So groups of voters have been dissed by HRC Inc. Certain types of election processes have been dissed by HRC Inc. Whole states have been dissed by HRC Inc. (How you feelin Tejas? You next?)
Now the entire primary process has been dissed by none other than Clinton supporter, Geraldine Ferraro.
*HRC Inc. includes the campaign and high-profile supporters.
In a NYT op-ed, Ms. Ferraro states that:
"..the delegate totals from primaries and caucuses do not necessarily reflect the will of rank-and-file Democrats. Most Democrats have not been heard from at the polls. We have all been impressed by the turnout for this year’s primaries — clearly both candidates have excited and engaged the party’s membership — but, even so, turnout for primaries and caucuses is notoriously low. It would be shocking if 30 percent of registered Democrats have participated.
If that is the case, we could end up with a nominee who has been actively supported by, at most, 15 percent of registered Democrats. That’s hardly a grassroots mandate."
So since that's the case it doesn't matter what the voters want as, according to Ms. Ferraro "the superdelegates were created to lead, not to follow" and the decision should therefore not "rest with the rank-and-file Democrats who went to the polls and voted."
Fun stuff.
Then she goes on to diss open primaries and caucuses because, you know, Americans without the "D" label voted in some of them.
I don't get that common refrain from Clinton surrogates. Only about 1/3 of the country are Democrats. You can't win with 1/3 of the country. If we don't invite Independents (another 1/3) over and even try to get some of those moderate Republicans (the more sane versions. They exist. I swear. I've seen them), how do you ever expect to win?
If the non-D voters aren't invested in your candidate from the beginning they'll be a lot more easily swayed in the general election.
As far as some vast right-wing conspiracy to get the weakest candidate elected polls show who that is and it's not Obama.
Ms. Ferraro also appears that the US should continue on its path towards being a Banana Republic by suggesting that MI should be seated despite only one name being on the ballot.
Election monitors would laugh out loud at the suggestion in any other country. It's sad that power hungry Democratic elders are unable to do the same thing now and, in fact, seek to undermine our whole electoral process for a bit of power.
UPDATE:
"And I am watching, with great disappointment, people whom I respect in the Congress who endorsed Hillary Clinton — I assume because she was the leader they felt could best represent the party and lead the country — now switching to Barack Obama with the excuse that their constituents have spoken.
I may be a cynic, but I’m a fairly knowledgeable political cynic. If Mr. Obama wins the nomination, those members are undoubtedly concerned that they would be inviting a primary challenge in their next re-election campaign by failing to support his candidacy. "
She actually went all Jesse Jackson Jr. is scary and has a pot of gold and a candidate machine on us. h/t josephk