Did you think pledged democratic delegates were, you know, legally bound to reflect the will of the voters? If so, you may join me at a lovely table reserved under the name “Naive”.
Here Roger Simon discusses how Team Clinton is beginning to investigate turning delegates to the Democratic Convention already pledged to Obama. Apparently those delegates are as obligated to reflect the will of their constituents as I am legally obligated to tithe to the Lutheran Church, ie not very.
Does anyone really dispute the necessity of reforming how the major parties nominate presidential candidates? Does anyone really want this fubar to happen again?
Categories: Delegates · Democrat Convention · Hillary · Hillary Clinton · Obama · Uncommitted
February 19, 2008 · 1 Comment
Congressman Patrick Murphy was one of the first Congresscritters outside of the state of Illinois to endorse Barack Obama. His congresscritter status also makes him a democrat super-delegate.
Pimping his new book this morning on Michael Smerconish’s radio program, the subject of his superdelegate vote arose. [Aside: Is this use of pimping offensive to the book or Rep. Murphy?] Pennsylvania, you may recall, generally delivers polls with Clinton well ahead of Obama.
He said if his constituents in Bucks County voted for Clinton, he would still cast his superdelegate vote for Obama. Reflecting the will of the voters is what “delegates are for.” This is a defensible position, as long as the Dems have the silly anti-democratic system they have.
What is less defensible is when he elaborated that he agreed the super-delegate system was silly, and wished his party had a system more representative of the will of the party’s voters.
So what he’s saying is he can identify the right thing, but the state and his party really ought to craft rules compelling him to do the right thing. In absence of that compulsion, he’s just going to do what’s good for Patrick Murphy.
One is reminded of St. Augustine: “Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet.”
I know Murphy is something of a rising wunderkind in the Democrat party, but the voters of Bucks County should keep this in mind when casting votes in November. After all, as his ambitions become larger what other interests of his constituents will he cast aside?
Categories: Delegates · Democrat Convention · Democrat Super-Delegates · Democratic Super-Delegates · Patrick Murphy · Pennsylvania Delegates · Pennsylvania Superdelegates
