Comments on: Blitzer: Could Democrats scrap the current delegate system?

By: Larry of Boston

Larry of Boston — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:05:15 +0000

Suggestions for improving the DEM nominating process; putting the decision into the hands of the voters; and getting the hand picking aspect out altogether.

1. Go to an electoral basis identical to the general election.
2 Like the general election, use a winner take all for each state's electoral votes
3. Eliminate all super delegates and their voting power
4. Make all the elections to be held on the same day like the general election so the media and pundits and polls do not influence the election process

By: NO MOB RULE!!!

NO MOB RULE!!! — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:03:40 +0000

Nancy you dolt obama wants change for the better not jsut change for hillary he has stood against the lies and attacks of the clintonistas and remained true to himself she meanwhile whines and pules everytime she doesnt get her wat I guess, since you do not seem to iunderstand that basic fact you are another one of those clintonistas who cry just because the woman has had her butt handed to her "Dont disenfrancise those in FL and MI who broke the rules and voted disenfrancise those in FL and MI who followed the rules

Ignorance is ugly

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:02:53 +0000

Settle down Obama supporters. We are not talking about doing this change now, we are saying it needs to be done in 2012.

By: Jerome Dukes

Jerome Dukes — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:02:10 +0000

There is nothing wrong with the process. The problem here is are the superdeligates and the Clintons. I'm not sure with the superdeligates are waiting for are they in cahoots with the Clintons.

They should do a servey to see how Obama would do in red states, I'm sure there are more then a few that will change blue. The electoral map swing states they say he needs to win is a bogus measuring stick. He does not need WV, FL, KT to with the elections

By: Dan in Sacramento, CA

Dan in Sacramento, CA — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:01:44 +0000

Here's how it works and has worked since day one of this primary season, folks. When Clinton wins by a small margin, it's "a win is a win." When Clinton wins by a large margin, it's "Americans have spoken and this contest is over. Hillary is the winner." When Obama wins by a large margin, it's "a win is a win." When Obama wins by a small margin, it's "Americans have spoken and the contest is over. Hillary is the winner." See? The rules aren't changing, they are just very complicated.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:00:58 +0000

Obama supporters don't want this to change because of the caucuses, which from what I have read were a total disaster in every state especially the large states. Nevada gave Obama 1 of the delegates by a cut in a deck of cards. We now give delegates by who gets the larger card. Don't tell me this is not a joke.

By: Tom,des moines

Tom,des moines — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:00:40 +0000

I think we should get rid of all superdelegate,caucus and replace with primary and the winner should take all.

Go Hillary 08!

By: Nia

Nia — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:59:06 +0000

They hneed to do something an quick before Hillary has more of chance at abusing it it to her advantage.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:58:59 +0000

Yes they should change their rules including eliminating the undemocratic Caucaus .

By: Dana in Maryland

Dana in Maryland — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:57:22 +0000

Proportional delegates yes, Super Delegates NO! I also don't like the Winner take all system since it disenfranchises the losing side, and makes States the important unit instead of the individual voter. The Proportional system doesn't disadvantage voters based on the states they live in. A century ago, that might have been important,. but with our Mobile population, What state you live in shouldn't have a bearing on the election.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:57:22 +0000

If Obama is so much for CHANGE then he should agree this process has to change. He won't. He only wants change that he wants and we shall see about that. CHANGE is only a word and i don't see him doing anything, he hasn't so far, i have not seen him stand up for anything since he has ran.

This has nothing to do with him or Hillary. I for one and I can see there are many others that think this has to change. This is for the future of the Democratic party.

By: Nina B.

Nina B. — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:57:00 +0000

It should be "winner take all', isn't it obviious by this point? Hillary should have been the Democratic nominee many moons ago. This is a travesty.

By: Griff

Griff — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:56:37 +0000

Well didn't make it, this time around.. I guess I need a New Server...

By: Scott Glenn in Wa

Scott Glenn in Wa — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:56:20 +0000

really in a winner take all process the voters get screwed if and or when there candidate is found to be a bad apple .....after winning several states or vice versa....

By: Dal CA

Dal CA — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:56:01 +0000

Follow the rules! If you mess with the rules you forfeit the race. Hillary you are the one who will forfeit this race.

By: Lance

Lance — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:53:25 +0000

Wolf, give it up. You are sounding desperate like Ms. Clinton.

By: John, London

John, London — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:53:01 +0000

We Democrats are getting tired of the whinnings of the Clintons. Why the heck do they think they own the Democratic Party and that everybody will do their bid in the party?

To hell with I have the majority (popular) vote and hence I should be the nominee. Why the hell does she think we had the primaries? Its all about delegates and super-delegates which she is losing (or had even already lost).

Point remains that she was the MOST POPULAR of all the candidates (because of the name – Clinton which she carries) before the primaries started but she lost the nomination thaks to her campaign management team. Now coming around to FORCE the DNC to install her as the Republican norminee shall make joke of all the primaries conducted in all the (so called 48 states).

As someone on this blog said, the Clinton shall complaints of everything unless it favours them at the detriment of the Democratic Party and thats a real SHAME.

By: Nina B.

Nina B. — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:52:51 +0000

By the way, if Hillary won 65% to 30% for Obama in Kentucky, who got the other 5% of the votes?

By: AL

AL — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:52:39 +0000

THe DNC can change all the rules it wants for 2012, but to manipulate the current process would be very Clintonesque. Funny how talk immediately arises of scraping Superdelgates just after Obama has gained the lead.
Has anyone asked the question how Hillary would reach out to Obama's supporters if by smoke and mirrors she won ?
Had the thought occured to her that to sling mud all the way to the convention at the end of the summer may not benefit her ? Much less make her a better person or leader....
–Tired of the Clintons trying to bend every rule whenever it suits them...even 4000 year old ones.

A diseffected Democrat that WON'T VOTE for HILLARY if she wins !!

By: yns

yns — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:52:24 +0000

Get rid of this delegate system and the caucus system. ONE PERSON ONE VOTE! Same day primaries!

By: TMR

TMR — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:51:28 +0000

I will vote against Obama as well as many other people. He is fraud, totally brainwashed by his wife, a wimp who can cause a lot of grief to our country. Think, people!

By: DISGUSTED

DISGUSTED — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:51:26 +0000

Do we need to address Hillary and her dirty tactics again. Remember her little issue with sniper fire. Oh that just turns my stomach. Give it up hillary you are done. Now you want to change the rules when even your own people say you are desperate. What a joke she has made of herself. The primary process is fine tell here to throw back another shot at the bar and give it a rest already.

By: TG

TG — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:51:18 +0000

The current process may wind up being changed...honestly, who ever expected a nomination fight going this far? At least this year it has been exciting to go vote, much less watch the campaigns in action instead of the usual 'find out who the nominee is early on'...

HRC can go to the convention if she wants, but I personally think it's a wasted effort...seems like she thinks that if she can't get the nomination (sour grapes) she should drag down whoever gets it...and improve her chances for 2012.

By: HILLARY HAS THE POPULAR VOTE!!!!!!

HILLARY HAS THE POPULAR VOTE!!!!!! — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:50:56 +0000

THE WHOLE PROCESS IS OUT DATED.

WE HAVE UP DATED EVERYTHING ELSE WHY NOT THIS?

HILLARY CAN WIN IN NOVEMBER!!!!!

THE POLLS OUT TODAY PROVE IT!!!!!!

STAY IN HILLARY WE NEED YOU!!!!!!

By: Big D

Big D — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:50:42 +0000

Why is this the only time that Hillary is being such a fighter? If she's trying to prove that she's a fighter – why is she only fighting this hard for something that benefits her personally? When has she ever fought this hard for something for someone else?
O '08

By: janis

janis — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:50:09 +0000

Voters in FL and MI did not even realize their party had broke rules and their votes would not be counted. Many stood in lines for more than an hour. The voters didn't break the rules, the politicians did. Count the people's votes. This is the USA!

By: Rudolph

Rudolph — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:50:02 +0000

Yes, definitely change it. Get rid of Superdelegates, use a winner-takes-all...And if possible (but I guess that's the states' choice) stop doing caucuses...
You can't complain about Clinton hurting the party and at the same time defend the current system. If you want it to wrap up quickly, they have to use a winner-takes-all.

By: AKRON, OHIO OBOMA SUPPORTER

AKRON, OHIO OBOMA SUPPORTER — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:49:58 +0000

I feel like oboma is going to be robbed of the nominee. This is so unfair how can the clintons even think about doing something like that they know that a lot of people fear them so they use it to their advantage. People wake up

why would you want someone with a law suit for your president. If found quilty could be doing time in jail instead of the white house.

I think thats why she is staying in the race cause long as she is running for president she can not be prosecuted Peter Paul vs.clintons

By: Jamie Florida

Jamie Florida — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:48:40 +0000

The entire system should be scrapped and the popular vote should rule. We live in a nation that calls itself a democracy and yet it doesn't count one person one vote? Instead we resort to some stupid delegate and electorate system. I don't care who wins, just make my vote count just as much as it would in another state. My current state has 3 elecotrates vs. other states that have 55, 34, 21 ect. My vote counts for less in my state than it would in another. Same with the delegates. Count my vote, not the electorates or delegates.

By: Pete The Truth

Pete The Truth — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:48:05 +0000

Lets go all the way to the convention. I need the entertainment value. Neither of these candidates has a clue. We won't be able to pay for Social Security and Medicare now we want to do healthcare. Please. Anything the federal government gets involved in they screw-up. Ask Hillary how much it costs the taxpayers of New York on all the corruption on food stamps. Ask MS Queen of Pork how many earmarks she is getting this year. The democrats have taken over congress and despite saying they were going to reel in ear marks they are up 30% this year. Nothing is going to change people unless we get a viable third party to change things. Look both hillary and Obama voted against allowing us to put 3% of our own money in our own retirement account. Npbody ask them why. I sure would like top put 3% more in my retirement funds!!! Wake up people!!!!

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:47:31 +0000

Putting all this years election crap aside, they need to do something about the way the dems nominate a nominee maybe they will in 2012. This would all have been over if they did it the same way as the GOP, you win a state you get all delegates then the Dems and the GOP could be fighting it out right now. But no the DEMS and the supporters tell one nominee you are ruining the party, the powers that be in the democratic party don't want to take any responsibility for this mess. They do need to change the process but they won't they like all this mess. This is my last year as a democrat and I am writing in my choice.

By: lori

lori — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:47:29 +0000

I never liked the idea of super delegates or awarding more delegates to the loser, (Ala Nevada for Obama) by the way I am an Obama supporter but if you lose the state you lose the state. I feel all elections primary and GE should be based on the popular vote and count the votes whoever wins the most states should win the nomination and it should not matter if its big states little states if you have more states won thats it, I hope that they change this b/c if they would it would be over now, perhaps Sen. Clinton would have won and unlike other bitter supporters of both I would have voted for her b/c I do not want more of the same that we have had for 8 years. But, with all that said, we should abide by the rules as they are now and change them for the next time.

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:46:23 +0000

The system is stupid, because if the purpose of the primary is to prepare for the general election, why have the system be so different. The General election is winner-takes-all, the GOP has it winner-takes-all, so why do the Dems have a Mickey Mouse, "some for you and some for you" system? I think it's silly, the equivelent of the NFL playing flag football during the Preseason. It prepares you very little. Obama's startegy since Ohio has been to lose by little in state he knew he couldn't win, thus to lessen the damage. Barack, you can't do that come November.

By: Loyal Dem

Loyal Dem — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:46:20 +0000

Yes, get rid of the superdelegates, but otherwise please leave the proportional allocations of pledged delegates in place. That truly makes every vote count, unlike the winner-take-all system Hillary wants (which in this case would have selected an extremely unpopular candidate).

Go President Obama 08 & 12!

By: Suzanne Johnson

Suzanne Johnson — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:44:50 +0000

Wolf, what don't you get? Hillary Clinton is dishonest, does not play by the rules, and used race (negatively) as a wedge issue to divide voter. Obama reigns!

By: Belle

Belle — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:43:02 +0000

Just get rid of all the caucuses, that only reflect a small percentage of citizens and have a winner take all for each state. We would have had a clear nominee by now. Those caucuses we more about bullying people than real discussion.

By: Married with children in NC

Married with children in NC — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:40:59 +0000

The whole reason the DEMS created super delegates in the first place is so that they could override the primary voters. Now Hillary is proposing the supers do just that. Why did the DEMS create the supers in the first place if they didn't want them to be used like this. FYI....McCain will win in November. Its a done deal, unless some major event occurs. (e.g. major campaign screw up, death, big scandal, etc.). Obama's main campaign strategy of wanting 'change' and working with the other side of the political aisle? McCain has done much more of that and has the record to prove it. Thus on his own campaign strategy of 'why it should be me?' Obama loses to McCain.

By: jeff talion

jeff talion — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:38:17 +0000

Hill is just so irritating. She reminds me of the Iraqi spokesperson that continued to deny the US was ivading Iraq in 03. Just face the fact that she lost and beat it.

By: Derek

Derek — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:38:13 +0000

I think the delegate and caucus process is obviously flawed. However, I think the flaw is only exposed in the case of a very close race. We have one now, and so the issue has risen. However, it seems to me that in all other close races, we've played it out until the end of the process, rather than letting Time/Warner owned broadcast networks and publications anoint a winner.

By: CaDem75

CaDem75 — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:38:01 +0000

We should select our candidates just as the republicans do. Winner take all. The primary process allows the public to become familiar with the candidates and allows them to get their message out. Caucuses do not allow each vote to be counted, they need to be replaced with primaries. I think there should be 5 or 6 states voting on each of 9 or 10 primary voting days over 4 months. Four months, The END.

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:37:54 +0000

We need to seat FL and MI If Obama is a man he should allow them to revote. What is he afraid oh? That he is all talk with nothing to his credit. What is it that even makes him qualified? Voting 144 times in senate as present. We should be careful of what we think we want
CHANGE I for one wont vote for Obama if Hillary is not on the ticket.
My one vote will not go to Obama. But to the most experienced person and that will be McCain
Hillary 08

By: alex123

alex123 — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:37:25 +0000

Democrats should scrap any system that does not give the nomination to Hillary. She is the chosen one!

By: Carl from MI

Carl from MI — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:37:11 +0000

Yes... scrap the super-delegate portion of it. Cry-baby Clinton knows that Florida and Michigan violated the rules... and she'd be crying up a storm if they both went majority to Obama.

If you break the rules, you get punished. Why Clinton is not in support of this ancient principle should tell you boatloads about how she'll act as President. We ALREADY have a president that doesn't live by that principle... are you prepared to put her in there in his place? Think about it...

By: TOM PA

TOM PA — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:37:04 +0000

Look the Clintons are MAD they are losing. GET OVER IT

By: Carl from MI

Carl from MI — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:35:46 +0000

Yes... scrap the super-delegate portion of it. Cry-baby Clinton knows that Florida and Michigan violated the rules... and she'd be crying up a storm if they both went majority to Obama.

If you break the rules, you get punished. Why Clinton is not in support of this ancient principle should tell you boatloads about how she'll act as President. We ALREADY have a president that lives by that principle... are you prepared to put her in there in his place? Think about it...

By: Ralph

Ralph — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:35:16 +0000

One can only hope their stupidity is curable.

By: former NM resident

former NM resident — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:34:40 +0000

The democratic primary process is a joke and about as undemocratic as an election can get. Yes, it should be revamped. All primaries should be held on the same day and the popular vote should prevail. Do away with the superdelegates which are an insult to American voters.

By: USMC Vet

USMC Vet — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:34:37 +0000

If someone told me that this election is not about "race" and gender, then they are in a different world. Other then religion, race is the other issue that seperates this country. No one should feel sorry for Hillary....she needs to move on. I've seen two terms of the Clintons in office and I've had enough.

By: The Lady

The Lady — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:34:01 +0000

There a total of 86 delegates left. Obama needs 61 and Hillary needs 247, it does not matter what FL and MI do right now the show is over. The only fair thing they can do with FL and MI is split them down the middle and we will still be where we are right now. I do admire a fighter but I don't admire someone who fights for nothing.

By: Ardnuas

Ardnuas — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:32:43 +0000

Wolf, give it up.... Hillary is NOT going to win.... you keep trying to get her elected.... why didn't you want to change the SYSTEM when she was winning, why didn't you want to count FL and MI when she was winning?