Obama wins big in Washington the state, but our super-delegate Senators are both

[rhett o rick]

supporting Sen Clinton. Any one else a little disturbed about this?

[The empressof all]

1. I plan on contacting each of their offices next week

My rep also came out for Clinton (sigh) So call your Reps office too. I think we need to question them on if they will support their constituents or their back room loyalties when it comes to the Super Delegate vote. The more they hear about it from the voters the more they'll have to think about it.

The reality is though it's unlikely that Cantwell or Murray's super vote for Clinton will impact their re election.

[rhett o rick]

2. Incumbents can do pretty much as they please. I will contact them also. nm

[eridani]

3. A county by county map breakdown of the results

http://www.nwprogressive.org/portal/

Washington has 17 superdelegates. If Obama got 68% and Clinton 31%, that would mean that going along with the will of the electorate, 11 ought to be Obama delegates, and 6 for Clinton. I'm going overboard for fairness here and giving the 0.5 delegate to Clinton.

[rhett o rick]

4. If the will of the people was the concern there wouldn't need to be super-delegates.

The purpose of the super-delegates is to ensure that the will of the party machine isn't overruled by the will of the people.

[uppityperson]

5. Gov Gregoire is supporting Obama.

Watching and seeing what happens.

[LisaM]

6. Be careful what you wish for. Hillary has won some large states.

She could pick up a lot of super delegates in NY, California, and Massachussetts.

And, strictly speaking, the voters of Michigan and Florida cast more ballots for Hillary than the others (and not everyone took their name off the ballot in Michigan). The DNC told Michigan and Florida they would not seat their delegates. I'm fairly certain they did not tell them that they wouldn't seat their super delegates.

It's not an easy issue, but for one thing, super delegates are supposed to be able to vote as they wish, not by dictate, and if the super delegates in the first three states I mentioned above go (even if it's proportionately) to Hillary, it might aid her.

I would also ask you this: do you see Hillary supporters from Massachussetts starting a movement to tell Kerry and Kennedy to vote for Clinton?

[rhett o rick]

7. My goal isn't to derail Clinton, but to make the selection according to the

wishes of the voters. If that turns out to be Sen Clinton, so be it. I will just have to vote Nader/Kucinich. I am just kidding Skinner. They would never run together on the Green party ticket, well.........at least not if Obama wins the nomination.

[Buzz cook]

8. Washington State shouldn't be a winner take all state

There will be delegates for both candidates at the national convention and super delegates for both.

[eridani]

9. We have 17 superdelegates

That ought to mean 11 for Obama and 6 for Clinton.

[Buzz cook]

16. I disagree

The super delegates get to vote their conscience just as regular delegates.
If you became a delegate at the precinct level you'll get a chance to change your support to another candidate all the way up to the national convention. If you decide to stick with the same person, then more power to you. If you decide to change at each level, well good for you to.
Our individual votes are our own alone.

[rhett o rick]

17. Why oh why do we need super-duper-delegates? If it turns out that Obama

wins the popular vote but the Democratic Party insider machine gives the nomination to Sen Clinton, the Democratic party might just as well kiss their keisters goodbye. Millions of us are tired of politics by the machine, by the insiders that are influenced by corporate donors. The super-duper-delegate system is underhanded and un Democratic both big D and little d.

[tavalon]

12. Buzz cook

I attempted to send you a private message but am unable to. This is regarding a donor star. Please mail me about whether you would like one and whether you would like the bumper sticker as well.

[Buzz cook]

15. No thanks buddy

Thanks for asking though.

[maxsolomon]

10. their bread is buttered on the clinton side

they've been lining up these superdelegates for years - campaign donations, fundraisers, appearances, co-sponsoring bills, etc.

this is the way party politics works. its not "democracy". if you don't like it, don't look.

[tavalon]

11. I've been rather disturbed by both of "our'" senators for some time

So, this is just status quo, as far as I'm concerned.

[Upton]

13. Real disturbed

I'm more than just a little disturbed. We voted overwhelmingly for Obama in the caucus, if he wins the beauty contest next week as well, Murray and Cantwell will have no excuse for not switching to Obama.

[Upton]

14. Brian Baird endorses Obama

I'm happy to report my congressman, Brian Baird, has just come out for Obama. Joining Gov Gregoire and Rep. Adam Smith in doing the right thing and representing the will of the Democratic voters in the state.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_wa_obama_endorsement.html

[eridani]

18. Just heard that Inslee went back to "Uncommitted" n/t

[rhett o rick]

28. That's not what the Kitsap Sun reported yesterday. Inslee remains for Clinton. nm

[LisaM]

19. Of course, many who voted in the caucus are NOT registered Democrats

Why is the Democratic electorate obliged to vote with independents and Republicans?

[rhett o rick]

20. Say what? Do you live in Washington the state? Did you go to your caucus?

I dare say that not many republicans have nerve enough to show up at a Democratic caucus. They would stand out like a sore thumb. I personally knew many of the people at my caucus as I believe most people did. Also, those that came to the caucuses in our County donated an average of $20 per person. Don't think that included any republicans.

[flamingyouth]

22. We had one guy for McCain at our precinct's caucus.

What a jackass. :eyes:

[rhett o rick]

23. What was he doing at a Democratic caucus? Did he try to disrupt? Was he supporting

a Democratic candidate?

[flamingyouth]

25. I don't know. He just signed in for McCain and then left.

We had so many people and it took so long for everything to get organized (we had to keep moving from building to building so we could find adequate space) that by the time they tallied the votes, the found the one person for McCain. You can imagine how the crowd reacted. But he'd left by that time. Idiot.

[rhett o rick]

29. We had a lot of people too. Our County was told to expect 20-30% increase

over last time. They prepared for 100% and were tested but pleased by a 150% turn-out. Everyone i saw was patient, even though our building was an hour late in opening, not the fault of the party. In my caucus we had polite discussions about the candidates and everything went smooth.

[eridani]

21. 100% of the attendees of the Dem caucuses are not registered Democrats

That's because WA state does not require registration by party.

[rhett o rick]

24. Which I think is too bad. By the way do you know the total caucus turn out numbers for Washington

the state? At least for Democrats? And thanks for all your help.

[LisaM]

26. There were about 244,000 at the Democratic caucuses

and over 519,000 for the primaries - which didn't count. Tell me how that's right.

[rhett o rick]

27. Simple, depends on if you believe that everyone's vote is equal.

Seems there is a very big number of people that don't believe that everyone should have equal power to vote.

The republicans disenfranchise millions of poor people, usually minorities because they don't think they should even get to vote.

The Democrats are almost as bad by thinking that it is necessary to have caucuses to make sure the "more involved" get heard and to hell with the others. Plus the super-duper-delegate system to give those that are really "in the know" more power. The flaw in their thinking is that once the "in the know" and the "more involved" get done choosing our candidate for us, they want us, the base to give their candidate our support. And they get pissed when we say bull schite and vote for third party or stay home. If the want the base to support the candidate then let the base determine the candidate.

[LisaM]

30. I just detest caucuses. I think they exclude people.

It's just crazy. Plus, it's not just the "most involved", or it wasn't this time. People just poured into ours fresh off the bandwagon and they have nothing to do with the party.

[eridani]

31. Maine's caucuses have universal absentee balloting for any reason

There is no reason why we can't do that here. Then nobody will be excluded, but the process still favors motivated worker bees. I identify with the little red hen here--them that does the work should have more power over decisions.

[rhett o rick]

32. I do agree with you. I go to caucuses and think they have some benefit. Although to be honest

we didn't to very much more than select delegates. But we were there and talking and meeting each other. I think that is good. I personally like the caucuses but think it should be easier for those that can't make it to participate.

On the other hand, I don't like the super-duper-delegate system.

[LisaM]

33. I've been to three caucuses. At the first, I had to change candidates

even though mine was still on the ballot at the time (Harken, in 1992) because he didn't get enough support in the first round, he couldn't get any delegates. We don't have a winner-take-all system, so it seems too bad that I couldn't help get him a delegate (and I was WORKING on his campaign at the time). The second time I went, the Dean people actively tried to get Kucinich people to switch after the first round, which would left Kucinich with no delegates from our precinct at all (we thwarted them).

This time, there were a ton of Obama people there and I can tell you that not only were they not all worker bees, they also weren't, IMO, all Democrats. But worse, I wasn't given a chance to speak at all. It was utter chaos.

I know a woman in her 70s who couldn't go at all because there wasn't enough accommodation. We found out later (it wasn't advertised ahead of time) that you can get a proxy for some medical conditions, but you can NOT get a proxy if you have to work!

Unreal.

[rhett o rick]

34. My first caucus was in 92 also. Three of us showed up and we had three

delegate positions. Two present were for Bill Clinton and I was for Al Gore. But I was a Federal employee and forbidden to be a delegate. Therefor we lost one delegate position. We sent two for Clinton. Great system. This year was much better. I was undecided until I found out that I was the only one and therefor wouldn't get a delegate, we had 9. about 23 people were there. It was very friendly and I don't think any were republicans.

[Upton]

35. Went to my first caucus this year

but I've always been a registered Democratic. I'm an Obama supporter and I think I'm emblematic of many who have been motivated to participate more fully in the process.