comments follow an increasingly bitter and widening battle over the Democratic nomination. On Thursday, the deep-pocketed liberal organization MoveOn jumped into the fray, calling on its members to sign a petition rebuking a group of Clinton fund-raisers.
MoveOn’s action was prompted when the Clinton supporters sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, threatening to dial back their gift-giving if Pelosi maintains her position that superdelegates should follow the will of primary and caucus voters.
The Clinton campaign and its supporters — seeking to gain an edge in superdelegates — have argued that superdelegates are not bound by primary voting trends and were established under party rules to be independent.
Pelosi did not back down Thursday.
Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said Pelosi “believes it would do great harm to the Democratic Party if superdelegates are perceived to overturn the will of the voters. This has been her position throughout this primary season, regardless of who was ahead at any particular point in delegates or votes.
Democrats also are battling over how to handle the delegations from Michigan and Florida. The party stripped the two states of their delegates to the convention when they decided to hold their primaries before party rules allowed.
I am one of those “Typical white people” as Obama has ascribed me to be. I won’t be voting for you Obama. Not in November, not ever.
Nancy pelosi is an honest person and she is right about
the will of the voters. Stay on it Nancy your great
The history of the superdelegates is to abide by the pledge delegate’s.
Hillary should never quit.
Hillary is a better candidate in November.
Well unless Hillary gets the nomination, after all the smear, bait and switch lies and games Obama has used, even stooping to calling the Clintons racist? I am DONE with the Democrats after this and many years as a fighter for this party. I will vote for Nader unless Hillary is on the ballot in November if Obama wins this nomination. Obama and his sleazy supporters will never represent me and the Democratic values I was raised with. Today’s Democrats are useless, clueless, back stabbing, unappreciative, disorganized FOOLS who have vilified the Clintons, our proudest and most successful party representatives. It is time to disassociate with these idiots supporting Obama and the biased Democrat “leaders” running our party into the ground. OBAMA started all the infighting among Dems in ‘07 and his preacher / mentor is a RACIST!! I AM DONE WITH THIS UNETHICAL CUT THROAT PARTY. GO HILLARY!! ALL THE WAY!! DO NOT BACK DOWN!!
I have a hard time believing that N. Pelosi has anything of value to say to anyone about anything.
The race is so close at this point and the public is nearly split 50/50 on the two canidates. The superdelegates are humans also, let them vote the way they want as indivudals, redardless of party fatcats voicing their opinions.
It seems a shame that Obama is getting so much credit for “winning” states that, for the most part, will be solidly for McCain in November. Clinton has easily beaten Obama in all of the states, except Illinois, that will probably go Democratic in the general election. Obama is too far out of the mainstream to get elected President, the media “oohing and aahing” notwithstanding.
If Hillary is forced aside without the voters of the upcoming states deciding or the superdelegates deciding, I as a Hillary supporter promise I will VOTE FOR MCCAIN before I even THINK about voting for Obama. Democrats and Obama supporters better be very crefull about how they handle this thing, or Mccain will be the winner no matter what!
HILLARY, YOU SHOULD NEVER QUIT
Howard Dean and Patrick Leahy should shut up. These guys have their own agenda. Both of these guys are Obama supporters. If they have any respect for democracy, they should not try to disfranchise the people of Florida and Michigan –the states Hillary won- by colluding with Obama. Let the people vote. This is democracy not dictatorship. They should not be allowed to silence the voices of the people in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana, Guam, Puerto Rico, Kentucky, Montana, Oregon, and South Dakota. Also they should try to seat the delegates from Florida and Michigan instead of taking sides in this historic election. By disfranchising the people of Florida and Michigan they are trying to steal the election from Hillary. Hillary, you should never quit. If you quit, we will vote for McCain.
As a Vermonter where Dean and Leahy are from…. If they are for Obama - look out they are the two most evil liberals ever… Dean is lying snake and Leahy is way too powerful for someone who is elected by about 200,000 people….
Asamed to be a Vermonter… Proud to be an American and a Christian!