Superdelegates Should Use Independent Judgment, Webb Says

Yes they can think on their own but everyone is ignoring this fact…
This is from the Library of Congress… – but it can also be found in “Dictionary of Politics” —
The purpose of the “Hunt Commission” formed in 1980 -which created today’s superdelegate system…was and I quote,
“to streamline the delegate selection process to party conventions and to DEMOCRATIZE the party itself, broadening the base of political participation by increasing input into the process of selecting presidential candidates, to strengthen ACCOUNTABILITY of public officials and strengthen the party itself whose base was weakened by the vigorous activities of the the Republican Party.”
Speaker Pelosi’s situation is entirely correct… the purpose of changes made to the selection process including superdelegates were in the direct goal of “democratizing the party” and holding public officials “Accountable” (and it references “to the members of the party” later in the section)to the party and therefore it’s members/voters.

If Richardson or Kerry can overturn the will of the people in their states, then every other superdelegate can!! Enough with this “issue”. This is not even an issue.
“If they didn’t want the superdelegates to have independent judgment, they wouldn’t have created them,” Webb said in an exclusive “This Week” interview.
RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!

I gave 25 dollars to the DNC but it will be my last donation until each of the super delegates have donated 200,000 dollars based on the fact that a super delegates vote is worth 8000 to 1. The heck with it I am going to be an Independent. Let the
Democratic Party and its 800 super delegates see how far they make it in a general election. If they do not respect my vote in a primary they will not get it in a general. This is going to hurt down ballot democrats.

to: falsehope
So if we are not changing the rules you would agree that FL, MI don,t count.
bet id do not get an answer.

Obama Supporters,
Why is it you insist on following the rules when it comes to Florida and Michigan, but when it comes to allowing SuperDelegates to vote their independent judgements, and to overturn the pledged delegates (from making foolish mistakes), all within the rules, that you moan and complain. That seems rather hypocritical on your part don’t you think?
========================================
Obama is green behind the ears!
Obama cannot close the deal!
Obama is unelectable!
========================================

The superdelegates will beigin to show who they are for after the PA Primary. Unless Hillary wins big, and she won’t and perhaps not win at all, they will declare for Obama.
Obama08

Not only the superdelegates thing is hosed, and deliberately so when the left wingers historically produced candidates that won a handful of states in the general election, but this whole proportional delegate allocation thing, a politically correct nod to Jesse Jackson’s runs, is insane.
Hillary won the popular vote of every large state except for Obama’s Illinois and essentially split the delegates with Obama. The only way you come out ahead on delegates is some crazy caucus thing in Idaho or the Virgin Islands or whereever, certainly has nothing to do with democracy.
If superdelegates are to vote the will of the people, then all those Obama supporters in every state Hillary won need to be supporting the will of the people they represent, not the will of Republicans in red state Democratic caucuses.
But they won’t. You won’t see Kerry representing Massachsetts or Richardson representing New Mexico, but you will hear them say that superdelegates like them must not overturn the will of the people, even though they and every other big state superdelegate who supports Obama doesn’t.
There are exceptions. There are congress representatives who represent districts that went Obama even though the state went Hillary, and they have a tough choice and can choose either, but most are ideologically opposed to democracy when they go against the will of the people they represent and stop Florida and Michigan from voting for Hillary.
So there’s my take on the will of the people thing, Democratic Party circa 2008.
Hillary ’08

ralphdaugherty
Your argument reflects the height of idiocy. Nobody is calling for Superdelegates to reflect the will of the people in their individual states. People are calling for the Superdelegates not to reverse the will of the American people that voted in the Democratic Primary nationwide. Are you seriously making this stupid argument with a straight face? If a candidate wins both the delegate race and popular vote, that candidate has earned the nomination. Period. Any other argument, is pure madness.

Oh they will use their independent thinking alright.They will be thinking:
Who has the most votes.
Who leads in pledge delegates.
Who leads in the polls against McCain.
Who can bring in the most money.
Who can run the better Campaign.
Who can bring more voters to the table
Who can best represent Democratic ideals
These are the things that count.
Obama08

Of course I’m arguing that superdelegates represent the will of the people they represent, not the will of other people. That’s why they’re a senator of congress member or governor of a state instead of a rubber stamp party boss machine.
Which is what they are if they don’t represent their voters.
Hillary ’08

Kevin-What is WILL of the people? Texas showed the WILL of the people but an Obama caucus OVERTURNED the WILL of the people. Therefore until all states provide for a PRIMARY neither you nor I know the true WILL of the people. FL and MI showed the WILL of the PEOPLE but Obama supporters like you refused to acknowledge that will. You all refused FL and MI simply because Obama did not win and for no other reason. Therefore it isn’t democracy you argue for by counting the votes of the people you actully come down on the side of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe whose party only count the votes of those voting for him to keep himself in power. That is placing yourself with the worst possible human rights violators on the face of the earth today.

kevin: Why can’t he win wihout superdelegates? He is not going to have enough so called pledged delegates to win! They will both need the help of superdelegates to get the nomination. The fact is that Obama can not win in Ohio,Pa,or Fl. He can not win the working class vote and thus he can’t win in November. He will get the nomination because the superdelegates are afraid of losing the black vote! I know you probably think that is a racist statement but it is the truth!

Look it is all a straw vote anyway. The Party is a Party not a democracy. They will make their decision, do they want our input, yes. But if you really want influence one needs to be involved every day.
These superdelegates are a diverse group, some are still accountable to the people some are not, their political careers at an end. They will vote, some according to the favors they owe, some to how the voters in there State, or precinct voted, some to who they think will be the best candidate, Etc.
Have your say how they should vote, and you can see it depends on who your candidate is. Us arguing about it will not change a thing.
I hope, and think they will brake for Obama.

The remaining contests will not likely produce enough delegates for either candidate to become the presumptive nominee. The delegates dont actually cast their votes until the convention when the superdelegates do. All of the delegates are fair game as a result. Voting is simply a guideline for delegates to use in casting their vote. Some will follow the voters, some will follow their judgement, and some will cast a ballot based on their re-election bids. Both candidates have been focusing on the superdelegates… in fact Obama has spent over 800K buying votes while Clinton only spent 19K (yet she has significantly more superdelegates). Pointing the finger at Clinton to get attention off Obama is a common republican tactic. Obama is just another Bush – empty suit, rhetoric, unqualified, born into money, unethical, poor judgment, great BSer, and questionable character and associations.

As a humble Sen Obama supporter I agree with Sen. Webb. I also agree with Speaker Pelosi. SD can vote any way that they want. They can watch how I voted during the primary or they can watch how I vote when they are up for re-election. That is their choice. I also feel that Both MI and FL need to direct their rage at their elected officials. The Republican and Democratic leaders of both states gambled that by moving up their primaries (knowing in advance of the consequences) that they would gain influence and money. they lost on both counts. I hope that the DNC is willing to make changes during the next election cycle but to change the rules in the middle of a contest is not fair. All of the candidates agreed to play by the rules. Sen. clinton herself has said that “It did not matter if her name remained on the MI ballot because the results of that primary would not count.” So now that she needs it it does count.
What happens in 4 years when more states see that there is something to be gained by breaking the rules.
these two states are acting like children.
I have no doubt in my mind that when the women of the democratic party look at Obama vs. McCain they will vote the party line. Why? Because if McCain wins he will stack the supreme court with right wing judges that will over turn Roe vs. Wade. How far back will that set back the women’s movement?
Obama will carry all the blue states and more of the swing states.
He can win in November.

Have you started your collection of Obmaisms, yet?
It would be an appropriate and through befitting, complementary companion volume to Bushisms! While campaigning in Pennsylvania Sen. Barack Obama was talking about young girls and sex. He mentioned he had two young daughters and aged six and nine. He talked about the importance of instilling moral values in children, and he said they should also know how to protect themselves, because they should not be “punished with a baby!”
For all my life I have never heard such a thing– even in the worst circumstances of an unwanted pregnancy–that any other human being on this planet earth used the phrase;
” Punished with a baby…!”

What hypocrisy within the DNC especially Kerry, Richardson and Kennedy who state HC won yet they are overturning the will of the people by supporting Obama. It superdelegates are required to support the will of the people the all superdelegates from state Hiliary has won should be required to support her. Let the delegates from primaries/caucuses be award based on the actual votes. But superdelegates should be winner takes all therfore, HC would automaticallly have the majority of delegate. Even if the actual delegates from FL and MI are not seated since HC won it superdelegates should have to support HC because it was the will of the people. Of course I am sure that Kerry, Kennedy, Richardson would not agree to that. Of course that means that Pelosi and all those CA, NY, TX NM, OH, MA, NH,RI, AR, FL, MI delegates would certainly place Hiliary ahead of Obama. Let the will of the people be done. Let Obama have what he desires just let require all superdelegates to vote with will of the people. Winner takes all superdelegates. After all they are elected official and the majority of voter have spoken in each case. K

Andre: Rove V. Wade is a dead man walking! The supreme court has the votes to overturn Roe and will do so after the election! So voting for Obama will not prevent Roe from falling! If this was so important to Obama or Hillary why do they not campaign on it! I have failed to hear Roe mentioned in any of the debates either from the canidates or the questioners! Roe is gone and everyone knows it!

so it should be “blessed with a baby at 16″? We have big problems, collecting the odd phrasing here and there would take centuries to match Bush’s, and we have more important things to deal with.
Hillary ’08

Now that sounds more like DCVoter… Don’t agree with you always, but respect your opinion…

yes, winning0853, you have perhaps made the argument a little better than I did, but FYI the MI and FL supers are also excluded from voting as part of the undemocratic Democratic ruling.
Yes, every one of the supers from those states Hillary won including FL and MI should be representing the will of the people and voting for Hillary ’08, the way the people did.
rd

All this nonsense point to the need to abandon the two prime idiots and vote for Nader. That would mean real change and not simply lip-waggling designed to appease voters who will be ignored after the election anyway. It’s all about individual power and money and it is not about the electorate!

If Obama or Hillary wins in November, it will be Pelosi who controls the agenda. She’s obviously stronger than either of these two inept candidates.

The will of the people will be expressed as best as is possible in the Fall GE.
In the mean time this is a Party decision, not necessarily the will of the people. Both Parties court independents and crossover voters, as best it can it will express the will of the primary voters. In this case it seems it will be muddled, unless of course something happens and one of the Candidates makes a fatal error, not likely.

Hillary is more electable than Obama.
Hillary ’08

How many times can Obama throw his grandmother under the bus in a week? Answer: Two.
Pardon? Oh, your grandmother, Mr. Obama. Perhaps we can clear that up now.
In an interview with sports radio 610 WIP in Philly early this morning, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said “the point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t. But she is a typical white person.”
Well, that clears that up.

Anyone who thinks the Dems are running a “democratic” nominations system is living in a fantasy. First of all, there have been states like Nevada and Texas where Clinton won the popular vote but got fewer delegates. Also, there are many caucus states that have awarded delegates, when everyone knows that caucuses unfairly burden the elderly, poor, people with lower english skills, and people with work and childcare obligations. Also, the Dems agreed to discount votes in two huge states. Also — both candidates have spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to brainwash us into voting for them. Finally, the media have spent their time worshipping one candidate and unduly influencing voters. This is far from a democracy. Ah, and yes, the Superdelegates are anti-democratic as well. So is the electoral college, the disenfranchisement of felons, the fact that every state gets two Senators regarless of their population, the fact that supreme court justices have lifetime tenure, and the fact that persons with seniority in congress wield so much power on committees that they get to decide what legislation hits the floor and how it looks. VIVA DEMOCRACY! What a joke! We do not have a pure Democracy. And we have a shaky republican form of government.

You should be equally outraged that in caucus states one persons vote counts many more times than one persons-one vote in a primary state.

Yes, it is obvious that the rules will have to changed or overlooked and the end of this process which is why Dean would is putting pressure on superdelegates to make decisions before Aug. so he can save his and other short-sighted committee members from looking like complete idiots. As things stand now the Democratic nomibee wil be selected primarily by Red states who are for the most part happy with their current administration. Bush/Rep supporter are going to stay Bush/Rep supporters; no way are we going to miraculously going to see Red states go Blue. Therefore, if rules have to be changed, waivered in order to complete the nominating process then it should be in favor of the people. i.e (count FL and MI). That after all is the simplest thing to do. Obama received his vote in MI, (uncommitted). His assertion that had he campaigned in the state more people perhaps would have voted for him is just plain arrogant and ludicrous. Neither candidate campaign in either FL or Michigan even though he ran ads tell people if they want to vote for him to vote uncommitted. It was mere incompentence that he took his name of the ballot in Michigan. Too late to cry foul now. Apparently, his campaign must have realized that as well, they left his name on the ballot in FL. The DNC just need to suck it up, admit that they played right in the hand of Rep legislators in both states and revise, amend, waiver or whatever is necessary to count FL and MI votes and lets get on with the business of elected a Democratic nominee. This way superdelegates can continue to vote their individual conscience and the people’s decision will be respected.

Russel-
Roe v Wade is note a dead issue. It has not come up in the primary because both of the Deomcratic contenders support it. The current make up of the court won’t overturn it until they have a big enough majority to protect the new ruling. Electing McCain would enable just that. My point was that no woman that supports choice will vote for McCain no matter who is on the Democratic side ballot. Bush won re-election soley on the war and that he was going to fix the mess that he made. Well he didn’t and neither will McCain. This election cycle is about a real change in the way we need to govern ourselves. Agree that both candidates have made misstatements and have their surrogaters and supporters make boneheaded mistakes. Both of their records are far from spotless. But they are both electable in different ways.
I am confident that there will be a Democratic Administration no matter what happens in the Primary. I think that it is McCain that is the unelectable one because he has all but promised to continue Bush’s policy on the war, the economy, and health care.
I’m confident that the Democratic party will come together because McCain will only dig the hole deeper.

Justinteim write: “The superdelegates are given the final vote, but that is largely a symbolic role to “ratify” the will of the voters who have made the choice based upon pledged delegates through the electoral process.”
Then you have no idea of the history behind the creation of superdelegates. It’d be nice but unexpected if you brought yourself up to speed on it.
rd

GRGgirl: The votes of MI and FL if counted would not put either candidate over the top of delegates needed. The current 2024 number is without MI and FL. If they were counted, that number would up by half of 313 or so, whatever the delegate total is for those states.
Hillary would gain about 50 to 60 votes or so, cutting significantly into both the delegate and popular vote leads of Obama. That is why Obama stopped the revote attempts. He would lose big again.
As for not being in the ballot in MI, Uncommitted was for all delegates not on the ballot, and Obama would get all 40% of them which includes votes that would have gone to Edwards or Richardson, so he comes out ahead that if he was on the MI ballot.
Hillary got 55% of the vote and would again cut significantly into Obama’s lead to a near tie. These last 10 primaries would still not put either over the top, and the supers will have to call it.
I argue they should represent the will of the voters they represent first, and also take into account factors their constituents didn’t know if facts come out after their state’s primary. They are mostly elected officials.
Hillary ’08

dogsoldier, hardly profiles in courage, I have to agree.
More like blowin in the wind.
rd

Super delegates can certainly vote to recognize the votes of 2.3 million disenfranchised democrats, or to recognize the electoral college lead, or the poular vote lead, or whomever they feel can best withstand Republican attacks.
They can vote to recognize a lot of factors and that’s exactly why they were created!

Poor Ms. Hillary– really likes playing a victim all the time, and her supporters are just too naive to think that she is putting on a well scripted act. Funny how she is always under some kind of sniper fire, attacked by right-wing conspiracies, and she mis-reads, mis-speaks, mis-heard, mis-remembered–this poor old rich white lady married to a pervert for too long is really suffering. After 8 years of a mentally challenged president, do we really need one with so many self esteem issues. I would vote for a woman, but not one that stayed married to a creep like Bill. Like her vote on Iraq, she shows a pattern of poor judgement. Get off the phone at 3am, and take a nap Hillary.

It is ironic that a party which has as its name Democratic, has put itself in a position to disenfrachise peoples votes! To hear Obama supports declare oh this is the rules and rules are rules! I say to them how long can a political party exist if at its very core it is in contradiction to the most fundamental premise in a democracy,the Right To Vote! No party can maintain the support of its members or the country if it fails to count the votes of its members as required in any form of democracy! Who has the right to pass a rule that would disinfranchise voters and if so passed what individual with a conscience could accept it without challenge! There were rules once against black men sitting in a white resturant,driking out of the same water foutain,or voting without passing a test! Such law were against the fundamental basis of this country and when the mirror was raised to the face of american to was plain to see they were not just unjust but were incompatibale with a true democracy! So for those who say that there are rules agaist counting the votes I say just be cause their are laws doesn’t necessiarly mean that they are just!
Remember in the movie Cool Hand Luke when the guard was going to put him in the box to keep him from running because his mother just died! The guard says “your know Luke I am just doing my job, you have to respect that”! Luke says ” Just because you say its your job does not make it right boss”! So just because Obama says it is right does not make it right!

HA-Perhaps if Obama could only win his own democratic primary you might be on to something. Lately, Texas, Ohio, and RI have each said no way Obama no how. Wonder what the folks in PA say next. Or did your boy peak too soon?

HA-Obama math? Dean, Pelosi, and Reid are on Obama’s side? You mean this same Obama democratic leadership who promised to end the war and then paid for Bush to keep it going? That lot? This DNC leadership who can’t even run their own democratic primary without shooting themselves in the head? Please, take that dumb ass lot. I insist. Please, I insist.

HA-Please take the democratic establishment. I really do insist. Welcome to that tired and corrupt group of idiots that only an Obama could love. We’re going all the way to Denver. So get out your marching boots and walk the walk with Brothers Sharpton, Farrakhan, Wright, and Jessie Jackson because that’s who you’ll be marching with Ha. That’s the democratic establishment for the Obama side so you’re welcome to that lot as well.

When ever I read either side tout how this state or that state rejected or was one by either candidate due to proportional representation every state has had to acknowledge that a fair portion of that state voted for both sides. when either candidate “loses ” a state by a few percentage points lets not say that the entire state rejected them. The democratic contest is not winner take all. It may be a bit messy but is better represents the complexity of the electorate. Is there anyway that we can acknowledge that both of these candidates would make a great president if only based on how close the election is.

The Superdelegate is as Undemocratic as the Electoral College as the so-called Caucuses. How in the world you can claim democracy when only a tiny of fraction of the people can caucus, because of a variety of reasons that prevent the rest of the population to come to vote, including work at the designated caucus hours. The rules of the Democratic Party is fundamentally flawed and undemocratic. Hopefully, some wise persons, other than a bunch of, what can I say, idiots, can changes this completely out-dated system, and return to the true Jeffersonian democracy of one person-one vote.
Had Jefferson’s democracy prevailed, there would have not been an Obama-haha.
As it is now, you have to live with the rules set before the game, which REQUIRES all delegates to vote on their conscience – whoever they think is best to win in the general election, in this case. But, of course, Obama wants to change the rules by saying that the Superdelegate must vote for him because duh – his un-Jeffersonian wins – and by preventing a one-person-one vote in Michigan and Florida. He is a phony.

falsehope and Doreen:
You forget one thing it is the DNC that
sets the rules for the primaries and the independent Democrat Party leaders in the Caucaus states that set those
rules! I believe that Republicans should only vote in their primaries and the same should apply to the Democrat
primaries and caucauses!

Obama doesn’t have a chance. This whole primary and “caucus” season (the last being the only reason Obama is where he is) Obama has been writing the Republican attack ads for them.
Imagine Obama’s complaint on how words do matter…in an advertisement with Wright’s words.
The idea you worship in a place for 20 years and don’t know that Wright was spreading hate!
Once again, the Democrats are picking a candidate who cannot win.
Democrats are once again in the position of defending the indefensible.
This idea spread by the Obama campaign about his cross-over appeal is also bogus. He’ll lose well over 20 percent of Clinton Democrats to McCain!

The whole process is convoluted. As long as there is an Electoral College, there will be some Democrats who vote in some states, and some Republicans who vote in some states that will never count.
Everything starts from there, the Republicans and the Democrats. It is all Crap, big states, little states, red states, blue states open states closed state, caucus states, and primary states, sound more like Dr Suss to me. Hell the majority of eligable voters don’t vote anyway, so why should any state get more delegates.
This what brings us to this mess until the American public demand one man one vote, we are doomed to the process these politicians want.
So let us stop blaming Clinton or Obama and blame both of them and all our politicians, National and State.
Until then we are just spitting into the win

I really find it hard to believe that democratic voters in any state, no matter the size, would vote for a republican over a democrat. That is the focus of what I’m trying to say. We have had 8 years of republican governess and our foreign policy as well as domestic policy is in the toilet. I want some one, anyone to tell me that they honestly feel that McCain will turn our country into a new direction.
Agree that Obama might not win Ohio or Penn as easily an Clinton might but I also believe that if their respective governors and other elected officials support Obama he will win in both states.
and I don’t want to right off Colorado, or Nevada or other reddish purple states. Democratic registration is eclipsing republican registration across the country. The participation of minorities and the youth have increased to such a degree that we could overwhelm the republican base if we are untied. Bush won by such a narrow margin both times. If we can increase the democratic participation we can swamp them.
Heck texas might be in play this year.
Do all of the democrats here feel that continued republican control of the white house is better than democratic control if our candidate is not the nominee?

Superdelagates were created as an independent entity. They are a group of people who are more knowledgeable in politics and knows what it takes for a candidate to win against the opposing party.
To put it bluntly, the superdelegate was created to overturn the will of the electorate if they feel that the electorate favored an empty vessel.

Many conservative Democrats feel that a strong national security stance is important in a candidate. So regardless, if Clinton is not the nominee those votes will naturally go to McCain.
So Obama supporters such as Andre can talk about disbelief all they want, but that doesn’t change reality.
Also, Obama is laughable when he attacks McCain on not knowing enough about the economy. What does Obama bring to the table in that regard? Nothing. He has n business experience or experience in government. He was a lawyer.
Also, the Democrats used to be proud of their country. Not so with Obama and Michelle. Democrats who love their country will naturally swing to McCain.
Democrats better think LONG about who they pick in November. New numbers and the interest of the young cannot overcome defections in the thousands–which will happen if Obama is the nominee.

You are not alone in campaigning against your Representative if he casts the wrong superdelegate vote. I intend to do so also. I called his office on Friday to see his stance on this vote. His staff was out, but I will call again Monday.
If he casts a vote for Obama, the Republican in our district will stand a change.
It should be clear by now that the Democrats don’t stand a chance in the fall.

I think it is important that those who are knowlegeable about the issues confronting us should educate the younger generation. I have a neighbor who are both for Sen Clinton. They have a 23 yr old son who said he will vote for Sen Obama. I asked him why and his answer was “Because he is popular”. I also asked his 21 yr old sister why she supports Sen Obama and she said “because he is cute and has a strong sex appeal”.
THAT IS EXACTLY THE REASON WHY THE CONCEPT OF SUPER DELEGATES WAS CREATED.

It seems to me that instead of earning the nomination, Obama’s campaign is trying to cherry-pick which rules apply and which don’t.

Both sides are picking and choosing what rules to follow. None of these issues are as cut and dry as we might like them to be. is there a common ground that we can share in order to keep the party together? or does it have to be all or nothing? Barack and Hillary are two sides of the same coin. They each represent a half of the democratic party. how are we going to reunite to take back the presidency or will McCain benefit from the split?

Thank God for Super Delegates.
They have to look at all issues for the sake of the Democratic Party.
Too many young people are voting because their friends are voting and think it’s like American Idol.
It’s almost silly.
This is for the President of the United States. Study the issues and vote experience.

Does anyone think that the DNC can walk and chew gum at the same time? Many of my fellow Dems and I are telling them what we think with our wallets – no more money until they get their act together – that’s the only thing they understand – money! How sad!

reganfan – You stated: “The will of the people must be respected!” Tell me, what constitutes the will of the people? More pledged delegates or the total popular vote????? It’s funny how Obama doesn’t mind people getting to vote twice in TX, but wants to disenfranchise over 3 million voters in MI & FL!!!!!!!!Oh, it’s probably because he legitimately lost in these states. I’ve always been a democrat, but will vote for McCain in Nov if Obama steals the nomination. Obama has no chance of winning.

Yes, the Superdelegates should exercise independent judgement and not to be bullied and coerced by the conjugal and dynastic Clintons.

frustratedFLvoter…
It is people like you who will refuse to support the ultimate Democratic candidate because “your” candidate didn’t get the nomination that will ensure us of another 4 years of GOP inaction on social priorities and cost a few thousand more lives in Iraq. You’re just like the little kid who runs home with his ball because his friends won’t play the game according to “his” rules. People like you make me sick…

Senator Webb is exactly right. One of the main duties of the Super Delegates, in the case of a brokered convention, is to see that the best candidate available to the party is nominated, whether or not they came to the convention with the most delegates or received the most votes in Primaries and Caucuses.
Some supers also can be relied upon to cast their vote the way their particular district went in a primary or caucus. Since most of the super delegates are elected officials, no one can fault them for that. If I were a super delegate and congressman, I would probably vote at the convention for the candidate who carried my congressional district in the Primary.
Obama and certain members of the Democratic Hierarchy are attempting to pressure super delegates to committ to Obama before the process is over and regardless of the way the delegates’ districts may have voted. I’m pretty outraged about Obama’s strong-arm tactics and how little blowback they are getting.

“I have the luxury of having two candidates in this party who are really exciting the country and bringing more people into the Democratic Party, either of whom can be a very fine president.”
That is not true from Webb above. There’s only one candidate in this party, and the other party too, who has really excited the country from day one on the campaign trail and who is still exciting the country and bringing more people into the Democratic Party, and that person has been and is Obama. All the others, including and especially Hillary Clinton, have all worked hard to dupicate Obama’s phenomenom, and it is only because of her money that she has succeeded, to only a certain extent, however.
So I can tell then from that quote above that Webb is a Hillary Clinton leaner and that is why he has not endorsed as yet because he’s waiting until as long as he has to…

I don’t think anyone disputes that super delegates should exercise independent judgement in selecting whom they support. Just that the judgement should include what people are saying. As one undecided super delegate said, If one candidate has a lead in pledged delegates, popular votes, we need a clear and convincing argument to support the other. That is independent thinking. If they honestly find a clear and convincing reason to vote against, by all means.