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COLUMNISTS
TODAY'S STORIES
23.05.2008
Are There Superdelegates in Obama's Pocket...

...or is this just a weirdly worded sentence (from deep within today's NYT front pager on Hillary as VP)?

Mr. Obama, who this week crossed the threshold of winning a majority of pledged delegates, intends to wait until next month before declaring victory in the Democratic nominating fight.

--Isaac Chotiner 

Posted: Friday, May 23, 2008 11:46 AM with 13 comment(s)

Comments

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liberal reformer said:

I will be so glad when this microparsing phase of the electoral season is over and we can advance to the general.

May 23, 2008 12:14 PM

miceelf said:

There's a large set of superdelegates who have committed to vote with the pledged delegates, Pelosi among them. Perhaps that's what is being obliquely referred to?

May 23, 2008 12:15 PM

AlanSP said:

Whether they are or not, as a practical matter, this will be over shortly after June 3.  At that point, all of the voters will have had their say, there will have been a decision on Michigan and Florida, and there really won't be any reason left for the superdelegates to hold back.  Obama will get the handful that he needs to clinch, and that will be that.  Even if he has enough superdelegates in his pocket to clinch right now, it would be best for him to just wait out the next 11 days and let Clinton finish out the last stretch of the marathon, even though he's already crossed the finish line.

May 23, 2008 12:19 PM

stanmvp48 said:

JUST A THOUGHT;  ISN'T CLINTON IN THE SAME POSITION REAGAN  WAS IN VS. FORD IN 1976? UNAVOIDABLY COMING UP JUST A LITTLE SHORT IN THE DELEGATE COUNT BUT LOOKING FOR A WAY TO CHANGE THE EQUATION.   REAGAN TRIED TO PRY OPEN THE FORD SUPPORT BY OFFERING THE VP TO R SCHWEIKER WHICH HE HOPED WOULD APPEAL TO FORD'S MODERATE SUPPORTERS.   IT DIDN'T WORK OF COURSE, I DON'T THINK HE GAINED A SINGLE DELEGATE.  I DOUBT THERE IS ANYONE CLINTON COULD OFFER IT TO.  PERHAPS OFFERING TO THROW IT OPEN TO THE CONVENTION OR EVEN LETTING THE SUPERDELEGATES CHOOSE.  

May 23, 2008 12:28 PM

basman said:

I a Hillary supporter bet my daughter an Obama supporter dinner that Obama would win the nomination just because I did not want to--in my fevered mind--jinx the Hiill. Well tonight dinner is on my kid. But I'll be gentle, pay for the booze and pick up the tip.

May 23, 2008 12:33 PM

Wandreycer1 said:

Well bas, at least someone is getting something good out of this.  

Have a Bombay martini on me, my friend.  I think if I had a zilion dollars. I'd treat the whole frigging country to one after this - I'm talking to you too KY.

I feel comfortable that Obama can withstand unbelievable pressure and, except for getting a bit scrawny in the process, not takiing the bait, not getting thrown off his game with emotionality, becomng ice when need be.  He has a way of letting people bury themselves (look back at his career) that's risky as hell but often works for him.

You're move Obama.  Let's see what he does.  My bet is we go on radio silence for 48 hours from Camp Obama.

May 23, 2008 1:43 PM

Gavriel Meir-Levi said:

I don't know if Obama has supers in his pocket (I hope so), but it sure looks Hillary's got the NYT in hers.

May 23, 2008 1:45 PM

hemlock41 said:

LR: Amen to that.

May 23, 2008 2:31 PM

williamyard said:

Itzik,

You know as well as I do that our daughters are always right, especially when they're wrong, and that dinner with them is always a winner, even when we've lost.

Salut!

- Bill

May 23, 2008 3:44 PM

WoodyBombay said:

No, he's just glad to see you!

Thank you, thank you all very much. You've been great. Be sure to tip your waitress. Good night!

May 23, 2008 4:20 PM

basman said:

Bill you are right ,and you continue to be the most humane yet grounded poster in these here parts, with a lovely twinkle of your eye in every post.

Itzik

May 23, 2008 4:35 PM

basman said:

If hits me up for too expensive a meal--for struggling law student me-- you will be the first to hear about it.

May 23, 2008 7:30 PM

roidubouloi said:

At the moment, Obama has a lead of 190 total delegates.  He could lose a net 5 delegates in the remaining three primaries.  Call it, 185.  There are 205 uncommitted supers.  Therefore, if 22 supers committed in equal numbers, Obama and Hillary, he would have a 185 lead with only 183 delegates left to commit,.  Hence, Obama needs only more super-delegate commitments to secure an absolute majority, I think this is why he expects to claim victory so soon.  There are reportedly 7 members of the Pelosi Club that he picks up when the primaries end.  So he only needs four more.  He will probablly want 30 more than that before who claims the nomination, but that shouldn't take long.   May even happen before the primaries are over.

May 25, 2008 7:11 PM