Mass Hysteria!

"Human sacrafice, dogs and cats living together...mass hyesteria!"

- Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbuster.

No need to stock up on duct tape and plastic, it's not the end of the world.  Yet today there is a Democratic "doomsday" opinion by David Broder in the Washington Post, and an editorial analyzing the state of the Democratic nomination race in the LA Times.

Broder writes about a protracted battle being a "nightmare" of "seriously flawed contenders," causing an impediment to the Party in the fall.  Then goes on to acknowledge the record voter turnout in every state.  Does Broder think that voters have low standards are does he just not see the contradiction in his statement?

Sometimes impatience draws our best and brightest to jump to conclusions.    Someone send a script of Xanax to the Post, stat!

The Times analysis is a bit more down to earth, emphasizing the benefits of Democratic unity and ends the piece with a level-headed recommendation: "...learn the value of patience."

It's true that we live in soundbyte, microwave society - where information travels fast and gratification is instant. (I placed a phone call last week and got a busy signal.  What's a busy signal?!)  But by no stretch of the imagination does an additional six weeks of primaries compromise the ensuing six months of campaigning to be done.  After all, Senator McCain was bankrupt six months ago, now he's the presumptive nominee.  But that was so long ago - which is exactly my point. 

...

On a related note, there are also stories about voters threatening to bolt away from Democrats if their candidate of choice is not nominated.  In almost every election I've been associated with, people who are emotionally invested in their candidate - and there are a lot of emotions in this race - make the same statement. 

It is understandable that it's hard to imagine having to vote for someone other than your first choice for President.  But as a Superdelegate I can say that my first candidate choice isn't going to be President, either - but I've dealt with it. 

Democrats will do what it takes to bring these voters home in the fall - no matter who our nominee may be.  Because when it comes to issues, positions and candidates - Democrats are better for America. 

This isn't just about candidates, this is about ideas and principles.  And there are only minor differences between Senators Clinton and Obama, while both are miles apart from Senator McCain.

Comments

[suekzoo]

David Broder...pffft! A year ago he predicted that Bush was going to make a stellar political comeback. So much for that!

[rpal620]

Mr.S
It doesn't appear that Hillary can make up the difference in delegates by June. If that is the case then Barak will have more delegates. What are you and other not committed delegates waiting for? What is it that you will think you will see that might change your mind in the future? You guys can end this. Right now.

Respectfully.

[Susan]

Our nominee is Barack Obama

[Nate]

I was right--the Supers are vastly out of touch with the country if they think that nominating Clinton would be similar to other primary contenders in past years losing....

Wow....you need to Wake up.

[Ed S]

I agree with your statement of "emotionally invested", however I think you miss the point of how LONG each respective supporter has been emotionally invested. This primary has gone on a very long time and will continue until all the supers make their endorsments. At which point I believe Clinton will than carry on till the convention and challenge the nomination there.

That will allow for another 3 months of the emotional investment to become "vested", thereby likely ensuring our party's defeat this fall.

[Nate]

I was right--the Supers are vastly out of touch with the country if they think that nominating Clinton would be similar to other primary contenders in past years losing....

Wow....you need to Wake up.

[Chris]

Oh, the irony!

I checked for an update every 15 minutes only to find out that I was waiting for: "...learn the value of patience?"

LOL

[Jessica]

I will say that if superdelegates overturn the will of the voters I will leave the party because it will no longer be the party I once believed in. I am very disappointed that the leadership in this party has allowed the Clintons to continue with their race baiting campaign and I am a working class, middle aged, white, women, from the rural midwest. There is virtually no way Clinton can surpase Obama's pledged delegate totals so this whole exercise that continues is only weakening the chances of a win for democrats in November.

[Bilbo]

I don't believe this is the post Mr Super referenced in the comments earlier. It can't be as it's not related at all to the delegate counts and Obama's inevitabality. I'll keep checking back in the hopes that I am right.

I have to agree that the superdelegates are either out of touch or in denial if they think there will be no damage to our general election chances by their waiting until all of the primaries have been completed.

[Dan_in_upstate_NY]

I don't share your optimism, Mr Super. I hope that I'm proven wrong.

It doesn't really matter whether Democrats are better for America. All that matters is whether they are perceived to be better. And the ongoing gutter politics & self-immolation of the race are ruining perceptions.

I also think that you a grossly underestimating the depth of hostility developing between the two camps--and the degree to which Clinton is vilifying her opponent precisely to create & capitalize on that hostility.

[The Grand Panjandrum]

Democrats will do what it takes to bring these voters home in the fall - no matter who our nominee may be. Because when it comes to issues, positions and candidates - Democrats are better for America. It was true in 2000 and 2004. What happened?

This is the time when Democrats should be defining John McCain. With the exception of a couple of soft ads attacking him on economic issues I see no attempt to define McCain. Would it not be wise to begin that process and attack him on his percieved strenght: Foreigh policy and defense issues?

The reason I bring this up is because a protracted primary race on the Dem side gives McCain time to shore up his base and claim the CINC label without a challenge. That seems unwise to me.

[Elizabeth]

Mr. Super,
Do you know anything about this? It was just posted on Marc Ambinder's Atlantic Monthly page:

Clinton's Superdelegate Meetings
24 Apr 2008 01:36 pm

Sen. Hillary Clinton, in Washington for Senate business, is in intense discussions, right now, with uncommitted superdelegates in a conference room at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Clinton held similar meetings last night.

[Kevin]

Strongly disagree that there are minor differences between the candidates, even on ideas and principles. Let's go beyond policy and look at leadership and management skills - both important qualities in a president regardless of policy. Can you tell me with a straight face that Clinton and Obama are similar in leadership? I hope not, or I too fear superdelegates are out of touch. I don't want a Democratic president. I want a strong leader who happens to be a Democratic president.

[Joe]

I don't think people will forget the emotion too quickly. Not unless they start getting pissed off at McCain. But it should end not too long after June 3rd, right?

In the interim, I see that they're holding McCain accountable for not being able to stop that racist advertisement. That's good, because it drives home the issue that, even if he's an honorable man, the party he represents is NOT and cannot be permitted to stay in power. I'd make as much hay out of that as possible, personally, because it really resonates with an ex-Republican like me who is thoroughly disgusted with their former party. Might want to ask him sometime just how he can associate with the same people who spread those awful rumors about his adopted daughter sometime, too.

It's "just politics" doesn't cut it. If he says it doesn't bother him, that just makes him heartless.

Because, otherwise, he'll just pretend he can't stop the smears, but he'll publicly "denounce" them to avoid backdraft while allowing them to continue.

But I really think that the personal connection is something he has to be grilled on.

[Jay]

The Obama supporters just want to ignore the information being provided in these exit polls. However, the superdelegates cannot be so dismissive. If Obama is nominated, be prepared to lose Pa. and where do you expect to make that up? Florida perhaps? lol Ohio maybe? Forget it. To expect Obama to hold onto upper income voters to counter the loss of low income white Democrats is folly. McCain will drive home the point among Independents and moderate Republicans that Obama favors raising the Social Security Cap as well as raising the capital gains tax. How long before these groups grow disenchanted with him and return to the Republican ranks? I suggest that the core blue collar Democrats in the industrial states hold the key to the election. Without them, to expect the youth and upper income voters to save Obama is folly. Clinton is our only hope to win in November.

[Dave]

I have sat and watched as people on all sides Democrat or Republican have said so pretty outrages things. I will never vote for this one or this is the last time in my life that a woman can be elected or if he doesn't get the nomination I am staying home.

I have yet to hear from most of them which person is best for our Country? I have parsed a few stands from all three Candidates. I at this point do not agree with the right. I think that we will not strengthen our Country by staying in wars and playing World Police.

Now I am one for following the rules and have spent many hours looking at FULL video that have come out negative for both Clinton and Obama. I found that if you play the four comments that Reverend Wright made, you would find them little offensive. The G.D. America quote he made was stating what was aired on the right on Fox News by a person on the right. Bill Clinton has made a few Gaffes although if you hear the full statement what he has said doesn't sound so bad either. You can make anything sound like you want if you take a 5 to 15 word sentence out of a full statement and air them like they are complete. Hold the Media to a higher standard. We aren't playing limbo here we are looking for a high bar for the highest office.

People need to think about where do we want to go and who is best to get us there. Do I want to be in Iraq for the next 10,25,100 ever many years? Who would be best at helping with the economy? Who would be the best person to select the next two or three Supreme Court Judges? Who has the best plan to turn us around and get us back on track.

The Presidency of the United States is the most important position to me. This leader is going into the Office with a full plate.

Now do they each have negatives? Depends on your way of looking at the world I guess. I am telling you right now I don't have a dog in this fight I see two people who would be able to fill this position at this point. I am leaning one direction at the moment, I will not bite off my nose to spite my face.

In the end We the People of the United States of America will choose a new leader. May I remind you the World is watching. This is not the time to play got you politics. In the end we all need to come together to support the leader that is chosen by the people.

[Nate]

Jay,

By your own logic, Clinton will lose African American voters and all swing states where they play a major role. The fact is that white working-class males do not generally go for Democrats in presidential elections. Furthermore, your argument rests on the fallacy that Obama will perform equally against Clinton as he will against McCain, and that is very dubious. No one with critical thinking skills would sign onto that argument.

[G Davis]

Jay-Bill Clinton lost the white vote in both his elections. He also lost married men in both. He also never got 50% of the popular vote. He did win a huge majority of the black vote.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._presidential_election,_1992#Democratic_Party_nomination

What does any of that prove?

Was he not elected both times?

No one segment of our great country's population is the reason a candidate is elected or not. All make of weird coalitions come together to win elections.

It's a strawman argument to suggest that any Dem will win or lose on the backs of midwest blue collar workers.

[G Davis]

Mr. Super, to your discussion of not to worry about lasting harm I have two points.

First, the length of this process. We started way to early and this primary season has dragged on so long we are at risk of losing the enthusiasm. People can be enraptured just so long you know.

Second, you're forgetting the deep investment two main factions of the Dem base have in this cycle. The FIRST viable black candidate and the FIRST viable woman candidate. Many are not participating strictly on the basis of the candidate but what the candidate represents which has NEVER happened in history.

By continuing a cycle that simply cannot be decided in any other way than the superdelegate vote, we are allowing the arguments to become more and more frantic and divisive which will lead to deeper and deeper chasms between these two very important portions of the party.

This cycle is personal to these factions. When someone takes issue with Clinton, they are taking issue with ALL women. Same with Obama, though I would venture his base is much more diverse.

If there were a viable way for the Clintons to achieve the predecided metric of pledged delegates within the rules of the cycle, then sure...keep going.

There isn't a way.

The only thing left is the superdelegates for the Clintons.

So if the supers think the Clintons would be better for the party say so.

We can then try to patch together a way for the Clintons to get elected AND promote the down ticket elections that will be absolutely necessary if ANY progressive agenda is to be enacted.

[Scott]

The fear I have from this race continuing is that by this point in the race is that both candidates are preaching to their choir, but not moving the people in the middle. However, preaching to the choir has major risks. People that have become more and more adamant to their cause start to conflate their opponent as the enemy. I know that as an Obama supporter, it has gotten to the point where I get joy out of the Clinton gaffes like Tuzla, and I am sure that the same things are occuring to Clinton supporters when Obama makes a gaffe. The question is how many people can dissociate the hatred that has developed in the past five months to vote with logic. Keeping in mind that this election has generated more active supporters and donaters for both candiate than any race in history, my fear is that there are a lot of 1st time activists that aren't prepared to turn off their primary passion to fall in line for the general election.

I think that at the Superdelegate level, everyone's a pro and know that rough primaries are part of the deal and everyone's fighting among friends, but with all the newbies in this race, I don't know how prevalent that philosophy will be.

[Tobias]

Everyone knows that the reason Obama is favored to win NC is because of the overwhelming black population. This does not bode will for him in the general election. Also, here is where race does play a factor. Senator Clinton has been a supporter of civil rights and the Clinton's have always enjoyed the support of African Americans. So, if Obama was white Senator Clinton would have the black vote.

[Jay]

Well, I had a chance to talk to a superdelegate Sunday night who is on the fence. We spent an hour on the phone discussing the Pa. returns and what they meant for November. I am pleased to report that this thinking superdelegate has a full handle on the entire problem. He is now looking at the electoral map in a way that Mr. Super should be- Again, without Pa. I don't see any Democrat winning in November. At this stage, only Hillary can win that state. Even if Obama flips Colorado,New Mexico and Iowa (about the only states he has a chance to flip from 2004) without Pa. he loses. If 2000 was all about Florida and 2004 was all about Ohio, I believe 2008 will come down to Pa.