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Re: North Carolina's superdelegates

feliduca — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:18:07 -0400

Congressmen David Price of the 4th District and Mel Watt of the 12th District, both former John Edwards backers, declared their support for Obama.

Price said Obama is the man to turn North Carolina blue this year. The Tar Heel State typically votes Republican overall in Presidential elections.

“I believe he’s a leader with the kind of change I want to see,” Price said. “Obama is in the strongest position to bring a new day in diplomacy.”

Congressman Watt said there is only one candidate that has captured the spirit of change and inclusiveness that is "uniquely democratic."

The Democrats say the Presidential race will be closely contested in North Carolina, a central battleground according to Obama’s national campaign manager David Plouffe.

In a press release, Obama said he was pleased to have their support.

"Congressmen Price and Watt are both among the American people's finest representatives. Their leadership is proof that with clear and common purpose, there is no challenge too great for our nation to solve," Obama said. "I look forward to working with them both to ensure America's promise for all Americans and build a better future for North Carolina and our country."

List of NC Superdelegates
Joyce Brayboy. Communications consultant who works in Washington, D.C. Committed to Obama.
Susan Burgess. Charlotte city council member and chair of Democratic Municipal Officials organization. Committed to Clinton.
Jeannette Council. Member of Cumberland County board of commissioners in Fayetteville.
Jerry Meek. Chairman of North Carolina Democratic Party. Uncommitted.
Dannie Montgomery. Party activist in Lilesville, N.C. Committed to Obama.
Muriel K. Offerman. Former North Carolina revenue secretary and current state party treasurer. Uncommitted.
David Parker. Lawyer in Statesville.
Carol W. Peterson. Buncombe County Commissioner in Asheville. Uncommitted.
Everett Ward. Former executive director of North Carolina Democratic Party. Committed to Obama.
Michael F. Easley. Governor of North Carolina. Uncommitted.
Rep. G.K. Butterfield. Obama.
Rep. Bob Etheridge. Uncommitted.
Rep. Mike McIntyre.
Rep. Brad Miller. Uncommitted.
Rep. David Price. Obama.
Rep. Heath Shuler. Uncommitted.
Rep. Melvin Watt. Obama.

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Re: Parker endorses Obama

dahedgehog — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:51:41 -0400

I'm glad Parker's determined that now is the "time to get about the serious business about electing the next president of the United States." If he had gotten his a off the fence back in February (when it was already obvious that Hillary couldn't win the delegate count), then we could have been serious about electing the next president for 4 months already.

I don't know what to say about Peterson. If she still can't make up her mind, she should be equipped with a bike helmet and velcro shoes...maybe consider taking her meals via straw.

Re: North Carolina's superdelegates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:45:23 -0400

Comment deleted for profanity.

— RTB

Re: North Carolina's superdelegates

Proctor — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:25:30 -0400

The superdelegates are to be commended for carrying out their responsibilities conscientiously under occasionally stressful circumstances and often without clear logic governing their choices one way or the other.

The Democratic Party has evolved so many special rules and conditions that it often winds up having a party nominating contest which is not even of the same political or constitutional category or character as the general election. So in the fall, the Democratic Party is often proceeding "without a trial run" whereas the Republicans head into the general election with at least some indications of what can constitute a statewide electoral college victory.

In future nominating contests, constitution-minded Democrats ought to challenge the right of the Democratic National Committee to penalize states for seeking to determine the times, places and manners of choosing members of Congress, which is precisely what Article I, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution empowers the states to do.

In the general election, for the most part, the Democratic Party cannot go chipping off a few electoral votes here and there by making a good showing in a state but instead will have to win a statewide majority in each state in order to receive that state's electoral votes.

So the Democratic Party seems to have evolved a constitutional outlook which says: we'll do whatever the heck we want in our nominating process and then in the general election, we'll agree to observe the U.S. and state constitutions. Thus you wind up with candidates who are able to receive majority popular votes in their campaigns who nonetheless are unable to bring home victories in primary or general elections (HIllary Clinton, 2008, Al Gore, 2000).

You start a general election with a campaign organization which is 0-1 in almost all of the major industrial states just so folks in Iowa and New Hampshire will not take offense at some other state holding an early primary election.

It's a heckuva way to run a political party. It keeps all the competing interest groups happy for most of the year, then in November it hands victory over to the Republicans except when the Democratic presidential nominee demonstrates exceptional popularity and adaptability.

It's like an auto race or a horse race when your team agrees to start the final race four or five lengths back. It's tough enough to win a competitive race when you start out even-steven. But as long as the Democratic Party wants to maintain a separate track for its own trial heats, then in presidential contests it will lose more often than it wins in general elections.

And if the Democrats in Congress, who won a majority in both houses in the 2006 elections, fail to act on their own initiative on an entire array of important issues facing the country, then the Republican presidential campaign may wind up running effectively against an obstructionist Democratic Congress for the rest of 2008 just as Democratic President Harry Truman successfully ran against the "Do-Nothing" Republican Congress in 1948.

David McKnight

Re: North Carolina's superdelegates

rlferg1 — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:43:58 -0400

Who knows what goes into the decision of a superdelegate? My mind, as a lowly voter, is make up. Either Hillary Clinton or John McCain. After suffering through the Carter years, I'd rather have anyone (short of W that is) than a beginner. Obama might be ok after a few years of experience, rather than too few, but I won't take a chance on him now. And this thinking is overwhelming in the Clinton camp. Anyone that thinks buzz words like Party Unity will cut it is delusional. Maybe in ordinary election circumstances. These are extrordinary times requiring specific experienced action, not generalized calls for change. Should John McCain win election over Barak Obama, the Democrat Leadership has to take the credit.

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

FFC1304 — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:16:51 -0400

RBT sez that Republicans DONT HAVE Superdelegates! lolol...

D U H ! ! ! Brilliant deduction, Sherlock!

(WHY do you think that IS-IS?)

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

karegi — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:03:58 -0400

I think it's valiantly democratic of them to resist the intense pressure that's on them.

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:29:48 -0400

Primary prods a few superdelegates, by Rob Christensen, May 8:

The courting of uncommitted superdelegates has been intense and personal.

Offerman, a deputy chairwoman of the state Employment Security Commission, met twice with Clinton during her trips to Raleigh. Chelsea Clinton has called Offerman to ask her to support her mother.

Obama has called, and Offerman has met his wife, Michelle Obama. Offerman also had lunch with Tony Lake, who was President Clinton's national security adviser but who is now backing Obama.

"I am vacillating back and forth about what I should do," Offerman said. "I'm still uncommitted. How long I will stay that way, I don't know."

I don't think it's juvenile to say that she is enjoying the attention. Wouldn't you?

— RTB

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

captsfufp — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:41:03 -0400

It's the old Hobbesian v. Burkean dilemma: Do I vote my own conscience or do I vote the popular sentiment? Of course, in this case, you can define popular sentiment in terms of your district or your state (whichever way gives you "cover," I suppose).

I'd disagree about the Rep. Etheridge analysis to a certain extent, he's always been a "good Democrat" even in a so-called conservative district...Rep. McIntyre, on the other hand, is just a DINO, so he's voting for McCain anyway. He should ask Joe Lieberman for a ticket to St. Paul this fall and join the GOPers there...

And I don't think some of the non-elected superdelegates necessarily are just "enjoying the attention," I think some of them find this a very difficult decision, and until you actually are in a position to make this decision, it's just juvenile to characterize them as such. My guess would be that some "lean" Clinton but see that the popular sentiment, in NC at least, is towards Obama, and they don't want to wreck that process too much.

Just b/c we had our moment in the limelight here in NC doesn't mean we should demand that the process end now. Let WV, KY, SD, OR, and PR have their moment of presidential attention. I mean, c'mon...South Dakota! You think they've ever SEEN a presidential campaign? (EDIT: Okay, okay, I'm not going to count McGovern...) I know our American culture with a 24-hour newscycle demands everything happen NOW NOW NOW...but, jeebus, let's take a relax pill and let the process work. I'd actually like a contested convention in my lifetime, see how they used to do this thing old school...

Re: Buncombe for Barack

Proctor — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:38:32 -0400

Sen. Barack Obama's campaign did well in two important mountain counties, winning Buncombe (Asheville) and Watauga (Boone).

But hat's off to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign for sweeping the rest of the Western N.C. region, including the Blue Ridge Northwest with such counties as Stokes, Surry, Alleghany and Ashe; the Western Piedmont, with such urban corridor counties as Caldwell, Catawba, Burke and Iredell; and the Smoky Mountain far western counties between Asheville and the Tennessee and Georgia lines.

These primary campaigns make for some interesting studies in the state's political geography although nowadays, the larger urban counties of the Piedmont are having a greater voice in the ultimate outcome of statewide primary and general elections than they did, say, a quarter of a century ago. In "the old days," you could win handily in a number of Piedmont counties and still lose statewide against strong "Down East" or "mountain" voting trends the other way. This can still happen in general elections today if front-running candidates fail to get out to the other sections of the state to meet the voters and hear their concerns.

In the Republican primary for governor, the West also went its own way, so to speak, as did much of the East, as State Sen. Fred Smith of Johnston County swept the heart of Western and Eastern North Carolina, winning nearly two-thirds of the state's 100 counties. Obviously, GOP nominee Pat McCrory's campaign will be calling upon Smith to help bring those Eastern and Western N.C. counties into the Republican column, but Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beverly Perdue will also have a strong case to make in appealing to voters in those regions to look favorably upon her candidacy for a four-year stay in the big house on Blount Street.

David McKnight

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

Isaac136 — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:52:48 -0400

I'd tell ya what Republicans are made of, FFC, but then RTB would probably have to suspend my posting privileges. I will tell you, though, that a proper description would include asterixes, exclamation points, ampersands and dollar signs.

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:51:17 -0400

There are no Republican superdelegates.

— RTB

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

FFC1304 — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:48:48 -0400

What about the Republican SuperDelegates? Where are they?

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:05:46 -0400

She's a DNC member. Technically, she doesn't represent anything other than the Democratic Party.

— RTB

Re: The Hamlet Superdelegates

Isaac136 — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:04:29 -0400

Obviously, but one would think that the decision would have *something* to do with determinations made within the state one represents.