Tonight, I happen to run into one of the signers of the letter that has caused much conversation around the blogosphere and in the media. That person said to me that it was understood that the letter was going to uncommitted SDs and not those who had already declared support for Hillary. The person said that the letter was put together to try to convince them to make a decision, not to try to convince those who had already committed to go back on their word.
If that is true – and I have no reason to doubt that it is – then it raises the question as to whether some of the folks who signed the letter would not have done so had they known it was to be used this way.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Was this person also aware that someone was going to forward the letter via email to all the bloggers as well as a few mainstream media outlets? Because it pretty much doesn’t matter at all whom the letter was supposed to be directed to if the real point was creating a public spectacle that pitted the super delegates against “the will of the people.”
I have never seen an election where people are actually being BULLIED from the other candidate. My whole problem with this letter is that these leaders are speaking for their committees, which they can not do in a primary. We need to remember them at election time.
I wonder if the “will of the people” in the battleground states of MI and Fl will be heard? A Democrat surpessing votes, in FL no less. Make you just want to go hmmm.
I have talked to others who DID NOT sign the letter because they felt it TOTTALY unacceptable to officially choose sides as a party chair. Some members of their respective committees will rightfully resent it, others might jump for joy. By its very nature, the letter is divisive and not the role of a Chair. I understand the debating point that this is after the VA primary, but the overall race has not been settled.
Newport News Dem,
You know how much I love ya man and Vivian. Now if I could since I signed the petition I will respond. First according to the party bylaws party officials(meaning chairs also, have a right to endorse candidates. That is a bylaw. this petition does in no way speak for our committees and you know at every meeting I stress that I will never speak for the committee unless it has been approved beforehand. Newport News Dem I am doing no more than any other elected official has done in this state including the Governor in an attempt to lobby my superdelegates. All the superdelegates have been lobbied and now the grassroots part of our party is not allowed to have an opinion. I do not vocally as you know support Barack in some emotional state of rage. I looked at the numbers, saw the odds, and determined unless someone’s prayer is answered the nominee will be Barack. Both Vivian and Newport News Dem know me very well and know that each election cycle I knock personally on thousands of doors,make thousands of phone calls, and distribute tens of thousands of pieces of literature for the Democratic candidate and will continue to do so. Needless to say I never thought I would somehow be called names on the blog such has been seen by my eyes for simply doing what both camps have been doing. It is called lobbying the superdelegates and i welcome the Hillary supporters to do the same thing as Governor Kaine has indicated today.
This whole thing is ridiculous and even more reason for this episode in the Democratic Party needs to end. This is also a good reason that I do not like the system of superdelegates. Why should individuals that voted on election day in the primary get another vote? Everyone of the superdelegates have already voted for either Hillary or Obama and now they get to vote again. Democracy at its best!!!!
It reminds me of 1979 when we voted for the United Steelworkers to represent us by an overwhelming margin. The company didn’t like the results and told us our votes were no god and that they knew more about what was good for us than we did. they took our right to vote and said it wasn’t worth anything to them and that they would fight us in court to strip us of the outcome. Now we have the superdelegates who can either way through an undemocratic process say to the voters, ” You voted in a very stupid way and I am here to rescue you from your obviously weak mentality”. Glad I am an even keeled individual, because this stuff is really getting stupid.
Gene, my brother, I did not say it was against the bylaws, I said some thought it unacceptable and potentially divisive as Chairs for those who support HRC. Also, since all signatures read “Joe Smith – Chair XXX Committee, it could have been interpreted by some as a Committee endorsement. That was my only problem and the letter and news release is dripping with suggestions that the signatories were representing their districts or committees. I quote
Surovell stated that he and Rousselot had “written the letter as the Democratic leaders whom our memberships have entrusted to lead the party in our respective jurisdictions”
That is coming right up to the line of representing a Committee endorsement if not actually crossing over it!
Also, I DEMAND the % of the vote spreadsheet to reflect only 1/2 of the 19,130 votes for Newport News. That would have the added pleasure of dropping he vote total under 50% from the 50.43% published! This is false advertising and rumour has it, the other Chair in Newport News is not so enamoured with Obama! 🙂 (Only kidding for the humor deprived, except of the enamoured part)
Bottom line, I just hope the unpledged delegates decide to not listen to you!!! 🙂 CinC and Leader of the Free World are stake and your guy seems t constantly talk about his love for Reagan and Bush the Smarter. That outta give your pause. Check out this Joe Wilson article….
Obama’s Illusion on Foreign Policy
Newport News Dem,
Rumour also has it that the michigan Wolverines are going to move out of michigan and become the Beijing Wolverines, thereby being the first colege campus in America to be outsourced. Just a rumour, thought you might like to know.
wow , let me pull up a chair.
FYI, the press release also said:
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Democratic Party local committees and congressional district committees are prohibited from endorsing in elections by the Virginia Democratic Party Plan. However, Democratic Party officers and members are permitted to make endorsements and make their views known if they so choose.
***
Scott – I didn’t get a copy of the press release. But now that you make mention of that particular fact, don’t you think that the endorsement of the committees is implied because of the use of titles?
And would you care to address the issue that this letter was only supposed to be going to the uncommitted delegates?
No. It wasn’t implied. I nor 30+ other people would’ve signed if it was implied. Since the press release included the names + the disclaimer it was clear the committees did not endorse.
The letter was mainly directed at the uncommitted superdelegates. At the suggestion of several signatory city/county chairs and upon a request by a Clinton Superdelegate, it was also eventually sent to all of the superdelegates who had publicly indicated a preference as a courtesy because we knew they would get press calls, needed to see it and might want to reconsider their position.
Yesterday, Governor Kaine indicated that there’s nothing wrong with this tactic – it’s politics.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/04/kaine_supports_efforts_to_pres.html#more
Superdelegates are getting lobbied by lots of committee chairs, elected officials, candidates, candidates wives, and other people. It’s the democratic process.
As I said in the previous post, the existance of superdelegates means that the process is NOT democratic.