Thursday, February 14, 2008

It’s 795 superdelegates!

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

With the passing of Rep. Tom Lantos 3 days ago, the number of superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention decreased one to 795, and this has been confirmed by the DNC. So let’s go see how some of the national, political and Denver media are doing with this clear fact:

• NY Times, Thursday, 9 PM: “the 796 elected Democrats and party leaders”
• Time Magazine, Thursday: “some of the 796 party insiders”
• Rocky Mountain News, Thursday (and they should know better): “There are 796 superdelegates scattered”
• MSNBC, Thursday, 9 AM, in the headline: “Meet the superdelegates: Democratic convention may make all 796 of them famous”
• The Hill, Wednesday, 4 PM: “Of the 796 such delegates”
• Hotline On Call, Wednesday, 12 PM: “intentions of the 796 superdelegates”

And who got it right: US News and World Report, MSNBC on Tuesday!, The Chicago Daily Observer, and that’s really about it. Continue Reading...

Thursday, February 14, 2008

DNCC to hold community forum in Lakewood on March 3rd

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

DNCC TAKES ‘CONVENTION CONVERSATIONS’ SERIES TO LAKEWOOD, AS EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST IN CONVENTION CONTINUE TO GROW

Superdelegate Rep. Perlmutter to Join DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry to Answer Questions, Offer Information on Convention for Lakewood Residents, Business Community

DENVER – The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) will host the fifth in a series of community forums at 11:30 a.m. on MONDAY, March 3, 2008, at the Belmar Center in Lakewood, Colo. DNCC CEO Leah D. Daughtry will be joined by U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter for the event.

The series – “Convention Conversations: A Traveling Forum Sponsored by the DNCC” – launched in Denver in September and has since traveled to Pueblo, Boulder and Las Vegas. The community forums are designed to provide residents throughout the Rocky Mountain West with opportunities for direct communication with top Convention organizers and a venue to ask questions, share ideas and find out how they can get involved in the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Continue Reading...

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

South Dakota Superdelegate Endorses Obama

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

About a month ago we had a comment posted on our Superdelegate Endorsement List by Nicholas Nemec announcing that he endorsed Barack Obama last August. We searched high and low for a press release or news article to back him up but never found one.

We started our list in early January before superdelegates became the new buzzword. We decided that organizations like CBS, CNN and NBC made it easy for superdelegates to say they endorsed a candidate because their names were never mentioned. When a news article or press release shows a superdelegate’s endorsement it’s much harder for them to switch to another candidate. Continue Reading...

Sunday, February 10, 2008

NY Times on superdelegates

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

The New York Times has a long piece on superdelegates to the 2008 Democratic Convention, and also an opinion on what they should be doing. Here are some highlights of the article:

“We have all been bombarded with e-mails from everybody and their mamas,” said Donna Brazile, a senior member of the Democratic National Committee. “Like, ‘Auntie Donna, you’re a superdelegate!’ My niece called me today to lobby me. I didn’t know what to say.”
…
The Clinton campaign has established a system, overseen by one of the party’s most seasoned behind-the-scenes operators, Harold Ickes, to have superdelegates contacted by carefully chosen friends and local supporters, as well as by big-name figures like Madeleine K. Albright, a former secretary of state. For particularly tough sells, the campaign has former President Bill Clinton or Chelsea Clinton make the call. Continue Reading...

Sunday, February 10, 2008

720/796 is not the final superdelegate number

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Just a reminder that the number of regular superdelegates, now at 720, can easily change up or down, depending on circumstances. Here are just a few of the events that have or will change the number. (The 76 add-ons will stay constant).

• Joan Fitz-Gerald left the DLCC last year, and was replaced by Mark Schauer, but he is from Michigan. Michigan doesn’t get any superdelegates as of now, so down 1.
• There is an open House seat in Indiana, with a special election in March where the Democrat is favored. Up 1. (There are other open house seats too, with the Republican favored, but maybe we’ll get lucky).
• If an at-large delegate moves into or out of Michigan or Florida, the number will go up or down appropriately.
• And, of course, if the Michigan and Florida delegations are seated, the numbers will increase.

As always, for the most accurate list of superdelegates anywhere on or off the web, check out our lists of superdelegates who have endorsed and those who haven’t endorsed a candidate. Continue Reading...