Comments on Re: It's On

Superdelegates don't matter, as anyone can tell you, they tend to change as the fortunes of the candidates change.

Good god ... Tim Sheldon (DINO-Potlatch) is for Obama???

How many minutes prior to the caucuses will Gregoire finally get off the pot?

And Clinton's list has a serious case of listing has-beens. Former Yakima County whatever? Give me a break.

And I agree with Will. Superdelegate counts change often.

Yeah it's a weird list @2. Sheldon on the same list as the bulk of the homos. Who would have figured.

That being said, Sally Clark must have forgotten that Clinton's husband signed DOMA. Just like Patty Murray forgot she voted for it.

Superdelegates change, but not until their candidate is no longer viable. Clinton has a real advantage there. If it comes down to those 100-odd votes, it's going to be spectacular to watch.

@5 I agree Fnarf it will be spectacular.

However the Democratic party will implode if those Super Delegates carry more weight than they should. If they push Hillary into office to the detriment of the popular decision for Obama, there will be lawsuits galore.

It will destroy our very democratic system as we now know it.

@2 - she'll endorse after. That's my guess.

Unless Obama clean up on Tuesday, then she'll be forced to pre-endorse Thursday, which means in time for the papers that go to bed at 2pm to be "published" for Friday, and with sufficient time to get cameras from the TV networks for the 5pm news.

Agreed, @6 Reality Check--if the "people's candidate" (read Challenger) Obama gets technically screwed out of the nomination by the Party Bosses and the DNC Machine in deference to "Machine Candidate" Clinton.... there's gonna be a LOT of flaming grass roots--and a lot of ill will going into the Fall campaign.

Fnarf, I dunno about that. Most of the superdelegates have yet to speak their mind. I think they're waiting it out to see what happens this week in particular. If either candidate pulls significantly ahead, then we'll see the superdelegates make commitments and even some changes by those that have already endorsed. I do agree that at this point the advantage is Clinton. It may be very different 30 hours from now.

Here is a numerological analysis of the numbers:

Hillary has 35, which is 3 + 5 = 8

Obama has 33, which is 3 + 3 = 6

8 represents material accomplishment -- money, material freedom, business, high finance, control, power, success, achievement, recognition, profit, executive ability, management, authority, fairness, and responsibility.

6 represents social consciousness -- responsibility to others, adjustments, family, harmony, healing, counseling, teaching, education, truth, justice, domestic, reliability, tenacity, conservative, conscientiousness, and social balance.

I am not making this up.

Coincidence? YOU DECIDE.

WHY can't I find the names of WA's superdelegates anywhere? Can someone list them please?

You forgot Clinton's biggest endorsers:
- Senator Patty Murray
- Senator Maria Cantwell
- Rep. Jay Inslee
- Ron Sims

Suck on that!

@11:

State's superdelegates

Washington's 17 "unpledged" Democratic delegates and whom they've endorsed:

Uncommitted

State party Chairman Dwight Pelz, Seattle; Vice Chairwoman Eileen Macoll, Pullman

Democratic National Committee members Ed Cote, Vancouver; Sharon Mast, Bellevue; David McDonald, Seattle

Gov. Christine Gregoire

Reps. Brian Baird, Vancouver; Norm Dicks, Bremerton; Rick Larsen, Lake Stevens; Jim McDermott, Seattle

Clinton

King County Executive Ron Sims

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell

Rep. Jay Inslee, Bainbridge Island

Former House Speaker Tom Foley, Washington, D.C.

Obama

Democratic National Committee member Pat Notter, Wenatchee

Rep. Adam Smith, Tacoma

That's from the Seattle Times on Thursday, but I think it's still current.

@6: Hyperbole, much?

Yes, if that were to happen, there'd be some awfully pissed off folks...

On the other hand, that is precisely how the process works. And, in some ways, that is precisely what the current percentage of superdelegates was set up for.

(And I say this as an Obama supporter.)

thanks annie!

I stick by my position. Hillary nom = mccain general for me, and a lot of people i know.

@11: Sorry, I mis-linked. The last link in the post should now go to a recent Slog list of superdelegates.

As I said before, a superdelegate can literally change her/his mind right up until the actual National Convention - no harm, no foul - for any reason.

Unlike other delegates, they're not beholden to prior promises to vote for a specific candidate, so they frequently change their votes when the winds change.

This is why most people ignore what they say.

I bet Gregoire (i.e., woman, boomer, establishment, moderate) will endorse Clinton and is waiting to endorse until later this week in part to influence the caucus on Saturday.

Moderate? Um, sure ... did I ever tell you that I interviewed Chris for the NOW and NARAL PACs?

Fiscally responsible - no question. But Moderate (as in right of the Dems)? Nah.

Do the Super Delegates meet at the Hall of Justice to vote?

These are just TODAY's endorsements? Hmmm.

I guess you'll be retracting this Slog item
http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/01/ed_murray_endorses_obama
posted by, um, Eli Sanders,
and dated, um, January 11 (though as comments noted, Ed has been on board for months).

Several other stale ones - it's a cumulative list.

It's not the superdelegates that show HRC's true colors, it's her willingness to go back on her word in Michigan, Florida and Nevada. That alone should put anyone that respects trustworthiness in a candidate in the Obama camp. The woman can't even abide by her own party's rules. Creepy.

Obama, you totally rock! And I would like to be an Obama-man too, but shoot, I couldn't find a local campaign site or even office in Washington State to contact! I'll be damned - must be an insider game or something?

Obama campaign Washington: please make your office more accessible, and add my name to the list of [ex] politicians for Obama!

Peter Steinbrueck

I endorse Obama, now that Edwards is out. Anybody who doesn't like it can bite me.

I'm not a fanboy, I just want to win. And I think the momentum is pretty damn well unmistakable. I have worked with many of Obama's field people now on the ground in WA in previous campaigns, and they are the best we have.

Most of them have been employed and trained by Adam Smith, AFAIK the very first of WA's superdelegates to endorse anyone at all. That means that their work ethic and performance are at the top of the scale.

That matters. Big time it matters. If his field staff in other states is as good as it is here, he is going to win this thing.

Our work is just beginning, even so. But this would be a good first step. Hillary would be a first step. But expectations would be higher for Obama, and it appears that people are willing to invest more of themselves in Obama than they are in Hillary.

I will support the nominee, whoever it is. The alternative is unthinkable.

Tim Sheldon huh? Well if he's got the head of Democrats for Bush, I don't see how Obama can lose Super Tuesday.