The Democratic Party leadership needs to convene and revamp their nomination process immediately. Yesterday.
Throw out all this nonsense about super delegates and the fake and erratic methods of determining who's the front runner.
Do a one-day winner take all vote.
Soon.
Start with the 3 candidates still in the race.
That brings Edwards back into the mix.
That brings Michigan and Florida back into the mix.
That throws out all the votes to skew the race by Republicans.
That throws out all the fake caucus votes by employees who did not want to go against the votes of their boss.
That ensures that EVERY vote gets counted (and only once--unlike what happened in Minnesota) and cast in PRIVACY.
And only registered Democratic party members get to vote.
In future races, it keeps the media corporations from profiting off the campaigns' media buys. Do it in March each year. Then, ban anyone from doing any fund-raising. We can us all that extra money to buy new homes (and counseling and wpa style jobs) for all those STILL displaced New Orleans residents and Iraqi war veterans. A new G.I. Bill for our war vets and our victims of rampant unregulated capitalism.
Think about it.

The superdelegates must go. They will cost the Democrats the election in November.
What's more, they may well have the perfect scenario for why they wanted the ability to override the primaries, but they won't be able to use it because the damage will be horrendous.
Can you imagine them thwarting the will of the people after the tremendous turnout and excitement of this election process? Shutting that down by overturning the people's vote would be worse for the Democrats than losing the election. And what if they overturn and still lose, which is quite possible. This will go down as the colossal political party blunder of all time.

Lisa, A great post you just had. Unfortunately there wouldn't be any of the back room stuff going on if this was decided by the "People". Gee, isn't that a funny idea.
phil

What a turnaround on Nancy Pelosi's part. First, she says to "let the will of the voters decide" who should become president. Makes sense to me. But now, after all that I've read about very high-level Democrats giving her a back-room "slap" she's singing a totally different tune. Now headlines involving her read "Pelosi says superdelegates should ultimately decide race.". That's sad. It really sounds like Hillary and her husband are really calling in all their debts among high-ranking politicians to keep her in the race... This could really hand the whole thing back to McCain and the Republicans in November. Unbelieveable.

why the turn around from the Speaker ? As moe Udall sued to say "You can't take politics out of politics." Why the repeat of Saturday Night Live favorable to Sen Clinton last week? Never again: Florida 2000... and the kick in the teeth by the Supreme Court... (one person decided who the president was/is, the 5-4 vote...)let the voices of the people sing out... get the old school pols out of the way... Go Barach ! Speaker Pelosi what happened over the weekend ? The Clinton squeeze ? Come on it is so obvious... Jay

This is really not a turn around. If you vote your conscience, you simply cannot take the win from a guy who comes to the convention with the most pledged delegates to a woman who trails him. Pelosi is sure that Obama will come to the convention with more pledged delegates and superdelegates not respecting that fact will be against their conscience. Read between lines, Clinton Supporters.

Agree with Lisa Barr. Good points.

As a registered republican, I'm tickled pink that the democrats can't get their act together. The fact that something as simple as this is throwing them into the soup, tells me more about their abilities about making decisions than their words.

The Democratic Party should wipe the slate clean and hold its primary on a special two-hour episode of Amercian Idol.

Voters can call in or text the word "vote" for two hours after the show.

Senator Clinton is running out of cards to play. She has run a good campaign and made strong arguments on serious issues that have surely contributed to the national debate. But it's becoming increasingly clear that this contest is over. If she's committed to returning Democrats to the White House, she can make her biggest contribution now by dropping out of the race.

Visit http://www.dropouthillary.org and sign a petition urging Hillary Clinton to withdraw now.

Forward this link on. Encourage everyone you know to visit and sign the petition.

As an immigrant to the United States, I am saddened that our supposedly elected representatives, such as Nancy Pelosi, can't even speak properly, from a grammatical standpoint, if the ABC News' quote is accurate.

"These superdelegates have the right to vote their conscience and who they think would be the better president"

Pelosi & Reid have the "power" to tend the war but won't. They bash Bush constantly but vote in favor of his war which is now their war. Thanks!

Relax. Nancy Pelosi knows that each super-delegate will also be free to use their brain and, the way things appear now, Barack Obama will be the nominee.

Any Democrat who is naive enough to refuse to vote for Clinton if she is actually nominated, deserves what they will most certainly get. Another Republican administration will be even worse than before. Their arrogance will be even less civilized. To stop this Democrats MUST vote together!

I am not votoing for Obama! nancy Pelosi must have gotten the message from the Jewish supporters! Most of the Jewish votes will evaporate if Obama gets the nomination even if he runs with Michael Bloomberg! Jews really ahve no respect left for Obama!Hamas is campaigning for Obama in gaza right now! Aljezira just reported yesterday!
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/muslim_in_the_white_house/index.html

It is too late to rescue most of the harm done by this campaign's divisiveness and caused by realities within the party itself, not with the candidates.

First, Both Florida and Michigan Democrats have been officially disenfranchised no matter what is done now by way of "rescue". Worse, this negates years of Democratic criticism, past and future, about states or the Republican party failing to count a few votes. The Democratic Party's position has knowingly and purposefully disenfranchised all of the voters from two entire states, one of them the infamous "chad" state - presumably because elite party leaders know better when states should run their primaries than those in the states themselves!

Second, the entire notion of superdelegates puts the Democratic Party in the position of very deliberately denying the results of democracy. Can you say hypocrisy? Can you imagine a more damning weapon to give Republicans?

Third, if a convention rules committee sets the stage for Hillary to "win" the nomination, blacks will sit out this election in droves - and they should. Can the party even continue to call itself the Democratic Party if party insiders pull this off? The party will have to change its name to something less insanely hypocritical, like the Social-democrat Party, which is actually more descriptive anyway.

In a year when Democrats should have walked away with the election, there is a very real possibility that they will lose. If so, the party's elite will be fully responsibile and should be held to account even if progressives must form a new party.

Voting (in order):

Hillary
(Gore as consensus nominee)
McCain
Nader

--p.

I think the superdelegates should decide the democratic nominee.Because none of them will reach the magic number 2025. The superdelegates was created for that...

I agree that it would be wrong of the party to tell Clinton to back out at this point, but knowing that she stands little to no chance of winning, I wish she, being the "leader" that she is, would have the integrity to do what is best for the party and best for America by backing out(gracefully, if that's possible for her) and letting the Democratic Party be one again. While we're sitting here in the sandbox bickering, McCain is selling himself to the American people completely unopposed. This is what scares me most about Clinton: she can't see past her own ego, and her own desire for power, and she'll pull the whole party down with her if that's what it takes.

What's all the brouhaha about the "will of the people".I thought Hill and Bill had this thing bought and paid for already.

it is really sad, Clinton's debtors / wealthy hot shots bought the Democrat party and president candidate. Pelosi has no backbone; she is swaying toward Clintons because of the $$. It is sad for the country.
McCain will win in November because American are sick and tired of this un-democrat thing.

Pelosi is a politician that I find many areas of disagreement with, but always respected her for her passion and integrity - I always got the sense she really believed in the issues she fought for (I place Obama and McCain in this same category, which would make a general election with them relevant for the first time in a long time). Now, unfortunately, it is apparent Pelosi is just another Clinton hack. The Clinton's will stop at nothing to win this nomination - mark my words, it will be stolen for Clinton, and the party will never be the same.

I don't understand why so many super deligates are and have been putting their votes/backing candidates this early in the game. I thought that they were supposed to back the one that would be most likely to do the best for the country and have the best chance of beating McCain in the presidential election. Aren't these supers being a little premature? I feel by getting in this early they are prematurely influencing the outcome. I think they should keep their mouths shut until the voting is over. Hillary is ahead in the super deligates at the time by a small margin, but it is my understanding that no deligate is set in stone and can change.

In some respects, I agree with Lisa's post--we should have a democratic primary that is more controlled in terms of the time period of the voting. Having said that, it would eliminate the endless spins, twists, and turns by the media.

Check out Pelosi's actual comments about how superdelegates have the right to vote.

http://campaigncircus.com/video_player.php?v=8919

Nice ideas Lisa - also I think we sould adopt the GOP part about winner takes all in a state and then the race could end much quicker. It's a shame when you can win the popular vote in a state and get less delegates according to what districts won. I read where a consideration is in the mix for breaking the country up in regions and having primaries in each region all in one day. I hope the caucus is done away with!!

I think all this delays to get a democratic nominee will favor the republicans, and as a democrat, I think Hillary should quit the race so that all democrats can confirm and learn to accept Obama as their representative.

If mrs Clinton run for the whitehouse We will sit out and not vote

what if kansas wins the national basketball championship and the college presidents vote to give it to duke. super delegates????????????? why???

I am personally calling on all Democrats and the party to try and settle this whole nomination process,as time is fast running against you for november general election.This is your time (Democrats)to lead America,but if there is disunity among you,you will be heading to a solid rock.I urge you all to support and backed Obama to difinitely bring changes to US.

It was going to be a brokered nomination anyway! What do you people think it means when you have super delegates decide a race? Brokered nominations always fail. Say Hello Mc Cain '08

That's sad. It really sounds like Hillary and her husband are really calling in all their debts among high-ranking politicians to keep her in the race... This could really hand the whole thing back to McCain and the Republicans in November. Unbelieveable.
i agree

I THINK THAT WHEN THE ELECTION COMES DOWN IN NOVEMBER AND THE PEOPLE WHOM I FEEL THAT IF IT BOILS DOWN TO OBAMA AND MCCAIN THAT ALL THE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE VOTED FOR CLINTON WILL CHANGE THEIR VOTES TO MC CAIN AND RESULTING IN A MAJOR LAND SLIDE AND THE BIGGEST CHANGE FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE REPUBLICAN IN NOVEMBER WOULD BE THE BIGGEST IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND FOR A MAJOR VICTORY FOR McCain. shattering all records

If 'the will of the people have spoken', then Al Gore should have been President for the last 8 years.

Hillary makes me proud to be a Democrat! The party's elite should stop trying to promote Obama and let the people and super delegates make their decision as to whom is best for the country. Also, in my eyes Obama will be an illegitimate nominee if Florida and Michigan votes are tossed out. If if he wins without these two states being included, I will vote proudly for John McCain. I hope the democrats wise up and do the right thing...count every vote!!!

Wow! What? what the hell happenede to demcracyin this country. Pelosi, you just showed all your cards you dirty B. You have just admitted you will vote for Hillary no matter what.

Why does it not matter to these back room people that the votes of the people are the only thing that counts. Is there a way for a citzen to sue the Democratic party for undemocratic election processes?

http://www.cindyforcongress.org/

……Congress, under the Speakership of Ms. Pelosi has done nothing but protect the status quo of the corporate elite and, in fact, since she has been the Speaker, the situation in the Middle East has grown far worse, with Congress’ help, and recently more of our essential freedoms were given to BushCo by Congress. That is not what we elected them to do!

A great majority of citizens in California’s 8th Congressional district believe Ms. Pelosi has lost touch with the people of this district and America and it’s time for our reps that aren’t doing their jobs by upholding their sworn oaths to the Constitution to receive a wakeup call!

I agree that with over 45 million American uninsured, we need universal health care….. I agree that the people in the administrative branch are corrupt, as are many members of Congress…….

Cindy Sheehan

@ Robert J.

Can you elaborate on the high-level Democrats giving Pelosi a back-room "slap" per the Clintons as you state? I was getting the impression she had her thumb pretty heavily on the scale for Obama.

What's an incredible lesson Hillary already gives to everyone. Don't give in to the bullies!

Pelosi has done a superb job at driving people to switch to another party with her lack of leadership and unethical behavior of trying to fix the election to give it to Obama.

Pelosi has to say that because she knows by now, there is no way the Bosnia-sniper target can steal the nomination. What she and Obama is doing, in my opinion, is trying to comfor the BST(BosnisSniperTarget)'s voters so they will calm enough to vote Obama in November. You got to remember, most BST's voter are good people but since a lot of them are women and women have tendencies let the emotions taking over in a split of second and that's very hard to control. so let's just to comfor them, let the BST run the course, the lonnger she runs, the more piss-off she will creat to the supers.So her purpose of flirting the supers and her efforts actually run opposite directctions. what she is hoping is that the longer the campaign last, the more possibilities mistakes will make by Obama, but she forgot to look the mirror, she is old and her tired mental condition makes her behavioral bizze. She would make a lot more mistakes then Obama as the times goes on. Obama's mistake wil be casuaties in the war and that's normal but her mistakes will be normal PLUS random spaps her metal on her actions such as vivid describtions of BST. Her advisers should be all fired after the BST. If thay really want her to win. They should tell her: Not this time dear. Let's go home gracely and hoping Obama loose to MCCain and then in 2012, you can come back say : I told you so and nomination will be yours. Of course, that won't work because Obama will be in the White HOuse for 8 years. But the BSTs can't see it. Thay only have the abilities to see what they want to see. Obama will be our president whether you like or not: obma will get nomination because he got more in every number you look and a solid black americans is on his base. No dems dare to anger that base and all the fair minded americans by a totally wrong and unjust way today. And once into the general election, Mccain, a very good man, a war hero, in any other year will graps votes easily but not in this time. Because his health care is : not only you on your own but also some thing new for you :your bass can drop your plan under the name of tax-benefit for you. If you are poor but hard working, you still should jump from the bridge if you are sick. That's life, baby. And the Irag war. If Maccain is BST, he would change his health plan just for the hack of it : you go do what you got to do, but He's a decent guy, would never do such thing. So he will loose to Obama. But wwe are lucky. Obama not only smart but also just as decent as Maccain.

Lisa Barr, your not all there are you.

What is going on here is a battle not only to decide who the candidate should be but also a battle to wrest control of the democratic party from Clinton control. Those superdelegates who have decided to announce their preference early represent the new Democratic Party. I'm actually not against Hillary but the overbearing influence of her husband is disgraceful.

The turn around thing has been occuring not only with Pelosi but with other democrats
Bill Richarson stated not too long ago that he endorses BO and that people in the Clinton camp feel they are entitled to the win and then added"what about the rest of us?"
Now BR is stateing that Hillary has every right to stay in and has run a good campaign.
These examples are only a couple of the dems who have changed thier tune on Hillary-could it be the dems know something we dont know?
Are they questioning the whole Obama mania?
Are they now questioning if BO has what it takes to beat the republicans in the fall when republicans have a no holds barred campaign??

If we could be more like the Republicans we could mount a decent challenge for the White House. I've been watching Karl Rove, and listening to what strategies he would employ if he was a Democrat. Jeez, this guy is really smart, too bad we don't have someone like Rove - unfortunately, we have "Yeehaaa" Dean. What a dope. Hey Hillary and Barak, tune-in to Fox television and pay attention to "The Architect".

Let the people vote. Don't disenfranchise the people in Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Nebraska, et al. You get the point, right! My God, Pelosi really LIKES to call the shots. So, if Hillary and Barack reversed positions what kind of outcry would you hear if it was advocated that Barack get out of the race. "Outrageous. Racist. Demeaning. High-handed".

Do you think I'm going to vote for Barack if the party plutocrats push Hillary out? I'm not going to the polls if that happens, or if I do, I'll pull the "spite lever" for McCain.

I am a Hillary supporter. I think those who are advocating Obama don't really know him--nor do I. Anyone who would sit in a church service and hear a preacher curse our Nation and try to make blacks hate whites for injustices incurred eons ago is as bad as the preacher. His children have been taught such hatred which is criminal. If he gets the nomination, McCann gets my vote.

It's just funny how everyone talks of rules. About how we all should follow them, then wow, when the rules say "If no one reaches the magic # of 2025 delegates, the superdelegates will decide", everyone all of a sudden start crying fowl play. If they overturn the will of the people-blablabla. HELLO DEMOCRATS. This is how you set it up. Live with it and tell the media to back off. Talk about fear tactics. They say the party will be in ruins if they overturn the will of the people. Bull. Supers should nominate who they feel has a beter chance of winning come November. And that is not Obama. Too much unknown, and too much ammo already for McCain to use. Republicans will rip him up in the general election.

@ geerees 1:25PM

Consider re-writing your article, this time in English. I think that you are trying to make a point, and it appears that you are passionate about it, but I honestly can't tell what it is.

Calm down people.
Don't listen to the media and other republicans that say in left leaning media that they are happy that the Democratic battle goes on.As 'Boston boy' says couple of posts ago, watch Fox News and 'the Architect' Carl Rove.He is rightfully saying that the Democratic nomination is not a good thing for Mac Cain.Keep in mind that it seems also that Clinton started to drop the negativity and kitchen sink strategy (hopefully she'll be able to go on so).We have now as democrats full media exposure, and if we all start talking about issues, candidates and supporters, we will be better off.We know Barack Obama has a concrete appeal with independents and centered republicans, as we also know that Hillary has a certain appeal with women and older white voters.I believe strongly that it is now an advantage for democrats to let the nomination process go on to make the case of the sronger candidate.Stop the FL and MI bs! It was not very well managed from the beginning by all parties involved, but the actual controversy/battle/disenfranchise talk is helping nobody.So please Clinton supporter stop saying that Barack Obama is somehow responsible for that, and Obama supporter stop calling for her to drop out cause your not helping your candidate by calling for a win by forfeit.
Now after this post, can anybody tell who i am supporting? I do support one candidate, but i believe this approach of supporting a Democratic nominee is the winning one!

If it was done on a winner take all basis, by the electoral college, which is what the general election would be, Hillary would be winning right now.

A new ad by Sen. Obama running in Pennsylvania falsely claims that Sen. Obama does not accept money from the oil industry. In the ad, Sen. Obama says, "I'm Barack Obama and I don't take money from oil companies or lobbyists and I won't let them block change anymore."

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Sen. Obama has received over $160,000 from the oil and gas companies. Two major bundlers for his campaign -- George Kaiser and Robert Cavnar – are oil company CEOs. Sen. Obama has accepted money from Exxon, Shell, BP, Chevron and just about every other major oil company. Just last month, Sen. Obama accepted another $8,400 from ExxonMobil, $12,370 from Chevron and $6,500 from British Petroleum.

With Barrach Obama I know about the candidate than I do about Hillary Clinton. Like with George W Bush, I trust nothing Mrs Clinton says or does. It is an intuitive thing. In the case of the Boznia airport what she said was a total fabrication. Her vote to support GWB in Iran and Iraq is simply inexcusable, mostly because I think she politically postured as did many other Democrats. Those were important votes. For me in separated those with integrity from those without.

If someone like Tracy who knows she is supporting a fabricator makes a statement about Obama's integrity, it will holds as much value with me as if Sean Hannity confabulated this story.

HILLARY'S POOR JUDGMENT leaves AMERICANS FOOTING THE BILL:

THE WAR IN IRAQ IS HAVING SERIOUS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR ECONOMY and those who voted for the war (i.e. hillary) should be to blame, in part, for the state of the US economy.

Look how the WAR IN IRAQ is affecting the US economy...

$3,000,000,000… 3 billion dollars PER WEEK!

That is the amount America is paying for the Iraq War PER WEEK, money that should have been used here, at home.

Add to this:

Interest. We are financing the war with borrowed money (e.g. treasuries) that carries interest; so in actuality, the war is costing the United States MORE THAN 3 billion dollars PER WEEK.

Higher oil and energy prices. Instability in Iraq is adding roughly 30 dollars per barrel as a premium.

High oil prices mean high utility bills. Due to high oil prices, demand shifts to other sources of energy - gas, coal, etc. - and greater demand will raise the equilibrium price of all sources of energy -- Can you say high energy bills?

Higher oil prices (a raw material used in the production of many goods, fertilizers, gasoline, diesel, plastics, etc.) mean higher prices of goods and services -- Can you say INFLATION?

Higher oil prices mean a higher trade deficit because most of our oil comes from foreign sources. A higher trade deficit means more money is leaving the country than is coming into the country -- Can you say Goodbye to your hard-earned money!

Our dollar is weak and getting weaker. Since we have a trade deficit and is growing in large part to the rising cost of imported oil, the value of goods and services we import exceeds the value of goods we export. You know that foreign car you're thinking of buying or the computer you're using, or that trip abroad you've been thinking of taking....well, guess what? It is going to cost more, Ceteris Peribus, because the dollar is weak and getting weaker.

Lastly, how do you think the world views our country since the argument was made for war? The evidence was weak and circumstantial, yet we rushed into war with Iraq thanks to hillary’s authorization.